Despite Criticisms, New Michael Jackson Album Impressive

CLEVELAND - Anytime an artist of any kind is unable to finish a project of their own creating by virtue of their unexpected death, there's always a sense of what might have been mixed with a lot of frustration. Michael Jackson is now the latest creative genius this has happened to.

But the results, though not perfect, actually impress.

Today marks the release of Jackson's first full album of "new" material in nine years. Entitled Michael, the album has received the predicted amount of criticism, bashing and unacceptance by many in the media and more than a few fans, many of whom question if it's actually MJ's voice on the recordings or a bootleg impersonator. However, after a few careful listens, I can say with great confidence that it's indeed Michael...assisted (necessarily) by savvy studio production here and there, which surprisingly doesn't overshadow the soaring beauty of his vocals.

Of course, MJ was shockingly taken from us (his multi-millions of devoted fans) 18 months ago, so this album isn't truly Michael. He was famous for being a meticulous perfectionist with his art, so the cut-n-paste nature of this latest offering would surely gain his ire. That fact is sort of besides the point when evaluating this record. Comprised of 10 different songs recorded over a 28 year period, Michael has a few notable moments. The Akon duet "Hold My Hand" is a beautiful and uplifting song and finds MJ in excellent voice.

The cautionary tale "Hollywood Tonight" is also better than expected. "Keep Your Head Up" sounds a lot like the anthemic style songs from Jackson's 1991 album Dangerous but is still a great listen. On "(I Like) The Way You  Love Me," Michael's voice is pure elegance, his vocal delivery as soft as silk. "Monster," a track featuring 50 Cent is boisterous and aggressive and actually works well sandwiched between the ballads and slow tempo tracks.

Maybe my favorite track of all is "Behind the Mask," which was allegedly recorded during Michael's legendary Thriller era prime of the early 1980's. Whatever the case, it's an excellent track.

Yes, Michael made far better albums in his career than this, but understand that his two best, Off the Wall and Thriller were made before he'd set an impossible standard of greatness and unprecedented success for himself. Anything he made post 1983 would never be able to scale such a high and slippery mountain. Also, it must be remembered that the tracks on this new album were things he either purposely rejected many years ago or things that were still works in progress at the time of his death.

He didn't release this. His estate did.

When those factors are considered, it becomes a must to crown the new album as not only a success, but a delicious treat for his endless array of fans around the world who are grinning from ear to ear and dancing in the streets at the opportunity to hear our beloved hero one more time singing with that beautiful and indelible voice.

Much love, Michael.

West's Genius Dominates New LP

CLEVELAND - For all of his headline grabbing insolence, his occasionally detestable behavior and an ever-increasingly polarizing reputation, Kanye West remains both a music maven and a cultural phenomenon.

Latest evidence: his new album.

That's right. West's 5th solo LP, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy made its much anticipated debut this week and gained almost universal praise from fans and critics alike. Not only has his writing skills evolved to the point of his lyrics often being choke full of thought provoking relevance, but his production skills continue to ascend. The net result is a brilliantly polished opus long on innovation as well as substance.

The most fascinating thing about the album is West's intuitive ability to blend an enormous ego with a healthy offering of self-examination. He is both psycho-therapist and patient on this record and the balance makes for a greater realization of the man's genius.

After a tempestuous year that saw his already complicated public profile absorb damaging hits, it speaks to his resilience and immense gifts that he's re-emerged better than ever. The album's stand out track, "Runaway" greatly epitomizes his tapestry of musical excellence juxtaposed with his predilection for "being a jerk."

Forget Jay-Z, the hip-hop legend most responsible for Kanye's initial public popularity a decade ago. Forget Taylor Swift, the doe-eyed country music star who was famously disrespected by West at an awards show last year. And forget Kanye himself when he's in "douchebag mode." Instead, remember Kanye West the budding legend and hip-hop innovator. That person more than any of the others is the true sight to behold and the one we should all direct our attention to.

Seriously.

Eminem Masterful and Dominant On 'Recovery' LP

CLEVELAND - Eminem exploded onto the music scene in 1999 like a meteorite engulfed in flames. His skills were undeniable and his popularity was stunning. Then he lost his focus and as a result, it undermined his unmatched brilliance for years.

Folks, the brilliance has returned.

Eminem, the famous moniker of Marshall Mathers releases his 6th major-label album today a full two weeks after it leaked online. Recovery, as it's titled was originally due out tomorrow but instead was moved up a single day to whet the public's appetite for an album that has gotten mostly rave reviews. And it's not just for its content, it's also for Eminem's return to the searing dominance that won him endless praise and critical acclaim a decade ago.

