Michael Jackson

~~Soulflower~~ · 02-28-2014, 11:33 PM

Off The Wall

Michael Jackson's fifth solo album. This album was released on August 10, 1979.

Producers: Quincy Jones
Co Producer: Michael Jackson

Fun Fact: Michael Jackson starred as the Scarecrow in the 1978 film "The Wiz" along side superstar and friend Diana Ross. The musical scores were composed by Quincy Jones for the film. MJ and Quincy became friends while working on the film and MJ expressed interest in working with Quincy for his adult solo album and Quincy agreed.

Off The Wall's non-singles and underrated gems:

Track 3: Working Day and Night
Track 4: Get On the Floor
Track 8: I Can't Help It
Track 9: It's The Falling In Love
Track 10: Burn The Disco Out

side note: some of these songs were not singles but still get played like they were but still going to discuss them.

Track 3: Working Day And Night

Songwriters: Michael Jackson
Producer: Quincy Jones
Co Producer: Michael Jackson

Song facts:
The song was not a single but is a B-side for "Rock with You" single in the USA, and B-side for "Off the Wall" single in the UK. The song has a tempo of 128 beats per minute, making it one of Jackson's fastest songs. From wiki

Fun fact: MJ originally composed the song and percussion arrangements at his Jackson family house in Encino California. His siblings Janet and Randy Jackson helped with playing some of the percussion instruments. MJ plays some of the percussion instruments as well in the demo version. Some of these instruments include guitar, drums, synthesizer piano, shakers

Demo version of Working Day and Night:
Grooveshark - Free Music Streaming, Online Music

Please let me know if this link does not work...

Vocal arrangement: Michael Jackson
Lead and Background Vocals: Michael Jackson
Original Demo from 1978 - 4:10 long
The song fuses elements of funk, disco, jazz, dance, and r&b

Percussion arrangement and facts for Studio released song version:

Bass: Louis Johnson
Drums: John Robinson
Guitar: David Williams and Phil Upchurch
Electric piano and synthesizer: Greg Phillinganes
Synthesizer programming: Michael Boddicker
Percussion: Paulinho Da Costa, John Robinson and Michael Jackson
Horns arranged by Jerry Hey and performed by The Seawind Horns:
Trumpet and flugelhorn: Jerry Hey
Tenor, alto saxophones and flute: Larry Williams
Baritone, tenor saxophones and flute: Kim Hutchcroft
Trombone: William Reichenbach
Trumpet: Gary Grant
Rhythm and vocal arrangements by Greg Phillinganes and Michael Jackson. From wiki

My Review: The beginning opening begins with MJ's making voice adlibs and breathing sounds and goes straight into the funky piano synthesizers exactly like the demo version. My favorite portions of this song are the mini break downs within the song that are fancy MJ harmony adlibs repeated together and the jam session toward the end of the song is incredible. I LOVEEEEEEEEE this song! . It is so funky and undeniably catchy you just have to dance to it. The subject matter is great as well and MJ is a great songwriter and shows that he can write a great pop song. MJ is cutting up on this track with his sassy funky vocals and ablibs!

Album Photos:

Track 4: Get On the Floor

Songwriters: Michael Jackson and Louis Johnson
Producer: Quincy Jones
Co Producer: Michael Jackson
Bass: Louis Johnson---- side note: Dude killed on the bass, I LOVE the bass in this song!!!
Genres: The songs fuses is heavily influenced by disco, funk and soul elements.

My Review: This is my all time favorite track on this album. This song is hands down the best song on the album. The main reason why I LOVEEEEEEEEE this song is because of Louis Johnson amazing bassist percussion arrangment ESPECIALLY in the beginning. It is just amazing musicianship and a great opener for the song. The song opens up with catchy bass arrangement and a disco arrangement that is similar for the era. MJ is repeating an adlib over and over in the background that almost sounds like a echoe but is prepping for the chorus. The chorus is amazing and is very disco sounding. I always think of Saturday Night Fever and a shiny disco ball when I listen to the chorus lol MJ sings "Get on the floor and dance with me... I love the way ya shake ya thing... especially" and that is exactly what the chorus will make you want to do!!! The overall composition and percussion is stellar. I really like the breakdown towards the end that is once again repeated MJ adlibs and voice overs.

Off the Wall era MJ Photos:

Track 8: I Can't Help It

Songwriters: Stevie Wonder and Susaye Greene-Browne
Producers: Quincy Jones
Vocal Arrangement: Stevie Wonder

“Stevie came to me and said he wanted to write something for Michael,” Susaye, then in the midst of recording backup vocals for Stevie’s double album, Songs in the Key of Life, tells host Darryl Williams.

Quote:

“Stevie had part of the hook – ‘Can’t help it, if I wanted to,’ but he would say, ‘Llllll-ah-da, lll-yet-dee-dee-da.” You know, there weren’t any real words there.

“So we just down and . . . that song came together very quickly,” Susaye says of I Can’t Help It, which she co-wrote and which would be featured on Michael’s 1979 album Off the Wall.

CAPTION: Stevie (r) with Michael at the 1980 Grammys.
Stevie (r) with Michael at the 1980 Grammy Awards.

“One time, I went down to [Stevie's] studio and Michael was there. He and Stevie were talking about what Michael had coming up.

“They had a remote studio attached to Wonderland, which was Stevie’s studio, which was parked outside. I went and sat in there, and Michael came in and sat with me.

“We sat there, literally, for three hours listening to Songs in the Key of Life as it developed.

“We were enthralled by this fabulous, pulsating sound that Stevie had created.

“And when Stevie came out of the main studio, we all started talking. Then we hugged and Michael had to leave.

“But then Stevie said, ‘He’s gonna do the song!’

