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XScape media reviews

‘Xscape,’ the ‘new’ Michael Jackson Album gets four stars

Michael Jackson’s new album, “Xscape,” is actually great, despite its Frankensteinian concept: Take half-finished songs made between 1983 and 2001 and complete them with modern production and new instrumentation. But guess what? It works.

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertai...s-new-michael-jackson-album-article-1.1786008

The concept behind Michael Jackson’s “new” album sounds more ghoulish than the “Thriller” video. As advertized, “Xscape” features eight semi-finished songs from the star’s large crypt of unreleased material between 1983 and 2001 — then fleshes out the tunes with more instrumentation and production tweaks by hot shots such as Timbaland and Rodney Jerkins.
There are still bad memories lingering from the mediocre first posthumous Jackson album, the 2010 release “Michael,” so a second run felt like it would be a Frankensteinian nightmare, right?
Surprise! This album is good.
For the most part, the sonic “updates” don’t feel overly artificial. The boosts tend to be sensitive, even organic, in part because some of the best don’t seem contemporary at all.
The album’s opening song, “Love Never Felt So Good,” dates from 1983, when it was written by Jackson and Paul Anka. But it sounds even older — in a good way. “Love” has the plush bass lines, and full melody, of the classic disco-funk Jackson created with Quincy Jones on the brilliant “Off The Wall” (1979), The string arrangements, by Giorgio Tuinfort, swoop and slide with the vintage richness of the “Saturday Night Fever” soundtrack.

The subsequent tracks boast more modern effects and arrangements, but few of them get in the way of the songs’ excellent melodies or Jackson’s free-spirited vocals.
Most of the cuts boast far more engaging and uplifting tunes than Jackson managed on his last album, the constipated and robotic “Invincible” from 2001. Better, Jackson’s vocals on “Xscape” have more range, and certainly more joy, than anything on that final official work released in his lifetime.
On “Loving You,” Jackson’s voice sounds young, confidently gliding over the elegant piano and thumping beat. In “A Place With No Name,” his percussive array of coughs, hiccups and hee-hees have swing. The bass line has the chunky texture of a 1970s clavinet.
The latter song makes sly reference to another Jackson star. It’s a clever riff on the melody of America’s hit “Horse With No Name,” much like sister Janet once used a silvery sample of that group’s “Ventura Highway” in a hit of her own (“Someone To Call My Lover”).

The most modern track — “Do You Know Where Your Children Are?” — suggests what Jackson might have sounded like had he made an EDM record. The stripped electronics have real bite, equalling the energy of Jackson’s whoops.
Only in title track does the album recall the cramped and paranoid style of late-period Jackson. Tellingly, the song dates from 2001. It’s the set’s only cut to be re-created by the same man who produced the original (Jerkins).
A bonus disc, available in a double set version of “Xscape,” pulls back the curtain on these tracks, letting listeners hear them as they were before the producers put in their two-cents. Most are strong on their own, but the comparison also highlight the producers’ inventive variations.
Both versions of the disc include a second run at “Love Never Felt So Good,” with guest vocals from Justin Timberlake. They sound artificially inseminated. But, conceptually, they makes a good point. Stars like Timberlake, Pharrell, Bruno Mars, Robin Thicke and Daft Punk have already made Jackson’s old sound seem new again, easing the way for this updating.
“Xscape” skimps on length. It has just eight, short songs, and the material isn’t about to eclipse “Thriller.” But it does a service by adding worthy songs to Jackson’s cannon. Even better, it makes him sound, once again, alive.
 
Michael Jackson's 'Xscape' feels shockingly vital

http://www.latimes.com/entertainmen...el-jackson-xscape-review-20140510-column.html

From the first, there was the voice, and with it Michael Jackson crafted beauty. The sequins and moonwalk came later.

Even as a tyke he captivated with tonal purity, and in the intervening four decades and 10 studio solo albums that voice was a unifier, one nestled not just within universal playlists but our very neurons — as anyone who's ever awakened with the bass line to "Billie Jean" or the chorus to "Rock With You" out-of-the-blue rolling through their heads can attest. "You've got to feel that heat" indeed.

Nearly five years after his death, that voice remains, and is at its most powerful on the new album "Xscape." Eight songs that use Jackson demos as blueprints to construct modern, vibrant tracks, the artist's second posthumous album of studio recordings feels shockingly vital, as though the producers charged with re-imagining this work had harnessed dance floor defibrillators.

Equally alive are the eight demos of these songs included with the deluxe package, resulting in a strong addition to the King of Pop conversation. At nearly every turn, "Xscape" succeeds in its intended goal of "finding new and compelling ways to capture the essence, the excitement and the magic that is Michael Jackson," as stated in the liner notes.

Considering one of those eight is a riff on soft rock band America's "A Horse With No Name," that's no small feat. (The deluxe package's final track pairs inheritor Justin Timberlake with Jackson for a fake duet of "Love Never Felt So Good." It's superfluous.)

From the first lines of the first song, the Paul Anka-penned, "Love Never Felt So Good," "Xscape" confirms that hearing Michael sing "new" material can still be a mystical experience, and throughout the freshly produced recordings the sound of a still-vital spirit rushes into the present with revived energy.

You can hear his breath in the slow-burning "Chicago," about an innocent tryst gone wrong, can nearly touch the quiver in his falsetto during "Loving You." "Blue Gangsta" is pure funk, with a vocal take that's toe-curlingly gorgeous and a conceit that ups the "Smooth Criminal" vibe. That crack of emotion, heard in headphones, races to the pleasure center, while the track's producers, including Dr. Freeze, Timbaland and Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon, build a sonic Robocop to support it.

In fact, "Xscape" often passes the skeptic's test.

Does it swing? Yes. Does it feel like a contractual obligation album? No. Does it honor Jackson's legacy? Yes. Can you dance to it? God yes. Can you mash to it? Certainly.

The product of "album producer/curator" Antonio "L.A." Reid and executive producers Timbaland and Jackson's estate overseers, the release offers sonic holograms of the best possible kind. This is especially true of the Rodney Jerkins-produced title track, which closes the album with robotic glory, and the nearly perfect opener, "Love Never Felt So Good."

Which, honestly, comes as a relief, because one sure way to destroy great art is through unchecked exploitation.

By the time Elvis Presley was four years gone, for example, his estate had authorized 12 different releases, and by the 10th anniversary Presley's ghost had been monetized for 24 different authorized albums. The King's reputation suffered. The Jimi Hendrix estate has so diluted the market with the late guitarist's outtakes that it's hard to know where to start and stop.

As such, Jackson's fans are rightly concerned about taggers painting mustaches on his Mona Lisas. Too, they're wary of being force-fed music by those charged with maximizing the estate's profits.

To its credit, Jackson's estate has so far been miserly, only issuing one other posthumous release of studio recordings, "Michael," from 2010. Another offering, the "Bad 25" anniversary edition, came out in 2012. The one aesthetic dud, the oft-ridiculous Cirque du Soleil production "Immortal," nonetheless has been a blockbuster as it's toured the world.

One measure of this effort's success? Jackson accomplishes something virtually impossible when, during "A Place with No Name," he makes soft rock vocal group America sound funky. A lost-in-the-desert re-imagining of the early '70s song, his demo is utterly surprising, like Frank Ocean turning an Eagles song into his "American Wedding." As updated by Swedish dance-pop masters Stargate (Ylvis' "The Fox," Rihanna's "Diamonds," "Firework" by Katy Perry), the new track thumps with classic hooks and melodies.

Thematically, "Do You Know Where Your Children Are" is less effective at its message than Prince's "Sign O' the Times," and showcases the more tiresome touchy-feely side of late-period MJ, the sweet protector of innocents who moralized on youth troubles and absentee parents with an admirable, if indulgent, righteousness. The original "Slave to the Rhythm" sounds more like a Roger Troutman and Zapp jam than an MJ track, with a gravel and growl that's fierce and convincing. Updated by executive producer L.A. Reid and others, its sturdiness is impressive.

By the conclusion, the producers have posited a future for hologram Michael, one that shimmers with surreality, capturing the idea of artist as cipher, and temporarily blinding us to the truth that his remains are entombed in Glendale. At the same time, "Xscape" offers a chance to once again be whisked back to his creative prime and recall the man before his flaws felled him, when he was untouchable.
 