Em opens the album with guns blazing, as he drops clever zingers at Elton John, Michael Vick and the Parkinson's Disease-stricken Michael J. Fox on "Cold Wind Blows." It is instantly apparent that his prodigious lyricism is reborn and he intends to be all business on this LP. His ammunition is in the form of metaphors and one-liners and his trademark smart-alecky wit is razor sharp.

"Talkin' 2 Myself" is an earnest confessional in which Eminem admits his own jealousy of the immense success of Lil' Wayne and Kanye West during the last few years. He also touches on his declining self-esteem (during his nearly five-year absence from the spotlight) as he cleans out his own psychological closet. Admissions of self-loathing, holding a false bravado and enduring writer's block are all stunning because of the sheer brutal honesty of the words, yet riveting because it delves into the psyche of an insecure genius.

He even disavows his previous two albums, both of which were considered lackluster by fans and critics yet they both still went multi-platinum.

"On Fire" once again puts Em's phenomenal skills on center stage. His lyrical dexterity is flawless as is his biting wit. Listening to this track reminded me that he's always been masterful at composing tongue-twisting, multi-syllabic rhymes about inane and preposterous things.

"Won't Back Down" is a surprising collaboration with pop-star Pink, ironic because Em made a career out of insulting pop stars. But if ever there was an appropriate pairing of him with a pop star, this is it. Both Em and Pink have cultivated defiant, fearless personas with non-conformist attitudes. They come off like two renegades declaring their toughness in the face of critics and anyone else turned off by them.

"W.T.P." harkens back to Em's early albums which usually featured a light-toned, party track. It's a silly song, but it's also more lyrical than its similarly themed predecessors.

"Going Through Changes" is another brutally honest confessional. Em discusses everything from his murdered friend Proof to drug dealers being at his beck and call during his heavy drug abuse period. He talks about how immense fame has isolated him and admits that he acts "high and mighty" while he's really "dyin'" on the inside. The powerful song also features Em saying that the "only thing [he] fears is [his daughter] Hailie."

"Not Afraid" is the album's lead single. Uplifting and potentially transformative, it's also an unusual first single for an Eminem album. In it, he disses his own 2009 album Relapse and acknowledges that he may have overused the strange accent with which he littered the LP (and also annoyed many fans with). He also apologizes to his fanbase for essentially putting out subpar material the last few years. One complaint I have about this song and various other points during the album; Em's unusual use of metaphors at times seem forced and unnatural. Still, they are very effective in some cases.

"Seduction" is an R&B-style track. Em is cast as a smooth playa' cum ladies man. He unleashes a torrent of rhymes while extolling his prowess as a chick magnet (mostly due to his rhyming skills).

"No Love" could be considered the album's centerpiece. It's a delicious collaboration with Lil' Wayne and is maybe the best Eminem collab since he teamed up with Jay-Z for 2001's "Renegade." Here, Wayne authors a pitch-perfect lyrical masterpiece delivered in his trademark methodical drawl. He certainly paints a dramatic picture: "Married to the game, but she broke her vows. That's why my bars, are full of broken bottles..and my night stands, are full of open bibles." Also: "been to hell and back, I can show you vouchers" and "I'm stickin' to the script, you niggas skippin' scenes." The hook, a re-working of a familiar, early '90's pop hit merges Wayne's verse with Em's rapid, machine gun delivery. Em drops such zingers as "get these wack cocksuckers off stage, where the fuck is Kanye when you need him?" Awesome track that just happens to join two of the most acclaimed and popular figures in the genre's history.

On "Cinderella Man," Eminem once again bad mouths Relapse, saying "fuck my last CD, that shit's in the trash." The song feels like a pep rally for him and his resiliency in the face of his much publicized, former drug addiction. Em is full of swagger on this track, but it's effective because he admits to artistic missteps, especially with lines like, "mediocrity can no longer fly."

"25 to Life" is a concept song in which Em portrays the hip-hop game as a metaphor for a committed relationship. He's dedicated more than "half [his] life" to that relationship and feels under-appreciated despite his tireless dedication to it.

"So Bad" is, from the very start an obvious Dr. Dre-produced track. It's also a reminder that the legendary producer is mostly absent from this album, uncharacteristic for an Eminem set. This song is a great example of how much Eminem vacillates between humble self-loathing and cocky braggadocio from song to song and even verse to verse.

"Almost Famous" is another punchline filled, lyrical roller coaster as Eminem name drops everyone from David Carradine to Verne Troyer and Sean Hannity.

