Album review: Michael Jackson, 'Michael'
Rating 2 stars (out of 4)
Quincy Jones used to talk about the ingredient that distinguished Michael Jackson from his peers as a creative force in the recording studio: He was a workaholic who wouldn’t let any track go until he was absolutely convinced it was finished.
One wonders what the perfectionist in Jackson would’ve thought of the music released in his name on “Michael” (Epic), the first of what is projected to be a series of posthumous full-length releases. The last two decades of his career bedeviled by personal turmoil and image-shattering legal proceedings, Jackson was on a mission to put the focus back on his music when he died in the summer of 2009 on the eve of a major concert tour. Demonstrating once again that death is a great career move, Jackson became something of a pop martyr and sold 35 million albums worldwide in the next 12 months.
But those sales came from his beloved catalog, from recordings that Jackson oversaw and approved. “Michael” represents what is essentially a reclamation project, scouring the singer’s archives as far back as the “Thriller” era in the early ‘80s to piece together recordings that Jackson did not see fit to release in his lifetime. They have been spiffed up by a number of producers, including Teddy Riley, John McClain and Lenny Kravitz, and presented as a new Jackson studio album, his first since 2001.
On one of the new old tracks, “Best of Joy,” Jackson proclaims, “I am forever.” This may be true. But had he released music of this quality during his lifetime, his death would’ve been a mere footnote. It’s not that “Michael” is embarrassing, it’s just below par, a warehouse for songs that languished in the vaults for decades because they didn’t quite measure up.
We’ve seen this sort of posthumous archive-raiding before, and the results have rarely been revelatory, motivated by fans-will-buy-anything greed more than the-world-needs-to-hear-this discovery. None of the hundreds of recordings that have been released posthumously by the estates of Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, Tupac Shakur or the Notorious B.I.G. rival the music those icons completed while they were alive. That's true of "Michael" as well, as his brother, Randy Jackson, said Wednesday on his Twitter account: " ... my brother isn't here, and all these people are more concerned about making money off his death."
Though it contains only 10 songs and less than 42 minutes of music, only one track ranks with prime Jackson. “Much Too Soon” dates to the early ‘80s Quincy Jones era, when Jackson was at his creative peak. The singer was breaking through to the mainstream with uptempo tracks and spectacular videos that mirrored his effortless blend of rhythmic ferocity and grace. “Much Too Soon,” in contrast, puts the focus on Jackson the rapidly maturing singer, as he moves from wistful nuance to heartbreaking fragility over carefully balanced orchestration. Each touch is just right; even a brief harmonica solo oozes Chi-Lites-like melancholy.
Otherwise, “Michael” contains a lot of leftovers. A ponderous duet with Akon sounds like a soft-drink commercial: “Things will go better if you just hold my hand.” “Hollywood Tonight” adopts a second-hand “Billie Jean” groove and fuses it with a predictable cautionary tale about the drug of would-be fame. “Breaking News” and “Monster” pick up an unfortunate theme in Jackson’s latter-day work as the oppressed media victim. The Kravitz-produced “(I Can’t Make it) Another Day” is a faint echo of vintage rock-oriented Jackson tracks such as “Dirty Diana” and “Beat It.” A dirty groove and menacing air of paranoia in "Behind the Mask" is undercut by some dubious production choices: fake crowd noise, boilerplate saxophone solo, robotic vocal interludes.
The singer’s wordless “hee-hee” vocal tics are sprinkled throughout, as if to counter charges from some Jackson family members that a Michael sound-a-like was used on some tracks. It doesn’t much matter; most of these songs would’ve been instantly forgettable no matter who sang them.
greg@gregkot.com
Dear Author: How many times did you actually listen to the album? I'm only asking because I don't understand how you neglected to comment on the best track on the album "behind the mask"?
Posted by: Nick Parrman | December 10, 2010 at 01:01 AM
I have a wit against the writer, how are you gonna blame Michael for this rating of the album, he never approve for this to go through. Blame the greedy bastards that seems to be making profits from his dismise.
Posted by: yarddygirl | December 10, 2010 at 01:10 AM
Your article is ridiculous and false as most of the songs are from recent recording and are excellent pieces of work. Superior to many making the dame recycled sound today. You should have read your insert that came with the cd than you'd agree. With the most other critics that gave 'michael 3 of 4 and b-
Posted by: Bill | December 10, 2010 at 01:56 AM
your a dumbass. These songs were all recorded less than a decade ago except for behind the mask. loser.
And the album is much better than his 2001 thriller invincible.
Posted by: Hunter Field | December 10, 2010 at 04:07 AM
also MUCH TO SOON, but who the hell cares. One of the greatest Michael jackson songs EVER behind the mask, has been rumored for decades. And Michael and jones were right, it really is awesome.
Posted by: Hunter Field | December 10, 2010 at 04:10 AM
I gotta disagree man. Even Rolling Stone (who are always hard on MJ) gave the album 3 stars. It's got some good songs and is better then I thought it would be. I will actually buy it, I previewed it on his Facebook and I'm shocked how good it is.
Hollywood Tonight is on par with some of his best songs ever. Behind The Mask is funky and classic. Monster will be a huge hit with younger people and should be a big dancefloor song. Best Of Joy was recorded in 2009, and was one of MJ's last songs he ever wrote. It was meant for the This Is It tour.
