Hello, orgers. The name's squiddyren.

I realize MJ threads have now become extremely redundant and annoying to most around here, but I'm not striking up an "MJ vs. Prince" debate, posting an article regarding his legal bouts or record sales, or preaching to his opposers about their disrespect and whatnot-- I'd just like to share my personal opinions about his musical catalogue, if that's okay.

First and foremost, I haven't listened to very many Jackson 5/Jacksons/young solo Michael songs, which appear to be the most highly regarded among you orgers. I'll eventually get around to listening to as well as acquiring it all sooner or later.

As for Mike's adult solo output...

"Off The Wall" deserves all the hype. While I don't find "Girlfriend", "It's The Falling In Love", and "Burn This Disco Out" to be particularly strong tracks, I described the album on another board as being an overall "sweeping triumph of funky epic disco-pop and smooth, breathtaking R&B". I don't take those words back.

"Thriller"... nobody smack me for saying this, but it is positively one of the most overrated records in existance. It was truly revolutionary in all inner and outer aspects so I can see why it became a cultural phenomenon and the biggest-selling album of all time, but "Baby Be Mine", "The Girl Is Mine", "P.Y.T (Pretty Young Thing)", and "Lady In My Life", while all extremely pleasant listens, are nevertheless completely lamebrained, dated, and throwaway. Even the title track and "Beat It" faintly reek of 80's cheese, despite still being great to listen to and their videos remaining monstrously entertaining after over two decades. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" and the signature classic "Billie Jean" are the only songs I consider to have truly aged beautifully. "Human Nature" is a pretty lovely ballad, however.

I think "Bad" is a superior record to "Thriller", If you ignore that bit of surface-level absurdity found on the opening title track and its video (<-- LMFAO) as well as "Just Good Friends" and the schmaltzy, hackneyed "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", it's all nothing short of classy and infectious. "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man In The Mirror", and "Smooth Criminal" are absolutely timeless. This album was also much more artistically accomplished than its predecessors. MJ co-produced it all and nine out of eleven tracks were self-written and composed.

"Dangerous", to quote a review for the "Ultimate Collection", is where the wheels start to come off the cart musically. Aside from the fact that it hasn't aged entirely well, it's too bloated and just what is kitsch like "She Drives Me Wild", "Can't Let Her Get Away", "Heal The World", "Keep The Faith", and "Gone Too Soon" doing on it? Not to mention the song part for "Black Or White" is much too short and the track features a completely pointless minute-long beginning. Remove those aforementioned flaws and in my opinion you've got yourself another classic.

"HIStory Continues"? Aside from the first three tracks and "Earth Song" (along with their videos, of course), it's overblown, egocentric, whiny, and ultimately lackluster, and had a poor deal attached to it in its issuing-- an expensive two-disc set, one disc with greatest hits and the other disc with new material. Those who wanted the hits would have to pay double because of the weak new material, and those who wanted the new material had to pay double because of the hits, which most of them already owned. Smart move, Mike and camp.

"Blood On The Dance Floor"? Dated new songs and sucky remixes.

"Invincible"? Generic, cliche-laden mainstream R&B in its finest (or ugliest, rather) form. "You Rock My World" and "Butterflies" are catchy enough, but MJ is now in his 40s and is trying to compete with the new-wave hipsters. The next album, if he's acquitted, of course, I hope will be better.


Well, that was my two cents. Lengthy and probably uninteresting for some, but I'd like to see others' inputs. Thanks!

squiddyren said:

Your killing me, dude.






get these two next, there basically MJ solo records with tito on guitar. How you managed to listen to Blood on The Dancefloor before getting these two, I'll never know.

yeah, you gotta know yo HIStory.....


not talking about you specifically, but it annoys me when "fans" disregard the early stuff....its really important to know it.

I disagree with every single album post that u have mentioned.

Off The Wall ****1/2
I agree with you on everything said here, but Girlfriend is a very lovely song 2 me. So is Burn This Disco Out

Thriller ****+
I understand why people look past this album now, but MAN. Baby Be Mine, PYT and Lady In My Life are completely good listenes as is the whole entire album. It basically has NO faults other than being too famous.

Bad ****
A very pleasent release. Every song on it was great except for "Leave Me Alone" which was a whiny, tame song. It started the synths and same drum patters he shed thru the next albums he would make later.

Dangerous ****1/2
This is my persoanl favorite Michael Jackson album. Keep The Faith is a GOOOOOD SONG!! R U KIDDIN ME!? I agree with She Drives Me Wild, that was a throwaway and so was Gone Too Soon. The videos from theis album were marvelous and the album itself was New Jack heaven.

