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Post by MattyJam on Nov 27, 2023 8:50:14 GMT
1. Unbreakable - Great opener, full of sass and bravado, the most HIStory sounding track on the album. MJ sounds like he means every word, the rap is perfectly placed and all in all, it's probably the coolest sounding song on Invincible. 9/10
2. Heartbreaker - Just a really fun track. So much going on, could do without Fats, but it's a minor gripe. The middle eight section is divine, probably the best musical moment on the entire record. Love all the beatbox stuff at the end. 8/10
3. Invincible - A step down from the first two tracks, not a bad song but overall sounds like a less inspired re-write of Unbreakable. Despite this, there's a few things I enjoy about it, his gritty adlibs over the last few choruses sound awesome, the "he can't do it like me" pre-chorus section is cool and the rap isn't awful. I dislike how the middle-eight copies the one from Unbreakable ("su-posed-to-do-for-you-ma-baby"/"I'm-un-break-able"). Final gripe: the mechanical production sounds like Dangerous 10 years too late. 5.5/10
4. Break of Dawn - This section of the album, namely tracks 4-8, remain the heart of Invincible for me. Exquisitely produced and performed, this song could've fit right in on side 2 of either Off The Wall or Thriller. It has a lightness and sensuality that harken back to simpler times with songs like I Can't Help It or Lady In My Life. 8/10
5. Heaven Can Wait - YES, YES, YES!! Love this one. From the opening notes, it sounds so ethereal and dreamlike. A lot differs from the writers demo if you pay close enough attention. The string arrangement MJ/Teddy added is luscious, it really took my breath away when I first heard it. His vocals on the second verse and bridge section really take the listener to church. And the "leave us alone, just leave us alone" outro section was added by MJ/Teddy as it doesn't appear to feature on the original writers demo and closes the song out with a sense of vulnerability, his voice sounding so tender, like a deer in the headlights as he changes the final line to "just leave ME alone". 9/10
6. You Rock My World - A total bop. Manages to sound like both vintage MJ and vintage Darkchild at the same time. Great piano hook and shuffling beat which is impossible to sit still to. An obvious single choice although perhaps not the most inspired choice for lead single. But fits in beautifully on Number Ones amongst all the other classics. 10/10
7. Butterflies - Lovely jazzy chord voicings and a simple production provide the backdrop to MJs finest vocal performance on the album. Not much to say other than this song is a total vibe. Love the horns on the chorus and the scatting at the end of the song. Again, I could imagine this on side 2 of OTW. 8/10
8. Speechless - The albums centrepiece, perfectly placed on the tracklist. A song best enjoyed when you can find time to be alone, sit in a quiet place and really appreciate its beauty and spirituality. Possibly the greatest ballad of his adult solo career, the song is the kind of track only MJ could write. Structurally it is all over the place and I love how it defies the laws of traditional verse/chorus/verse/chorus/bridge/chorus songwriting. If you look at it closely, we have Acapella intro/chorus/verse/bridge/chorus/verse/bridge/chorus/acapella outro. Mad stuff but truly beautiful. 10/10
9. 2000 Watts - Love this one. So different for MJ, but he does this futuristic sound so well and it still sounds great in 2024. I always wished this had been the lead single for Invincible. This is the song on the album that most needed a visual accompaniment to really fulfill its potential. A Hype Williams produced music video for this song would've elevated it to a different level.