By: Susaye Greene-Browne

Source: Michael Jackson Was Enthralled by Stevie Wonder’s Fabulous, Pulsating Sound, Says Susaye GreeneBlogTalkRadio blog

Fun fact: Susaye Green- Brown was the last official member of the Supremes

My Review: Despite not being a single, this song is critically acclaim and is hailed as one of MJ's best song. I LOVE this song! Stevie was definitely right when he pinned this song for MJ because he was clearly meant for him to sing! I really love the song's opening. The song sounds like it would be a Stevie Wonder song because Stevie has similar openers to his songs. I love the simplistic of the production and the jazz elements about it. I really love MJ's adlibs throughout the song. The song exemplifies MJ's strength as a vocalist and his ability to creatively show emotion through various styles of tones and adlibs.
Genres: The song is a mixture of jazz, soul and r&b

Track 9: It's The Falling In Love

Vocal Duets: Michael Jackson and Patti Austin
Songwriters: Carole Bayer Sager and David Foster
Producers: Quincy Jones

Quote:

Austin's distinctive timbre caresses the ear no matter that she is performing as a soloist or singing duets with such top stars as Johnny Mathis, George Benson and James Ingram. Her long relationship with Michael Jackson began with "The Wiz" when she was contracted to book 345 singers and handle all the paper work involved.

"That was before the PC," she said, laughing. "Michael had very little to say. He just walked around with a paper and pen writing down anything that sounded remotely intelligent. The next time we met was for a project with Quincy Jones. The three of us were sitting in Quincy's den when the phone rang and Quincy left the room. I'm not one to start conversations, so we both sat quietly. Then all of a sudden Michael began to talk and didn't stop. We worked together quite a bit after that in the studio and live. His energy was over the moon. This was his renaissance period when he was like a fireball, almost nuclear."- Patti Austin

Source: Patti Austin sings Ellington | Washington Examiner
Fun Fact: Patti Austin was a popular 70s R&B singer of the time
Genres: Soul, R&B, Pop

My Review:

This is a beautiful duet. Patti and MJ have great chemistry despite the age difference. Patti;s soft vocals melts with the production and MJ as usual shines vocally. The song is a very soulful typical R&B love song. However, there are some undertones of funk especially with the horns percussion and bass. I usually do not like duets but this is a really nice duet and Patti was an excellent choice.

Track 10: Burn This Disco Out Lyrics

Songwriters: Rod Temperton
Producers: Quincy Jones

My Review: I LOVEEE this song!!! It is a great funk/disco track and Quincy put his foot in the production! I really love the opening and the live instruments. It is a very good uptempo dance funk song. I really love the breakdown in this song. It reminds me of a Earth Wind and Fire song or Sly Family Stone song. This has another great jam session towards the end. If you love the funk then this track is for you!

Credits for Percussion overall on the album:

Michael Jackson – lead and backing vocals, co-producer, percussion
Randy Jackson – percussion
Michael Boddicker – keyboards, synthesizers, programming
Larry Carlton – electric guitar
George Duke – keyboards, synthesizers, programming
David Foster – keyboards, synthesizers, programming
Gary Grant – trumpet, flügelhorn
Marlo Henderson – guitar
Jerry Hey – trumpet, flügelhorn
Kim Hutchcroft – saxophone, flute, trumpet, flügelhorn
Louis Johnson – bass guitar
Quincy Jones – producer
Greg Phillinganes – keyboards, synthesizers, programming
Steve Porcaro – keyboards, synthesizers, programming
William Reichenbach – trombone
John "JR" Robinson – drums
Bruce Swedien – recording engineer
Phil Upchurch – guitar
Bobby Watson – bass guitar
Wah Wah Watson – guitar
David Williams – guitar
Larry Williams – saxophone, flute
Richard Heath – percussion
Paulinho da Costa – percussion
David Williams – guitar
David "Hawk" Wolinski – electric piano
Patti Austin – vocals
Jim Gilstrap – vocals
Augie Johnson – vocals
Mortonette Jenkins – vocals
Paulette Mc Williams – vocals
Zedrick Williams – vocals
Horn and string arrangements by Jerry Hey and performed by The Seawind Horns, Ben Wright, Johnny Mandel. From wiki

Demo version of "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough"

Songwriters: Michael Jackson
Vocal Arrangement: Michael Jackson
Percussion Arrangement: Michael Jackson
It is in the key of B major (or more precisely, B Mixolydian mode) and in common time signature.

This is a single but I just wanted to post the demo. This demo was recorded WAY before Quincy did the final touches as you can see there is not that much difference from the final studio version. MJ also plays some of the percussion instruments in this. This was also recorded at MJ's home.

Fun Fact: In 2001 there was a special edition release of the Off The Wall album that features demo versions of Working Day and Night and Dont Stop Till You Get Enough. It also has interviews from Quincy Jones about the production of the album and certain songs.

~~Soulflower~~ · 03-01-2014, 12:01 AM

The track "Girlfriend" was a single but it is underrated in my opinion so I am briefly going to discuss it.

Girlfriend was the last single from the Off the Wall album and it was released on July 60, 1980. It was written by Paul McCartney and produced by Quincy Jones

Fun fact: Paul Mcartney and MJ were good friends. Paul Mcartney had wrote the song for MJ to sing. Paul Mcartney had mentioned to MJ that he had a song that he wanted him to sing for his solo album. MJ was a big Beatles fan and had agreed. However, McCartney ended up recording it himself with his band Wings, and it was issued in 1978 on the album London Town. It was later suggested to Quincy for a possible track and he had no idea that Paul Mcartney had wrote for MJ in the first place. Some of Mcartney's version is omitted from Michael's version but MJ eventually recorded it for his album and it became a single in the UK.

My Review: This song sounds like Beatles/Paul McCartney sound but MJ makes it his own. I personally prefer Lennon as a songwriter but Paul does his thing here for this song. Like Stevie, I think he made a great choice in picking MJ for the song I really like the bubble gum pop energy to the song. The production is really good. I would say it is MJ's least soulful song on the album but it is still nice and flows with the album.

~~Soulflower~~ · 03-23-2014, 09:19 PM

Michael Jackson's
Blood on the Dance Floor: History in the Mix

Michael Jackson's first official remix album was released on May 20, 1997 by Epic Records and is the second album released on Michael's own record label, MJJ Productions.

Producers: Michael Jackson, Teddy Riley, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Bruce Swedien, René Moore, Dallas Austin, David Foster, Bill Bottrell, R. Kelly

Fun Fact: The album consists of 8 remixes of songs on MJ's HIStory album and 5 new songs

I am going to discuss the new songs on the album instead of the remixes.

