King Baby Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 If you've ever dreamed of Michael Jackson singing into your answering machine, then you have a reason to pick up "Michael," the first posthumous album from a singer who's sold more than 35 million albums worldwide since his sudden death in the summer of 2009. On the album's fourth track, "(I Like) The Way You Love Me," that angelic voice comes trickling from the speakers, small and scratchy in what appears to be a voicemail message to himself - a quick melodic sketch and some beat-boxing for Jackson to revisit once he gets home from a busy day of shopping, or roller-coaster riding, or whatever the lost pop genius was doing in his final days. It's a rare glimpse into Jackson's working process, one of the countless facets of his life that he carefully hid from the public eye. But when the song blooms into a glossy, full-bodied studio track, the sputtery, beat-boxed rhythm is immediately ditched for a feeble drumbeat. Someone else is at the controls. That moment captures the debate surrounding this 10-track batch of Jackson leftovers. The singer obviously had no hand in the final product here, but many of these tunes are bland enough to make you wonder if he had any hand in it at all. Longtime producer Quincy Jones and members of the Jackson family have questioned whether some of the voices on "Michael" are actually Michael's. Either way, it doesn't matter. The real Michael Jackson was a perfectionist who loved to burnish every note that came out of his lungs. Just as last year's "This Is It" was a concert film culled from rehearsal footage Jackson would never want us to see, "Michael" is an album of unfinished songs that Jackson would never want us to hear. And that's a drag because we're probably going to be hearing this stuff for the rest of the decade. The Jackson estate has reportedly signed a $250 million deal that should pump posthumous albums into the marketplace for the next seven Christmases, at least. Only in Jackson's pop kingdom can such disgusting practices fly. No one writes the missing chapters of an unfinished novel and credits the author. Why let 50 Cent rap over a mere sketch of a tune and call it a new Michael Jackson song? (It happens here with "Monster.") For anyone who has adored Jackson's brilliance - i.e., all of us - this is sickening stuff. So much so, we should probably conserve our keystrokes, but here's a second question that "Michael" forces us to ask: When did Jackson record his last great song? Unless you count "Scream," a serrated 1995 duet with kid sister Janet that's aged far better than expected, you'll have to moonwalk back to 1988's "Bad" album, when "Man in the Mirror" topped the charts with some of the most euphoric na-na-na's since "Hey Jude." Then, he fades. 1991's "Dangerous" only flirted with excellence, 1995's "HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I" was sloppy and strange, and 2001's "Invincible" remains largely forgotten. It's unrealistic to expect so much from him now. Which is what makes "Behind the Mask" this album's only pleasant surprise. Allegedly written in the "Thriller" days, its synthesizers throb to a tightly coiled beat while Jackson's voice tiptoes between a whisper and an explosion. It's a Jackson you'll recognize, but the excitement is fleeting. On the mid-tempo fluff of "Hold My Hand," the sentimental platitudes of "Keep Your Head Up" and the paranoid ire of "Breaking News," he offers mere approximations of the precision, agility and grace that defined his heights. In that sense, "Michael" only amplifies the tragedy of Jackson - an artist who rose too fast to ever gain control of his life and died too suddenly to steer the direction of his legacy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rock & Roll Hall of Game Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexus97 Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 If you've ever dreamed of Michael Jackson singing into your answering machine, then you have a reason to pick up "Michael," the first posthumous album from a singer who's sold more than 35 million albums worldwide since his sudden death in the summer of 2009. On the album's fourth track, "(I Like) The Way You Love Me," that angelic voice comes trickling from the speakers, small and scratchy in what appears to be a voicemail message to himself - a quick melodic sketch and some beat-boxing for Jackson to revisit once he gets home from a busy day of shopping, or roller-coaster riding, or whatever the lost pop genius was doing in his final days. It's a rare glimpse into Jackson's working process, one of the countless facets of his life that he carefully hid from the public eye. But when the song blooms into a glossy, full-bodied studio track, the sputtery, beat-boxed rhythm is immediately ditched for a feeble drumbeat. Someone else is at the controls. That moment captures the debate surrounding this 10-track batch of Jackson leftovers. The singer obviously had no hand in the final product here, but many of these tunes are bland enough to make you wonder if he had any hand in it at all. Longtime producer Quincy Jones and members of the Jackson family have questioned whether some of the voices on "Michael" are actually Michael's. Either way, it doesn't matter. The real Michael Jackson was a perfectionist who loved to burnish every note that came out of his lungs. Just as last year's "This Is It" was a concert film culled from rehearsal footage Jackson would never want us to see, "Michael" is an album of unfinished songs that Jackson would never want us to hear. And that's a drag because we're probably going to be hearing this stuff for the rest of the decade. The Jackson estate has reportedly signed a $250 million deal that should pump posthumous albums into the marketplace for the next seven Christmases, at least. Only in Jackson's pop kingdom can such disgusting practices fly. No one writes the missing chapters of an unfinished novel and credits the author. Why let 50 Cent rap over a mere sketch of a tune and call it a new Michael Jackson song? (It happens here with "Monster.") For anyone who has adored Jackson's brilliance - i.e., all of us - this is sickening stuff. So much so, we should probably conserve our keystrokes, but here's a second question that "Michael" forces us to ask: When did Jackson record his last great song? Unless you count "Scream," a serrated 1995 duet with kid sister Janet that's aged far better than expected, you'll have to moonwalk back to 1988's "Bad" album, when "Man in the Mirror" topped the charts with some of the most euphoric na-na-na's since "Hey Jude." Then, he fades. 