I kinda see this song in the same way I see something like The Knowledge or Throb by Janet, a fun jam to dance to. Still listen to it regularly, imagining MJ popping and locking to it. 9/10
10. You Are My Life - Anyone who knows me well knows I'm a sucker for a Babyface ballad, so this one ticks all the boxes for me. The strings at the climax of this song really lift it to another dimension and vocally, I feel this one is underrated. Listen to his intonation on the verses, especially lines like "and I'm, I'm a better man", he sounds utterly sincere and vulnerable. Michael Jackson never lost his ability to emote the fuck out of a song. And then his adlibs at the end? Church. 8/10
11. Privacy - Co-written by the same guy who gave us WYWTOM (Bernard Belle) and I think you can hear it. It works well enough and for those who bemoan MJs lack of songwriting on the album, I definitely believe he single-handedly wrote verse 2 of this song, talking about the death of Princess Diana. Snarling and pissed off, it's nothing new for MJ, nor does it try to be. It's better than it's given credit for imo. 7.5/10
12. Don't Walk Away - For the longest time this track did absolutely nothing for me. It's grown on me a little over the years, I appreciate how it's pretty much the antithesis of what you expect from a Michael Jackson ballad; understated, no key changes or choirs, just a gentle R&B ballad. But at this point in the record it does feel like one ballad too many. 6/10
13. Cry - I'm a fan of all the MJ/R Kelly tracks, so I like this, plus I'm a sucker for a bit of faux-gospel. Yes, it's a retread of MITM, but then so was Keep The Faith. I think it has a real warmth to it and could've potentially worked as a single later on down the line with a better video. MJ programmed the drums for this too, which I think you can hear as it's totally his style. 8/10
14. The Lost Children - Musically, it's like a cousin to Heal The World, similar sounding synths and keys. Would've made a great Christmas single prior to 1993. Again, like Speechless, a song only MJ could pull off. I especially love the way this song closes, with the soundbites of children playing and then nightime creeping in and the little boy saying "it's getting dark, I think we better go home now." Sounds like it would segue brilliant into the opening bars of Threatened, although perhaps that would've been an ill-advised idea lol. Beautiful track. 9/10
15. Whatever Happens - I can't help but feel that in an alternate universe this would've been number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks. Yes, another undeserved songwriting credit, but listening to the writers demo, you can't deny that MJ did with this what he did with Man In The Mirror (eg, the song without him is good, but with him is great). He sang the fuck out of this and the instrumental is a massive upgrade from the demo. 9/10
16. Threatened - A great album closer, quirky and funky in equal measures. His most fun paranormal song since Thriller (Ghosts and IIS being more thinly-veiled metaphors for his own personal angst), it works brilliantly with the Rod Serling spoken-word intro and rap. A fantastic idea from MJ and brilliantly executed by Rodney Jerkins. 8/10
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Post by Deleted on Nov 27, 2023 9:57:35 GMT
1. Unbreakable - Great opener, full of sass and bravado, the most HIStory sounding track on the album. MJ sounds like he means every word, the rap is perfectly placed and all in all, it's probably the coolest sounding song on Invincible. 9/10 2. Heartbreaker - Just a really fun track. So much going on, could do without Fats, but it's a minor gripe. The middle eight section is divine, probably the best musical moment on the entire record. Love all the beatbox stuff at the end. 8/10 3. Invincible - A step down from the first two tracks, not a bad song but overall sounds like a less inspired re-write of Unbreakable. Despite this, there's a few things I enjoy about it, his gritty adlibs over the last few choruses sound awesome, the "he can't do it like me" pre-chorus section is cool and the rap isn't awful. I dislike how the middle-eight copies the one from Unbreakable ("su-posed-to-do-for-you-ma-baby"/"I'm-un-break-able"). Final gripe: the mechanical production sounds like Dangerous 10 years too late. 5.5/10 4. Break of Dawn - This section of the album, namely tracks 4-8, remain the heart of Invincible for me. Exquisitely produced and performed, this song could've fit right in on side 2 of either Off The Wall or Thriller. It has a lightness and sensuality that harken back to simpler times with songs like I Can't Help It or Lady In My Life. 8/10 5. Heaven Can Wait - YES, YES, YES!! Love this one. From the opening notes, it sounds so ethereal and dreamlike. A lot differs from the writers demo if you pay close enough attention. The string arrangement MJ/Teddy added is luscious, it really took my breath away when I first heard it. His vocals on the second verse and bridge section really take the listener to church. And the "leave us alone, just leave us alone" outro section was added by MJ/Teddy as it doesn't appear to feature on the original writers demo and closes the song out with a sense of vulnerability, his voice sounding so tender, like a deer in the headlights as he changes the final line to "just leave ME alone". 