Talented producer fails to deliver on solo effort

April 16, 2007 —

Timing can be everything, and the iron has never been hotter for producer Timbaland to strike with his second solo album thanks to his recent collaborations with Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake.

It's these pairings, however, that have generated expectations Timbaland Presents Shock Value simply can't meet.

If this were 2005, the album could be considered a wash, but being the man behind the music for Furtado's Loose and Timberlake's FutureSex/LoveSounds, two of the most successful pop albums to drop in the last year, Tim's star has arguably never been brighter. Subsequently, his latest release garnered more attention than his debut or releases with partner Magoo.

Expectations aside, Shock Value fails to do what its title implies. Timbaland stated the artists featured along with the album's production would "shock the system," but neither is true.

Tim's selective nature in choosing his projects have resulted in a stellar resume that features names like Jay-Z, Missy Elliot, Nas, and Usher, but the artists featured on Shock Value are more second-tier than anything and while there are some surprising cameos like Fall Out Boy and Elton John, the complete list is far from groundbreaking.

Perhaps more disappointing is the uninspired production. After more than a decade in the limelight, Timbaland has shown his staying power to lie within his range as a producer. It's this ability that has kept his sound fresh and innovative, two qualities the album lacks.

The problem is compounded by Shock Value's bulky 17-track offering, making the overall package that much more redundant. Few tracks stand out from a production standpoint. The album's first single, "Give it to Me," is one of the album's most accessible components and has benefited from heavy radio rotation in recent weeks.

Featuring Furtado and Timberlake, the track serves as a forum to address a variety of conflicts. Backed by a simplistic, but hypnotic beat, Timberlake responds to Prince's verbal jabs at a post-Emmy Awards party, while Timbaland elevates the growing feud between himself and fellow producer Scott Storch, although Tim insists his verse refers to no particular person.

When the album manages to rise above mediocrity, it's marred by weak lyrics. Like most producers by trade who take a crack at the emcee side of things, Timbaland has never been anything special lyrically.

The surprisingly bland production makes these shortcomings more prominent and less easy to look past. Most of Timbaland's guests are unable to pick up the slack, instead often adding to the mess.

"Bounce" boasts one of Shock Value's few pronounced beats, only to be hindered by Timbaland, Dr. Dre, and Missy Elliot seemingly attempting to see who can output the worst lyrics. Timberlake pops up during the hook to provide juvenile lines like "Bounce (like yo ass had the hiccups)/Bounce (like we was ridin' in my pickup)."

The aforementioned work with Elton John, "2 Man Show," is a bold concept poorly executed. John's talents are wasted, contributing only a simple piano run.

Were it not for Tim's verbal cues, John's presence would be impossible to detect.

The song serves as a microcosm of Shock Value: the ingredients for something special are there, but the results are more uneven than shocking.