Track 1: Blood on the Dance Floor

Written, composed and produced by: Michael Jackson and Teddy Riley
Engineered by Teddy Riley, Dave Way and Mick Guzauski
Mixed by Mick Guzauski

Fun Fact: The song was the leading single on the album and peaked at number one in several countries.

I LOVEEEE this song and I LOVEEEE this video!!! MJ rockin that french braid, YES!!! The song fuses rock, funk, electronic, and Hi-NRG. The song is about a a leading lady named "Susie". She seduces MJ although she is really plotting to kill him with a knife. The overall story that Michael sings angrily is about a tale of a back stabbing woman.

I think the song lyrics are haunting, dark and very revealing. Michael also mentions this "Susie" female character in another song on the album. I am curious who this lady really is in real life who inspired this "Susie" character. It is possible Susie might not even be a woman, it might be an experience...either way I am still curious and would love to know more about it or her because these are some deep deep lyrics by a angry hurt person that feels the need to warn the world of this "Susie" character.

Michael's vocals are seductive and eerie. He sings with a raspy voice but it goes well with the overall production. The music video is directed by Vincent Patterson and it has a latin/salsa club feel to it.

Fun Fact: At the time of it's released, many journalist suspected the Susie character was a metaphor for AID's

Album Photos:

Track 2: Morphine

Written by Michael Jackson

This is one of Michael's best songs and one of his best songs that he has ever written. Also, this is one of his most personal songs.

In this song Michael sings about his prescription dependency to Morphine and Demerol. This song reminds me a lot of how Bohemian Rhapsody is structured. However, unlike Bohemian Rhapsody, there is a chorus. The song does break up into many different genres throughout though.

The song fuses rock, classical, spoken word and dutch. The song features Slash from Guns N Roses on the track.

Michael is angry on this song. He sings "trust in me, put all your trust in me... you doing Morphine...your doggin bitch baby, you make me sick baby" I think this song was very therapeutic for him. I think he is actually singing "to the drugs" and venting his frustration on his dependency. At a certain point in the song towards the ending, it cuts into a classical piano piece.

He sings:

Relax
This won't hurt you
Before I put it in
Close your eyes and count to ten
Don't cry
I won't convert you
There's no need to dismay
Close your eyes and drift away

Demerol
Demerol
Oh God he's taking demerol
Demerol
Demerol
Oh God he's taking demerol

He's tried
Hard to convince her
To be over what he had
Today he wants it twice as bad
Don't cry
I won't resent you
Yesterday you had his trust
Today he's taking twice as much

I love this song because I respect the sincerity behind it. I mean C'MON what pop star OUT NOW would be as personal as MJ was on this song?!?! He basically aired his own laundry and he did it in such a creative and artistic way. I appreciate the song for what it is and I am happy that he really exposed himself on this song.

Fun Fact:"Morphine" is also titled "Just Say No" on some licensed editions of the album. Both "Is It Scary" and "Ghosts" share certain lyrics.

Track 3: Superfly Sister

Written by Michael Jackson and Bryan Loren

I LOVEEEEE this song!!! WHO IS SUSIE?!?!?!?! He mentions this Susie character alot lol I think MJ was inspired by Prince or Funkadelic on this song LOL The song is eclectic and fuses genres such as funk, new jack swing,salsa, etc.

In this song, Michael is enlightening us about the birds and the bees lol and the not so good things about that at times.

He sings:

Susie like to agitate
Get the boy and make him wait
Mother's preaching Abraham
Brothers they don't give a damn

He wanna do something keen to you
He wanna wrap his arms all around you girl
He wanna do it up keep it high
Deep in the night
He wanna eye ball
Get hard
Playing it right

He wanna turn the key
Hurt the sheets
Move to the left
He wanna hot scrub
Hot love
Making it wet

I love EVERYTHING about this song and I am loving these descriptive lyrics. It is a really good message for young girls and for young men. I love when MJ sings dirty *shrugs* BUT artistically of course!

Track 4: Ghosts
Written by Michael Jackson and Teddy Riley

I am first going to discuss the music video and than I am going to discuss the actual song.

Fun Fact: MJ Ghosts music video is 40 minutes long making it one of the most longest music videos ever made. MJ plays a total of 5 roles in the short film.

The Ghosts music video was written and co written by horror writer Stephen King. The short film was directed by Stan Winston.

The music video tells the story of a mysterious Maestro (Michael Jackson) with supernatural powers, who is being forced out of a small town by its mayor who is very judgmental and arrogant (also played by Michael Jackson who is made up as an overweight white male who resembles Tom Sneddon who was the leading prosecutor in Michael's 1993 child molestation accusation). The music video includes multiple choreography routines and songs that are featured on this remix album and Michael's HIStory album.

I really LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE this music video. Can you tell? I LOVE this video so much!! I LOVE the dancing and I love the story plot. The story plot really touches me because I know the overall message MJ was sending with it. Michael plays a mysterious scary person in the video. However, that is how his image was depicted in real life. In the music video, the mayor tells MJ's character that he has to leave town because he is a "freak" and is "strange".

Ironically MJ is actually playing the mayor in the music video. I think the mayor in the music video is a metaphor for the way society and the media depicted MJ. They depicted MJ as strange. As a result of his celebrity, it forced him to isolate himself which made him appear as a recluse to society. Once again, MJ is depicting alot of his own personal feelings about the way he is perceived by the public and the media in in this video.

I think the video teaches people to be accepting of others that are different from them. Also, it exposes how our society is judgmental and is quick to label and cast out those that are different rather than taking the time to understand why they are different.

Fun Fact: MJ wanted to make the scariest music video ever when he first scripted this story plot and created this music video. He wanted this video to be even bigger and scarier than Thriller!

Stephen King co writter of "GHOSTS" Remembers Michael Jackson:
Memories of Michael Jackson | Michael Jackson | EW.com
"STEPHEN?...Stephen King?...This is...ummm...Michael? Michael Jackson?'' The voice is high, anxious, hopeful, excited, elfin. ''I'm, oh my God, I am such a fan!''