9/10 6. You Rock My World - A total bop. Manages to sound like both vintage MJ and vintage Darkchild at the same time. Great piano hook and shuffling beat which is impossible to sit still to. An obvious single choice although perhaps not the most inspired choice for lead single. But fits in beautifully on Number Ones amongst all the other classics. 10/10 7. Butterflies - Lovely jazzy chord voicings and a simple production provide the backdrop to MJs finest vocal performance on the album. Not much to say other than this song is a total vibe. Love the horns on the chorus and the scatting at the end of the song. Again, I could imagine this on side 2 of OTW. 8/10 8. Speechless - The albums centrepiece, perfectly placed on the tracklist. A song best enjoyed when you can find time to be alone, sit in a quiet place and really appreciate its beauty and spirituality. Possibly the greatest ballad of his adult solo career, the song is the kind of track only MJ could write. Structurally it is all over the place and I love how it defies the laws of traditional verse/chorus/verse/chorus/bridge/chorus songwriting. If you look at it closely, we have Acapella intro/chorus/verse/bridge/chorus/verse/bridge/chorus/acapella outro. Mad stuff but truly beautiful. 10/10 9. 2000 Watts - An interesting track, ironically sounding the most "of-its-time" despite its futuristic intentions. I see this song in the same way I see something like The Knowledge or Throb by Janet, a fun jam to dance to. This is the song on the album that most needed a visual accompaniment to really fulfill its potential. A Hype Williams produced music video for this song would've elevated it to a different level. Still fun to listen to from time to time, imagining MJ popping and locking to it. 7/10 10. You Are My Life - Anyone who knows me well knows I'm a sucker for a Babyface ballad, so this one ticks all the boxes for me. The strings at the climax of this song really lift it to another dimension and vocally, I feel this one is underrated. Listen to his intonation on the verses, especially lines like "and I'm, I'm a better man", he sounds utterly sincere and vulnerable. Michael Jackson never lost his ability to emote the fuck out of a song. And then his adlibs at the end? Church. 8/10 11. Privacy - Co-written by the same guy who gave us WYWTOM (Bernard Belle) and I think you can hear it. It works well enough and for those who bemoan MJs lack of songwriting on the album, I definitely believe he single-handedly wrote verse 2 of this song, talking about the death of Princess Diana. The solo could be better, should've actually got Slash rather than some session guy filling in, which was obviously just a placeholder. It's better than it's given credit for imo. 6.5/10 12. Don't Walk Away - For the longest time this track did absolutely nothing for me. It's grown on me a little over the years, I appreciate how it's pretty much the antithesis of what you expect from a Michael Jackson ballad; understated, no key changes or choirs, just a gentle R&B ballad. But at this point in the record it does feel like one ballad too many. 6/10 13. Cry - I'm a fan of all the MJ/R Kelly tracks, so I like this, plus I'm a sucker for a bit of faux-gospel. Yes, it's a retread of MITM, but then so was Keep The Faith. I think it has a real warmth to it and could've potentially worked as a single later on down the line with a better video. MJ programmed the drums for this too, which I think you can hear as it's totally his style. 8/10 14. The Lost Children - Musically, it's like a cousin to Heal The World, similar sounding synths and keys. Would've made a great Christmas single prior to 1993. Again, like Speechless, a song only MJ could pull off. I especially love the way this song closes, with the soundbites of children playing and then nightime creeping in and the little boy saying "it's getting dark, I think we better go home now." Sounds like it would segue brilliant into the opening bars of Threatened, although perhaps that would've been an ill-advised idea lol. Beautiful track. 9/10 15. Whatever Happens - I can't help but feel that in an alternate universe this would've been number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks. Yes, another undeserved songwriting credit, but listening to the writers demo, you can't deny that MJ did with this what he did with Man In The Mirror (eg, the song without him is good, but with him is great). He sang the fuck out of this and the instrumental is a massive upgrade from the demo. 9/10 16. Threatened - A great album closer, quirky and funky in equal measures. His most fun paranormal song since Thriller (Ghosts and IIS being more thinly-veiled metaphors for his own personal angst), it works brilliantly with the Rod Serling spoken-word intro and rap. A fantastic idea from MJ and brilliantly executed by Rodney Jerkins. 8/10 Great write up Matty. I don't think mine will be the bloodbath you expect if I'm honest, but I enjoyed reading how you hear each song. |
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Post by mjjfan810 on Nov 27, 2023 12:30:58 GMT
I love these kind of threads Matty, keep em coming.
