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Xscape - 4 years later

Slave To The Rhythm;4221593 said:
But that‘s not what the thread is about because I wanted to hear if opinions have changed and not how you always felt about a song.
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In that case....my opinions haven't changed. I feel the same way as I did four years ago, about each and every song. I don't generally change my mind easily about songs. A couple of tracks on other albums that I didn't like much before Michael passed away, took on new meaning and appealed to me more, post-2009, but that's about it.
 
Till now I didn´t write anything about Xscape - so I feel free to do it here:). I did not change my opinion about the album. Back then I looked forward to the release, but, of course, I was sceptically: Michael was not there anymore to work on any song. So what will that be? I listened to it (the gold version completely) one time, a second time. I had to cry, I could not stop. I was horrified! I saw nothing of MJs thumbprints. The remixes seemed like a rape of MJs ideas to me. Those contemporary, trendy producers changed his demo versions to any replaceable songs of any current artists.

But I liked some of Michaels original songs - and that remains: Chicago, Loving You, APWNN, STTR. Michael sounds raw and emotional, his voice seems to be so close to us. I´m listening to it quite often - I still love it!
 
I still consider most of these remixes to rank among the best in Michael's catalog. The opening quadfecta is still undeniable (especially "A Place With No Name" and "Chicago," my two favorites on the album), and Rodney's new cut of "Xscape" remains a powerhouse. As for the others, I've grown to flat-out hate "Blue Gangsta" for that horrid trap beat, even if I absolutely love the cinematic turn on the verses. Conversely, I find myself holding some respect for "Slave to the Rhythm," which I was rather impartial towards beforehand, and tolerating "Do You Know Where Your Children Are," which I didn't care for. The Timberlake duet is also great in all respects (though I admit I'm biased because I get to see my favorite modern artist coinciding with my favorite all-time artist). Overall, I feel there's only one bad apple out of the bunch; everything else ranks from decent to fantastic.

As for the originals, I was very disappointed in almost all of them. Barring "Loving You," "Blue Gangsta," and "Xscape" (all of which are phenomenal), they're all so uninteresting. "Chicago" is easily my least favorite MJ song (oddly due to the fact that I hold the remix to such high acclaim), and "Slave to the Rhythm" is drowning in potential that it simply doesn't manage to reach. Listening to them, I can feel Michael's artistic touch shining through, but they simply aren't good enough to warrant much (if any) praise from me.

The remixes get around an 8.5/10.
The originals get a 4/10.
The album as a whole gets around a 7/10.
 
AlwaysThere said:
I still consider most of these remixes to rank among the best in Michael's catalog. The opening quadfecta is still undeniable (especially "A Place With No Name" and "Chicago," my two favorites on the album), and Rodney's new cut of "Xscape" remains a powerhouse. As for the others, I've grown to flat-out hate "Blue Gangsta" for that horrid trap beat, even if I absolutely love the cinematic turn on the verses. Conversely, I find myself holding some respect for "Slave to the Rhythm," which I was rather impartial towards beforehand, and tolerating "Do You Know Where Your Children Are," which I didn't care for. The Timberlake duet is also great in all respects (though I admit I'm biased because I get to see my favorite modern artist coinciding with my favorite all-time artist). Overall, I feel there's only one bad apple out of the bunch; everything else ranks from decent to fantastic.

As for the originals, I was very disappointed in almost all of them. Barring "Loving You," "Blue Gangsta," and "Xscape" (all of which are phenomenal), they're all so uninteresting. "Chicago" is easily my least favorite MJ song (oddly due to the fact that I hold the remix to such high acclaim), and "Slave to the Rhythm" is drowning in potential that it simply doesn't manage to reach. Listening to them, I can feel Michael's artistic touch shining through, but they simply aren't good enough to warrant much (if any) praise from me.

The remixes get around an 8.5/10.
The originals get a 4/10.
The album as a whole gets around a 7/10.
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I never really understood how you can judge the She Was Loving Me demo based on that barely mixed thing on the Xscape album. It sounds atrocious.
 
SmoothGangsta said:
I never really understood how you can judge the She Was Loving Me demo based on that barely mixed thing on the Xscape album. It sounds atrocious.
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The mono mix is hard to definitely hard to listen to, but you can still get a great sense of the production quality with or without a stereo image, and I personally just can't stand it.
 
She Was Loving Me demo is absolutely terrible. Timbaland version is much better.


XSCAPE is better than Michael, but Michael sounds more like an authentic MJ album [surprising as it's an impersonator on 30% of the songs.]
 
