Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson digs into savvy, contemporary/mechanical production on his 2001 release, but at the end of the day we're left with his "ripped-from-the-jaws-of-Thriller" falsetto. And that's a good thing. Invincible is a strong comeback album; Jackson scored a big hit with the Stevie Wonder-influenced "Butterflies."

Near the end of michael Jackson's first album of new material since 1995 is an exceptional
song titled "Whatever Happens." Jackson, singing in the third person with a jagged
intensity, narrates the story of a couple trapped in an unnamed threatening situation:
"Whatever happens," they tell each other, "don't let go of my hand." The music is
Latin-based, a deep brew of Jeremy Lubbock's strings and Carlos Santana's guita... More >

Jackson's obsession with fame, his grotesque life magnified by his grotesque wealth, are such an offense to rock aesthetes that the fact that he's a great musician is now often forgotten. I use the present tense because (a) his skills seem undiminished and (b) as only Frank Kogan has listened dispassionately enough to remark, he's doing new stuff with them--his funk is steelier and his ballads are airier, both to disquieting effect. At 78 minutes this is too long, and especially given his history, "The Lost Children" is offensive. But the first three tracks are the Rodney Jerkins of the year, "2000 Watts" is the Teddy Riley of the past five years, and even the prunables offer small surprises. Don't believe the hype matters. (Grade - A-)