1991's "Dangerous" only flirted with excellence, 1995's "HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I" was sloppy and strange, and 2001's "Invincible" remains largely forgotten. It's unrealistic to expect so much from him now. Which is what makes "Behind the Mask" this album's only pleasant surprise. Allegedly written in the "Thriller" days, its synthesizers throb to a tightly coiled beat while Jackson's voice tiptoes between a whisper and an explosion. It's a Jackson you'll recognize, but the excitement is fleeting. On the mid-tempo fluff of "Hold My Hand," the sentimental platitudes of "Keep Your Head Up" and the paranoid ire of "Breaking News," he offers mere approximations of the precision, agility and grace that defined his heights. In that sense, "Michael" only amplifies the tragedy of Jackson - an artist who rose too fast to ever gain control of his life and died too suddenly to steer the direction of his legacy. link who wrote this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Baby Posted December 14, 2010 Author Share Posted December 14, 2010 link who wrote this? The Washington Post had it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexus97 Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 The Washington Post had it. oh ok. well i have no intention of buying it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Baby Posted December 14, 2010 Author Share Posted December 14, 2010 oh ok. well i have no intention of buying it. Be a dear and run to MJ's site for me and see if they are still streaming it. I don't want to buy it but I am curious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bzebabe Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 I knew I wasn't going to buy this bullshit the day they released the first song. I don't know what the fuck possessed them to release this horrid piece of shit. In fact, I take what I just said back. I know exactly what made them release this mess, $250,000,000. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EphraimAdamz Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 Trash and I'm not bothering to even listen to the album. I've heard Breaking News, Hold My Hand, and Monster. That was enough to never sell my soul to the devil...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquaria Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Baby Posted December 14, 2010 Author Share Posted December 14, 2010 Its not as bad as I thought. I might grab it black market but being honest its nothing I would listen to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquaria Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 Its not as bad as I thought. I might grab it black market but being honest its nothing I would listen to. I've never listened to a Michael album so I'm not gonna start now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatOtherFan Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 I've never listened to a Michael album so I'm not gonna start now :mellow: :mellow: :mellow: :mellow: :mellow: :mellow: :mellow: :mellow: :mellow: :mellow: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquaria Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 :mellow: :mellow: :mellow: :mellow: :mellow: :mellow: :mellow: :mellow: :mellow: :mellow: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatOtherFan Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 Drop everything...put your life on hold....and IMMEDIATELY go listen to Off The Wall, Thriller, Bad, Dangerous, HIStory, and Invincible (in that order and back to back) NOW!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquaria Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 Drop everything...put your life on hold....and IMMEDIATELY go listen to Off The Wall, Thriller, Bad, Dangerous, HIStory, and Invincible (in that order and back to back) NOW!!! LOL, uh, no Thanks, I'm good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatOtherFan Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 LOL, uh, no Thanks, I'm good. Imma need for you to do this sometime soon. You pick the date or time, but it must be done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquaria Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 Imma need for you to do this sometime soon. You pick the date or time, but it must be done. Not happening sorry No interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
switchblade330 Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 Its not as bad as I thought. I might grab it black market but being honest its nothing I would listen to. the Lenny Kravitz track is FIYAAAAH !!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatOtherFan Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 Not happening sorry No interest. *scratches you off the list I would potentially give the paynis to* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EphraimAdamz Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 I've never listened to a Michael album so I'm not gonna start now Off with their head Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquaria Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 *scratches you off the list I would potentially give the paynis to* *heart breaks* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquaria Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 Off with their head off with your head I'll make it disappear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatOtherFan Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 Off with their head EXACTLY... That bitch has to be punished for his actions one way or the other Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatOtherFan Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 *heart breaks* *doesn't respond to your pleas for forgiveness* It's too late bitch... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquaria Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 *doesn't respond to your pleas for forgiveness* It's too late bitch... no... please... stop... forgive me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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