Mister_Jay_Tee
Proud Member
I'll use two Anka tracks for an example.
Love Never Felt So Good, an intimate, simple piano ballad. In both of its modern incarnations, it is refreshingly nostalgic, airy, and playful even, with lots of garishes that are throwbackish while still retaining a modern sheen. It approaches a naturalness that is hard to argue, Timberlake cameo notwithstanding.
Meanwhile, Don't Matter To Me is pretty much in the opposite direction, cameo entirely in full view. MJ functions as an add on to another's song. And it barely works, really because of MJ just being him. But it's ill-advised. You'd think with a hip hop mogul, you'd spring for a far more aggressive sound from both parties (in one case by sampling a different unreleased song) but they decide to keep it light. Consequently you have what is described as a down-tempo, moody Liberian Girl, a sort of haunting moody tune that's less summer vacation day at the beach and more rainy vacation night at the resort cabana.
So while I know where the tastes are gonna hew towards, I think there is a case to make that MJ can thrive in most environments.
Love Never Felt So Good, an intimate, simple piano ballad. In both of its modern incarnations, it is refreshingly nostalgic, airy, and playful even, with lots of garishes that are throwbackish while still retaining a modern sheen. It approaches a naturalness that is hard to argue, Timberlake cameo notwithstanding.
Meanwhile, Don't Matter To Me is pretty much in the opposite direction, cameo entirely in full view. MJ functions as an add on to another's song. And it barely works, really because of MJ just being him. But it's ill-advised. You'd think with a hip hop mogul, you'd spring for a far more aggressive sound from both parties (in one case by sampling a different unreleased song) but they decide to keep it light. Consequently you have what is described as a down-tempo, moody Liberian Girl, a sort of haunting moody tune that's less summer vacation day at the beach and more rainy vacation night at the resort cabana.
So while I know where the tastes are gonna hew towards, I think there is a case to make that MJ can thrive in most environments.