Another positive review:


Album Review: Michael Jackson, Xscape (4 stars out of 5)

Edward Bowser May 9, 2014
Words by Edward T. Bowser,SoulInStereo.com


It takes a big man to admit when he’s wrong, so watch me make moves like The Hulk.

When word leaked a few weeks ago that another posthumous Michael Jackson album was on the way, I was pretty skeptical.

Well, even more so than usual.

Most posthumous albums wind up a total disaster, shoehorning a deceased artist’s vocals into beats from an entirely different generation of music. The result is an extreme styles clash. I had no desire to hear MJ vocals slapped over a turnt-up track with Future’s voice cracking in the background.

But after “Love Never Felt So Good” leaked, I was heartened. This was the vintage MJ sound we loved, delivered to a new generation of fans. It worked.

And thankfully, that’s the case for Xscape, the best collection of Jackson songs we’ve heard in years.

“Love Never Felt So Good” triumphs because it gives us everything we loved about the King of Pop – an elegant score that rockets through your speakers with immeasurable energy. It’s just plain fun – the type of song even your grandma n’ dem will jam to.

Although the production is definitely noteworthy, largely thanks to Timbaland, Rodney Jerkins and others sticking true to classic sounds, Michael’s vocals are still no joke.

“Loving You” gives allows just enough room for MJ’s vocals to be showcased, before the 808s start thumping in the hook. Also, the heavenly horns on “Blue Gangsta” are a perfect complement to Jackson’s voice.

Best of all, there are no attempts to makeover MJ’s material in the image of some younger artist. MJ’s not popping bottles nor holding down his hood, thankfully. His time-tested themes remain the same.

“A Place With No Name” sees MJ facing temptation but he runs in the opposite direction. He’s never been known for his pimp game – no need to make over his image. “Slave to the Rhythm,” which begins with chains clanking like Django before the tempo tosses them off, is his tribute to unappreciated women. And of course, Michael has one for the kids – “Do You Know Where Your Children Are” highlights the plight of misguided youth. It could have very easily come off as corny but the high-energy (almost frantic) pace will keep the listener entertained.

Music connoisseurs might be bugged by a few technical issues on Xscape. Trained ears might notice that some vocals are slightly off-kilter with the beat, but that’s the cost of using 13-year-old vocals. Still, those cases are few and far between.

Does Xscape reach the levels of Thriller? Not on your life. But as a tribute album is a rousing success – I’d dare say in many ways that it’s more cohesive that MJ’s last proper album, Invincible.

MJ fans, fess up. It’s OK to admit that you were wrong.

And I’m starting with the man in the mirror.


Best tracks: “Love Never Felt So Good,” “Blue Gangsta,” “Slave to the Rhythm”

4 stars out of 5

http://youknowigotsoul.com/album-review-michael-jackson-xscape-4-stars-5
 
pollys2 said:
Michael Jackson's 'Xscape' feels shockingly vital

http://www.latimes.com/entertainmen...el-jackson-xscape-review-20140510-column.html
Click to expand...

Nearly five years after his death, that voice remains, and is at its most powerful on the new album "Xscape."
Click to expand...

"Blue Gangsta" is pure funk, with a vocal take that's toe-curlingly gorgeous and a conceit that ups the "Smooth Criminal" vibe. That crack of emotion, heard in headphones, races to the pleasure center,
Click to expand...

I have seen many praising comments on his vocals on Xscape. Glad people realize what an awesome vocalist he was. Often overlooked for his dancing and showmanship. Best proof are the demos.


One measure of this effort's success? Jackson accomplishes something virtually impossible when, during "A Place with No Name," he makes soft rock vocal group America sound funky. A lost-in-the-desert re-imagining of the early '70s song, his demo is utterly surprising, like Frank Ocean turning an Eagles song into his "American Wedding."
Click to expand...

Glad to see praise for Michael's versions.
 
jarza;4001729 said:
Another positive review:


Album Review: Michael Jackson, Xscape (4 stars out of 5)

Edward Bowser May 9, 2014
Words by Edward T. Bowser,SoulInStereo.com


http://youknowigotsoul.com/album-review-michael-jackson-xscape-4-stars-5
Click to expand...

Although the production is definitely noteworthy, largely thanks to Timbaland, Rodney Jerkins and others sticking true to classic sounds, Michael’s vocals are still no joke.
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Again a nod to the amazing vocals. I like it.
 
This one is not good :(

http://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/...=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=*****

There’s an episode of Charlie Brooker’s dystopian anthology Black Mirror in which a bereaved girlfriend orders a synthetic replica of her former beau: a flesh-and-wires doppelganger who has the same face, voice, mannerisms and body but essentially lacks any of the ticks and quirks that made her boyfriend human. He slavishly obeys all her commands, is unable to make his own choices or decisions; in short, she’s free to manipulate him however she sees fit, and - some thoroughly satisfying robot shagging aside - finds it all rather disappointing.

That idea has been rattling vaguely around my brain, while I’ve been listening to Michael Jackson’s new posthumous album ‘Xscape’: an eight-song collection of unreleased songs ‘modernised’ by producers including Timbaland and overseen by executive producer LA Reid. It is, essentially, a collection of old Jackson songs from the vaults given a 21st century overhaul; a sort of futuristic What Not To Wear with Stargate and co playing Trinny and Susannah and the singer’s old material recast as a frumpy old codger with old-fashioned clothes.



Even in the murky, morally-iffy world of posthumous cash-cows, this feels an odd concept. There’s always been something odd about dumping an artist’s unfinished demos and rough sketches out as an album - a voyeuristic glimpse at someone’s scribbles and half-baked ideas which aren’t fully-formed enough to judge - but they still provide a look at someone’s life and legacy, a potentially interesting addendum to their canon of work. Reanimating long-dead pop stars as holograms for gigs is equally strange, a way of manipulating the deceased into modern-life, but they come with a sense of the novelty carnivale, a make-believe and one-off ghostly spectacle rather than a solid continuation of their career.

‘Xscape’ feels different. These are songs written by Michael Jackson and crafted by Michael Jackson and sung by Michael Jackson, but it’s not really an album by Michael Jackson; it’s a showcase for the producers, for them to experiment and hang flesh on those skeleton tracks. Where does it fit in his legacy? How can it fit in his legacy, when he had no idea or input into how some of these songs have ended up sounding?

This isn’t, of course, to say that ‘Xscape’ is a stinker. ‘Do You Know Where Your Children Are’ is a past-meets-future hybrid of classic ***** disco, the Timbaland-produced ‘Chicago’ is a pleasingly Timberlake-like mixture of shimmery pop and squealchy beats, and I’m inclined to look favourably upon any song in which Michael Jackson, a man who resembled a human version of Mickey Mouse in real life, refers to himself as the ‘Blue Gangster’.

And let’s be clear: it’s not as if anyone has wreaked odd havoc with Jackson’s music here, or pushed him in some oddball style. ‘Xscape’ is not Dusty Springfield produced by Skrillex, or some old Ian Curtis demos reworked by Mark Ronson. It’s in no way beyond the realms of possibility that, had he lived, he’d have been pushed in this ‘Justin Timberlake’s cool uncle’ direction. I don’t think, either, there’s any point in feigning outrage on his behalf, or trotting old the cliched ‘He might be rolling in his grave if he heard these songs’ argument, because I suspect people who hang out in theme parks called Never Never Land aren’t particularly fussed about these sort of things.



But it’s about presentation, about the idea ‘Xscape’ is the next chapter in Michael Jackson’s legacy and discography, an album that’s supposed to sit on a shelf with ‘Bad’ and ‘Dangerous’ and ‘Off The Wall’. It’s a project for a group of super-producers, a reflection of them rather than Jackson himself; the songs here are Michael Jackson songs in the same way that the T-Rex’s in ‘Jurassic Park’ were real dinosaurs. “Michael was always on the cutting edge and was constantly reaching out to new producers, looking for new sounds,” said John Branca and John McClain, the co-executives of Jackson’s estate, earlier this year. “These tracks, in many ways, capture that spirit.”

