Song Reviews: Timbaland ft. Justin Timberlake - Carry Out, and a bit about Timbaland ft. Nelly Furtado & SoShy - Morning After Dark

[Post published by Liviu, on Liviu's [Personal] Blog]


Timbaland has recently (i.e. 2 days ago) published on his YouTube channel the song Carry Out, featuring Justin Timberlake. In December, he has published Morning After Dark, featuring Nelly Furtado & SoShy, which has proven its success by the 5.4+ million views. I will mostly analyze/criticize the first one.


First, the teaser of Carry Out.

Let me quote Justin Timberlake: You're crazy, this song will never work!
:) I kind of agree, this does not seem mainstream.


Second, song and video of Carry Out.


Third, my comments:

Bad: In my opinion, it does not raise to Timbaland's previous hits done in collaboration with Justin Timberlake (Cry me a river, Lovestonned, Sexyback, My Love) or with Nelly Furtado (Promiscuous Girl, Say it right), or, even better, featuring both in Give It to Me.

Bad: The video looks too simple - mmm, can we call this a video or is it just an excuse to upload the song on YouTube?

Good: Indeed, it establishes a new sound - funny enough, all the previous successes (which I've indexed above) have done it.

Good: The beat, the rhythm.

Bad: The lyrics seem too simple.

Good: The lyrics are not that simple and straightforward, in fact there are more sexual implications than I noticed after 3 times listening it.

Good: Did you get the irony?
The sign says Drive In, while the lyrics raise the bar by saying (shortly after start) drive through. Oh, and did you really get the chorus part? (check out the lyrics!)

[Side note: Apparently, Timbaland likes inserting such ironies, e.g. in The Way I Are he uses love as a verb: I'm the one that loves you best.]

Bad: On short term, Morning After Dark (Featuring Nelly Furtado & SoShy) can impress more people - it's more catchy, sounds better etc. Although I expect Carry Out to register more views in any same time frame (due to Justin's brand and performance which attracts viewers), I don't expect it to make into mainstream (radio, clubs etc.) in the next 2 months - by having it launched now, i.e. at the end of February, I think they expect to reach the highest positions in mainstream at the end of April or beginning of May, therefore rule the summer.

Good: I can't say it's bad - it's different, that's for sure - I think it suits dancing better than listening, just like Lovestonned or My Love did.
It's good there's a lot of rhythm inside. I know, it does not seem to be, but there is. Technically, it allows one to move freely on the beat - providing such freedom may turn it into a star in clubs and/or parties.



Conclusion on Morning After Dark: catchy, sounds good, another Timbaland hit - not a great hit, just a regular Timbaland hit/success.


Conclusions on Carry Out:

I can't say it's bad - it's different, that's for sure. I'm curious how it shall perform overall. It could prove itself as a hit or a failure with equal chances, therefore I'm not making any predictions.

Carry Out's main feature? The freedom it offers to one dancing. That's [only] it! It may be too much or not enough. Let the public decide.