Justin Timberlake’s rollout for his new album, Man of the Woods, has everyone scratching their heads. The mountain-man, Bon Iver-esque album cover and tracklist (which features song titles like “Flannel” and “Montana”) suggest a possible rebrand heading in the folk and country direction. Timberlake hinted as much in a Jan. 2 promo video for the project, which takes viewers into the wilderness of his home state of Tennessee as banjos and acoustic guitars strum in the background.
But Timberlake’s lead single for the project, “Filthy,” tells another story. Co-written and co-produced by longtime collaborator Timbaland, it’s a dancefloor romp that makes the 12 years between now and Timberlake’s FutureSex/LoveSounds feel like they never happened. Danja, the other producer of “Filthy,” dispelled — or perhaps complicated — the country rumors in an interview with Complex, saying, “He’s always mixing a lot of different things together. It’s always funk, R&B, soul, hip-hop, country.”
We’ll have to wait until the Feb. 2 release date to find out what Man of the Woods is all about, but as a possible hint, Pharrell, Swizz Beatz, and Timbaland all cameo in the “Filthy” behind-the-scenes video and album trailer. (It also bears noting that Timbaland is no stranger to country or rock, having produced for Brad Paisley and the Fray.)
Even as his fans wait in darkness, Timberlake is already ready to sell tickets to his Man of the Woods tour, which comes to San Jose’s SAP Center on April 24. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Jan. 16 — but there are a few ways you can beat the crowds and get them early.