Did these people listen to ‘Invincible’? His 2001 album that’s aged as gracefully as a Nokia 3210. And regardless of how ‘cutting edge’ Jackson was in his later years, the way ‘Xscape’ was made feels like the antithesis of how Jackson worked. NME.COM Deputy Editor Lucy Jones wrote a blog earlier this year in which she detailed how he composed music, a remarkable method of “building each element of a track with his voice - every note of every chord, harmony, melody, bass and even the rhythm through beat-boxing.” How can that be reconciled with the cut-and-shunt of these songs? The people behind ‘Xscape’ might feel there’s a merit in ‘contemporising’ Jackson, but that’s the thing with the greats: they’re timeless and ageless anyway. I’d rather remember my favourite and dearly-departed artists for that, rather than trying to recreate a patchwork facsimile of them in 2014.
Read more at http://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/...social&utm_campaign=*****#x3rRIHurIvB4mHjE.99
 
^ That's from NME. Don't worry their readers are not who typically would buy an MJ album, anyway - be it Thriller or Xscape. (One positive thing in the article though is that the author names Dangerous among MJ's classic albums - that's rare. They usually stop at Thriller and OTW.)
 
NME have been hating on MJ for decades.

File it in the same cabinet alongside 'RF bullshit'.
 
respect77 said:
^ That's from NME. Don't worry their readers are not who typically would buy an MJ album, anyway - be it Thriller or Xscape. (One positive thing in the article though is that the author names Dangerous among MJ's classic albums - that's rare. They usually stop at Thriller and OTW.)
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Thanks.
Is not that bad after all, I read it again, all of it this time and the last paragraph is quite positive .That analogy Invincible - Nokia 3210 , is that good or bad though? :scratch:
 
Michael Jackson: Xscape review - a fitting bookend to the man's career
A second posthumous album 'from' Michael Jackson doesn't imbue confidence but this album is a reminder of a pop genius

3 out of 5

Is there a phrase in pop that better signifies the listener should proceed with caution than "posthumous album"? If so, then surely it is "second posthumous album". The implicit message seems to be "hey, remember those songs the artist deemed unsuitable for release during their lifetime that we went and stuck on an album anyway? Well here are the songs that didn't make that record!"

Of course, there was a time when the idea of hearing Michael Jackson's unreleased material wouldn't have seemed like a terrible idea. Given the sheer quality of his peak period – from 1979's Off the Wall and arguably stretching as far as 1991's Dangerous, via the certified 80s classics Thriller and Bad – Jackson's studio floor scrapings always had the potential to shine.

That was until 2010 when we heard Michael, a hastily assembled collection of off-cuts that sounded so ropey that even members of his family – in possibly not the greatest promotional technique ever conceived – questioned if it was actually him singing on the record.

You'd be forgiven, then, for not getting too excited about Xscape. Yet when its first single, Love Never Felt So Good, appeared online in early May it confounded predictions once more: joyous disco held together with resounding piano bass notes and soaring strings. It's a great example of what Xscape strives to achieve, taking eight old demos of Jackson's songs (Love Never Felt So Good was originally recorded after Thriller in 1983 but failed to make the cut for follow-up Bad) and handing them over to contemporary producers – Timbaland oversees the project, with help from Rodney Jerkins and Rihanna producers Stargate – for a modern makeover. Unlike with Michael, you can certainly hear the time and devotion applied here.

Occasionally, there are echoes of Jackson's previous hits that reveal the huge time span from which Epic's chief executive, LA Reid, cherry-picked these tracks. A Place With No Name bounces along on a backdrop almost identical to 1987's Leave Me Alone, whereas Blue Gangsta's precision-tooled R&B half breaks out into the vocal hook from 1995's Earth Song. There are also, inevitably, some uncomfortable moments: the bubbly electro backing of Do You Know Where Your Children Are may be adorned with those famous "hee hee" yelps but the song's lyric – "She wrote that she is tired of stepdaddy using her/Saying that he'll buy her things, while sexually abusing her" – makes it easy to understand why someone may have had a quiet word in Jackson's ear at the time about keeping this one in the vaults.

It raises the question of whether this album has indeed been made "in keeping with what Michael wanted", as Reid told an audience in Sydney last month. Musically, too, it's hard to say. On the one hand you can't imagine the latter-day Jackson, his powers on the wane, feeling comfortable with the icy synth lines and stuttering beats of Chicago. On the other, the 80s Jackson, who with Quincy Jones forged pop, rock and R&B together into something altogether unique, might have scoffed at the soulful Loving You's lack of sonic adventure.

Trying to guess what constitutes the true mindset of Michael Jackson is probably a pointless exercise anyway given this was a man who once commissioned an oil painting of himself, Abraham Lincoln, Einstein, the Mona Lisa and ET all wearing his trademark glittery glove and shades. Far better to judge the eight tracks here on their own merit, which, for all their inevitable lack of coherence as a set, serve to remind you why Jackson was once pop's premier genius, still cited by the likes of Pharell Williams and Justin Timberlake. You could even say it's a fitting bookend to the man's career, although with the way things have panned out since his death, maybe that third posthumous album will be a stone cold classic.

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/may/09/michael-jackson-xscape-review-tim-jonze


Tim Jonze
The Guardian, Friday 9 May 2014 15.58 BS
 
claudiadoina said:
Thanks.
Is not that bad after all, I read it again, all of it this time and the last paragraph is quite positive .That analogy Invincible - Nokia 3210 , is that good or bad though? :scratch:
Click to expand...

It's bad, lol
nokia-3210.jpg


It was good when it came out, but hasn't endured the test of time, that's how I interpret the comparison.
 
^ He probably meant it as a negative analogy - to say Invincible is dated. But I don't think you should pay attention to this opinion so much. It's NME - like said, they were ALWAYS hostile towards Michael and it's a magazine for music snobs and those people would not typically buy an MJ album anyway. I have read condescending or downright negative articles about MJ from NME since at least 1981, so why would they start now with understanding Michael's art? (I was actually suprised by that blog post referred to in the above article where they praised the Beat It demo. But usually they have a negative attitude to MJ. I have read an 1981 interview by NME with the Jacksons and its tone was very condescending. Even back then, pre-Thriller, around Off The Wall... But what I loved in that interview was that Michael did not know who the Sex Pistols were. LOL, that must have hurt for these snobs.
 
The only thing bothering me about these positive reviews (because for the most part they make me very happy and proud!!) is that many reviewers feel the need to randomly bash 'Invincible', which I still feel is a severely underappreciated album. :/
 
MJelboo said:
The only thing bothering me about these positive reviews (because for the most part they make me very happy and proud!!) is that many reviewers feel the need to randomly bash 'Invincible', which I still feel is a severely underappreciated album. :/
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A lot of that criticism is prejudice against everything that "old Michael" did. That is well showcased when reviews write how much better songs these are than Invincible era songs or how much better his vocals are on this album than on Invincible - not realizing that four of these songs were made and recorded around Invincible era... That just makes their prejudices very obvious in a funny way.
 
respect77;4001803 said:
Again a nod to the amazing vocals. I like it.
Click to expand...

Although the production is definitely noteworthy, largely thanks to Timbaland, Rodney Jerkins and others sticking true to classic sounds, Michael’s vocals are still no joke.
Click to expand...

I love this. Michael's vocals are still no joke.
 
http://www.vibe.com/article/what-yo...ckson-justin-timberlake-billboard-awards-more



This weekend is a special one for families, who are honoring their matriarchs for Mother’s Day, but it is also a big one for entertainment. Between running out for those last-minute flowers and finalizing dinner plans, here’s what you should be listening to, watching, and checking for this weekend. -- Iyana Robertson

1. Tuning into the Billboard Awards
While watching who hits the stage and who takes home hardware always makes the Billboard Awards worthwhile, the King of Pop is the focal point of this year’s show. Details have been sparse, but expect to see Michael Jackson “like you’ve never seen him before” in a world premiere experience. Just wait on it.

2. Going to see Neighbors
This weekend’s new movie releases boasts a comedy from Seth Rogen and Zac Efron. Neighbors is the comical interaction between a family man and party-crazy frat boy who live next door to one another. No need to guess who plays who, right?

