Huge Celebrity (Celebrity - 'N Sync)

Member Name: Lakerfanster

Product:	Celebrity - 'N Sync
Date:	21/09/09 (91 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Gone, Brian McKnight, Stevie Wonder

Disadvantages: A couple too many up tempo tracks

**Introduction**

Before Justin Timberlake went solo he was in the hugely successful vocal harmony group N-Sync with JC Chasez, Joey Fatone, Lance Bass and Chris Kirkpatrick. The story begins in the early 1990's when Timberlake met Chasez as they were both part of the Disney Kids club which also featured the likes of Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. After finishing their time in the Disney Kids club, Justin Timberlake and Joshua Chasez were approached by Lou Pearlman who was looking to form a band.

After missing out on joining the Backstreet Boys, Chris Kirkpatrick worked with Lou Pearlman to find singers to form a new group, He brought in Joey Fatone who he worked with at Universal Studios and after looking for other members they spotted Justin Timberlake in tapes of the Disney show and he recommended JC to the group and one member was left to look for and as they were looking for a Bass vocal and eventually went with Justin Timberlake's vocal coach at the time, sixteen year old Lance Bass (Pronounced like Sea Bass).

**Celebrity**

Celebrity was the final album released by N-Sync before Justin Timberlake and JC Chasez both went off a recorded their own solo albums. Celebrity was the album that proved to everyone that they were not a boy band but were an adult vocal harmony group who wrote their own songs. Celebrity has sold over 10m records worldwide and features the singles "Gone", Pop and finally Girlfriend".

1 Pop
2 Celebrity
3 The Game Is Over
4 Girlfriend
5 The Two Of Us
6 Gone
7 Tell Me, Tell Me....My Baby
8 Up Against The Wall
9 See Right Through You
10 Selfish
11 Just Don't Tell Me That
12 Something Like You
13 That Girl Will Never Be Mine (Bonus Track)
14 Falling (Bonus Track)
15 Do Your Thing

**My View**

"Pop" gets things started and this showcases the new sound which N-Sync came out with an electronic pop rock sound which was high energy. I remember hearing this before it came out and I was not that impressed with the little snippet I heard but you really need to hear the progression of the track, this is a very catchy electro pop track which is great to dance to and has a great flow. It's a high energy opening.

"Celebrity" is up next and this title track is about the bad stuff you experience when you are famous, This track centres on people who are only after them because they are famous and how they experience it. This is another flowing slice of electronic pop with some great beats and catchy hooks. It has one of the best flows on the album and has a good message for the public.

Next up is "The Game is over" which opens with the sound of an arcade game then the bass hook comes in with the catchy beat and the song is soon in full flow. this track continues on from the previous song and is about when someone shows themselves up with what they are really like. This has some great hooks which are toe tap inducing. I like the pace of this song which has a great flow.

"Girlfriend" is an interesting slice of R&B/Hip Hop which really showcases the smooth vocal harmonies of the group. This track is the original version which does not include Nelly who featured on the remix of the single. This is a very flowing track which has a great beat and a good flow. I really like the vocal harmonies on this track.

"The Two of Us" is up next and this is back to the pop feel with some catchy music and some lead vocals from JC which leads into the catchy hooks and the smooth backing vocals. This is one of the weaker tracks on the album but is still a relatively impressive track that will have it's appeal. Good track.

"Gone" is a truly beautiful ballad which features Justin Timberlake on lead vocals. The backing is a simple mix of drum beat and nice acoustic guitar, I really love the backing vocals on this track, they back up Justin brilliantly and this is just a sensational song which shows that they have talent and were not just another boyband. This track was written solely by Justin Timberlake and tells the story of a tough breakup.

"Tell Me, Tell Me..." is up next and brings the album back to the up tempo pace of the opening. The opening is Michael Jackson like and then the funky electro pop comes in, This is a very catchy track with a good flow. Justin and JC take on lead vocals here and this is a great up tempo dance stomper which has some really good hooks. Good stuff.

"Up against the wall" is another funky electro pop stomper led by JC and Justin and the song features raps from all members. This track has some great hooks and computerized sounds which add to the overall dance feel of the song. Good stuff and another very catchy slice of electronic pop from the album.

"See Right Through you" is the shortest track on the album and is a funky little track with a fast paced beat and a great stop start motion. This features their smooth vocal harmonies backed by some great beats and some good electronic sounds. This track is short and sweet. Good stuff.

"Selfish" carries on where "Gone" left off and this is another very impressive ballad indeed. If you are a fan of Brian McKnight like me then you will probably know that he is on this track too without needing to read the inlay notes as it's so like Brian McKnight. This is a really beautiful ballad which is again led by Justin Timberlake and backed brilliantly by the smooth vocal harmonies. JC also takes a turn on lead vocals on this one.

"Just don't tell me that" is another catchy track which continues the theme of the album, catchy electronic pop with the vocal harmony twist. This is another very catchy slice and again features Justin and JC on lead vocals. This is another very good track.

"Something like you" is similar to "Selfish" in that Just as you can tell Brian McKnight is one the Keyboards, Stevie Wonder is on the harmonica on this beautiful track about the feeling when you look at your great relationship with someone and you can't believe you are with them. This is another fabulous track and Stevie Wonder's harmonica adds a great touch.

"That Girl (Will never be mine)" brings the album back to the electro pop sound that is all over this album. This is a great slice of up tempo electronic pop which has a great chorus and I can imagine that this one would be a great track to perform live. This is another example of the way they blend their vocal harmonies with electro pop on the album.

"Falling" is the final ballad on the album and this is a very nice ballad about when you fall in love with someone and want them to feel the same way about you. This is not as good as the other ballads on the album but having said that, the other ballads are outstanding, this is just very good. Nice harmonies again.

"Do your thing" is up last and is an interesting track that mixes their vocal harmonies with a mid tempo beat and some nice hooks in the background. This is different enough from the majority of the album that it works well. A nice end to the album and a worthy addition.

**Overall**

When you think that Justin Timberlake's debut album followed a year later it's not hard to understand why his debut was so successful as he takes an even bigger lead role on this album. This is their best album as a group and with the Ballads "Gone", "Selfish" and "Something Like you" they have three phenomenal tracks that really showcase their talent as something much more than a boy band and more a vocal harmony group. This is not a guilty pleasure as they along with the Backstreet Boys are the only "boy bands" who are still making music in some capacity. This album is great and collaborations with Brian McKnight and Stevie Wonder show that there are a vocal harmony group rather than a boy band.

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