Metro Weekly mention

August 21, 2003 | Filed Under basement jaxx, schizophrenic articles | No Comments

The Short List Prize for Music, JC Chasez, Basement Jaxx and Cher
by Doug Rule

WASHINGTON WIZARDS… First Kenna, then the Neptunes, and we’ve only just begun to cite native Washington-area dance-poppers making musical waves. See also JC Chasez, originally from Bowie, Md., but more famous as one-fifth of N’Sync. Hoping to follow in Justin Timberlake’s wake, Chasez’s own debut solo album, Schizophrenic (BMG), will be released in October. It should be as dance-oriented as expected, with production from Rodney Jerkins (Destiny’s Child, Whitney Houston) and dance artist and fellow Washington-native BT (N’Sync’s Pop). Chasez has also added his vocals to a track on Emotional Technology (Nettwerk), the latest album from Brian “BT” Transeau, whom we like to call a FODD, or high-school Friend of Deep Dish’s Ali Shirazinia and Sharam Tayebi. A BT tour is in the works this fall.

BASEMENT BANGING… Forward-thinking U.K. dance duo Basement Jaxx will release its third studio album Kish Kash (Astralwerks) in late October. And they’ve lined up an eclectic roster of guest stars, from the where-has-she-been-all-this-time Siouxsie Sioux (minus, alas, her ’80s “Peek-a-Boo” backup band The Banshees) to bisexual soul rocker Me’shell Ndegeocello to - yes, there he is again - JC Chasez.

- excerpt from Metro Weekly 8/21/03

Miami New Times - Emotional Technology review

August 7, 2003 | Filed Under reviews-bt | No Comments

review Miami New Times 8/7/03 [excerpt]
BT
Emotional Technology
(Nettwerk)

Brian Transeau, more commonly referred to as BT, is considered by his peers and followers to be one of the creators of the progressive house/trance style of dance music, and his percolating swells of mood-enhancing compositions are among the most popular in the genre. On his fourth full-length, Emotional Technology, the musician/producer plays host to a number of A-list guests. There’s Hollywood sexpot Rose McGowan, who breathes naughtily over “Superfabulous”; ‘N Sync’s J.C. Chasez, who pours his soulful croons into “The Force of Gravity”; and Gang Starr’s Guru, who rhymes smoothly on “Knowledge Of Self.” Transeau himself very ably takes over vocal duties on six tracks, adopting a plaintive delivery that helps him hit his stride on standouts like “Dark Heart Dawning” and “Simply Being Loved (Somnambulist).”

Although Transeau keeps his eye on the dance floor, Emotional Technology also has an eclectic bent to it. Grinding rock guitar, gentle acoustic plucking, turntablist cuts (courtesy of DJ Swamp), live percussion, and escalating strings are all heard. As fantastically innovative as that might sound, it’s held together by a cheesy trance glue generated by synthesizers and the annoying ethereal warbles of Caroline Lavelle and Jan Johnston. The gratuitously epic buildups and breaks that are the cornerstones of progressive house are still the main ingredients on Emotional Technology. Still, all the time Transeau spent working with ‘N Sync must have rubbed off on him, because as frustrating as Emotional Technology is to listen to, it is definitely an attempt at 21st-century pop.

– Lily Moayeri

Jive Showcase

August 1, 2003 | Filed Under performances | No Comments

MUSIC NEWS

Meanwhile, there’s more news from inside Britney’s surprise appearance at a Jive Records party for label staffers Wednesday night in the Big Apple. Jive President Barry Weiss presented Britney with a plaque commemorating 50 million in worldwide album sales, and the label debuted as many as five new tracks from her fall release…

Did we mention that JC Chasez literally blew the roof off the room with a four-song performance complete with a live band and dancers? JC is destined to match or even surpass the success of his fellow band mate Justin Timberlake. It was without question the highlight of a night filled with outstanding new music, that also featured killer performances by R&B crooner Joe and rockers Three Days Grace.

- excerpt from FMQB 8/1/03

coming up

:: America’s Best Dance Crew

JC is one of the judges on MTV’s new dance contest. The show premieres on Feb. 7 at 10 PM, with a casting special airing on Jan. 26 at 2 PM.
Dance Crew website

:: Back When

The sixth track on the new Sugababes album Change, “Back When” was co-written by Dallas Austin and Gary White, with additional vocal production by JC Chasez.

Listen to a clip of the song here.

:: Treat Me Right

“Treat Me Right” is a track on the new Backstreet Boys album, Unbreakable. It was co-written by JC and BSB member AJ McLean. You can hear a little of what AJ has to say about the song in this post, and read reviews of the song here.

:: Break Out This Box

Get a preview of the Cheetah Girls song “Break Out This Box,” which was co-written by JC:

on youtube
song details from MySpace

:: Killer Movie

According to IMDB, JC will play the part of “Ted Buckley” in a new comedy/horror movie called Killer Movie. (Formerly called Dead of Night)

Director: Jeff Fisher
Genre: Comedy / Horror / Mystery / Thriller
Plotline: A reality television shoot that goes terrifyingly awry when its crew becomes stranded in a remote Northern town. A killer is on the loose, stalking cast and crew-members one by one.