I assure him that the feeling's mutual, but what I'm mostly feeling is flummoxed. It's 1993, I'm on the set of the Stand miniseries, and out of the blue someone's handed me a phone with the self-anointed King of Pop on the other end of the line. What he wants, it develops, is for me to write the scariest, the absolute SCARIEST, music video ever, called Ghosts. It will be like the old Frankenstein movies, he explains, only scarier! TERRIFYING! ''Stephen,'' he says, ''we must do this. We're going to shock the world.''

I gave it my best try, not because it was Michael Jackson and not because I thought we were going to shock the world, but because I'm always interested in trying something new, and for me, writing a minimusical would be new. The core story he described to me that day was about a mob of angry townspeople — buttoned-down suburbanites, not torch-carrying peasants — who want the ''weirdo'' who lives in the nearby castle to leave town. Because, they say, he's a bad influence on their children. I associated that with the view parents held toward rock & roll when I was growing up, and still held toward the odder artists of the breed, like Ozzy Osbourne and Marilyn Manson (who in 1995 would release an album called Smells Like Children). I didn't know that rumors about Jackson and child abuse had begun to circulate, but probably would have pressed ahead even if I had. When you're famous, everybody accuses you of everything, from petty theft to the murder of John Lennon.

The film shot for three weeks, then shut down for three years. I may once have known why, but if so, I no longer remember. My old pal (and Stand director) Mick Garris did the initial filming. One day during preproduction, I was in on a conference call about the choreography, and Michael fell asleep. On another occasion, he called my wife, wanting the phone number for wherever I was that day. She gave it to him. Michael called back five minutes later, on the verge of tears. He hadn't had a pencil, he said, so he'd tried to write the number on the carpet with his finger, and he couldn't read it. My wife gave him the number again. Michael thanked her profusely...but never called me.

Filming on the Michael Jackson Ghosts video recommenced as abruptly as it had stopped. Mick remembers getting a call from Michael in 1996: ''Mick, it's gonna happen! We gotta believe it's gonna happen!'' It did, but without Mick behind the camera. He was working on the miniseries version of The Shining by then, and Stan Winston took over the directing chores. The story had wandered a far distance from my original script, but that hardly matters. What does matter is that the video contains some of the best, most inspired dancing of Jackson's career. If you look at it, I think you'll see why Fred Astaire called Jackson ''a helluva mover.'' You'll also see Jackson's sadness and almost painful desire to please. Yes, I am strange, his eyes say, but I am doing the best I can, and I want to make you happy. Is that so bad?

This is a sadness that's all too common in people who possess talent in amounts so great it has become a burden instead of a blessing. Despite being extraordinarily beautiful (although he had probably already begun the elective surgeries that would ruin those amazing looks), Jackson was painfully shy, and difficult (sometimes impossible) to talk to, but watching that old video still makes me happy...and no, that's not bad.

It's worth noting that he was never convicted of anything in criminal court, and when I asked Mick — who hung out with Michael occasionally — he was emphatic in his belief that Michael Jackson was indeed innocent of the abuse allegations. In the court of public opinion, however, he was found guilty of Weirdness in the First Degree, and ended up secluded in one haunted castle after another. Finally, he died in one. Strange man. Lost man. And not unique in his passing. Like James Dean, Elvis Presley, Kurt Cobain, Heath Ledger, and a dozen others we could name, he just left the building far too soon.

Because, man oh man, that guy could dance".
- Stephen King

Fun Fact: Mos Def is featured in this music video. He is actually the guy that cries lol

The song "GHOSTS":

I LOVEEEEE this song!!!

Similiar to the video, I love the actual song for the same reason. The song fuses hip hop and funk. The production is CRAZZZZZZZYYY GOOD!! Teddy put his foot in it!! Michael is very paranoid in the song lyrics though. The song is very dark and eerie.

He sings:

And who gave you the right to shake my family?
And who gave you the right to shake my baby, she needs me
And who gave you the right to shake my family tree?
You put a knife in my back
Shot an arrow in me!
Tell me are you the ghost of jealousy
The ghost of jealousy

Once again, I think MJ is referring to the media, prosecutors of the 93 accusation and distractions. I think that is what is "haunting" him and who he feels is out to kill him. He feels these people are jealous and what to tear about his family and people he cares about. In real life, MJ did seriously believe people wanted to kill him

This is a great tune to dance to but it is also sad because MJ actually believed these lyrics. Thank goodness he is at peace now.

Track 5: "Is It Scary"

Written by: Michael Jackson, James Harris III, Terry Lewis

The song fuses rock, classical, spoken word, folk, dutch, goth music (if that is even a genre lol)

I LOVEEEE this song. This is another personal song by the King of Pop. At the time of its released critics compared this song to alot of the songs Marilyn Manson does. The song is very dark and errie. The song is similiar to Ghosts as far as the subject matter. In the song MJ asks questions to his audiences.

Am I amusing you?

Am I confusing you?

Am I scary to for you?

I think MJ is being condescending and patronizing his critics and his audiences. I love the overall creepy production and how MJ changes his voice throughout the song. He sings very soft in the beginning and then gets more intense throughout the song.

~~Soulflower~~ · 03-23-2014, 09:20 PM

The Blood on the Dance Floor song has a remix that I am going to discuss later

~~Soulflower~~ · 04-01-2014, 12:07 AM

omg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

~~Soulflower~~ · 04-01-2014, 12:14 AM

Breaking News: New Album!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NEW YORK, March 31, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- 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. For the ultimate fan experience, XSCAPE will also be available in a Deluxe Edition, which includes all of the sourced Michael Jackson recordings in their original form. The XSCAPE standard and Deluxe Edition's are available for pre-order beginning April 1 on iTunes.com/MichaelJackson and elsewhere, and available at all retailers worldwide on May 13.

XSCAPE is executive produced by Epic Records Chairman and CEO L.A. Reid, who, after an initial mining of Jackson's archives by the Estate, was granted unlimited access to the treasures representing four decades of material on which Jackson had completed his vocals.

