Album: J C Chasez

Schizophrenic, Jive

JC Chasez's old chum Justin Timberlake advised his former N'Sync bandmate to be true to himself, not to his manager or label, when he began his solo career. Being a millionaire several times over, this was no problem: JC locked himself away until he'd completed Schizophrenic, an album that showcases his impressive vocal technique and diversity of musical styles. Working mostly with the producer Robb Boldt or the team of Riprock'n'Alex G, Chasez slips smoothly between the slick pop-funk of "100 Ways", the staccato soul of "Something Special", the dancehall twitch of "Everything You Want" and the retro-futurist electropop of "All Day Long I Dream about Sex" and "Come to Me". Along the way he manages to sound like Prince fronting the Chili Peppers, Stevie Wonder produced by George Michael, Sting in Jamaica, Earth Wind & Fire on a Spanish holiday, and The Human League locked in a room full of antique synthesisers - good going for a boy-band pin-up, and even better when Basement Jaxx tool him up in "Shake It". Apart from one or two morning-after ballads like "Build My World" ("Skip the breakfast tea for two/ We made no plans to rendezvous"), Schizophrenic deals with the night before - most effectively on the frothy single "Some Girls". A surprisingly impressive solo debut.