3. Watching Oprah’s Master Class
Oprah Presents Master Class is back, and the series’ season four premiere features none other than Justin Timberlake. In this Sunday’s (May 11) revealing episode, JT delves into how he proved his naysayers wrong and tells never-before-heard anecdotes about lessons learned in his career.



4. Keeping up with the NBA Playoffs
The East and West are still at it in this season’s NBA Playoffs as the Nets and Trail Blazers will fight to stay alive against the 2-0 Heat and Spurs, while the Wizards and Clippers look to tie up their series against the Pacers and Thunder.

5. Listening to Freebase
2 Chainz dropped a new EP, Freebase, this week. While you wait on the third installment to B.O.A.T.S., get your Tity Boi fix by way of collabs with Lil’ Boosie, A$AP Rocky, Rick Ross and Ty Dolla $ign. Spin it here.

6. Re-living Rosemary’s Baby
NBC revisited the horror film Rosemary’s Baby, and tapped Zoe Saldana as the lead in the new, two-part series. Watch Saldana turn all creeped-out-pregnant-lady in the premiere on Sunday night.

7. Playing Future’s ‘I Won’ game
If you like it, then you should throw a chain on it. Got a few extra minutes on your hand? Bring Future and Kanye West’s ode to their fiancees to life with the “I Won” video game. Head to Fewtch’s online arcade for your trophies.



8. Watching Diddy’s Howard University commencement speech
Diddy imparted some knowledge onto the 2014 graduating class of Howard University today (May 10). From his early days as a Bison to his now-status as a leading entrepreneur, he dropped some gems that are worth a listen. If you missed the live stream, don’t worry, it’ll turn up on these Internets soon enough.

9. Previewing Michael Jackson’s Xscape album
Michael Jackson’s forthcoming album Xscape earns him two slots on this week’s list. If you’re sitting on your hands waiting for this Tuesday’s release, curb your excitement with snippets of the album’s tracks here.

10. Tracking the NFL draft
While “Draft Day” is a wrap for Johnny Manziel, Day 3 of the NFL draft keeps on rolling with Rounds 4-7. Whoever said progres was a slow process, was definitely talking about the NFL. But players picked later on the the draft have gone on to become stars in the past. Football fans should stay tuned.
 
An Oral History Of Michael Jackson's 'Xscape' Album
http://www.vibe.com/photo-gallery/oral-history-michael-jacksons-xscape-album?page=1

LET'S MAKE A MICHAEL JACKSON ALBUM (Fall, 2013)

JOHN BRANCA Co-Executor of the Michael Jackson Estate): L.A. Reid did not let us or the fans down. His passion was evident from the beginning.

L.A. REID (Co-Founder of LaFace Records; Currently the chairman and CEO of Epic Records): It started last year of September. No one asked me to oversee this project. It was the other way around. I asked to do it, because being at Epic Records we call this the House That Thriller Built. "Love Never Felt So Good" was the song that really launched the recording process. When I heard that it was just Paul Anka playing piano and Michael singing I smiled. It was as if the sun came out. That day became a beautiful day because that music was coming through my speakers and into my soul. From there I said, "Okay, if the world hasn't heard this, then there's an album to made."

TIMBALAND (Grammy winning producer who oversaw most of the production on Xscape): I was very apprehensive about getting involved in this project. I did this album because of Michael Jackson. It completes my legacy. But my issue was I didn't want to work with somebody that wasn't here. Michael is someone I grew up on. The whole thing took me back to Aaliyah and Static [Major]. So I really had to deal with some things working on this Michael project.

L.A. REID: I didn't want to go to anyone else to lead this project... only Timbaland. Timbaland is my number one favorite producer in the business. He's like Muhammad Ali production-wise... he's been the champion at least three times. My son Aaron set up the meeting and I went to Timbaland's studio and he was working on his own album. There was a lot of people in the room so I just asked him to step out of the room for a second and I had a private chat with the man. I just said to him, "I want to do something really, really special. How does this sound? Michael Jackson produced by Timbaland." He said, "I like how that sounds."

TIMBALAND: [Xscape] brought out a lot of emotions. It took me a week to get through it. Every time I would play a song I would be like, "Put on something else...I can't do this right now." But once I started getting into it and was at ease with it and prayed about it, the music started to come to me. And I'm going to be honest with you, listening to those raw tracks of Michael made me cry. He's not here to see this. So to hear him singing... man. I always tell people I don't care who you are and what you aspire to be. You will never be Michael Jackson. Usher is Usher. And Justin [Timberlake] is Justin. Those two guys are amazing. But there's no comparison to Michael Jackson. None.

L.A. REID: I went to the others after Timberland had done all that he could do and was sort of exhausted [laughs]. I went to Stargate and Rodney [Jerkins] because I love them as well. You have to go to people you trust, and I trust Stargate. And Rodney was the producer that had already worked with Michael.

RODNEY JERKINS (Grammy winning producer who worked on the bulk of Michael Jackson's last studio work, 2000's Invincible): Me and Michael first worked on "Xscape" in 1999. L.A. will tell you I was a jerk through the whole process [laughs]. I care. Michael was a dude that was a friend of mines. I had a good relationship with him. He knew my family and I knew his family. So I would tell L.A., "I'm not doing a song until I hear the rest of the album." Even when he would say, "Well, we have to do this first," I would say, "I don't care. I got to hear the whole album before I finish a song." I wanted to make sure that everything stood up to what Michael would have wanted. That was important to me.

TIMBALAND: L.A. and me involved Stargate because we always felt their production. And by them coming from another country, Michael always stayed in Europe. To me Stargate are the hottest producers across the water. There was one record I felt like it needed their touch. They did a great job and nailed it.

TOR ERIK (One half of the hit-making duo Stargate, who has produced a string of hits for heavyweight headliners including Ne-Yo, Rihanna, Beyonce, and Katy Perry): L.A. came down to the studio and said I want to talk to you about Michael. To be honest with you my first thought was, "Oh no, not another [posthumous] album." Sometimes the material isn't strong enough and that was my initial worries. We met Michael and wanted to work with Michael, and we are huge fans of his. But we didn't want to do anything to tarnish his musical legacy by taking some songs that are just leftovers. So L.A. says, "Okay, I hear you. Let me just play you some music." He played a couple of things, but the song that really impressed us was "Blue Gangster." It was a six minute piece of music and Michael was singing his heart out and the production was really beautiful and really up to date. That song made me see the light where this can really be something. But some of the songs were already done so we asked L.A., "What do you have for us?"

L.A. REID: I've had so many hits with Stargate from Rihanna to Jennifer Lopez. They're the kind of guys you go to when you are very clear about exactly what you want. I call Stargate pinch hitters. You go get those guys when you want them to swing, which inning, and which play. You call Stargate and you are going to get a hit.

TOR ERIK: We basically turned L.A. down after the meeting because some of the earlier tracks they wanted us to work on we didn't find them interesting. So L.A. called us a couple of days later and said, "Whoa, whoa, whoa... I got one more." He sent it to us and all we heard was the a cappella. And I was just floored. It was just a great moment of Michael Jackson vocals. From top to bottom some fantastic harmonies. That was the song that got us on board..."Place With No Name."

L.A. REID: "A Place With No Name" was originally titled "A Horse With No Name," which was a song by a band called America. And so Michael re-wrote the song and re-wrote the lyrics with America's permission and titled it "A Place With No Name." When I took it to Stargate the way they approached it was so creative. They listened to the time signature of the song, which was a 6/8 time signature. So the guys from Stargate asked, "Which songs have had the 6/8 time signature?" There were songs like Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground," which was an influence. And "Higher Love" by Steve Winwood was also an influence when they approached it. It's a really special record.

TOR ERIK: That time signature came about because of Michael's vocals. I didn't even want to hear the original demo. All I wanted to hear was Michael's vocals. And when I listened to Michael he's in the booth snapping his fingers, clapping his hands and stomping his feet. He's doing all these energetic things that gave us a vibe where this track should go. That's when we started to experiment with the bassline. We didn't even have the drums on it yet, just the bassline and a chord progression that really worked for something more danceable. Then we started working on drums. But all of that stuff really came from Michael Jackson.


