JTV

The album's second single "One Sentence" (Track 2) embodies that struggle for balance. Written by Justin and produced by longtime producer Mark Lui, the song shifts uncomfortably between R&B and melodramatic ballad, resulting in a track that seems to be made up of two different songs. Justin can't seem to find a balance between the song's two genres, and ends up having two halves of a song without a coherent whole. To a lesser degree, the controversial first single "Headline News" (Track 11) is along the same vein. Accused of being plagiarized from the classic R&B ballad You Make Me Feel Brand New and Bondy Chiu's "Seeking Happiness", "Headline News" does feature a few lines that seem eerily similar at points. However, the real problem with the song is again that it sounds like two sets of different melodies - one R&B and the other a karaoke-friendly ballad - put together, as opposed to one complete song.

The rest of JTV continues the clash with commercial-friendly ballads and a few R&B tracks in between, although opening track "Red Carpet" (track 1) seems to promise so much more for the album. This cheery lounge-R&B hybrid written by Justin is a fun, high spirit track that allows Justin to really put his vocals to good use. The result is not only a track that is fun to listen to, but also sounds fun to work on as well. Its English cover "Stuck on U" (Track 12) is equally effective, especially since English is one of Justin's native languages.

As far as R&B tracks go, "Morning After" (Track 8) wins by default. The acoustic guitar-driven R&B ballad is relaxing and breezy most of the way. However, it also packs in a few western pop clichés too many, as English speakers will likely groan audibly when Justin exclaims "come and get yours!" after a strange but brief reggae-driven section near the song's climatic ending. Nevertheless, "Morning After" is the type of solid R&B track that Justin excels in, and it's one of the standout songs of the album.

Though I do complain about the overwhelming amount of ballads on JTV, it doesn't mean they're all automatically bad. Hit single "Karaoke Men" (Track 3), one of the only two songs not written by Justin, shamelessly panders to karaoke-friendly listeners with its catchy melody and easy-to-remember lyrics. However, it's also a stellar example of how such a commercial-friendly ballad can also be successful musically, though the producers' decision to retain the original's Mandarin lyrics feels a little contrived.

The best ballad on the album, "Two Women" (Track 7), also happens to be the one that panders to karaoke fans the least. With a bare arrangement that features only a guitar, the track relies on the melody and Justin's vocal to affect listeners, and it works wonderfully. Justin employs falsetto to restrain his usual showy vocals, effectively focusing the song on the music rather than the singer. As a result, the track is a perfect showcase for both Justin's songwriting and vocal skills. However, its quiet composition and lack of showy vocal will likely not appeal to those karaoke fans mentioned in the lyrics of "Karaoke Men".

While no one will deny that Justin is a solid vocalist, he works too hard to prove that in JTV. The freeform singing style works for fast tracks such as "Red Carpet", but many of the side tracks become so much about showing Justin's ability to sing that they forgot to be interesting. Justin has proven that he is a solid songwriter, but many of the ballads on the album sound like a collection of b-sides with showy vocals. The result is a solid compilation rather than a coherent album. The songs on JTV may have their individual merits, but it doesn't make an engaging album when put together. We know by now that Justin is not a one-trick pony, but with labelmates Leo Ku, Edmond Leung, and newcomer Siufay covering the same genre, a reinvention is certainly in order if he wants to remain on top of the Gold Label lineup.

Recommended Tracks: "Red Carpet" (Track 1), "Stuck on U" (Track 12), "Karaoke Men" (Track 4), "Two Women" (Track 7), "Morning After" (Track 8).

by Kevin Ma