MUSIC REVIEW
by Mike Martinez
Published in The
UCSD Guardian Summer Edition
Monday, June 24, 1995
This Review
Begins
It’s been so long since Michael Jackson was not the most overwritten about, over-idolized, over-scrutinized and overwrought pop star in history; it’s hard to remember when he was merely an artist.
And there’s
the rub -- Jackson started winning Grammies, setting Guinness records (all
dutifully noted in the liner notes of HIStory) and developing a world class
ego. He earned the ego and had the talent to back it up, but the tabloids
started poring over him like he was the Zapruder film. By sheer volume of
printer’s ink worldwide, his generosity, his peculiarities, his excesses became
larger than those of mere earthlings. And his falls (what falls!) were media
events.
The release of a greatest hits collection along with a substantial amount of brand new music (here it’s exactly half and half) is always a tricky business. The new stuff risks not being up to the comparison.
It’s been so long since Michael Jackson was not the most overwritten about, over-idolized, over-scrutinized and overwrought pop star in history; it’s hard to remember when he was merely an artist.
In 1979,
after people gave “Off The Wall” a listen, no one in American pop music offered
more promise. He took the surprising poise and spark shown in Jackson Five hits
like “I Want You Back” and “I’ll Be There” to a new, mature level. He created a
hybrid of James Brown-gritty R&B and slick, super production pop. His up-tempo
dance songs (“Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough” was the standard bearer) made you
dance. His ballads, with an emotional commitment that owed a nod to Jackie
Wilson, made you cry. On “She’s Out Of My Life” his voice actually does crack
at the end.
In 1982,
“Thriller” hit -- a massive global phenomenon that dwarfed Sinatra, Elvis, the
Beatles, pretty much all prior recorded history. Aborigines played it on Friday
nights. “Thriller” was another artistic breakthrough, particularly “Billie
Jean,” which introduced such an original catalog of popping rhythms and
breathless soul yelps that it nearly reinvented pop. The advent of MTV by this
time brought another new language of pop culture, and Jackson was a pioneer of
that, too. Later, he and many other artists came to confuse video chops with
the real artistry -- writing and producing good songs. But the King of PopTM he did become.
The talent,
of course, never waned, and in 1987 “Bad” was also a worldwide hit. Stunning
moments like “Man in the Mirror” matched the drama of his best work.
“Dangerous” (1990) also had its high points. “Black and White” was danceable,
and like Prince (er, sorry … the artist formerly known as Prince) he started
adding rappers to the mix. “Heal the World” is the quintessential Jackson
ballad, a little sappy but touching. As always, accompanying videos were
innovative and expensively filmed, usually overshadowing the music.
This Review
Continues
The release of a greatest hits collection along with a substantial amount of brand new music (here it’s exactly half and half) is always a tricky business. The new stuff risks not being up to the comparison.
Unfortunately,
that is the case here. On “Dangerous” there was already noticeable filler -- funky,
syncopated, but filler nonetheless. “HIStory" has much more of the same,
with an openly bitter undertone in the lyrics. This second disc could have been
a concept album called “Leave Me Alone – Book 2.” (One short aside -- why
wasn’t “Leave Me Alone” on the greatest hits side?) The song “D.S.” is a thinly
disguised swipe at the Santa Barbara D.A. “Scream,” “They Don’t Care About Us,”
“Anything For Money” and “Tabloid Junkie” are similarly whiny, with an
uncharacteristic cynicism.
“Scream,” a
duet with sister Janet, is surprisingly undanceable, full of starts and stops.
It personifies the typical Michael Jackson dilemma. The song is weak, but much
attention was given to producing the crazy, controversial video. Musically,
there is no reason for Janet to be there on the track, but she adds a stark
visual presence and a family solidarity to the video. Once again, the real
music being made is an afterthought.
The best
moments (all ballads) are pleasant – as in merely pleasant. Fair enough, but
the stakes are higher for the guy that sold “Thriller” to the Aborigines.
“Earth Song” has ethereal, layered harmonies on the chorus that create a Beach
Boys-like warmth. “You Are Not Alone” stands out from everything around it
because of the understated production, featuring acoustic guitars. It’s “Heal
The World” meets Mariah Carey. The lyrics to “Childhood,” as well as
illustrations shown in the liner notes suggest that a warped childhood made him
the eccentric he is known as today. A cover of Charlie Chaplin’s “Smile” is
moving, but sounds a little too much like a valedictory.
Can this be
the end of the King of PopTM? Of course not. I vote for the Prince
(sorry) formula – stop worrying about all the other stuff and crank out one
whole album of dance songs per year.