JUSTIN AND THE KING OF POP (Winter, 2013)

TIMBALAND: Justin [Timberlake] proved himself on "Love Never Felt So Good." It was important for him to fit into the song like a duet. He told me, "I don't want to fit in like a feature." So that took some time. Justin was like, "This guy is so good. It's hard to blend in with Michael."

L.A. REID: The funny thing about that song is although there are overdubs of Michael's vocals, what we found was only a one track demo of Michael and Paul Anka. So se couldn't separate the two, which meant you couldn't turn Michael up or turn the piano down. You had to work with the track. And the tempo fluctuated, which meant that you couldn't simply lock up a drum machine and play along. This required musicianship to really turn it into a record.

TIMBALAND: When I heard Justin's vocals I just said, "Wow." He's going to be the coldest white boy to ever do it. After hearing Justin on "Love Never Felt So Good" I looked at him totally differently. He's a bad man.

L.A. REID: Honestly it was Justin who wanted to be involved. Justin and Timbaland are obviously very close but every time I would run into Justin he would say, "Okay, when are we doing it?" This was more of something that Justin willed. Justin and Timbaland worked on it together, but it was Justin's own idea. I love that he was the guy that chose to be the ambassador to the Xscape project. He certainly measured up as a superstar and as a talent.

TIMBALAND: A lot of the songs on Xscape were songs Michael was going to revamp. So it was up to us to touch them up. We had all the sounds and vocals, but the songs on this album are the ones that L.A. thought were the most exciting. "Chicago" was my music under Michael. I heard some people say, "Oh, Timbaland shouldn't touch these Michael songs." The hardcore fans didn't like me being involved in this project, but once they heard the music they were like, "Wait a minute. How can you make him sound like he did it in 2014?" That's the gift I got from God. And it takes certain projects like Xscape to show the world who you really are."

L.A. REID: John Branca, who manages Michael's estate, told me that there was a song called "Chicago" that was really popular with the fans and that I should pay particular attention to that one. I listened to it and really liked it a lot. I included it on the list and that was as far as it went. When Timbaland got it, he turned it into something that really caught my ear. But no matter who produces a song there has to be an actual song to start with. So the real credit goes to Cory Rooney who wrote that song.

CORY ROONEY (songwriter; former senior executive at Sony): I ran into Michael in L.A. on a Wednesday. This was in 2000. We were talking and he let us hear things that he was working on for Invincible. And Tommy Mottola was with us and he said, "It would be cool if you went home and wrote something for Mike." I was like, "Shit, man. Of course I will!" At this time I was working on every major project at Sony from Mariah Carey and J. Lo to Marc Anthony, but never Michael Jackson. So I came right home and wrote a song and by Friday afternoon I let Tommy hear my demo. He sent it to Michael right away. And by that Monday I got a call from Michael himself! He's like, "Cory, you know what? I know the song, I've lived with it over the weekend and I'm here in New York and I would love to cut it." Forget about it! I was looking at that phone like, "Oh my goodness!" It was crazy.

TIMBALAND: Working on songs like "Chicago" make me wish that Michael was still here. He sings so good that you become so into Michael. You want to hear and watch him do these songs.

CORY ROONEY: I wrote a story about a guy who meets a women on his way to Chicago. Michael would ask me, "Why did you name it Chicago?" And I said, "I don't know...it just sounds better." [Laughs] Michael loved the fact that I had him singing in a lower register. He told me that most people wrote things for him in a higher pitch. He showed up at the studio and I produced Michael's vocals. The crazy part is this is Michael Jackson, but he dealt with me like a regular artist. He was like, "Cory, what time do you want me in the studio? And I'm like, "Man, you are Michael Jackson...you tell me when to be there." [Laughs]

TIMBALAND: "Loving You" just feels like it's part of an era. Like "Love Never Felt So Good" has a feeling of Off The Wall, "Loving You" feels like it could have easily come from that era also. This is Michael in his delicate voice. Michael has many voices. One of them is what I call the angry voice and he has that happy voice -- "Chicago" has both. I happen to be a fan of both. But the song "Loving You" happens to be my personal favorite on the album.

CORY ROONEY: Hearing Timbaland's version of "Chicago" was like getting that gift for Christmas from your parents. I had no idea what it was going to sound like. He took it in another direction that I would have never thought of taking it.


DARKCHILD FINISHES THE JOB (Winter 2014-Spring 2014)

RODNEY JERKINS: A few years ago there was a Michael Jackson project that came out (the 2010 album Michael). And this is before L.A. Reid was even involved. They asked me if I would produce five songs, but I turned them down. I wasn't feeling the songs and I also felt like Michael had just passed away and I wasn't in that mode. Last year when L.A. told me he was going to do a project, I felt his passion to make a great album. To me it didn't feel like, "Oh yeah, let's just put something out because the fans will buy it." L.A. knew one day he was going to work with Michael. He felt like he owed it to Michael to make sure he put together the best project. If L.A. wasn't involved I don't think I would have done it.

L.A. REID: The most important point was I only wanted people who Michael either worked with or expressed a strong desire to work with. I just couldn't be hearsay.

RODNEY JERKINS: The thing about Michael is he will work on a song for years. Last year I pulled up the files for some of the music and I walked through the studio with the mentality of, "What would Michael want me to do to this now? And what would I be telling Michael what we need to do to this song?" So I put everything aside and just used my imagination of how Michael would react to it and say, "Oh, that's funky; add that part right there." I felt like at the end when it was complete Michael would have been pleased with it. When we originally did "Xscape" Mike felt it was some of his best new music. So I asked him, "Michael how come 'Xscape' is not going on Invincible?" And Michael was like, "Nah...I don't want it on this project. I want it on the next project." Michael really wanted this song to be released. He felt compelled to let the fans hear it. What does it do for a song that Michael really loved to just sit in the vault somewhere?

TIMBALAND: Rodney [Jerkins] had a song that I felt like should be a part of this album. Rodney worked with Michael so he should be the one to finish "Xscape." He had that personal connection with Michael we needed.

RODNEY JERKINS: I think Timbaland did an incredible job. We were talking one day and Tim played me the song "Do You Know Where Your
Children Are." And soon as the groove came on I told Tim, "Yo Mike would have went crazy for that!" I know Michael. He probably would have jumped on a table and started dancing. He would have loved the bassline and that groove. I think that Tim and J Roc (Timbaland's production partner) did a fantastic job, man. I also really loved what Tim did with "Slave To The Rhythm" and I really like what he did with "Chicago." That's one of my favorites on the album. And Stargate did a great job as well with "A Place With No Name."

TIMBALAND: I can't take the credit for the entire project. When I
listen to this album I think, "I still can't believe we did this." My mindset was just to assist Michael. I didn't let my beats over power him. I didn't go Timbaland HAM on him. I just let Michael be Michael and gave him the coolness to let him be him.

TOR ERIK: I've heard the album and I can honestly say that its evident that this is a labor of love. L.A Reid doesn't need to do this. He's got a lot of other things on his plate. Timbaland doesn't really need to do this. Neither does Rodney. And we don't need to do this. But we all went into this because we felt a certain responsibility to protect Michael's legacy. We were all so inspired by Michael through the years. We are not riding a wave of sympathy or grief. Enough time has passed that this is a real musical project. I hear people's respect for
Michael's work. But I also hear very inspired producers doing some of
their best work.

CORY ROONEY: To this day I tell everybody when they ask me who was the best artist I've ever worked with it's always Michael Jackson. This guy was a gentleman and he had so much respect for me, my time and my talent. I said to my wife that I pray that Xscape is nominated for a
Grammy because that Grammy will be my sole most prized posession of my entire music existence. That would mean everything to me.

L.A. REID: If people think of this project as anything other than the most wonderful artist who had some material that was not completed they are off on the wrong path. Let me tell you something... it's so not about money. It's way too expensive first of all. And there's so many moving parts and it's such a heavy investment. Xscape was never honestly done with the intent of it being a financial success. It was done with the intention of defending Michael's honor. It was about getting people to understand his greatness in music. I wanted people to recognize that Michael Jackson was the greatest entertainer that ever lived, right? So when Michael passed away there was so much chatter around the negative media attention that he had gotten. This project was not made to erase those things. It was made to remind people that Michael Jackson is the greatest.
 
claudiadoina said:
This article is too big to post it here, it's Darren's Hayes opinion on the album


http://attitude.co.uk/darren-hayes-im-buying-michael-jacksons-new-album/
Click to expand...

