Category: reviews

audio review : Someday At Christmas ( album ) … Stevie Wonder

audio review : Someday At Christmas ( album ) ... Stevie Wonder

The title song sounds like a new classic. It’s a Christmas anthem that’s better than most you’re already familiar with. There’s also a notable original about a Little Christmas Tree; a story that personifies what is perhaps the holiday’s most defining symbol.

What I don’t like is how those original songs are presented alongside traditional covers. The assortment is about half-and-half, but they go back and forth almost at random. That makes for an album that’s musically pleasing but conceptually sloppy.

my rating : 3 of 5

1967

video review : The Lorax

video review : The Lorax

The world of Dr Suess comes with hidden messages. Sometimes they aren’t so hidden. Enter Thneedville; a city where most things are made of plastic and other man-made material because natural resources are being used-up by way of consumerism.

The message is environmental. “Save the trees,” it literally says. The plot, a consistently cute but only occasionally funny tale that centers around childhood romance, helps belabor the point. I just wish they’d ditched the corny musical performances.

my rating : 3 of 5

2012

audio review : 2010 ( album ) … Prince

audio review : 2010 ( album ) ... Prince

I would start with how awful the title is, but it’s Prince; the guy who made a song called 1999 in 1982; so in the name of pop music history, he’s forgiven. Besides, 2010, stylized as “20Ten”; an album that should’ve been released much earlier than seven months into the year; is a virtual time portal to his 1980s heyday.

That might literally be the case as the quirky synths of songs like Beginning Endlessly and Lavaux sound almost too good to be new. It’s as if the self-proclaimed Purple Yoda went digging into his own vault to salvage some never-before-released tapes. The grooves on some of these songs are surprisingly stellar.

Sticky Like Glue is, despite Prince trying to rap, one of his best songs. It’s a romantic love dedication at heart, but its sleeky funk also makes it a fitting pick for the dance clubs. It’s the dull slow songs and zany fillers, like Everybody Loves Me, that hold the album back from being the full return to form it could’ve been.

my rating : 3 of 5

2010

audio review : Damita Jo ( album ) … Janet Jackson

audio review : Damita Jo ( album ) ... Janet Jackson

Damito Jo is Janet Jackson’s middle name, so the concept of this album is to give listeners a glimpse of who she is on the inside, underneath all the glitz and glamour of the diva life. “Do you think I’m that person you watch on TV,” she asks on the short title song. My answer to that question is yes because Damita Jo sounds just like the Janet Jackson we’ve known for years; a talented pop singer whose songs are caught-up in an almost obsessional fusion of romantic love and raunchy sex.

Whether she’s Spending Time With her “baby” on a tropical island or putting on an All Nite dance show at the club, it all comes down to an intimate relationship with a man. She calls it “love” and that just might be the case, but sometimes the word “love” is actually a euphemism for lust. If she’s just being herself on these songs, then Janet Damita Jo Jackson is just a typical American woman if typical American women were this honest when it came to their sexual desires and affairs.

I doubt a typical American woman would sound this sweet singing over Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis music though. All For You might’ve been her best album, but I think this one might be a little better. The Slo Love song, which isn’t slow at all as far as tempo goes, is a delicious groovefest. Just A Little While rocks. I Want You, produced with Kanye West and an old BT Express song sample; a throwback to 1970s soul music; is easily one of the best Janet Jackson songs thus far.

Any guy with a big dick who wants to trade oral sex with this girl should feel Warmth and Moist, a back-to-back face-to-groin song set that begins with Miss Jackson servicing you with her (Warm) mouth. Then it’s her turn, she insists, before lying on her back and spreading her (Moist) pussy to a jazzy piano backdrop. The outside rain is a metaphor for her juices, which, if the music is any suggestion, is about as sweet as it gets. Janet Jackson? Damita Jo? Whoever she is, I like her a lot.

my rating : 4 of 5

2004

audio review : 20 YO ( album ) … Janet Jackson

audio review : 20 YO ( album ) ... Janet Jackson

Janet Jackson may not be as cute as she was on Good Times, but her songs still sound as adorable as they ever did. That’s thanks a lot to producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis who continue to provide the diva with a seemingly endless supply of grooves. It’s that music, composed with a small assortment of co-producers, including beau Jermaine Dupri, and Janet Jackson’s underrated knack for melodic vocals that make the songs, recorded and mixed with radio/club-friendly flare, instantly catchy.

I hate the title, especially the stupid abbreviation for Years Old, but I guess the point is that it’s been twenty years since she recruited Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis to take Control of her first hit album. How does it go? Funny How Time Flies When You’re Having Fun? Well, the fun continues here with an album of all-new songs; the first few of which seem to pay homage to the Control era with their 1980s-styled party synths. Get It Out Me, a sex song disguised as a dance anthem, goes especially retro.