You need to give this album another listen dude, it's tight.
Posted by: travis | December 10, 2010 at 07:17 AM
Behind the Mask should have single handedly give the album 3 out of 4 stars..
Posted by: Louis | December 10, 2010 at 11:44 AM
I get it that you, media guys, are not very fond of MJ's anti-media songs for obvious reasons. =) So I can see how you skipped on the two obvious hits: "Monster" and "Breaking News". But dissing "Best of Joy" (the song that gives me wings!)? Saying that "Hollywood Tonight" recycles Bille Jean?
I bet if you had been old enough to write articles in '82, you would have been one of those "critics' who said Thriller was a non-impressive record.
Posted by: morinen | December 10, 2010 at 12:01 PM
Anything that recycles billie jean is awesome! I mean Billie Jean was a masterpiece and the master achievement of Michael's career! :D
Posted by: Louis | December 10, 2010 at 02:09 PM
Rest in peace
Posted by: | December 10, 2010 at 02:13 PM
Lose the arrogance, Kot. You're just a music reviewer.
Posted by: Amy | December 10, 2010 at 02:28 PM
Good review.
Posted by: MJ's Ghost | December 10, 2010 at 02:30 PM
Puleese....who are you Mr. Reviewer? How long have you been in the business? I'd like to see your credentials and acheivements. There's a saying "Those who can DO, those who can't..." well that would be you...the critic.
Posted by: Monique | December 10, 2010 at 02:39 PM
Micheal was a great singer so i believe his new album is hot.And he had always made sence in his songs,he was one of a kind,the whole world is in a haste to here our king of pop once more.
Posted by: Vivian gogo | December 10, 2010 at 03:25 PM
no matter what music mj writes i love.. he could sing the wheels on the bus for all i care ..it would be on my most played list in my i pod. .. this critic needs to open his ears and realise that the music is not bad even for micheal not having the lastsay on how it sounds because he is gone..even after his death his music sounds great and it will always sound great....critic, please just find another job..maybe criticizing on how stupid you are because music is obvioucsly not your savvy
Posted by: merary | December 10, 2010 at 04:49 PM
people are trying to make money we get that. us MJ King of Pop and R&B far as im concern just want to here whatever he has and enjoy it for the rest of our lives without having to listing to your no talent having az bs. get it MJ!
Posted by: chrisc | December 10, 2010 at 06:56 PM
I think all of you have completely misunderstood what the author thinks about Michael. As in complete opposite.
You don't write a piece like this without being firmly in the camp that believes "nobody can be Michael but Michael". That requires an appreciation of what he put into his recordings - not disdain, from which I would more likely expect the author to say "It's close enough, I wouldn't worry about it".
I never heard that the songs weren't up to commercial standards, or even that they weren't good songs. I heard they were not up to Michael Jackson standards. What greater compliment to the man could there be?
Especially when the writer discusses with obvious scorn the fact that one of the songs sounded like a recycled Billie Jean, which is the worse outcome they could have had. To say that means the writer understood how important it was for Michael to traverse new territory with each new release. Not that Billie Jean was not worth sounding like.
Read it again and see if I'm wrong. The most passionate fans are quite often the harshest critics. And even if the guy is not a fan, he certainly has enough respect for Michael to speak out about something he feels is not worthy of his name.
Posted by: LordRhynn | December 10, 2010 at 07:16 PM
Bring it on Sony! Long live the King of Pop!
Posted by: shell517nj | December 10, 2010 at 09:22 PM
Author spelled Michael wrong! He writes 'Micheal" WTF???
Posted by: Nycole | December 10, 2010 at 10:44 PM
People are using MJ, but the writer/reviewer/critic also needs a buck. : )
Posted by: whatever | December 11, 2010 at 12:47 AM
Eddie Money looks like Bozo with those white gloves on. And his performance of "Two Tickets to Paradise" is a reminder that you can't go back in time. Maybe more performers should take a cue from Michael Jackson and exit stage right sooner rather than later.
I'm just saying....
Posted by: Tell the Truth | December 11, 2010 at 08:33 AM
Loved MJ in the 70's and 80's but he lost me in the middle of Bad. Thriller is one of the best albums ever, but it went to his head. Everything since Thriller has been about average.
Posted by: Pcfish | December 11, 2010 at 10:44 AM
michael jackson was a drug addict and a pedophile, that aside he was talented at one point in his life. most singers have thousands of songs in their catalog that they make and plan to come back to some day. obviously these songs were them. its time to open up the catalog and let others in to see what they can do with the songs. let rhianna sing a few or britanny or create a boy band to sing all his throw aways. do not expect to hear perfection from a studio session made 25 years a go. there is no way you are going to get the true experience
Posted by: gskorich | December 11, 2010 at 10:59 AM
Even Michael Jackson's leftovers are gourmet cuisine.
Posted by: SWB | December 11, 2010 at 03:10 PM
"Much Too Soon". Really? That's the diamond in the rough? Don't get me wrong, the song is nice. But it's nothing compared to BEHIND THE MASK. That song alone trounced everything in music today.
Oh, and "gskorich", maybe you should read the court documents from People v. Jackson before you continue to blindly and ignorantly ride the "he was a pedophile" train. Or maybe look up Jordan and Evan Chandler. You will find the truth pretty quickly.
Posted by: Andrea | December 11, 2010 at 03:25 PM