I must admit I enjoy listening to this album very much and bought three copies of it so far, but I also agree with Hayes in that I would have been content with the body of work Michael left for us to enjoy and I am sure there must be endless ways and ideas to support his legacy and keep people talking about him other than releasing demos that third parties worked on and "finished". I believe that this "hunger" for new material comes from the circumstance that Michael as a perfectionist released the best where quality is concerned, while when it came to quantity he gave us "only" seven albums including Blood On The Dance Floor. I feel kind of guilty now listening to Xscape after reading Darren Hayes' article... :(
 
Somebody posted on Facebook, not my finding .



http://online.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20140512-910108.html?mod=wsj_share_facebook

The Michael Jackson Channel to coincide with the release of the new Michael Jackson album, "XSCAPE"

New, limited-run channel celebrating Michael Jackson's legendary solo music career to feature music and insights from producers on the new album

NEW YORK, May 12, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- SiriusXM announced today that it will launch The Michael Jackson Channel, an exclusive, limited-run channel dedicated to the King of Pop's extensive solo musical career.

The Michael Jackson Channel will feature Michael's music beginning with the breakout success of his 1979 Off the Wall album through the present. SiriusXM listeners will also hear music from the new album XSCAPE, which features eight new recordings. XSCAPE is scheduled to be released tomorrow, May 13. The channel will also feature reflections and stories from the producers who worked on the new album.

"The new recordings being unearthed and part of this new release reinforce Michael Jackson's legacy as the King of Pop," said Scott Greenstein, President and Chief Content Officer, SiriusXM. "These are musical treasures that span decades, and the high production quality and updates make them even more enjoyable for a world of listeners hungry for Michael Jackson's music. Our channel will play all the cuts from the new album along with music from his entire body of solo work, giving our listeners the special listening experience they expect from SiriusXM."

The Michael Jackson Channel will launch today, May 12 at 5:00 pm ET and will run through Monday, May 26, via satellite on channel 50. The Michael Jackson Channel will also be available through the SiriusXM Internet Radio App on smartphones and other connected devices, as well as online at siriusxm.com.

The Michael Jackson Channel is an example of SiriusXM channels created with iconic and prominent artists, including Bruce Springsteen's E Street Radio, Jimmy Buffett's Radio Margaritaville, Willie Nelson's Willie's Roadhouse, The Pink Floyd Channel, B.B. King's Bluesville, Elvis Radio, Siriusly Sinatra, Ozzy Osbourne's Ozzy's Boneyard, Pearl Jam Radio, Eminem's Shade 45,Tiesto's Club Life Radio and Neil Diamond Radio.

For more information, please visit www.siriusxm.com

About Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson has sold 1 billion records worldwide, released 13 No. 1 singles on the Hot 100 (a record for a male artist) and became one of a handful of artists to be inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Guinness Book of World Records recognized Jackson as the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time and "Thriller" as the Biggest Selling Album of All Time. "Thriller" also holds the record for the most weeks at No. 1 for a studio album on the Billboard 200 chart, with 37 weeks. Jackson won 17 Grammy Awards including 8 in one year, a record in itself, and received 26 American Music Awards, including the Artist of the Century Award.

On May 13, Epic Records, in conjunction with the Estate of Michael Jackson, will release XSCAPE, an album of new music by the internationally beloved music icon and King of Pop, Michael Jackson. The project features eight new tracks, which the world will be hearing for the very first time on the new album. The first single from the album, Michael Jackson's "Love Never Felt So Good," produced by Michael Jackson, John McClain, Giorgio Tuinfort and Paul Anka, was released last week along with a duet version of "Love Never Felt So Good," with Michael Jackson and Justin Timberlake, produced by Timberlake, Timbaland and Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon. The single lit up the iTunes charts around the world, peaking at #5 in the U.S., #1 in 17 countries and #5 in 67 countries. It debuted at No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart -- Jackson's highest bow since 1995 and fourth-highest debut ever -- marking his 49(th) hit single.

About SiriusXM

Sirius XM Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRI) is the world's largest radio broadcaster measured by revenue and has 25.8 million subscribers. SiriusXM creates and broadcasts commercial-free music; premier sports talk and live events; comedy; news; exclusive talk and entertainment; and the most comprehensive Latin music, sports and talk programming in radio. SiriusXM is available in vehicles from every major car company in the U.S. and from retailers nationwide as well as at shop.siriusxm.com. SiriusXM programming is available through the SiriusXM Internet Radio App for smartphones and other connected devices as well as online at siriusxm.com. SiriusXM also provides premium traffic, weather, data and information services for subscribers in cars, trucks, RVs, boats and aircraft through SiriusXM Traffic(TM), SiriusXM Travel Link, NavTraffic(R), NavWeather(TM), SiriusXM Aviation, SiriusXM Marine(TM), Sirius Marine Weather, XMWX Aviation(TM), and XMWX Marine(TM). SiriusXM holds a minority interest in SiriusXM Canada which has more than 2 million subscribers.

On social media, join the SiriusXM community on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

This communication contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements about future financial and operating results, our plans, objectives, expectations and intentions with respect to future operations, products and services; and other statements identified by words such as "will likely result," "are expected to," "will continue," "is anticipated," "estimated," "believe," "intend," "plan," "projection," "outlook" or words of similar meaning. Such forward-looking statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of our management and are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond our control. Actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements.

The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from the anticipated results or other expectations expressed in the forward-looking statements: our competitive position versus other radio and audio entertainment providers; our ability to attract and retain subscribers, which is uncertain; our dependence upon the auto industry; general economic conditions; failure of our satellites, which, in most cases, are not insured; the interruption or failure of our information and communications systems; the security of the personal information about our customers; royalties we pay for music rights, which increase over time; the unfavorable outcome of pending or future litigation; our failure to realize benefits of acquisitions; rapid technological and industry change; failure of third parties to perform; changes in consumer protection laws and their enforcement; failure to comply with FCC requirements and other government regulations; and our indebtedness. Additional factors that could cause our results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013, which is filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and available at the SEC's Internet site (http://www.sec.gov). The information set forth herein speaks only as of the date hereof, and we disclaim any intention or obligation to update any forward looking statements as a result of developments occurring after the date of this communication.
 
'Xscape' proves worthy of Michael Jackson's legacy (album review)

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Since 2001's "Invincible," the last album Michael Jackson recorded before his death, a myriad of collaborators have tried adding to the King of Pop's legacy. None have really come close.

Up until now, we've gotten posthumous albums and compilations that have consisted of other artists and producers refining songs that didn't need to be refined. Let us not forget Jackson's previous posthumous album, "Michael," which regrettably featured a song with 50 Cent.

What makes "Xscape" different is that this group of collaborators, led by L.A. Reid, Timbaland and others, seem intent on fine-tuning songs that Jackson would have actually released. The results are astonishing.

The opener "Love Never Felt So Good" is a gorgeous and soulful tune that brilliantly blends "Off The Wall" era Jackson with his best work from "Invincible." And what's most amazing is just how much of the song's skeleton remains intact.

The Deluxe Edition of "Xscape" features the original versions of the album's eight songs, including a 1983 demo of "Love Never Felt So Good," which was already shaping up to be something special. The new version brings Jackson's vision to fruition.

There's also the original demo of "Chicago," full of sultry, atmospheric pop. Thanks to Timbaland and Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon, the 2014 version is a lively anthem that would rival some of the best work on "Dangerous."

Not surprisingly, most of the songs on "Xscape" come with an abundance of bells and whistles. Yet, as testament to the King of Pop's vocal prowess, Jackson's charisma and attitude remain a highlight throughout.

The verses on "Loving You" are a bit underwhelming, but Jackson's vocals the chorus really bring elevate the song to new heights. The same goes for "A Place with No Name," a song that is slightly overproduced and a bit too long, but finds Jackson seamlessly scatting his way through a barrage of synth sounds.