This is a set front-loaded with fast-paced dance numbers that drifts down to midtempo in the middle and ends with two candle burners. Take Care has Janet in bed, masturbating to the thought of her “sweetie pie” coming home. He apparently works a late-night shift. Love 2 Love, a sweet and sultry highlight, has her enjoying sex with him at last. That’s no way to end an album with such a broad concept, but, for what it’s worth, there is an Outro in which she thanks “God” for the past two decades.

my rating : 4 of 5

2006

audio review : Premro ( mixtape ) … Eightball

audio review : Premro ( mixtape ) ... Eightball

A quick glance at the title might suggest “Premo”; an album of Eightball tracks with beats by DJ Premier. Unfortunately for us hip-hop heads, that isn’t the case. We’ll have to settle for Drumma Boy; the executive music producer and “host” of this mixtape, which is actually titled after Eightball’s real first name.

While he’s never been a lyrical MVP, I’ve always liked his southern fat-boy voice, which sounds naturally chopped and screwed. I also like his laid-back flow. Neither disappoint here. The problem is his weak hook game. When he lets singers like Ebony Love do the job, the songs generally sound better.

my rating : 3 of 5

2012

audio review : Invincible ( album ) … Michael Jackson

audio review : Invincible ( album ) ... Michael Jackson

This is Michael Jackson’s sixth album since kick-starting his solo career on Epic Records, but there’s a problem at the start. The first song; Unbreakable, which would be a less cheesy album title than Invincible; is, well, broken. It has punchy hip-hop drums going for it and not much else. The concept is appropriate, but the vocals are surprisingly hackneyed. Invincible is the first Michael Jackson album that, as hard as it tries, doesn’t start with an aesthetic bang. The next two songs, also laced with faulty beats by Rodney Jerkins and both featuring a rapper who should’ve been limited to one song or the other, do better, but only because MJ’s signature ad-libs are still vigorous enough to lift them up from mediocrity. That’s the case with about half the album. The other half are songs that were much better in the first place, but they’re scattered about, so if Threatened is the new Thriller, Invincible is a mixed Halloween candy bag.

The best songs are nearly on par with the Michael Jackson hits we all know and love. Banal lyrics plague the entire album, particularly compared to the poetic depth of his previous two, but the vocal melodies on romantic candle burners like Break Of Dawn and Heaven Can Wait reign supreme with sweet beats to match. You Rock My World is an all-out classic without the tacky Chris Tucker intro and Butterflies sounds gorgeous. Though I generally prefer a more uptempo and less pussy-whipped Michael Jackson, I kind of wish the whole album sounded like these songs. The Michael Jackson brand, however, which started in Motown, expanded beyond the confines of soulful groove music a long time ago, so here we have The King Of Pop trying to please the masses; the youngsters sending imitators up the Billboard charts he once ruled; by dumbing down, chasing trends and potentially losing longtime fans in the process.

2000 Watts; the missing title cut from Tyrese’s latest album; is a prime example. The beat; a Teddy Riley production designed to be played in a flashy vehicle at a very high volume; goes hard, but the vocals, sang with a digital deepening effect; probably the album’s biggest artistic blunder; are stuck in second gear until Michael Jackson finally starts finessing the track with ad-libs near the end. You Are My Life is enhanced in the same way, but Babyface’s dated croon music sticks out like a sore heart on an album that’s supposed to be new. Privacy; a paparazzi plea in which it is mistakenly implied that Princess Diana died in the winter as opposed to the summer; another major blunder; sounds fresher, but it’s Michael Jackson’s weakest rocker yet. Don’t Walk Away; a solemn heartbreak ballad; and Cry; Invincible’s version of Man In The Mirror; are a lot better. Then comes The Lost Children; a lament that is both schmaltzy and soothing.

