We’ll charitably assume he isn’t side-eying this song in his promo photo…
[Video]
[4.29]
Brad Shoup: Too lazy to check: is there a slang term for the sex act where you mumble dirty talk until you both fall asleep?
[3]
Alfred Soto: I doubt anyone broke dere backs assembling this retread.
[2]
Erick Bieritz: From “Throw It On Me” to “Morning After Dark” to “Pass at Me,” Timbaland’s modus operandi through his Shock Value albums has been clear: partner with whichever goofballs will let him do his wacky schtick with minimal resistance. While those songs range from weirdly fascinating to utterly stupid, none of them are particularly boring. “Break Ya Back” slogs along on a minimal snare that sounds more like a Neptunes cast-off than a Tim beat. Neither he nor Dev have any business trying to carry a song, and distorting their voices isn’t hiding it.
[3]
Jer Fairall: Seductive and menacing. Given Timbaland’s history of leering goofily over his productions for any number of pop starlets, the balance he strikes here between the sexy and the sinister is downright astonishing; his words could all to easily be the threats of a serial killer misunderstood as figurative by his prey. Dev’s porny, ice cold sneer suggests she may be able to hold her own in the face of whatever ecstasies or horrors are headed her way.
[8]
Iain Mew: Dev plays against Timbaland better than anyone else I can remember, able to get down and mumbly and silly as well as him but just different enough not to be pointless. That’s still not a tremendous compliment. A production of booming bass and dive-bombing loops is engaging but a bit murky and defeats both.
[6]
John Seroff: Perhaps Timbo’s new strategy is to make his rapping the strongest element on the track? Talk about a Pyrrhic victory.
[3]
Katherine St Asaph: “Promiscuous Girl” : “Break Ya Back” :: backbreaking : a tap then an apology. At least Timbo in his laziness forgot the synth claps.
[5]