Reid curated the final list of recordings to deliver to the producers, who retooled the production to add a fresh, contemporary sound that retains Jackson's essence and integrity. It's a process Reid calls "contemporizing. " The album's lead producer, Timbaland was one of a handful of producers Reid believed had the gravitas, depth and range to creatively engage with Jackson's work. Additional producers include global hitmakers Rodney Jerkins, Stargate, Jerome "Jroc" Harmon and John McClain.

"Modern music and artistry would look and sound completely different if not for the groundbreaking contributions Michael Jackson gifted to the world," remarked L.A. Reid. "Michael left behind some musical performances that we take great pride in presenting through the vision of music producers that he either worked directly with or expressed strong desire to work with. We are extremely proud and honored to present this music to the world."

The title of this album honors Michael's album naming process. He always chose a song from the album to name his projects and, beginning with THRILLER, used only one word titles, each with an edgy quality to them. This is true of the new project. Written by Michael Jackson and Jerkins, and produced by Jackson and Jerkins, "Xscape" has further significance in that it is the one track on the album that was 'contemporized' by the producer who recorded it originally in the studio with Michael.

John Branca and John McClain, co-executors of the Estate of Michael Jackson said,

"Michael was always on the cutting edge and was constantly reaching out to new producers, looking for new sounds. He was always relevant and current. These tracks, in many ways, capture that spirit. We thank L.A. Reid for his vision."

XSCAPE is a long awaited collection of exciting new music that will thrill the legions of fans of one of the world's most revered and best-selling artists, as well as attract a whole new generation discovering his artistry for the first time. In conjunction with the release of XSCAPE, Epic / Sony Music will launch an unprecedented global campaign with the One Sony sister companies, Sony Corporation, Sony Mobile Communications, and Sony Network Entertainment International drawing from all of Sony's strengths and consumer reach.
"Michael has long been a treasured member of the larger Sony family," said Kazuo Hirai, President and CEO, Sony Corporation. "Starting with the release of 'Off The Wall' in 1979, Sony Music Entertainment has since released all of Michael's recordings. We are thrilled and privileged to be collaborating as One Sony to celebrate Michael's latest legacy, and bringing his fans an exclusive experience through our upcoming initiatives with our products and services."
More news about Michael Jackson's upcoming album will be revealed in the coming weeks. Keep visiting Michael Jackson | The Official Michael Jackson Site for new details.

ABOUT MICHAEL JACKSON:
Michael Jackson is one of the most beloved entertainers and profoundly influential artists of all-time. He was also a dedicated philanthropist and an astute business professional. To date Jackson has sold 1 billion records worldwide, released 13 No.1 singles 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. 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. Jackson defined the art form of music video with such ground-breaking short films as "Billie Jean," "Beat It" and the classic "Thriller," which in 2009 became the first and only music video inducted into the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress. In his short films "Black or White", "They Don't Care About Us", "Bad and "Smooth Criminal" and others, Jackson set an aesthetic standard for video production that remains unsurpassed even today. The Estate of Michael Jackson and Cirque du Soleil have produced two top shows: Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour is the #9 top grossing tour of all time; and MICHAEL JACKSON ONE, a new permanent show at Mandalay Bay Las Vegas, which is breaking box office records and receiving critical raves. Jackson's sound, style and dance moves continue to inspire today's performers and new generations of fans worldwide continue to discover his artistry.

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-relea...253182181.html

From the Official Michael Jackson website:
March 31, 2014
It was announced today that on May 13th Epic Records, in conjunction with the Estate of Michael Jackson, will release XSCAPE, an album of new music by the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. XSCAPE is executive produced by Epic Records Chairman and CEO L.A. Reid. After mining by the Estate of Jackson’s archives, Reid was granted unlimited access to the treasures spanning four decades of material on which Jackson had completed his vocals. Reid then teamed up top producers to “contemporize” the songs while retaining Jackson’s essence and integrity, creating the best music you’ve never heard.

The list of producers include global hitmakers Timbaland, Rodney Jerkins, Stargate and John McClain.

The new album will feature eight brand new recordings. A Deluxe Edition of XSCAPE will include a selection of the recordings in their original form. Both the standard and Deluxe Editions are available April 1st for pre-order on iTunes (Smarturl.it/xscape) and elsewhere.

The title of this album honors Michael’s album naming process. He always chose a song from the album to name his projects and, beginning with THRILLER, used only one word titles, each with an edgy quality to them. This is true of the new project.

John Branca and John McClain, co-executors of the Estate of Michael Jackson said, “Michael was always on the cutting edge and was constantly reaching out to new producers, looking for new sounds. He was always relevant and current. These tracks, in many ways, capture that spirit. We thank L.A. Reid for his vision.”
http://www.michaeljackson.com/us/new...oming-may-13th

djchameleon · 04-01-2014, 02:57 AM

I can't support this.

When I heard about it earlier yesterday, it just made me think about his greedy estate and I want no parts of it.

I didn't even listen to the snippet that they released of one of the songs.

~~Cuthbert~~ · 04-01-2014, 03:48 AM

Is that Kate Bush in that gif?

Posthumous albums are difficult for me to get excited about, from any artist, purely because I've never heard one that feels cohesive or genuine.

Will pay attention to this and may listen depending on what the final TL is saying.

djchameleon · 04-01-2014, 03:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Christian Benteke

Is that Kate Bush in that gif?

No way!

I can't remember her name but she is much older than Kate Bush.

**Janszoon** · 04-01-2014, 04:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Christian Benteke

Posthumous albums are difficult for me to get excited about, from any artist, purely because I've never heard one that feels cohesive or genuine.

Same here. Unless it's a case where the album was actually finished or nearly finished before the artist died, it usually feels like an exercise in money grubbing barrel scraping.