The agitated outcast who dominated the History era with clenched teeth rarely shows up here. When he’s not making desolate mood music; even Whatever Happens tells the story of two protagonists facing what seems to be some sort of impending doom; the Motown sensation who sang I Want You Back is back to being a tenderhearted romantic. That’s a disappointment for me. I prefer the Michael Jackson who grunts, sighs and makes weird hiccup noises à la Is It Scary; arguably the best song he’s ever made; over the one who simply sings, but this isn’t a negative review. Invincible is his worst album, yes, at least since he’s been on Epic Records. It lacks the majestic vibe and overall cohesiveness of Off The Wall, Thriller, Bad, Dangerous and History; even Blood On The Dance Floor; but most of its songs are good, if barely so. I think that says something in regard to his inferred claim of pop music Invincibility.

my rating : 4 of 5

2001
 

jb82 :

While this is not a spectacular album its still MJ and his mediocre stuff sounds good to me everything cant be like his number one hits

teop.peace :

Which CD are you listening to with your negative comments? It seems from your review that you are fighting hard to be negative even while lefthandedly praising songs like Butterflies, break of Dawn, and You Rock My World. Its your opinion to which you are entitled and I respect that, but your review comes off like a reluctant critic. It comes off as if you know you are supposed to hate it officially but the high caliber of each track (which is classic MJ) just wont allow you to pan it too much. This is a very good CD and the more I listen the more I like it. If Sony hadn’t been so bent on its own goals and the entertainment press hadn’t been so intent on playing up aspects of MJ’s personal life, this CD would have received to alcalades it truly deserves. Time will go to show this is a great CD. peace

audio review : History ( album ) … Michael Jackson

audio review : History ( album ) ... Michael Jackson

Presented amidst a promotional campaign comparable to the second coming of Christ with movie theater trailers and 32-foot statues, Michael Jackson’s History album hits the world of popular music like nothing before it. It’s the most important album by the most important song artist, the presentation seems to suggest, and you just have to hear it.

With that, it should be the happiest of times for The King Of Pop, but there’s a dark cloud overhead and a bitter tone to most of these songs. “Stop pressuring me,” he Screams on his long-awaited duet with Janet Jackson, “Stop fucking with me!” The siblings take turns firing back at the slanderous news media, though it’s Michael who’s been under attack.

Biased journalists have partaken in what seems like a worldwide conspiracy to ruin his name, especially since he’s been publically accused and investigated, but not actually charged, with molesting one of his Neverland boy friends. It’s a case that was eventually settled out of court for a lot of dough. That convinces a lot of people that he’s guilty.

Some people are smarter than that. We wonder what kind of parent whose kid was sexually abused pursues cash over justice. So we nod our heads as he sings about people who’ll do “anything” for Money; the best part of the album is the last chorus section of this song; or Tabloid Junkies who believe “everything” they read in a magazine or see on the TV screen.

There’s even a song about Tom Sneddon; the prosecutor responsible for trying to put him in prison. “You know he really tried to take me down by surprise”, Jackson ponders in the angry and strained vocal style he’s taken on over the years. It’s a stark contrast to the tender crooning he does on Childhood or the ballad about the ghost girl he refers to as Little Susie.

The album would be better without the cover songs; Come Together by The Beatles and Smile by Nat King Cole, which, on a Michael Jackson album, amount to mere filler. He also repeats the Dangerous blunder of featuring rappers, though The Notorious BIG, who’s surprisingly allowed to refer to Michael Jackson as “my nigga”, provides a remarkable verse.

Even on that song, Mike is in defense mode, paranoid about people being out to “get” him. I commend him for addressing the scandal that would’ve been the elephant in the room if this were an album of romantic love songs, but the amount of time he spends on it takes away from the History concept, which is supposed to be about his legacy as a whole.

The message of the title song, which samples historic audio bits like Martin Luther King’s I Have A Dream speech, is to live your life to the fullest and be the best you can be. It’s advice Michael Jackson certainly has the credentials to give, but he’s doing a lot of polishing to keep his crown from tarnishing and that’s starting to affect the quality of his music.

Most of these songs are good, but none of them are great. Some of the songs on his previous album are great. That makes History a disappointment after Dangerous like Bad was after Thriller. It’s unusual to be disappointed by good albums, but Michael Jackson has set unusually high standards for himself. I guess that just comes with being The King.

my rating : 4 of 5

1995

Though this album is promoted and presented as a double album; Michael Jackson’s most popular songs from the Past and new songs from the Present; my review is limited to the new songs.

audio review : Bad ( album ) … Michael Jackson

audio review : Bad ( album ) ... Michael Jackson

Making an album that stands up to Thriller is a daunting task for any artist, but Michael Jackson, dressed in a black leather jacket with silver highlights, feels he’s up to the challenge. He even wraps tape around his fingers like the boxers do as the guy who once described himself as a romantic “lover”, “not a fighter”, stands face-to-face with the leader of a notorious street gang with no plans to Beat It.

“I’m bad,” he declares on the funky title song before daring any man to slap him in the face if they don’t like what he’s saying. It’s a ballsy invitation, especially coming from a guy in eyeliner whose only source of weaponry consists of melodic tough talk and flashy dance moves. Luckily for him, the act is over before you can dent your eyebrows and muster-up an answer to the question, “Who’s bad?”

