Re: News and discussion about new MJ album : Xscape, May 13, 2014.
My initial impressions:
Love Never Felt So Good: The demo was never a favorite of mine, it's obviously the least finished song included on the album. So, in that sense I prefer both remixes over the original. I feel like it captures the spirit of the song.
Winner: Remix
Chicago: Things are a bit complicated here. The vocals on the remix are front and center, however there's this repeating sound that I find very annoying. It's the sound that opens the song and keeps repeating throughout, I found it distracting from first listen. The demo is more dark moody and fits the story that the song tells. I just wish that Michael's voice was mixed a tad louder.
Winner: Demo - but I can see myself listening to the remix on occasion for the louder vocals.
Loving You: I like what Timbaland did here, I think it's his best work on the album.
Winner: Tie. I can see listening to both versions regularly.
A Place With No Name: I feel like the remix completely destroys the intentions of the demo. Sure the remix distances itself from A Horse With No Name but replaces it with that Leave Me Alone riff instead...
Winner: Demo - I don't think I'll ever listen to the Stargate version ever again.
Slave To The Rhythm: The demo shocked me cause I didn't know that Timbaland took the epic intro from the demo. The demo sounds very much like a product of its time but has its own charm. It's easily my favorite version of the 3 we heard (4 if you count the one with that one Canadian
)
Winner: Demo - I feel like I can finally enjoy this song.
Do You Know Where Your Children Are: I feel like Timbaland takes away the urgency that's in the song and makes the chorus sound very happy when it's supposed to be urgent. I love the demo but I feel like the 2010 remix captures the spirit of the song without ruining it, that was a very tasteful update.
Winner: Demo - the 2010 remix though is fantastic as well. I don't see myself listening to the Timbaland remix.
Blue Gangsta: I listened to the leak a gazillion times. The remix starts nicely almost acapella but it's downhill from there
Winner: Demo. I miss some of the western sounds from the leak we had though, in this early version they're replaced by a piano riff.
Xscape: I won't lie, the loud distorted "Darkchild" shoutout that seems to be taken from the quiet one from You Rock My World made me laugh on first listen. For the first time since (2002?) I can understand what Michael is saying without looking up the lyrics, I still remember listening to Xscape for the first time when it leaked. Kudos to Rodney for highlighting Michael's vocal performance on this song.
Winner:? Demo but I do like the remix.
Final Thoughts: Aside from Love Never Felt So Good, Loving You, Chicago and Xscape I'm sticking almost exclusively to the demos. Of those songs though I only prefer the remix of Love Never Felt So Good over the demo.
I'm very glad the estate decided to include the original demos so we can pick and choose based on our preference.