03-01-2014, 12:01 AM	#1392 (permalink)
~~Soulflower~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 2,304	The track "Girlfriend" was a single but it is underrated in my opinion so I am briefly going to discuss it. Girlfriend was the last single from the Off the Wall album and it was released on July 60, 1980. It was written by Paul McCartney and produced by Quincy Jones Fun fact: Paul Mcartney and MJ were good friends. Paul Mcartney had wrote the song for MJ to sing. Paul Mcartney had mentioned to MJ that he had a song that he wanted him to sing for his solo album. MJ was a big Beatles fan and had agreed. However, McCartney ended up recording it himself with his band Wings, and it was issued in 1978 on the album London Town. It was later suggested to Quincy for a possible track and he had no idea that Paul Mcartney had wrote for MJ in the first place. Some of Mcartney's version is omitted from Michael's version but MJ eventually recorded it for his album and it became a single in the UK. My Review: This song sounds like Beatles/Paul McCartney sound but MJ makes it his own. I personally prefer Lennon as a songwriter but Paul does his thing here for this song. Like Stevie, I think he made a great choice in picking MJ for the song I really like the bubble gum pop energy to the song. The production is really good. I would say it is MJ's least soulful song on the album but it is still nice and flows with the album.

03-23-2014, 09:19 PM	#1393 (permalink)
~~Soulflower~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 2,304	Michael Jackson's Blood on the Dance Floor: History in the Mix Michael Jackson's first official remix album was released on May 20, 1997 by Epic Records and is the second album released on Michael's own record label, MJJ Productions. Producers: Michael Jackson, Teddy Riley, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Bruce Swedien, René Moore, Dallas Austin, David Foster, Bill Bottrell, R. Kelly Fun Fact: The album consists of 8 remixes of songs on MJ's HIStory album and 5 new songs I am going to discuss the new songs on the album instead of the remixes. *Track 1: Blood on the Dance Floor* Written, composed and produced by: Michael Jackson and Teddy Riley Engineered by Teddy Riley, Dave Way and Mick Guzauski Mixed by Mick Guzauski Fun Fact: The song was the leading single on the album and peaked at number one in several countries. I LOVEEEE this song and I LOVEEEE this video!!! MJ rockin that french braid, YES!!! The song fuses rock, funk, electronic, and Hi-NRG. The song is about a a leading lady named "Susie". She seduces MJ although she is really plotting to kill him with a knife. The overall story that Michael sings angrily is about a tale of a back stabbing woman. I think the song lyrics are haunting, dark and very revealing. Michael also mentions this "Susie" female character in another song on the album. I am curious who this lady really is in real life who inspired this "Susie" character. It is possible Susie might not even be a woman, it might be an experience...either way I am still curious and would love to know more about it or her because these are some deep deep lyrics by a angry hurt person that feels the need to warn the world of this "Susie" character. Michael's vocals are seductive and eerie. He sings with a raspy voice but it goes well with the overall production. The music video is directed by Vincent Patterson and it has a latin/salsa club feel to it. Fun Fact: At the time of it's released, many journalist suspected the Susie character was a metaphor for AID's Album Photos: *Track 2: Morphine* Written by Michael Jackson This is one of Michael's best songs and one of his best songs that he has ever written. Also, this is one of his most personal songs. In this song Michael sings about his prescription dependency to Morphine and Demerol. This song reminds me a lot of how Bohemian Rhapsody is structured. However, unlike Bohemian Rhapsody, there is a chorus. The song does break up into many different genres throughout though. The song fuses rock, classical, spoken word and dutch. The song features Slash from Guns N Roses on the track. Michael is angry on this song. He sings "trust in me, put all your trust in me... you doing Morphine...your doggin bitch baby, you make me sick baby" I think this song was very therapeutic for him. I think he is actually singing "to the drugs" and venting his frustration on his dependency. At a certain point in the song towards the ending, it cuts into a classical piano piece. He sings: Relax This won't hurt you Before I put it in Close your eyes and count to ten Don't cry I won't convert you There's no need to dismay Close your eyes and drift away Demerol Demerol Oh God he's taking demerol Demerol Demerol Oh God he's taking demerol He's tried Hard to convince her To be over what he had Today he wants it twice as bad Don't cry I won't resent you Yesterday you had his trust Today he's taking twice as much I love this song because I respect the sincerity behind it. I mean C'MON what pop star OUT NOW would be as personal as MJ was on this song?!?! He basically aired his own laundry and he did it in such a creative and artistic way. I appreciate the song for what it is and I am happy that he really exposed himself on this song. Fun Fact:"Morphine" is also titled "Just Say No" on some licensed editions of the album. Both "Is It Scary" and "Ghosts" share certain lyrics. Track 3: Superfly Sister Written by Michael Jackson and Bryan Loren I LOVEEEEE this song!!! WHO IS SUSIE?!?!?!?! He mentions this Susie character alot lol I think MJ was inspired by Prince or Funkadelic on this song LOL The song is eclectic and fuses genres such as funk, new jack swing,salsa, etc. In this song, Michael is enlightening us about the birds and the bees lol and the not so good things about that at times. He sings: Susie like to agitate Get the boy and make him wait Mother's preaching Abraham Brothers they don't give a damn He wanna do something keen to you He wanna wrap his arms all around you girl He wanna do it up keep it high Deep in the night He wanna eye ball Get hard Playing it right He wanna turn the key Hurt the sheets Move to the left He wanna hot scrub Hot love Making it wet I love EVERYTHING about this song and I am loving these descriptive lyrics. It is a really good message for young girls and for young men. I love when MJ sings dirty shrugs BUT artistically of course! *Track 4: Ghosts* Written by Michael Jackson and Teddy Riley I am first going to discuss the music video and than I am going to discuss the actual song. Fun Fact: MJ Ghosts music video is 40 minutes long making it one of the most longest music videos ever made. MJ plays a total of 5 roles in the short film. The Ghosts music video was written and co written by horror writer Stephen King. The short film was directed by Stan Winston. The music video tells the story of a mysterious Maestro (Michael Jackson) with supernatural powers, who is being forced out of a small town by its mayor who is very judgmental and arrogant (also played by Michael Jackson who is made up as an overweight white male who resembles Tom Sneddon who was the leading prosecutor in Michael's 1993 child molestation accusation). The music video includes multiple choreography routines and songs that are featured on this remix album and Michael's HIStory album. I really LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE this music video. Can you tell? I LOVE this video so much!! I LOVE the dancing and I love