From there, the album goes into more familiar territory as his attention goes back to the girls and The Way they Make him Feel. He’s especially head over heels for a Liberian Girl, who, as far as he’s concerned, is “more precious than any pearl”. He Just Can’t Stop Loving Siedah Garrett, but he’s not so fond of an obsessive groupie named Diana. Her relentless seduction inspires the album’s Dirty rock song.

The dirty dance song is Smooth Criminal, about a guy who murders a girl in her apartment. It’s also the best song as Michael Jackson, playing the role of the narrator, crashes the fourth wall to ask if she’s okay. The whole album is Bad meaning good, but it isn’t a Thriller. The drums are too clanky, the synthesizers too unnatural. Not to mention a Speed Demon that should’ve never made it pass the finish line.

my rating : 4 of 5

1987

audio review : Thriller ( album ) … Michael Jackson

audio review : Thriller ( album ) ... Michael Jackson

The title song would be perfect at the end. Instead it lingers near the middle. When the album does end, it does so with a serenade to a girl Michael Jackson promises to love more and “more each day”, even when she’s “old and gray”. Rod Temperton is to blame for those lyrics, but, as far as music and melody goes, The Lady In My Life is gorgeous. It’s one of his best songs like almost every other song on this album.

Not only is Thriller his best album, including the ones he did with his brothers, it’s the best album I ever heard. Almost every song reaches a level of greatness other artists can only hope to obtain once on a single release. Even the worst song, a duet that has Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney playing tug-of-war over a girl who might be playing them in a game of her own, floats along with a charming groove.

The next worst song is Human Nature, which is good. That says a lot about the rest of the album, which consists of just nine songs. Perhaps making a Thriller isn’t as daunting as it seems. The secret is to cut the filler and put out an album of funky beats and magical vocals. “No one wants to be defeated,” Michael Jackson declares on rock song Beat It. It’s harmonized melody is one of the catchiest you’ll ever hear.

Other highlights include Billie Jean and a party jam about people who always Wanna Be Startin Somethin. Both songs are amazing. There’s also a Valentine’s Day theme entitled Baby Be Mine that’s amazing. The album as a whole is amazing. It’s just not perfect. It would’ve come close if Michael Jackson or Quincy Jones, the album’s sole producer, thought enough to put the title song at the end where it belongs.

my rating : 5 of 5

1982

audio review : Off The Wall ( album ) … Michael Jackson

audio review : Off The Wall ( album ) ... Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson steps into his own spotlight with the help of Quincy Jones from the Wiz album. It’s not his solo debut, but it may as well be. The pop star is allowed artistic control of his music for the first time in his career. From the start, it’s clear the album’s main job is to get people onto the dance floor. Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough, it goes, or at least until you Burn This Disco Out. It’s an all-night groovefest with funky instruments and suave falsettos.

Most of the songs deal in romantic love. Stevie Wonder provides a slinky jazz ballad about how some people Can’t Help but love other people in that way. It’s a bit of an anticlimax because the clunky chorus can’t compare to the vibe of the verses. It’s better than Paul McCartney’s submission though; a silly song entitled Girlfriend that has Michael Jackson threatening to tell her boyfriend what they’ve been doing if she doesn’t come clean on her own.

The best song is, ironically enough, the one you can’t really dance to. It’s a ballad entitled She’s Out Of My Life, about a girl who might’ve hung around after two years if only Michael Jackson had expressed to her how much he loved her. It’s a good thing there are so many other girls in the club, which seems to never stop playing Michael Jackson songs. Heartbroken or not, all the guy has to do is walk up to the next one and pull her off the wall to make her his.

my rating : 4 of 5

1979

video review : The Sixth Sense

video review : The Sixth Sense

If I saw dead people “everywhere” all the time, I think I’d eventually get used to it, at least to the point where it doesn’t scare me anymore. Not nine-year-old Cole Sear. They still scare him and he’s been seeing them all his life. It’s a secret he keeps to himself, so when he reacts to them, alive people think he’s crazy. I thought he was too until I started to see the ghosts for myself. I wasn’t scared though. I was more dumbfounded than anything else. How, I wondered, are these ghosts wearing clothes?

My snide thoughts were more entertaining than this movie; a slow-paced psychological thriller that doesn’t really thrill until the end. It’s a twist ending if there ever was such a thing; one I was surprised thus impressed by. It almost made me want to watch the movie all over again to see how they pulled it off, but I wouldn’t subject myself to that. It’s too boring for too long. As the kid says to the psychologist while he’s trying to tell him a bedtime story, “You have to add some twists and stuff.”

my rating : 2 of 5

1999