Here's my take:
Unbreakable
A good opener, but not a spectacular one and a bit overhyped by fans. Better than Jam (what isn't?), but not as good as Scream or the 70s/80s album openers. Kinda gives me Bad-esque vibes (the song). Eg, MJ trying to sound tough in 2001, like he was in 87 on the title track. Arguably he pulls it off more convincingly here, but Bad is the better song. 7/10
Heartbreaker
Trash. Sorry to be so dismissive but I really hate this song. Production-wise, it is everything I loathed about modern pop music of the early 00s, when producers like Timbaland and The Neptunes started making generic R&B for everybody and all individuality was sucked out of every artist. I'll give it 3 for effort. 3/10
Invincible
Decent but not anything to write home about. And yes, too similar to Unbreakable to justify its placement on the album. If Al Capone couldn't be on Bad with Smooth Criminal then this definitely shouldn't be allowed on the same album as Unbreakable imo. 5/10
Break of Dawn
I remember listening to this for the first time and as soon as the first few bars came in it had me hooked. That chorus kicked in and I was like, dayum, this man can SANG. Toward the end when it's just him, the percussion, and the bass all mellow, oh LORD. Remains my favourite on the album. 10/10
Heaven Can Wait
I dig this too. It's not one I play a lot, but I always wonder why when it does come on as it's a fine song which he sounds great on. Could've imagined this being a big hit on R&B stations if promoted right. 8/10
You Rock My World
Definitely the best up-tempo on the album, which is where the album struggles at times. But not on this one, which is kind of a throwback to old-school Michael, in the best possible way. Am glad for the Darkchild/MJ hook-up just for this song alone. 9/10
Butterflies
His melisma in this song is unreal. His runs at the end are flawless. Amazing musicianship. And Marsha did her thing, in the background too! Definitely a top 3 Invincible track and one I still listen to regularly today. 9/10
Speechless
A beautiful ballad, but I'm not quite sure I'd say his greatest like Matty before me. To be honest, it's not one I go to play an awful lot, but there's no denying it's well-written, beautifully sung and inspired. 8/10
2000 Watts
Worst song on the album for me, and quite possibly the worst song he ever recorded. Generic crap and totally beneath him. 0/10
You Are My Life
I can dig this, it's a little too saccharine at times, but it's about his kids, so I give him a pass. 6/10
Privacy
I don't hate it, I don't love it, it's just sort of there. I can groove to it if I'm in the mood, but it's fairly ordinary for me. 5/10
Don't Walk Away
I like this one a lot. It always reminds me of his ballads from The Jacksons/Motown solo era, which is a good thing. And I like that he doesn't oversing it too. 7/10
Cry
I really love this song, which I know is a fairly unpopular opinion within the fanbase. I think this was the second to be evicted in the survivor threads, which was totally undeserved. Some of the lyrics are a bit trite, but the message is sincere and you can tell MJ is feeling it. 8/10
The Lost Children
Another divisive one, which I happen to love. It's a very charming song, about a subject matter which nobody else seems to want to shine a light on. I don't get why this one is so unpopular with the fans, as it's so MJ. 9/10
Whatever Happens
Top 5 song on the album, for real. I believe this won the survivor thread and I can see why. It's possibly the most epic, story-telling song on the album and those songs are always popular with the fans. I love how aggressive he gets with his vocals towards the end of this song. 9/10
Threatened
I like this, but I don't love it. It's more a song where I can appreciate the work that went into it, but doesn't really get my motor running. A fairly underwhelming ending to the record for me. 6/10
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Post by Cloudbuster on Nov 27, 2023 16:48:45 GMT
Probably still my favourite of his. Cheers Mike. x
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Post by butterflies2 on Nov 27, 2023 17:24:06 GMT
