Aaow AnD wHiTe
21-10-01, 00:30
Aquí lo tenéis :) Lamentamos que esté en inglés, pero es demasiado!!
Nos hemos quedado extasiados con una de las frases:
"...Speechless must be a contender for the man's best-ever vocal performance", es decir... "Speechless ha de ser un candidato a la mejor interpretación vocal hecha por un hombre jamás". Esa frase realmente nos ha emocionado.
--
INVINCIBLE AGAIN !
With the first new Michael Jackson material in five years now in the process of landing, the cynics are already having something of a field day. Along with Elvis, The Beatles and, maybe, Madonna the biggest and most potent symbol of the pop era is an easy target for any critics lining up to take a shot. Even the fact that he's worked with a diverse array of current musical talent on Invincible - such as hot shot producers like Rodney Jerkins and R. Kelly - is, seemingly, a cause for concern, despite the fact that Jackson has ALWAYS worked this way. Quite apart from the fact he's practically invented the urban-flavoured music that's become today's dominant pop form, criticising Jackson for using collaboration in order to achieve a contemporary sound is as pointless as criticising Oasis for playing guitars.
Even worse, Michael Jackson's status, sales and obviously unusual life, make a whole load of lazy journalism easily possible. In fact, it's usually the same reviewers who bemoan today's celebrity-obsessed pop culture who, when push comes to shove, chose to bypass the music completely. This week at least one writer from a major UK publication poured forth a whole load of cynical tripe about Jackson and Invincible, whilst admitting that he hadn't actually listened to it.
Well the good news is that this time round, the critics have really missed the point because Invincible is good. In fact, it's very good indeed - at least his most satisfying solo set since 1987's Bad, while parts deserve to be up there in the MJ trophy cabinet with the very best bits from Off The Wall and Thriller. The forthcoming R. Kelly-penned single Cry is a case in point: a steadily building redemption song of real power it's an instant Jackson classic. It just begs the question what on earth persuaded Kelly - a solo star of global proportions himself - to part with it? And if Cry isn't this year's Christmas Number 1 then there is truly no justice in this Business we call Show.
Kicking off with a trio of Jackson-Rodney Jerkins produced R&B stormers, Invincible should restore Jackson's status as the ultimate purveyor of pumping party music. Unbreakable - which features an appearance from murdered rapper The Notorious B.I.G. fairly charges along, while Heartbreaker's rattling percussion and stop-start groove revisits the frantic funk of former glories like Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' and Smooth Criminal. Best of a crop of at least seven potential dancefloor-directed singles, is the Teddy Riley collaboration 2,000 Watts, a supercharged, bass-propelled monster that sees Jackson literally giving off sparks. If there's another male artist currently making pop music this tough and exhilarating then I'd like to know who he is.
So he's flying on the dancefloor but what makes Invincible doubly satisfying is that it sees Jackson in fine voice again on a host of seductive ballads. Break Of Dawn and Heaven Can Wait evoke the smoky midnight soul of Rock With You and Human Nature while the solo-penned and produced Speechless must be a contender for the man's best-ever vocal performance. Beginning with a delicate, whispered accapella from Jackson, it builds into a dignified and restrained string-enhanced climax that's light-years from the bombast of, say, 1996's Earth Song. With its flamenco flourishes and virtuoso guitar solo from Carlos Santana another definite highlight is the penultimate Whatever Happens, whilst the whole thing ends on a satisfying note with the rabble-rousing Threatened, easily Jacko's most dramatic album closer since Thriller.
Of course, Invincible is a far from perfect album. Sixteen tracks is a helluva lot to take in during one sitting - this reviewer would have ditched the whiney Privacy and ballad-to-far Don't Walk Away along with the curiously lightweight single, You Rock My World (which both Jackson and Teddy Riley have rightly labelled as unrepresentative of the album). Similarly, with running times of 5-6 minutes even some of the highlights outstay their welcome a little and could have done with some prudent editing down. But these are niggles against what after just one, under-wraps hearing already feels like album of the year and, with a wealth of potential hit singles to come it's likely Invincible will live up to its name. It's really good to have him back.
