ARTIST: Michael Jackson
ALBUM: Michael
LABEL: Epic Records
RELEASE DATE: December 14, 2010
The King is Back
Written by Jeremy Weeden
Michael, the first posthumous album from the King of Pop, is surrounded by controversy, much like Michael’s personal life during his post-Dangerous years. There are those who knew Michael, like Will.I.Am, who feel Michael would never want unfinished music heard by the public due to the fact that he was a perfectionist. Others like his longtime manager, Frank DiLeo, feel Michael would want his fans to have the music because he cared for them so much. Some of Michael’s family and friends have also claimed that the vocals on some of the are not his; that Sony used an impersonator. With all of this controversy surrounding the album, it seems as though the music itself was forgotten.
Obviously the album is not as good as Dangerous, Bad, or even Invincible, but your feelings about this album will probably be based on your expectations. If you were expecting classic Michael you may be a little disappointed. Michael Jackson’s songs have always been intricately layered with perfect backing vocals and ad-libs. The majority of the songs on this album will not have that obviously, as Michael was not around to finish the album, so fans may find that some tracks sound bare compared to the rich sounds of past albums.
Now, if you had your sights set on friendly pop tunes that meld effortlessly into the current radio market, this album will definitely meet your expectations. The album begins with the Akon assisted first single, “Hold My Hand.” This bouncy tune is a perfect song for this time of year. Akon carries the majority of the tune but Michael starts it off strong and has some of his classic ad-libs at the end the song. This song is one of the few on the album Michael did not write, but he is credited with co-producing it as he is for all the tracks on the album.
Another standout track on the album is “Hollywood Tonight,” produced by longtime Jackson collaborator Teddy Riley. This song will take you back to the “Dangerous-era,” as Michael sings of a girl who dreams of fame on the big screen in Hollywood. He uses his classic, jagged vocal style to take over the song and Teddy Riley even does a spoken word piece that vibes perfectly with the beat. You can imagine the video with Michael dancing all over the place. This is a song that the fans looking for classic Michael should take note of.
“Best of Joy” is a ballad sung beautifully by Michael in the style of “I Can’t Stop Loving You” and other classic ballads from his past.
The best track on the album may be “I Can’t Make it Another Day,” a track co-produced by and featuring Lenny Kravitz. Michael rocks out on this song as he often used to in the 80’s and 90’s. Many who have seen his performances will picture him in front of a guitarist, head banging to the music. This is another classic Michael track and probably a future single.
All in all, Michael is a pretty good album if you just listen to the music and ignore all of the controversy over the album. The songs are catchy and fans will be happy to hear more music from Michael Jackson.