Unbreakable-I love the piano hook and the bridge. The lyrics are relatable too and for awhile this song was my empowerment anthem (8/10)
Heartbreaker-love this, especially the bridge, but also feel like it was a timbaland sounding song like his work with ginuwine. I like the sound effects in the end too (8/10)
Invincible-this song doesn’t do much for me, it’s kind of redundant but I like the bridge and adlibs at the end (7/10)
Break of dawn-I love the melody and vocals, very smooth. Could have been on Thriller (8/10)
Heaven Can Wait-another pretty ballad, though I also feel it’s cookie cutter r&b of that time (7/10)
You rock my world-great melody, hook and harmonies. This was the perfect choice as a first single (10/10)
Butterflies-a homage to the off the wall sound, so beautiful and creamy with the tinkling pianos and horns (10/10)
Speechless-a pretty ballad with a nice melody and so pure (7/10)
2000 watts-love the beat, special effects and tour sounding vocals. Should have been a single, I remember seeing a dance performance with this song at an event in 2004 (9/10)
You are my life-I know he said it’s about his children but it’s one of mj and babyfaces most lazy song and feels like filler (6/10)
Privacy-the production is well done and one can feel the anger in his vocals (7/10)
Don’t walk away-this one is an on again off again favourite. It’s emotional but I don’t always have the bandwidth to listen to it (6/10)
Cry-a well written song with so much emotion. I wish it was more successful when released (10/10)
Lost children-a sweet song with a great melody and hook, just like mj to care for the welfare of vulnerable children (8/10)
Whatever happens-this would have been a hit! I think it may be one of his best ever. Great melody, lyrics and guitar! (10/10)
Threatened-good melody and beat, it’s so vintage mj. I like the special effects on his voice too towards the end (8/10)
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TonyR
The Legend Continues
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Post by TonyR on Nov 27, 2023 17:32:40 GMT
Unbreakable-I love the piano hook and the bridge. The lyrics are relatable too and for awhile this song was my empowerment anthem (8/10) Heartbreaker-love this, especially the bridge, but also feel like it was a timbaland sounding song like his work with ginuwine. I like the sound effects in the end too (8/10) Invincible-this song doesn’t do much for me, it’s kind of redundant but I like the bridge and adlibs at the end (7/10) Break of dawn-I love the melody and vocals, very smooth. Could have been on Thriller (8/10) Heaven Can Wait-another pretty ballad, though I also feel it’s cookie cutter r&b of that time (7/10) You rock my world-great melody, hook and harmonies. This was the perfect choice as a first single (10/10) Butterflies-a homage to the off the wall sound, so beautiful and creamy with the tinkling pianos and horns (10/10) Speechless-a pretty ballad with a nice melody and so pure (7/10) 2000 watts-love the beat, special effects and tour sounding vocals. Should have been a single, I remember seeing a dance performance with this song at an event in 2004 (9/10) You are my life-I know he said it’s about his children but it’s one of mj and babyfaces most lazy song and feels like filler (6/10) Privacy-the production is well done and one can feel the anger in his vocals (7/10) Don’t walk away-this one is an on again off again favourite. It’s emotional but I don’t always have the bandwidth to listen to it (6/10) Cry-a well written song with so much emotion. I wish it was more successful when released (10/10) Lost children-a sweet song with a great melody and hook, just like mj to care for the welfare of vulnerable children (8/10) Whatever happens-this would have been a hit! I think it may be one of his best ever. Great melody, lyrics and guitar! (10/10) Threatened-good melody and beat, it’s so vintage mj. I like the special effects on his voice too towards the end (8/10) Just to check, Cry is on a par with Billie Jean, Who Is It, Smooth Criminal and Earth Song? |
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Post by butterflies2 on Nov 27, 2023 17:54:40 GMT