Not everything works perfectly. "Slave to the Rhythm" sounds more like a producer's best guess as to what a Jackson club-anthem would sound like. And it's clear why Jackson never finished "Blue Gangsta." The cheesy pop-tune would have felt out of place during the New Jack Swing era it was written in.

Still, there's plenty to be satisfied with. The two most compelling tracks on "Xscape" are the ones that sound most like something Jackson would have finished.

"Do You Know Where Your Children Are" is reminiscent of "HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I" (both in style and message), while producer Rodney Jerkins transforms the title track from a "Dangerous" leftover to a thrilling album closer built on hard-hitting snare drums and epic horns.

To suggest "Xscape" is better than any other posthumous Jackson-effort isn't really saying much. To assert that it is a worthy addition to Jackson's overall catalog is truly saying something. Grade: B+

http://www.cleveland.com/music/index.ssf/2014/05/michael_jacksons_xscape_album.html
 
Fantastic reviews from all over the world!

I'm hoping the great album will continue to sell for months and months. Michael also deserves another #1 - but that might prove difficult in the US and UK.

#1 'Worldwide', in week one, would suffice for me though. :cheers::yes:
 
Michael Jackson - Xscape Review
Posted by Jeremy Thomas on 05.13.2014

Michael Jackson's second posthumous album hits stores today, but can L.A. Reid and Timbaland make Xscape an LP worthy of the King of Pop or is it another misfire like 2010's Michael? 411's Jeremy Thomas checks in with his full review!

Five years after the passing of Michael Jackson, people are still talking about the King of Pop like he just passed yesterday. Whether it is the unmistakable fingerprint he left on the course of popular music, the strange circumstances of his personal life, his undeniable stage presence or the shocking manner of his death and the way his family has fallen even further apart since he passed on, it's still nearly impossible to escape the shadow that Jackson casts over mainstream pop culture.

And yet within those five years passed, we never received any sort of music befitting his legacy. Despite the glut of posthumous albums that generally follow in the wake of a beloved artist's death, the only post-mortem music released came on the desperately mishandled Michael in 2010. That album was surrounded with condemnation from people close to Jackson and three of the tracks were claimed to be done by a Jackson impersonator. Jackson's estate, Sony and Epic are looking to recover from that mistake with their second selection of Jackson tracks and the good news is that with Xscape, they've largely succeeded.

Xscape may have been greeted with great trepidation from many music listeners because of how badly we were burned with Michael, but Epic and Sony seemed to have learned their lesson. Most of that credit has to go to L.A. Reid, who took personal control over this one. Reid, who is the chairman of Epic, took it upon himself to find the best unreleased Jackson tracks that he could and enlisted Timbaland to help him shepherd the project. The song selection does have its ups and downs; the biggest problem is that many of these tracks have been heard before when they were leaked online in the years since Jackson's passing. However, the demo versions are markedly different from what Reid and Timbaland have assembled here and the difference is night and day (and not just because Justin Bieber is no longer featured on any of them). Where Michael was bloated with guest artists and featured scraps of Jackson's vocals, Xscape includes full songs that were simply never quite nailed down right. With Reid and Timbaland working from tracks originally produced by the likes of Paul Anka, Dr. Freeze and Babyface you have a group of producers who know what they're doing and have the best of Jackson's unfinished works to deal with.

When you get a chance to listen, it becomes evident that they had some great material to work with. The opening track "Love Never Felt So Good" has a warm, disco-pop vibe with a hand clap-accentuated beat that complements Jackson's vocals nicely, for example. This is a song that could have easily fit right within any of Jackson's earlier efforts and not sounded out of place, yet it also sounds contemporary thanks to Anka's reworking of the track he originally produced. "Chicago" is an early highlight, a fantastic example of Jackson's storytelling. As he musically delivers a tale of a man apologizing for being the other guy in an affair Timbaland tones himself back from the kinds of musical tricks that he's become known for. Jackson's voice sounds as strong as it ever did, free of the heavy AutoTune that was criminally applied to Michael and allowed to fly on its own prodigious merits.

One of the most interesting aspects of this album is the ability to compare the finished product to the original tracks, which appear on the second disc of the deluxe edition. Many of the tracks are largely similar but given fuller arrangements. "A Place With No Name," on the other hand, is a horse of a very different color. The original version is a more stripped-down affair that very overtly uses the America classic "Horse With No Name" in the backing music. The new version of the song is an electrified affair, remixed by Stargate and uses a funky synth track combined with complex percussion work to reinvent it into a captivating piece of music. Similarly, "Slave to the Rhythm" was given an upgrade by Reid and Kevin Roberson into a sound more befitting the more aggressive dance style that he was seeking during the Dangerous recording sessions that spawned it. Jackson's lyrics form a metaphor for dancing in relation to the grueling and oppressive demands of a woman under a man who doesn't appreciate her.

Not everything works as well as you might hope on Xscape, but even the tracks that are a little less than stellar are still good. The worst on the album is "Loving You," a slow jam that is pleasant enough and features strong production work but sort of fades into the middle tier of Jackson's love songs. Even then his voice is a treasure to listen to; it's simply not as inspired as some of his best work. "Do You Know Where Your Children" are is a great song from a lyrical standpoint. It tells the tale of a child who runs away to the glamour of Hollywood and finds herself on Skid Row, the kind of socially conscious piece of music that Jackson loved during the later part of his career. It's a bit overproduced though; musically there is just a bit too much going on and while it's enjoyable it falls short of the rest of the album.

The final two songs finish the album on a strong note; "Blue Gangsta" features strong Timbaland production, with powerful percussive work underscoring Jackson's impassioned vocals about a man done wrong by the love of his life. And on the title track we have something that sounds reminiscent of his HIStory and Blood on the Dance Floor era. Producer Rodney Jerkins returns to work on the track and contains many of Jackson's hallmarks of his music while sounding not just contemporary, but perhaps even timeless as well. Combined with the rest of the songs this helps give us a retrospective of Jackson's career via music we haven't heard before (at least in this form) and it shows that whatever even his unreleased music was magical.

Standout Tracks: "Chicago," "A Place With No Name," "Slave to the Rhythm," "Blue Gangsta"

Skippable: "Loving You

The 411: There are only eight tracks on Xscape that add up about thirty-seven minutes, but it's clearly a case of quality over quantity. Michael Jackson hasn't sounded this vital and powerful in a long, long time and it's a credit to the King of Pop as well as the production team behind the album that makes it sound so good. L.A. Reid has said the first thing he had to do with Xscape is recognize he couldn't deliver another Thriller or Off the Wall and while it's true that it doesn't measure up to those classics, it certainly stands tall in its own right and goes a long way toward erasing the sour taste of Michael.
411 Elite Award
Final Score: 8.5 [ Very Good ] legend

Read more at http://www.411mania.com/music/album...ckson---Xscape-Review.htm#coujpfM66U4DL501.99
 
Bubs said:
Michael Jackson - Xscape Review
Posted by Jeremy Thomas on 05.13.2014

Michael Jackson's second posthumous album hits stores today, but can L.A. Reid and Timbaland make Xscape an LP worthy of the King of Pop or is it another misfire like 2010's Michael? 411's Jeremy Thomas checks in with his full review!

Five years after the passing of Michael Jackson, people are still talking about the King of Pop like he just passed yesterday. Whether it is the unmistakable fingerprint he left on the course of popular music, the strange circumstances of his personal life, his undeniable stage presence or the shocking manner of his death and the way his family has fallen even further apart since he passed on, it's still nearly impossible to escape the shadow that Jackson casts over mainstream pop culture.

And yet within those five years passed, we never received any sort of music befitting his legacy. Despite the glut of posthumous albums that generally follow in the wake of a beloved artist's death, the only post-mortem music released came on the desperately mishandled Michael in 2010. That album was surrounded with condemnation from people close to Jackson and three of the tracks were claimed to be done by a Jackson impersonator. Jackson's estate, Sony and Epic are looking to recover from that mistake with their second selection of Jackson tracks and the good news is that with Xscape, they've largely succeeded.