BY MARK WOOD
Nos hemos quedado extasiados con una de las frases:
"...Speechless must be a contender for the man's best-ever vocal performance", es decir... "Speechless ha de ser un candidato a la mejor interpretación vocal hecha por un hombre jamás". Esa frase realmente nos ha emocionado.
--
INVINCIBLE AGAIN !
With the first new Michael Jackson material in five years now in the process of landing, the cynics are already having something of a field day. Along with Elvis, The Beatles and, maybe, Madonna the biggest and most potent symbol of the pop era is an easy target for any critics lining up to take a shot. Even the fact that he's worked with a diverse array of current musical talent on Invincible - such as hot shot producers like Rodney Jerkins and R. Kelly - is, seemingly, a cause for concern, despite the fact that Jackson has ALWAYS worked this way. Quite apart from the fact he's practically invented the urban-flavoured music that's become today's dominant pop form, criticising Jackson for using collaboration in order to achieve a contemporary sound is as pointless as criticising Oasis for playing guitars.
Even worse, Michael Jackson's status, sales and obviously unusual life, make a whole load of lazy journalism easily possible. In fact, it's usually the same reviewers who bemoan today's celebrity-obsessed pop culture who, when push comes to shove, chose to bypass the music completely. This week at least one writer from a major UK publication poured forth a whole load of cynical tripe about Jackson and Invincible, whilst admitting that he hadn't actually listened to it.
Well the good news is that this time round, the critics have really missed the point because Invincible is good. In fact, it's very good indeed - at least his most satisfying solo set since 1987's Bad, while parts deserve to be up there in the MJ trophy cabinet with the very best bits from Off The Wall and Thriller. The forthcoming R. Kelly-penned single Cry is a case in point: a steadily building redemption song of real power it's an instant Jackson classic. It just begs the question what on earth persuaded Kelly - a solo star of global proportions himself - to part with it? And if Cry isn't this year's Christmas Number 1 then there is truly no justice in this Business we call Show.
Kicking off with a trio of Jackson-Rodney Jerkins produced R&B stormers, Invincible should restore Jackson's status as the ultimate purveyor of pumping party music. Unbreakable - which features an appearance from murdered rapper The Notorious B.I.G. fairly charges along, while Heartbreaker's rattling percussion and stop-start groove revisits the frantic funk of former glories like Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' and Smooth Criminal. Best of a crop of at least seven potential dancefloor-directed singles, is the Teddy Riley collaboration 2,000 Watts, a supercharged, bass-propelled monster that sees Jackson literally giving off sparks. If there's another male artist currently making pop music this tough and exhilarating then I'd like to know who he is.
So he's flying on the dancefloor but what makes Invincible doubly satisfying is that it sees Jackson in fine voice again on a host of seductive ballads. Break Of Dawn and Heaven Can Wait evoke the smoky midnight soul of Rock With You and Human Nature while the solo-penned and produced Speechless must be a contender for the man's best-ever vocal performance. Beginning with a delicate, whispered accapella from Jackson, it builds into a dignified and restrained string-enhanced climax that's light-years from the bombast of, say, 1996's Earth Song. With its flamenco flourishes and virtuoso guitar solo from Carlos Santana another definite highlight is the penultimate Whatever Happens, whilst the whole thing ends on a satisfying note with the rabble-rousing Threatened, easily Jacko's most dramatic album closer since Thriller.
Of course, Invincible is a far from perfect album. Sixteen tracks is a helluva lot to take in during one sitting - this reviewer would have ditched the whiney Privacy and ballad-to-far Don't Walk Away along with the curiously lightweight single, You Rock My World (which both Jackson and Teddy Riley have rightly labelled as unrepresentative of the album). Similarly, with running times of 5-6 minutes even some of the highlights outstay their welcome a little and could have done with some prudent editing down. But these are niggles against what after just one, under-wraps hearing already feels like album of the year and, with a wealth of potential hit singles to come it's likely Invincible will live up to its name. It's really good to have him back.
BY MARK WOOD