Maybe! How about that? Those are all better songs though
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TonyR
The Legend Continues
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Post by TonyR on Nov 27, 2023 18:20:36 GMT
Maybe! How about that? Those are all better songs though Sorry to be pedantic. But no!! If those are better then you can't give the same score. I knew this thread would annoy me. |
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Post by butterflies2 on Nov 27, 2023 18:21:49 GMT
Maybe! How about that? Those are all better songs though Sorry to be pedantic. But no!! If those are better then you can't give the same score. I knew this thread would annoy me. I think invincible annoys you |
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TonyR
The Legend Continues
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Post by TonyR on Nov 27, 2023 18:29:31 GMT
Sorry to be pedantic. But no!! If those are better then you can't give the same score. I knew this thread would annoy me. I think invincible annoys you No, but the faux-worship by people making out it's on a par with earlier works does. Enjoy it by all means, but don't pretend it's on a par with earlier works. Don't @ me. |
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Post by butterflies2 on Nov 27, 2023 18:34:04 GMT
Nothing to do with worship, it just resonated well with me at a time when I felt alone so that’s why I have a soft spot for the song
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Post by Deleted on Nov 27, 2023 21:32:24 GMT
Unbreakable - The first time I ever heard an intro to an MJ song and didn't get that warm fuzzy feeling. Good song but the music and production just sounds so weak and plastic. I don't think it's as good as most fans do and certainly don't think that having it as the lead single would have been a better fit than You Rock My World. One of the better songs on the album 8/10
Heartbreaker - I struggle with this song. Again poor plastic sounding production and uninteresting verses. Chorus is similar to the likes of Can't Let Her Get Away but nowhere near as fun. 6/10
Invincible - I like this one more than most, I think. Sounds way too similar to Unbreakable though. And long. The first three songs here really get me off to a bad start. 8/10
Break Of Dawn - The first "aaaaah, Michael Jackson!" moment of the album. Liberian Girl-esque intro, into that old faithful MJ swervy vocal. The "Rock With You" of the album. 9/10
Heaven Can Wait - Never took to this song, and only ever listen on a playthrough. I hate opening a song with a chorus. Sounds like MJ trying to sound like someone else. 6/10
You Rock My World - Classic MJ, and finally what sounds like a song performed by a session band. The music can breathe. Such a great tune. 9/10
Butterflies - One of the best RNB ballads MJ has done. Incredible vocals, and that chorus! Wish it was produced a bit better, and the drums sound way too loud. 9/10
Speechless - Gorgeous. Simple. Classic. A spiritual sequel to You Are Not Alone for me. 10/10
2000 Watts - Chosen over Another Day, We've Had Enough, Xscape etc. 5/10
You Are My Life - This is as good as any of the good ballads MJ did towards the end of his Motown years. This is a bit... I dunno, it never won me over. Shout would have made so much much more sense and helped the album. 6/10
Privacy - The first song I fell in love with when I heard this album. It was classic MJ, angry about stuff. I love it for what it is. 8/10
Don't Walk Away - I always quite liked this, reminds me of the ballads The Jacksons did between 76 and 78. 8/10
Cry - Again, another one that would be a favourite. Pity Robert Kelly is attached to it but whatever. I like it. 8/10
The Lost Children - I appreciate how ballsy it is, and that it was inpsired by a Twilight Zone episode... but I just don't think it's fantastic. Shoddy production hinders it too. If it was recorded with live instruments it would have helped it. 6/10
Whatever Happens - Fantastic song. Just fantastic. I don't quite think this song would have saved the album or lit up the charts, but it's so good. 9/10