the story plot. The story plot really touches me because I know the overall message MJ was sending with it. Michael plays a mysterious scary person in the video. However, that is how his image was depicted in real life. In the music video, the mayor tells MJ's character that he has to leave town because he is a "freak" and is "strange". Ironically MJ is actually playing the mayor in the music video. I think the mayor in the music video is a metaphor for the way society and the media depicted MJ. They depicted MJ as strange. As a result of his celebrity, it forced him to isolate himself which made him appear as a recluse to society. Once again, MJ is depicting alot of his own personal feelings about the way he is perceived by the public and the media in in this video. I think the video teaches people to be accepting of others that are different from them. Also, it exposes how our society is judgmental and is quick to label and cast out those that are different rather than taking the time to understand why they are different. Fun Fact: MJ wanted to make the scariest music video ever when he first scripted this story plot and created this music video. He wanted this video to be even bigger and scarier than Thriller! Stephen King co writter of "GHOSTS" Remembers Michael Jackson: Memories of Michael Jackson \| Michael Jackson \| EW.com "STEPHEN?...Stephen King?...This is...ummm...Michael? Michael Jackson?'' The voice is high, anxious, hopeful, excited, elfin. ''I'm, oh my God, I am such a fan!'' I assure him that the feeling's mutual, but what I'm mostly feeling is flummoxed. It's 1993, I'm on the set of the Stand miniseries, and out of the blue someone's handed me a phone with the self-anointed King of Pop on the other end of the line. What he wants, it develops, is for me to write the scariest, the absolute SCARIEST, music video ever, called Ghosts. It will be like the old Frankenstein movies, he explains, only scarier! TERRIFYING! ''Stephen,'' he says, ''we must do this. We're going to shock the world.'' I gave it my best try, not because it was Michael Jackson and not because I thought we were going to shock the world, but because I'm always interested in trying something new, and for me, writing a minimusical would be new. The core story he described to me that day was about a mob of angry townspeople — buttoned-down suburbanites, not torch-carrying peasants — who want the ''weirdo'' who lives in the nearby castle to leave town. Because, they say, he's a bad influence on their children. I associated that with the view parents held toward rock & roll when I was growing up, and still held toward the odder artists of the breed, like Ozzy Osbourne and Marilyn Manson (who in 1995 would release an album called Smells Like Children). I didn't know that rumors about Jackson and child abuse had begun to circulate, but probably would have pressed ahead even if I had. When you're famous, everybody accuses you of everything, from petty theft to the murder of John Lennon. The film shot for three weeks, then shut down for three years. I may once have known why, but if so, I no longer remember. My old pal (and Stand director) Mick Garris did the initial filming. One day during preproduction, I was in on a conference call about the choreography, and Michael fell asleep. On another occasion, he called my wife, wanting the phone number for wherever I was that day. She gave it to him. Michael called back five minutes later, on the verge of tears. He hadn't had a pencil, he said, so he'd tried to write the number on the carpet with his finger, and he couldn't read it. My wife gave him the number again. Michael thanked her profusely...but never called me. Filming on the Michael Jackson Ghosts video recommenced as abruptly as it had stopped. Mick remembers getting a call from Michael in 1996: ''Mick, it's gonna happen! We gotta believe it's gonna happen!'' It did, but without Mick behind the camera. He was working on the miniseries version of The Shining by then, and Stan Winston took over the directing chores. The story had wandered a far distance from my original script, but that hardly matters. What does matter is that the video contains some of the best, most inspired dancing of Jackson's career. If you look at it, I think you'll see why Fred Astaire called Jackson ''a helluva mover.'' You'll also see Jackson's sadness and almost painful desire to please. Yes, I am strange, his eyes say, but I am doing the best I can, and I want to make you happy. Is that so bad? This is a sadness that's all too common in people who possess talent in amounts so great it has become a burden instead of a blessing. Despite being extraordinarily beautiful (although he had probably already begun the elective surgeries that would ruin those amazing looks), Jackson was painfully shy, and difficult (sometimes impossible) to talk to, but watching that old video still makes me happy...and no, that's not bad. It's worth noting that he was never convicted of anything in criminal court, and when I asked Mick — who hung out with Michael occasionally — he was emphatic in his belief that Michael Jackson was indeed innocent of the abuse allegations. In the court of public opinion, however, he was found guilty of Weirdness in the First Degree, and ended up secluded in one haunted castle after another. Finally, he died in one. Strange man. Lost man. And not unique in his passing. Like James Dean, Elvis Presley, Kurt Cobain, Heath Ledger, and a dozen others we could name, he just left the building far too soon. Because, man oh man, that guy could dance". - Stephen King Fun Fact: Mos Def is featured in this music video. He is actually the guy that cries lol The song "GHOSTS": I LOVEEEEE this song!!! Similiar to the video, I love the actual song for the same reason. The song fuses hip hop and funk. The production is CRAZZZZZZZYYY GOOD!! Teddy put his foot in it!! Michael is very paranoid in the song lyrics though. The song is very dark and eerie. He sings: And who gave you the right to shake my family? And who gave you the right to shake my baby, she needs me And who gave you the right to shake my family tree? You put a knife in my back Shot an arrow in me! Tell me are you the ghost of jealousy The ghost of jealousy Once again, I think MJ is referring to the media, prosecutors of the 93 accusation and distractions. I think that is what is "haunting" him and who he feels is out to kill him. He feels these people are jealous and what to tear about his family and people he cares about. In real life, MJ did seriously believe people wanted to kill him This is a great tune to dance to but it is also sad because MJ actually believed these lyrics. Thank goodness he is at peace now. Track 5: "Is It Scary" Written by: Michael Jackson, James Harris III, Terry Lewis The song fuses rock, classical, spoken word, folk, dutch, goth music (if that is even a genre lol) I LOVEEEE this song. This is another personal song by the King of Pop. At the time of its released critics compared this song to alot of the songs Marilyn Manson does. The song is very dark and errie. The song is similiar to Ghosts as far as the subject matter. In the song MJ asks questions to his audiences. Am I amusing you? Am I confusing you? Am I scary to for you? I think MJ is being condescending and patronizing his critics and his audiences. I love the overall creepy production and how MJ changes his voice throughout the song. He sings very soft in the beginning and then gets more intense throughout the song.

