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Originally Posted by BlueGreenMood
You love MJ and Janelle?! Nice! Didn't mention it in the JM thread, but she's my #2 to MJ.
Totally agree with your entire post.
To me Destiny is kind of the beginning of MJ's adult career with songs like Bless His Soul, That's What You Get For Being Polite, and Things I Do For You- I'd say Shake Your Body to the Ground was a show at his hitmaking abilities, but the latter are more what I see in MJ as an emotive songwriter. Triumph is also an interlude between OTW and Thriller with Can You Feel It being the first killer track MJ wrote. WDAN and DSTYGE were great, but there was more oomph with MJ's music starting in the 80s- I think it was the darker sound that was ultimately so him that was showed off in Triumph, hinted a lot in Thriller, diluted in Bad, but still there, and fully realized in Dangerous and continued throughout the 90s. So happy to meet an MJ fan who is appreciative of Morphine and Is It Scary. Stranger In Moscow and Morphine are tied as my favorite MJ songs.
I felt like HIStory and Blood On the Dance Floor was MJ just blurting all his feelings out, while still leaving some mystery of course, but then when it came to Invincible he kind of downgraded himself stylistically although there are still some classic songs on that album. What's your opinion on Invincible?
MJ's songwriting is another thing as his beatboxing really shows how much he was involved and how the music was in his head! I love the beatbox Beat It demo that was released on the This Is It CD. Have you seen all the other snippets of MJ beatboxing on YouTube, it rocks!
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I love Janelle as well. I am not into alot of current mainstream artists but she is amazing. I dont really consider her that mainstream but she deserves to be because she is more talented and interesting than alot of what is being played on the radio today.
I think once the "Jackson 5" left Motown that was the turning point for Michaels adult career because it really allowed him to grow as a singer and as a songwriter. It allowed him to become a "artist" and not just a
entertainer. Dont get me wrong, I love the Little Michael/Jackson 5 Motown period ALOT. However, alot of the songs were really formulaic and Michaels singing style was as well. They also did not have much contribution in the songwriting and production. Once the Jacksons went to Epic Records, Michael began to actual write his own music as well as his brothers. They were more instrumental in the making of their music, choregraphy, etc than they were when they were with Motown. I love all the Jacksons album and I think they all are filled with classics and gems.
The Jacksons self titled album was an important album despite the lack of fan love it receives because it was the first album they made since breaking away from Motown. Many many underrated gems from this album and classics. Gamble and Huff put their foot in the production of this album and The Jacksons/Joe Jackson were smart for collaborating with them.
Highlights: Show You The Way To Go, Enjoy Yourself, Blues Away - Michaels first official song he had written.
I love
Goin' Places and highlights on the album for me are Different Kind of Lady and Find Me A Girl. These songs are amazing and you can tell Michael was cuttin up on these lol and was really breaking through as a vocalist. Alot of the adlibs and style of singing he did on these records he would not have been able to do on Motown.
Destiny is one of my all time favorites as well and there are alot of classics from the album such as "Thats What You Get For Being Polite", Things I do For you, Bless His Soul (fantastic production and powerful vocals from MJ) and Shake Your Body Down to the Ground- CLASSIC. I agree with your opinion on the latter as well. It shows his ability to connect with emotions and with people.
I agree with your theory on Triumph which is a MUST have album. The album is flawless from beginning to end. I dont particularly care for "Wondering Who" though outside of the funky production. If Michael was singing lead it probably would have been better.
My favorite tracks are: Everybody (LOVE LOVE LOVE this song it reminds me of Michaels OTW-Get On The Floor) Give It Up--- unique singing style, Time Waits For No One- love his vunerability, This Place Hotel--- one of the best songs Michael has written and flawless production, Walk Right Now, and Lovely One. Triumph is more darker and mysterious but I think the theme was more reflective of Michaels emotions than the emotions of his brothers especially on This Place Hotel.
Stranger in Moscow is a masterpiece, I love it!
HIStory and Blood on the Dance Floor are very political, dark, loud, and in your face. Invincible is Michaels weakest album but it is not as bad as critics made it to be which mostly had to do with the sales during the time the album was released. It has since sold over 10 million copies world wide which is his lowest in terms of sales.
Invincible was not as great as his previous albums we have discussed but it does have a few gems/classics on the album. Michael could still kick a ss vocally and went back to making R&B. My favorite tracks are: Butterflies, Break of Dawn, Whatever Happens, Threatened, Unbreakable and Speechless.
I think the problem I had with Invincible was the lack of cohesiveness and Michael did not write alot of the songs on the album. I think he added more songwriters because he wanted to keep up with the times and wanted outside perspectives on the current music scene. I was disappointed because he is a great songwriter and producer. He did not have to do that. The album has aged pretty well. It sounds like it could have been made in 2013.
Yea Ive seen all of Michaels beat boxing videos!!! That is usually how he comes up with the beats to his music. He first beat boxes it and from there he comes up with the melodies (which is pretty darn cool lol). I just thought it was cool how on those particular two songs the production is just a loop of him beat boxing although it sounds like instruments. He was very involved with his music. He was an artist and I dont pay the detractors any mind who want to argue otherwise.