Man of The Woods Album Review

 Before I write the album review, I have to admit that I am the biggest fan of JT and my whole life has been growing up with his music. But don’t worry. I just promise myself that I would write the authentic review of his album. Justin released his fifth studio album on 2^nd February if we count 20/20 experience second album in the list.  As usual, his fifth album was highly anticipated album of 2018. He released his first single “Filthy” on 5^th January and when I first listened to that song, I was moving my ass at gym and couldn’t stop dancing and singing on my own. I was singing like “Haters gonna say it’s fake” almost every time. He announced that he would perform at 52th Superbowl halftime show in November and I am sure we all got hint that he would release his new album since that period. 

As usual, he didn’t do too many teasers like other artists did nowadays, he just dropped his lead single “Filthy” along with his fourth coming album released date. Since then, I was looking forward to his album and his Superbowl performance. Many critics said “Man Of The Wood” failed to deliver the songs like “Mirrors, Cry Me A River, Can’t Stop The Feeling”, but what I see is different from their reviews. It fails to deliver such kind of songs if you were expecting the deep love song, intense break up and shake ass dance songs. But this album is about his personal life and dedicated to his wife and son. So, it is all about his life, how he was getting through and how he lives in his world. According to his album name and promo video, most people thought this was country album, but when it actually came out, we all found that it was mixed. Well, as the album is about his personal life, this is my personal review which I can relate with. I chose to write 12 songs out of 16 tacks from his latest album.

Filthy

This is the first lead single of his album and it mis with the funky techno pop. It is not “Sexy Back” but it is safe to say that this is one of the sexiest songs from the whole album. The meaning of the song is about hanging out with friends and dance to the beat of the songs. It is undeniable good to dance with. It is catchy as most of his songs. My favorite pick for this song is 

“Haters gonna say is fake so real”

“So put your filthy hands all over me

You know this ain't the clean version

Go on and put your filthy hands all over me

No, this ain't the clean version”

Midnight Summer Jam

This is the song that you want to dance in the bar or club especially during summer. It is like 70s music with the combination of modern music. The music flow is similar to “Damn Girl” in his FutureSex/LoveSounds album. I can even picture people dancing at the beach with this song in summer. Of cos, this is the song that I want to listen in coming summer and I will dance along with my friends at one of the beach bars.  It is purely a summer song. I can even sense the smell of Cocktails and Martini and the salty air around my hair.

My favorite pick is

“It's just a midnight summer's jam

The air's so thin, but we don't give a damn

The starry sky across the land

Where we pretend it's our last chance to dance”

Man of The Woods

This is the album title song and his third single from this album. In the video, his wife Jessica starred as his love interest. The director is Paul Hunter who he used to work with him for his hit song “My Love” video. This is about his wife and described how their relationship is built on solid concrete. The meaning of the song is “Nobody might not understand what he has with his love, it is them who have to understand what they have.” I love the meaning of the song and his slow dance in the video too. Though it is not my most favorite song in the album, I can sing along with it cos the lyrics is so catchy.

“I brag about you to anyone outside

But I'm a man of the woods, it's my pride

I'm sorry baby, you know I try

But I'm a man of the woods, it's my pride”

Higher Higher

Well, I guess he is getting higher with someone that he loves. I don’t want to do anything but sipping cocktail to take me higher while listening to this song. This is such a song that you might want to listen in your room after getting back from work by lighting up the candle maybe and sipping the wine. At least that’s what I feel. I just want to forget all of those stress that I get from work and give myself a break to take relax and bring myself to get higher for a while. For me, I want to represent “You” as the wine. I hope you all get my point.

“Stress is cruel, fame's a lie

But you're special, on every level

Success is cool, money is fine

But you're special, another level”

Wave

If you want to go to the beach, make sure you listen to this song. I got a chance to listen to this song when I was about to get on the plan from Ngapali to Yangon and I kinda regretted for not listening to this song at the beach. I can’t think of anything but playing around with my friends at the shores.

“Let's go to an island

Like we did last year, catch a vibe

The dreamiest weather

Gon' do a spa day and bonfires”

Supplies

His second single and the presentation of video is quiet meaningful. This is like R&B mixed music which I cannot stop enjoying. Maybe the combination of R&B and folk style music and modern love song. I set up this one as my ring tone cos I like the beat.

'Cause I'll be the light when you can't see

I'll be the wood when you need heat

I'll be the generator, turn me on when you need electricity

Some shit's 'bout to go down, I'll be the one with the level head

The world could end now, baby, we'll be living in The Walking Dead

Morning Light

This sounds like 1960s love song and I can even see black and white pictures are running in my eyes. If you are a fan of classic love song, this is your taste. May be you wanna have slow dance and imagine yourself with your soul mate laying in the bed and telling yourself that you are the luckiest person on this earth to fall in love with such kind of amazing person. If you don’t have such kind of soul mate, you can picture of yourself with someone you desire. This one is what I want to listen every morning when I drink coffee. The feeling that I have when I listen to this song is similar to “Until The End of Time” back in 2006. I remember I used to listen to this song when I was trying to write love story.

