Justified  (Audio CD) 
by Justin Timberlake

Common wisdom holds that debut albums have an autobiographical slant, so it's hard to believe that Justin Timberlake's first non-'N Sync outing doesn't purloin much of its subject matter from the singer's breakup with Britney Spears. Half the songs are about the abrupt severing of a romance and the singer's rather hard-hearted stance. Sure, he may have been the wronged party, but that doesn't excuse the inflexible emotional posture revealed in "Cry Me a River," "Never Again," and the sniping "Last Night." But Timberlake apparently thinks it does, since he christened his record Justified. He also seems to enjoy boasting about the swinging single life, with many of the songs here almost gratuitously lascivious. Asides like "I could think of a couple positions for you" from "Right for Me" and "Better have you naked by the end of this song" from "Rock Your Body" will catapult the singer right off Radio Disney. But Timberlake shines when he moonwalks into more adult terrain, turning his back on the innocent dance pop that put 'N Sync on the charts. With the help of hip-hop producers Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo of the Neptunes, Timbaland, and P. Diddy, Timberlake has turned out a remarkably cohesive and sophisticated slice of club-friendly R&B. --Jaan Uhelszki