In a perfect world, the hashtag in the title of Mariah Carey's new single is not some ham-fisted wagon-jumping or Twitter trending strategy, but a sly wink. "#Beautiful", it turns out, is pretty much the anti-hashtag: it's an artfully simple pop tune built around warm, crackly arrangements that could've been written before Jack Dorsey was even born. It's free of gimmicks or anxiety, and the message is breezily uncomplicated. "You're beautiful, and I can't pretend that doesn't mean a thing to me," Carey sings alongside Miguel.
It's a vintage sound that fits in naturally with the last year or two of music from Miguel, who lives weightlessly in the song for a solid 90 seconds before Carey joins him with a featherlight vocal touch. And like last year's "Adorn", "#Beautiful" has the finger-snapping R&B throwback charm that sounds primed for repeat play through the summer-- long past its trending topic shelf life.
Timberlake's vocal take, isolated here, is a marvel, and a reminder of just how pliable and sensitive he is as a singer: He is nothing if not adaptable, a perfect vocalist for whatever material you give him.
On 2006's FutureSex/LoveSounds, Justin Timberlake looked forward in time to imagine what dance music in 2013 might sound like. In actual 2013, he is looking backwards-- deep into the 1970s, in fact-- to reimagine old sounds and styles. "Suit & Tie" is still one hell of a wedding reception jam, as bubbly as champagne. Timberlake creates a smooth beat out of a marimba roll and harp glissando, and he rides it with that fluid, effortless falsetto.