"Love The Way You Lie" features another surprising pop star choice; Rihanna. Her feathery voice punctuates the catchy track with a silky and beautifully crooned hook. Em meanwhile, seems to wistfully recall his complicated relationship with his ex-wife Kim. Rihanna's voice is so good, so sugary to the ear that the sad surrender of her words are not immediately obvious. Em sounds remorseful throughout for bad decisions he made in his past relationship until the very end of his verse when his devious, sociopathic alter-ego Slim Shady emerges with a closing threat to set [Kim's] house on fire with her in it.

"You're Never Over" is a spirited tribute to Proof, celebrating him as his guardian angel.

A bonus track called, "Untitled" is actually one of the best on the album. It's three minutes of Eminem spitting an impossible series of rhymes, metaphors and punchlines with awesome precision.

All in all, I am highly impressed with this album. Eminem's first three albums are considered classics, yet beginning with 2004's Encore, he's been criticized as having "lost his greatness." Though I liked Relapse, this new album blows that one out of the water. Eminem hasn't sounded this fresh, crisp or driven since 2002's The Eminem Show. And dare I say it, but Recovery is not only an instant classic, but might be just as brilliant as his earlier strokes of genius. The fact that I specifically discussed all but one song says a lot.

The real Marshall Mathers has finally stood up!

'We Are The World' Remix: Well-Intended Garbage

CLEVELAND - Thanks to the presence of Michael Jackson and a catchy track, I was a huge fan of the hit single "We Are The World" when it debuted in early 1985. With the brand new "re-imagining" of the altruistic tune being released last Friday, I took on a natural curiosity.

It's nice, but pales next to the original.

Inspired by the devastating earthquake in Haiti last month, approximately 85 of the planet's most popular musicians assembled in a Los Angeles recording studio a couple weeks ago to recreate the legendary original. Of course, the new version is highly updated and features a hip-hop flavor, something that the original lacked due to the nascent status of the genre at the time.

While the effort and the idea are well intended, the project calls attention to itself in a negative way. The original anthem felt historic from the get-go and now, 25 years later, has grown in scope. It was a cultural touchstone of legendary talent and boasted a litany of A-list icons. Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan and Ray Charles were seminal forces in the music industry with each having had or was having a groundbreaking career. Lionel Richie, Bruce Springsteen, Smokey Robinson and Harry Belafonte were nearly as accomplished and revered and producer/composer Quincy Jones was the genius behind it all.

Of course, Jackson and Richie wrote the song and were almost without question the biggest stars in the music industry at the time. The 40-plus musicians were dubbed "USA for Africa" and the charity single was meant to raise money and bring awareness to the widespread famine in Ethiopia. It become a wildly profitable and popular song and gained a reputation of being a magical moment in time with the convergence of such talent unified for a great cause.

The "new" song, "We are the World-25 for Haiti" boasts the same arrangement as the original and is once again overseen by Quincy Jones. Richie and Haitian native and musician Wyclef Jean also serve as producers. A new music video debuted in tandem with the song, and features a similar aesthetic to the original. Dozens of recording artists are grouped together while singing the anthem and images of Haiti play on screens behind them.

Looking at the new group of stars, it is hard not to laugh at the obscure nature of some of them. Sure, there are still a few legends such as Tony Bennett,Gladys Knight and Barbara Streisand, but nobodies like Justin Bieber and Josh Groban is a taint to the song's legacy. Even the super popular Jonas Brothers seem like a ridiculous choice. I can live with certain choices like Pink and Akon, but Miley Cyrus and Bizzy Bone? The huge number of rap artists are gratuitous and misplaced. In spite of it all, the song plays surprisingly well because it's so close to the original, but the rap parts stick out like a sore thumb, except Kanye West's part which I felt was excellent and fit well.

T-Pain's participation made the entire thing feel like a bad practical joke.

I applaud choices like Jennifer Hudson and Adam Levine, and I appreciate the splicing together of footage of Michael Jackson's singing parts from '85 and assembling them with sister Janet's new vocals. Believe me, if MJ were alive, he'd be the first person to lend his artistry and money to this cause.

I can't help but scratch my head at a few glaring absences from the song. While I'm okay with flavor-of-the-moment Taylor Swift not being there, I would like to have seen some of the true stars of today involved. Beyonce, Alicia Keys, Jay-Z and even legends like Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston.

They would have been far better choices than unproven newcomers like Drake and Kid Cudi.

At the end of the day, I hope the new song raises a lot of money for the Haitian victims. But in the meantime, the folks in charge of our entertainment should actually do better research.

Plenty of real superstars would have been included if they had.