03-23-2014, 09:20 PM	#1394 (permalink)
~~Soulflower~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 2,304	The Blood on the Dance Floor song has a remix that I am going to discuss later

04-01-2014, 12:07 AM	#1395 (permalink)
~~Soulflower~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 2,304	omg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

04-01-2014, 12:14 AM	#1396 (permalink)
~~Soulflower~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 2,304	Breaking News: New Album!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NEW YORK, March 31, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- 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. For the ultimate fan experience, XSCAPE will also be available in a Deluxe Edition, which includes all of the sourced Michael Jackson recordings in their original form. The XSCAPE standard and Deluxe Edition's are available for pre-order beginning April 1 on iTunes.com/MichaelJackson and elsewhere, and available at all retailers worldwide on May 13. XSCAPE is executive produced by Epic Records Chairman and CEO L.A. Reid, who, after an initial mining of Jackson's archives by the Estate, was granted unlimited access to the treasures representing four decades of material on which Jackson had completed his vocals. Reid curated the final list of recordings to deliver to the producers, who retooled the production to add a fresh, contemporary sound that retains Jackson's essence and integrity. It's a process Reid calls "contemporizing. " The album's lead producer, Timbaland was one of a handful of producers Reid believed had the gravitas, depth and range to creatively engage with Jackson's work. Additional producers include global hitmakers Rodney Jerkins, Stargate, Jerome "Jroc" Harmon and John McClain. "Modern music and artistry would look and sound completely different if not for the groundbreaking contributions Michael Jackson gifted to the world," remarked L.A. Reid. "Michael left behind some musical performances that we take great pride in presenting through the vision of music producers that he either worked directly with or expressed strong desire to work with. We are extremely proud and honored to present this music to the world." The title of this album honors Michael's album naming process. He always chose a song from the album to name his projects and, beginning with THRILLER, used only one word titles, each with an edgy quality to them. This is true of the new project. Written by Michael Jackson and Jerkins, and produced by Jackson and Jerkins, "Xscape" has further significance in that it is the one track on the album that was 'contemporized' by the producer who recorded it originally in the studio with Michael. John Branca and John McClain, co-executors of the Estate of Michael Jackson said, "Michael was always on the cutting edge and was constantly reaching out to new producers, looking for new sounds. He was always relevant and current. These tracks, in many ways, capture that spirit. We thank L.A. Reid for his vision." XSCAPE is a long awaited collection of exciting new music that will thrill the legions of fans of one of the world's most revered and best-selling artists, as well as attract a whole new generation discovering his artistry for the first time. In conjunction with the release of XSCAPE, Epic / Sony Music will launch an unprecedented global campaign with the One Sony sister companies, Sony Corporation, Sony Mobile Communications, and Sony Network Entertainment International drawing from all of Sony's strengths and consumer reach. "Michael has long been a treasured member of the larger Sony family," said Kazuo Hirai, President and CEO, Sony Corporation. "Starting with the release of 'Off The Wall' in 1979, Sony Music Entertainment has since released all of Michael's recordings. We are thrilled and privileged to be collaborating as One Sony to celebrate Michael's latest legacy, and bringing his fans an exclusive experience through our upcoming initiatives with our products and services." More news about Michael Jackson's upcoming album will be revealed in the coming weeks. Keep visiting Michael Jackson \| The Official Michael Jackson Site for new details. ABOUT MICHAEL JACKSON: Michael Jackson is one of the most beloved entertainers and profoundly influential artists of all-time. He was also a dedicated philanthropist and an astute business professional. To date Jackson has sold 1 billion records worldwide, released 13 No.1 singles 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. 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. Jackson defined the art form of music video with such ground-breaking short films as "Billie Jean," "Beat It" and the classic "Thriller," which in 2009 became the first and only music video inducted into the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress. In his short films "Black or White", "They Don't Care About Us", "Bad and "Smooth Criminal" and others, Jackson set an aesthetic standard for video production that remains unsurpassed even today. The Estate of Michael Jackson and Cirque du Soleil have produced two top shows: Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour is the #9 top grossing tour of all time; and MICHAEL JACKSON ONE, a new permanent show at Mandalay Bay Las Vegas, which is breaking box office records and receiving critical raves. Jackson's sound, style and dance moves continue to inspire today's performers and new generations of fans worldwide continue to discover his artistry. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-relea...253182181.html From the Official Michael Jackson website: March 31, 2014 It was announced today that on May 13th Epic Records, in conjunction with the Estate of Michael Jackson, will release XSCAPE, an album of new music by the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. XSCAPE is executive produced by Epic Records Chairman and CEO L.A. Reid. After mining by the Estate of Jackson’s archives, Reid was granted unlimited access to the treasures spanning four decades of material on which Jackson had completed his vocals. Reid then teamed up top producers to “contemporize” the songs while retaining Jackson’s essence and integrity, creating the best music you’ve never heard. The list of producers include global hitmakers Timbaland, Rodney Jerkins, Stargate and John McClain. The new album will feature eight brand new recordings. A Deluxe Edition of XSCAPE will include a selection of the recordings in their original form. Both the standard and Deluxe Editions are available April 1st for pre-order on iTunes (Smarturl.it/xscape) and elsewhere. The title of this album honors Michael’s album naming process. He always chose a song from the album to name his projects and, beginning with THRILLER, used only one word titles, each with an edgy quality to them. This is true of the new project. John Branca and John McClain, co-executors of the Estate of Michael Jackson said, “Michael was always on the cutting edge and was constantly reaching out to new producers, looking for new sounds. He was always relevant and current. These tracks, in many ways, capture that spirit. We thank L.A. Reid for his vision.” http://www.michaeljackson.com/us/new...oming-may-13th

04-01-2014, 03:48 AM	#1398 (permalink)
~~Cuthbert~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Black Country Posts: 8,827	Is that Kate Bush in that gif? Posthumous albums are difficult for me to get excited about, from any artist, purely because I've never heard one that feels cohesive or genuine. Will pay attention to this and may listen depending on what the final TL is saying.