History ***
This album is a grower. When I first heard it I was dissaponted. I was 13 years old, and Scream was all over the place. I got the album from my mom and it was ok but...took about a few years 2 get in2. And I appreciate a personal album from Michael now. I actually wish it was a little longer.

Blood On The Dance Floor **
I didnt buy this until last year or so. I bought it after seeing the "Ghosts" movie Is It Scary and Ghosts are the jams.

Invincible ***
This is an under-rated album. The slow jams he pulled off were EXCELLENT. Butterflies, Heaven Can Wait, Dont Walk Away, Speechless, Butterflies, Break Of Dawn really show his vocal talent, and made me appreciate him even more. The song Threatened was experimental effort left off from History and that was nice too.


I agree though...U SHOULD NOT ignore classics like TRIUMPH, and DESTINY, what's wrong with you!? Get jacksons and Jackson 5 albums now. U will appreciate Mike even more.

Off The Wall
Thriller
Bad
Dangerous
History
Blood On The Dance Floor
Invincible

Cloudbuster said:

No way does Blood On The Dance Floor rate as high as any of his other albums (including his solos on Motown).

CinisterCee said:

That's your opinion.

Cloudbuster said:

Your Response

CinisterCee said:

Well, I think four of the five studio tracks are great. Ghosts is the only track I don't really care for. I like the music but the song gets on my nerves. And I also like three of the remixes very much so that's roughly half the album, so yeah, three stars.

Ghosts and Is it Scary, are like the same song. At least lyrically

paisleypark4 said:

don't tell me there's ONE person in this world that actually would voluntarily listen to "Dirty Diana"


but actually I DO ageree with most everything else you wrote in your album reviews

Cloudbuster said:

That describes a 2 star album.

Off The Wall A-
Thriller A+
Bad B+
Dangerous B+
History Disc1 A- (Smooth Criminal was missing!) Disc2 C-
Blood On The Dance Floor D
Invincible starstarstarstar C-

CinisterCee said:

That's your opinion.

HAhah

Dancelot said:

What's wrong with "Dirty Diana"? Just curious.

I love me some "dangerous", as paisley said, it is newjack heaven. Which is why he should love "she drives me wild" It's all good though. Good to see "keep the faith" getting props as I love that song too


Now, "blood on the dance floor" has 2 killer cuts and 2 awesome remixes.

The title track (about aids I gather?) is great. But the absolute bees knees is "superfly sister".tTrack sounded so dated for 1997 (it musta been recorded in the same session as "do the bartman") but track has a killer demo quality with some great thowaway lines like "push it in stick it out, thats ain't what it's all about"

"scream" remix was killer as was the "history" remix. The "history" remix is such a good song to dance too.....

thesexofit said:

I love the "Money" remix. It's much more faster and i like it fast

squiddyren said:

on others of his more weaker compositions the lack of melody or inspiring chord changes can be overlooked by some interesting arrangement and instrumentation. in this special case I can't find either. I also don't really like Slash's guitar, sorry

On the "Bubbles" system this is how I rate MJ's adult solo albums:

Off The Wall
Thriller 1/2
Bad
Dangerous 1/2
HIStory
Invincible 1/2

Blood On The Dancefloor don't count to me, as it was only a remix album. But I give the "new" tracks on the album 1/2

Dancelot said:

Slash don't play guitar on it.

WildStyle said:

Lovin' the monkey!

Cloudbuster said:

no? so that's one good thing then that can be said about the song

shows how much I care for that track

.
[Edited 1/24/05 5:39am]

Dancelot said:

I don't much like Dirty Diana, either. I think it's okay but no great shakes.

Dancelot said:

I only like the video, but otherwise I would just skip over that and I Just Cant Stop Loving You

Out of 5

Off the Wall:
Thriller:
Bad:
Dangerous:
HIStory:
Invincible:

There was no video to "i just can't stop loving u" was there?

Should of been. Would still be on vh1 if there was one. That was a huge hit everywhere.

I always wished there was a video to Stevie Wonder collab "get it".....but there isn't

Out of 5

Off the wall:
Thriller:
Bad:
Dangerous:
HIStory:
BOTDF:
Invincible:

out of a maximum 5
Off the wall: 4
Thriller : 5
bad : 5
Dangerous : 3
History:
Disc one : 5
Disc two : 3
Blood ... : 2
Invincible : 3

Cloudbuster said:

It was Steve Stevens (from Billy Idol's band). And for the record, I think Dirty Diana is a good song. An obvious attempt at creating another Billie Jean, but I still think it's good. And anyone who's giving Bad or Dangerous better reviews than Thriller or Off the Wall needs to lay off the