Chasez Commits Himself

From boy-band to solo man, JC Chasez has decided to step in and claim some of the same success that followed fellow bandmate Justin Timberlake with his first solo album, bearing the strange yet fitting title Schizophrenic.The 27-year-old pop star co-wrote all 15 tracks on the album, embedding many styles from his influences, Michael Jackson and Prince among them. The single “Some Girls (Dance With Women)” utilizes the standard that is becoming modern pop: hip-hop flavored beats and repetitive hooks that mix well in a club atmosphere. Yet his style does not remain consistent as the next track, “She Got Me,” induces retro funk a la Jamiroquai, with the aforementioned Jackson-esque vocals. Then in “100 Ways” the rock guitar and vocal melody evoke Cake. To switch it up even more, “Something Special” is an acoustic tune in which Chasez seems to channel George Michael, and “All Day Long I Dream About Sex” is an utter 80’s new wave track on which Chasez’s voice is the least impressive. He could have at least changed up the retro style with a bit of 00’s pop flare. This cycle seems to repeat throughout the album.

With such opposing styles, perhaps the title Schizophrenic is not so far off, showing Chasez has fallen into the same trap that many young solo artists do. Britney Spears fell into this pitfall with her latest release, gaining creative control that ultimately leads to trying everything at once. Switching from hip-pop to rock to new wave and back again, Chasez at least shows that he has somewhat of a wide range of talent in the pop realm, even if it is Schizophrenic.