Xscape may have been greeted with great trepidation from many music listeners because of how badly we were burned with Michael, but Epic and Sony seemed to have learned their lesson. Most of that credit has to go to L.A. Reid, who took personal control over this one. Reid, who is the chairman of Epic, took it upon himself to find the best unreleased Jackson tracks that he could and enlisted Timbaland to help him shepherd the project. The song selection does have its ups and downs; the biggest problem is that many of these tracks have been heard before when they were leaked online in the years since Jackson's passing. However, the demo versions are markedly different from what Reid and Timbaland have assembled here and the difference is night and day (and not just because Justin Bieber is no longer featured on any of them). Where Michael was bloated with guest artists and featured scraps of Jackson's vocals, Xscape includes full songs that were simply never quite nailed down right. With Reid and Timbaland working from tracks originally produced by the likes of Paul Anka, Dr. Freeze and Babyface you have a group of producers who know what they're doing and have the best of Jackson's unfinished works to deal with.

When you get a chance to listen, it becomes evident that they had some great material to work with. The opening track "Love Never Felt So Good" has a warm, disco-pop vibe with a hand clap-accentuated beat that complements Jackson's vocals nicely, for example. This is a song that could have easily fit right within any of Jackson's earlier efforts and not sounded out of place, yet it also sounds contemporary thanks to Anka's reworking of the track he originally produced. "Chicago" is an early highlight, a fantastic example of Jackson's storytelling. As he musically delivers a tale of a man apologizing for being the other guy in an affair Timbaland tones himself back from the kinds of musical tricks that he's become known for. Jackson's voice sounds as strong as it ever did, free of the heavy AutoTune that was criminally applied to Michael and allowed to fly on its own prodigious merits.

One of the most interesting aspects of this album is the ability to compare the finished product to the original tracks, which appear on the second disc of the deluxe edition. Many of the tracks are largely similar but given fuller arrangements. "A Place With No Name," on the other hand, is a horse of a very different color. The original version is a more stripped-down affair that very overtly uses the America classic "Horse With No Name" in the backing music. The new version of the song is an electrified affair, remixed by Stargate and uses a funky synth track combined with complex percussion work to reinvent it into a captivating piece of music. Similarly, "Slave to the Rhythm" was given an upgrade by Reid and Kevin Roberson into a sound more befitting the more aggressive dance style that he was seeking during the Dangerous recording sessions that spawned it. Jackson's lyrics form a metaphor for dancing in relation to the grueling and oppressive demands of a woman under a man who doesn't appreciate her.

Not everything works as well as you might hope on Xscape, but even the tracks that are a little less than stellar are still good. The worst on the album is "Loving You," a slow jam that is pleasant enough and features strong production work but sort of fades into the middle tier of Jackson's love songs. Even then his voice is a treasure to listen to; it's simply not as inspired as some of his best work. "Do You Know Where Your Children" are is a great song from a lyrical standpoint. It tells the tale of a child who runs away to the glamour of Hollywood and finds herself on Skid Row, the kind of socially conscious piece of music that Jackson loved during the later part of his career. It's a bit overproduced though; musically there is just a bit too much going on and while it's enjoyable it falls short of the rest of the album.

The final two songs finish the album on a strong note; "Blue Gangsta" features strong Timbaland production, with powerful percussive work underscoring Jackson's impassioned vocals about a man done wrong by the love of his life. And on the title track we have something that sounds reminiscent of his HIStory and Blood on the Dance Floor era. Producer Rodney Jerkins returns to work on the track and contains many of Jackson's hallmarks of his music while sounding not just contemporary, but perhaps even timeless as well. Combined with the rest of the songs this helps give us a retrospective of Jackson's career via music we haven't heard before (at least in this form) and it shows that whatever even his unreleased music was magical.

Standout Tracks: "Chicago," "A Place With No Name," "Slave to the Rhythm," "Blue Gangsta"

Skippable: "Loving You

The 411: There are only eight tracks on Xscape that add up about thirty-seven minutes, but it's clearly a case of quality over quantity. Michael Jackson hasn't sounded this vital and powerful in a long, long time and it's a credit to the King of Pop as well as the production team behind the album that makes it sound so good. L.A. Reid has said the first thing he had to do with Xscape is recognize he couldn't deliver another Thriller or Off the Wall and while it's true that it doesn't measure up to those classics, it certainly stands tall in its own right and goes a long way toward erasing the sour taste of Michael.
411 Elite Award
Final Score: 8.5 [ Very Good ] legend

Read more at http://www.411mania.com/music/album...ckson---Xscape-Review.htm#coujpfM66U4DL501.99
Click to expand...

"The worst on the album is "Loving You," a slow jam that is pleasant enough and features strong production work but sort of fades into the middle tier of Jackson's love songs. Even then his voice is a treasure to listen to; it's simply not as inspired as some of his best work.'

SHUT UP ALREADY!!!
 
An extremely good review from a danish serious music magasine called Gaffa - they gave the album 6 out of 6 stars!! . Best rating possible !!!

A king worthy


Then comes the second album from Michael Jackson's treasure trove of unpublished numbers that Sony dearly bought the rights to publish. Fortunately, this time they took them seriously together after the first posthumous album Michael from 2010 disappointed. It's Antonio L.A. Reid, who along with Timbaland was in charge of updating the old beads, with , inter alia, Rodney Jerkins and Norwegian Stargate , and actually succeeds impressively well . First, the eight numbers actually certainly a release worthy . Second, the updates well-produced with respect for MJ's style and taste. In addition, we also included all the numbers in the original versions , which is brilliant well thought out. The album's title continues even MJ's tradition of choosing a number with only one word as the title of the album. Although the updates are well-produced , some of the numbers terrifyingly obese in the original versions .


The album opens with the oldest number and first single Love Never Felt So Good in an original recording with old tape -sus on . A real disco - slasker 1982 by MJ and Paul Anka written for the Thriller album. In 1984 it was recorded by Johnny Mathis . We also get the number later in a completely shaved original demo version and not least as a super successful duet with Justin Timberlake with an updated sound that still retro soul, funk and disco . Timberlake was actually asked by MJ before his death to make a duet with him , something that JT himself has said gave him the belief to go solo. Both the old and the new version is excellent .


The album's second track is the beautiful Chicago in 1985 , there have been loving treatment by Timbaland . Again, with full respect for not destroying the delicious MJ -feel . Here I prefer actually Timbaland's version .


The third number is Loving You 1987 written by MJ Bad album. A quiet ballad that Timbaland and J- Rocc again treat with kid gloves . But I actually prefer the original version , where it simply shines with MJ in top condition.


The fourth number, A Place With No Name , was recorded in 1998 and is based in the Americas hit from A Horse With No Name 1972. In the original version , the production also acoustic drums and guitar. In the updated version reminds groove much of Leave Me Alone from 1987. Both versions are again excellent .


Number five Slave To The Rhythm is a super nice uptempo number with a taut MJ vocals made ??of LA Reid and Babyface in 1989 for Dangerous . That's actually the best in the updated version . A number which was selected because MJ recorded the vocals as much as 24 times . A tribute to his dedication .


Six Eren Do You Know Where Your chidren Are? is probably one of the album's weakest tracks. With a dominant 80s electronic sound in the updated version requires just some getting used to the ears. But still a classic MJ song written for Dangerous in 1991 and the guitar solo by Slash . It is best heard on the original version , which I prefer .


Seven named Blue Gangsta from 2010 and is the current issue , but unfortunately also the least successful album . Especially the chorus on this issue is not very fortunate . Again , I prefer the original, there is more raw and edgy and perform better in the framing.


Finally is the Rodney Darkchild Jerkins -produced title track Xscape , which in turn is probably the album's strongest song. Jerkins , who from a young age have worked with MJ , is also the original producer of this edition made ??for the Invincible album back in 2000. The updated version has Darkchild just turned one more time the buttons and speeded number up a bit and added synth horns . But again , I must say that I prefer the original version . The dress code is not to rush off and so is the original far more funky.


All in all, lots of original MJ- gold as well as updated productions with respect for the king's hunting perfectionism. Made by people like MJ himself preferred to work with . A welcome addition to the MJ Collection.

http://gaffa.dk/anmeldelse/83918 - it's in danish of course - I just took it through Google translate - hope you understand anyway... :)
 
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