Cause I'm in love with you

Laying here in the morning light

And all I want to do is hold you tight just one more night

Yes I'm in love with you

Laying here in the morning light

And all I want to do is hold you tight, just one more night

Say Something

This is his 19^th Top Ten songs on the chart. This one stands at number 9^th on Billboard top 100 chart this week. This music video was taken one cut and it is purely live record and collaborated with country legend Chris Stapleton. What makes me surprise is Timberland co-wrote this song with Justin and another two persons. I just know Timberland as the hip hop musician and to write this kind of purely pop with country influence song is beyond my expectation.

“Everyone knows all about my direction

And in my heart somewhere I wanna go there

Still I don't go there”

Flannel

One of my most favorite tracks in this album. I like the flow of the music and the way he represents his as heart as right behind my left pocket this is where you’ll feel my soul. Man, this is beautiful. In fact, it is easy to sing as well. Well, when I listen to this song, what I see is cottage in country side, reading books at the balcony and watching the person I love busy in the garden. After that, we would walk along in the pine tree forest and talk about life.  I couldn’t think of anything but laying my head down on the chest of my partner and listen to his heartbeats. Sweet! This is purely winter love song. When it’s winter, you’re gonna feel cold. But you will be kept warm if you are with the one you love. Beautiful. Right? Now I know why he is wearing Flannel during these days.

"Right behind my left pocket

That is where you'll feel my soul

It's been with me many winters

It will keep you warm

Ooh, here's my flannel

The character's in the way you wear it (the way you wear it)

It takes your shape while you keep it on (all you gotta do is keep it on)

May we live for many winters

Keepin' each other warm

And may we live for many winters

Keepin' each other warm"

Living off the Land

This is Justin’s advice how to live on this earth by staying true to ourselves. We are working so hard to make money just to pay our bills. But sometimes we lose our soul by making a life that we desire. That is why he advice to do all the best and any loser can be a winner with a plan. This is the song that I want to listen when I want to take a break from busy life.

'll be down, sometimes it's hard to back up the bills on the credit card

She keeps on running to leave

If you don't get on your knees and repay the money you spend

But like her trust, you cannot get lit

Sunday, you go to church

Back on your knees and you're tryna' soul search

I'm just a man doing the best that I can

Saint or a sinner, the loser can be a winner with a plan

When you're living off the land

Hard Stuff

This is about the relationship. In every relationship, there is always ups and downs, happiness and sadness. So, what he wants is not only the good thing, but also the hard and bad thing from his partner and he wants to fix all those things by not giving up on the person that he loves. The meaning is so touching and I love it.

"So give me the hard stuff

The kind that makes you real

I wanna be there when the storm comes

'Cause I want the hard stuff (hard stuff)

When they're throwin' sticks and stones

We can cut each other to the bone

I'm never gonna give you up

'Cause I want the hard stuff (hard stuff)"

Young Man

If Man of the Wood is dedicated to his wife, this song dedicated to his son, Silas. He advised his son how to live a life and to listen before taking any journey. He said he and his wife couldn’t get enough of his son and how they both love their son. This song begins with his son called him “Dada” and ends with “I love you daddy”. His whole family literally appeared in this song and the whole song inspires all of us to build the beautiful family. Even I don’t have any wish to have kid, I just think about kids for a while and think about myself like how it would be great when I actually talk to my daughter to chase her dreams and live the fullest and go beyond the boundary. Maybe this is a lullaby for the kids before they sleep.

Beautiful boy, got it from your momma

Damn, she look good, you might get a sister

By the time you get the picture

If you want a woman this good, gotta clear your system

And it's all right

If you need to cry, you've got my permission

You can do anything in the world if you listen

Like a young man

Sit down, let me tell you how it's s'posed to be

How they told me

I said, young man, if you wanna make God smile

Make plans, you've got to be ready

You don't understand, right now you're a young man

But you gon' have to stand for something

We don't ever back down, don't back down

We don't have to act out, don't act out

And even when you fall, don't stay down

If you need me around, you know I stay down

And anywhere you go, you can go your own way

If you ask me how I know these things, remember I once was a

Young man

Sit down, let me tell you how it's s'posed to be

How they told me

I said, young man, if you wanna make God smile

Make plans, you've got to be ready

You don't understand, right now you're a young man

But you gon' have to stand for something

Someday somebody's gonna break your heart in two

And I'll be there

Someday you're gonna break somebody's heart

That's what we do

One day I'll be gone, son, but right now I'm home

No, you'll never be alone

Maybe someday you'll be talking to your own

Young man, yeah

You know your daddy's so proud of you

My little young man

Mama just can't get enough of you

My little young man, yeah

You know your daddy's so proud of you

My little young man, yeah

My favorite album of JT is FutureSex/LoveSounds and I couldn’t stop listening his whole album when I was 17 at college. I listened to the album almost every day during that time every morning when I worked out. Man of the woods is my second favorite album of JT. I know it is hard to explain how his songs actually inspire my real life events. He is one of the rare musicians who never stop taking challenges in music industry. His music is mix genre and we cannot say his music is Pop, R&B, Country, funky, folk, jazz or hip hop. He is purely a musician and multi-talented artist.

We can see how he becomes mature and becomes a dedicated family man in his latest album. I love it. I can't get enough of listening to those songs now. My 2018 jams.