Best collection of music to be released posthumously thus far imo..

I just wish that Timbaland would’ve used MJ’s full vocal track for STTR instead of cutting it off so soon before it’s actual end.. because of that I will always prefer Tricky Stewart’s 2010 version over Tim’s or Max Martin’s versions (or even the original 👀)... I still listen to the whole album once in a while.. oh and I wish the hologram thing was better executed too.
 
Heard the original "CHICAGO",and must say the demo,is much sadder and darker.
I still have a question for Timbaland though...

"Does Justin Timberlake get Budgie Tweets,Pigeon Coos on his records?"

Then why the hell does MJ get a DUCK QUACK?!!
 
stephenvalek said:
Does Justin Timberlake get Budgie Tweets,Pigeon Coos on his records?"

Then why the hell does MJ get a DUCK QUACK?!!
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Google any of Timbaland's previous productions. He's known for meshing unnatural sounds in his records.
 
My fav songs of Xscape album is
Love Never Feel So Good (McClain 2014 Remix) [+Video Version]
Xscape (Timbaland 2014 Remix)

My dislike song is
Loving You (Timbaland 2014 Remix) > change key minor

My fav Ori songs of Xscape Deluxe is
LNFSG
Loving You
DYKWYCA
Blue Gangsla
Xscape
SttR

My fav LEAKED song before Xscape era is
SttR (2010 Remix V5)

My dislike song Leaked is
DYKWYCA (2010 Remix)
 
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Do You Know Where Your Children Are 2010 is one of my favourite leaks ever. It's the best version of the song in my opinion.
 
For a remix album meant to make eight of MJ's unreleased songs sound contemporary in 2014, the album was fine. Only remix I really liked was "Love Never Felt So Good", though. Most of everything else was passable, but unmemorable and generic to me. And I absolutely dislike the remix to "A Place With No Name"; recruiting StarGate on the album was a huge mistake.
 
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NuTNC said:
My fav songs of Xscape album is
Love Never Feel So Good (McClain 2014 Remix) [+Video Version]
Xscape (Timbaland 2014 Remix)

My dislike song is
Loving You (Timbaland 2014 Remix) > change key minor

My fav Ori songs of Xscape Deluxe is
LNFSG
Loving You
DYKWYCA
Blue Gangsla
Xscape
SttR

My fav LEAKED song before Xscape era is
SttR (2010 Remix V5)

My dislike song Leaked is
DYKWYCA (2010 Remix)
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"Xscape" was remixed by the original producer, Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins.
 
I cant believe the original Place With No Name isnt more loved, its become one of my all time favourites! I adore the lyrics and always loved Horse With No Name
 
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Zeus7 said:
I cant believe the original Place With No Name isnt more loved, its become one of my all time favourites! I adore the lyrics and always loved Horse With No Name
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Same I love it, one of my favourite unreleased songs along with Price Of Fame. Such a small detail but I love the way Mike says "a lot of fun" always makes me smile
 
I think the only thing about the original 'Place With No Name' gets less attention than the reworked one is that it's less "original". It did take sampling to a high level from of course 'Horse With No Name'.. The sound of the song is beautiful though.. That and the fact that it's the reworked one that got radio play, has an official video etc.
 
Zeus7 said:
I cant believe the original Place With No Name isnt more loved, its become one of my all time favourites! I adore the lyrics and always loved Horse With No Name
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My favorite song out of all the originals from Xscape and probably my favorite song from the Invincible sessions
 
SmoothCriminal1995 said:
Same I love it, one of my favourite unreleased songs along with Price Of Fame. Such a small detail but I love the way Mike says "a lot of fun" always makes me smile
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I seen the grass and the sky and the birds, the flowers surrounded by the trees.. love it
 
I love the way he sings "So then I went in my pocket took my wallet on out with my pictures of my family and girl"
 
so it's actually 20 years now when APWNN was recorded....

it's still so refreshing and new to me. (original version)
 
The AMERICA version is only 3/4 chords in the entire song.
Artists/writers can use that "base",and build on it,which makes APWNN so current and refreshing.
The 2 guys from America,LOVED the MJ version,and I love all 3 (MJs demo and the reworked version)

It's funny,how I can listen to all 3,and not find much similarity,and they all have a different take.
 
APWNN is special because I remember hearing it on TMZ days after he passed.
 
dam2040 said:
APWNN is special because I remember hearing it on TMZ days after he passed.
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I remember that too, my girlfriend loved the snippet so much it was her ringtone in college. I'll never forget her face when I played her the full song when it leaked
 
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