Posthumous albums are always challenging, and in particular, that for a perfectionist like Michael Jackson, a man who wanted to be with and direct the production with glitter glove. It is also a previously unreleased material, ie recordings previously straightened out because they have not really said plat on the albums. The bar was certainly very high on an album "Thriller", where seven singles were picked and all reached the top ten on Billboard, so even if it is about, rejected material is of course staggering level high on portions of this release.
The principal behind this project is R & B legend LA Reid picked out partner Teddy Riley and Stargate and also had the good taste to realize that his own productions peaked in the 90s, and have therefore allowed Timbaland be the first producer. Reid has been looking in the archives to find songs that MJ has sung several times, and that he apparently has gotten a feel for, but where something has been done that has not kept all the way out.
Take for example, the first single release "Love never felt so good," written by Jackson himself and Paul Anka, and that this rendered in a duet with Justin Timberlake. This song was recorded in 1983, but a two-year Timberlake understood, and could have been material for "Thriller," but it's easy to understand why it ended up there. It is a truly excellent song, but Jackson and the outside world had already passed this phase, it sounds rather as if it belonged in the disco era last sigh, like something from the 1979 "Off the wall".
Three decades later, the revamped version, let it be the right time, especially in the wake of a Daft Punk-single, "Get lucky". It was actually played and released by Johnny Mathis in the album "A special part of me" in 1984. But the Mathis version is pretty tame, where the Jackson's one is just brilliant. Here he is in his best form and it was a long time since we heard anything new from this golden era in his life. And like I said, it is impressive that this then is a song that has been sorted out. Or as Timbaland says when the ethics of a posthumous release discussed in the very American documentary that comes with the deluxe edition of "Xscape": The choice was easy; it was simply too good not to be released. You just have to stick with in this case.
Another track that stands out is "Do you know where your children are?" That lacked wings and at the last moment was removed from the 1991 "Dangerous". Here, however, the air when Timbaland growl at the same time heard that he has put reins on itself because it still should sound more Jackson than Timbaland, as well has its merits but still is a little pity. It would have been interesting to hear completely free interpretations of contemporary producers.
It's a short album, only eight tracks in the simple version, and all is not good enough from the Jackson we're used to, but it's certainly a more interesting listening than the 2011 "Michael" and when the catchy title track rounds off the album seeks to actually hear more. And it's certainly not always the case.
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