Next Monday sees the release of Michael, his first new studio album in nine years. On pre-orders alone, it should go straight to number one around the world. Hold My Hand, Jackson’s duet with r’n’b writer-producer Akon is already racing up the charts, full of breathy exultation’s of the power of togetherness, while gospel choirs raise their voices in the background. It has the extraordinary confidence of a pop classic and presages an album that may well be Jackson’s best work since his Eighties glory days.
Michael bursts with verve and confidence, with lots of inspirational, uplifting anthems and melodic, sweetly sung ballads. There’s a fantastic, snarling rocker, featuring Lenny Kravitz: (I Can’t Make It) Another Day; an utterly bonkers, epic dance reworking of the Eric Clapton classic Behind the Mask featuring Japanese electro pioneers Yellow Magic Orchestra and a trio of snappily, percussive groove workouts.
It is a fine album and it is probably a better one than Jackson might have delivered left to his own devices. Without him around to prevaricate, second-guess himself and constantly cast aside songs in search of some elusive ideal, Sony have been able to assemble a collection of the best available recordings. Although lacking the overall sense of vision Jackson might have brought to the project, it is surprising how coherent it is. His utterly distinctive voice and very particular writing styles bind it together.
It turns out that the music he was making in his final years really wasn’t so different to the music he made in his heyday. It is certainly a great deal better than anyone had any right to expect. And so it seems that death really has no dominion over the music business. Jackson is finally about to get the comeback he craved.
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Source: Telegraph
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