Threatened - Another song that took me a while to warm to (because the album already feels so long, and Whatever Happens would have been a better closer) but I appreciate the symbolism. This is the final song in the Michael Jackson canon, and I like it for its underlying positive and supernatural tones. MJ ending on the absurd and theatrical is almost perfect. The "You" in this song could be anything to me. 9/10
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Post by MattyJam on Nov 28, 2023 7:03:01 GMT
Unbreakable - The first time I ever heard an intro to an MJ song and didn't get that warm fuzzy feeling. Good song but the music and production just sounds so weak and plastic. I don't think it's as good as most fans do and certainly don't think that having it as the lead single would have been a better fit than You Rock My World. One of the better songs on the album 9/10 Heartbreaker - I struggle with this song. Again poor plastic sounding production and uninteresting verses. Chorus is similar to the likes of Can't Let Her Get Away but nowhere near as fun. 6/10 Invincible - I like this one more than most, I think. Sounds way too similar to Unbreakable though. And long. The first three songs here really get me off to a bad start. 8/10 Break Of Dawn - The first "aaaaah, Michael Jackson!" moment of the album. Liberian Girl-esque intro, into that old faithful MJ swervy vocal. The "Rock With You" of the album. 9/10 Heaven Can Wait - Never took to this song, and only ever listen on a playthrough. I hate opening a song with a chorus. Sounds like MJ trying to sound like someone else. 6/10 You Rock My World - Classic MJ, and finally what sounds like a song performed by a session band. The music can breathe. Such a great tune. 9/10 Butterflies - One of the best RNB ballads MJ has done. Incredible vocals, and that chorus! Wish it was produced a bit better, and the drums sound way too loud. 9/10 Speechless - Gorgeous. Simple. Classic. A spiritual sequel to You Are Not Alone for me. 10/10 2000 Watts - Chosen over Another Day, We've Had Enough, Xscape etc. 5/10 You Are My Life - This is as good as any of the good ballads MJ did towards the end of his Motown years. This is a bit... I dunno, it never won me over. Shout would have made so much much more sense and helped the album. 6/10 Privacy - The first song I fell in love with when I heard this album. It was classic MJ, angry about stuff. I love it for what it is. 8/10 Don't Walk Away - I always quite liked this, reminds me of the ballads The Jacksons did between 76 and 78. 8/10 Cry - Again, another one that would be a favourite. Pity Robert Kelly is attached to it but whatever. I like it. 8/10 The Lost Children - I appreciate how ballsy it is, and that it was inpsired by a Twilight Zone episode... but I just don't think it's fantastic. Shoddy production hinders it too. If it was recorded with live instruments it would have helped it. 6/10 Whatever Happens - Fantastic song. Just fantastic. I don't quite think this song would have saved the album or lit up the charts, but it's so good. 9/10 Threatened - Another song that took me a while to warm to (because the album already feels so long, and Whatever Happens would have been a better closer) but I appreciate the symbolism. This is the final song in the Michael Jackson canon, and I like it for its underlying positive and supernatural tones. MJ ending on the absurd and theatrical is almost perfect. The "You" in this song could be anything to me. 9/10 You give Unbreakable 9/10 but your review is mostly negative. That's a head scratcher! |
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Post by MattyJam on Nov 28, 2023 7:03:44 GMT
Nothing to do with worship, it just resonated well with me at a time when I felt alone so that’s why I have a soft spot for the song Ignore Tony. He's going through the change. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 28, 2023 7:08:32 GMT
Unbreakable - The first time I ever heard an intro to an MJ song and didn't get that warm fuzzy feeling. Good song but the music and production just sounds so weak and plastic. I don't think it's as good as most fans do and certainly don't think that having it as the lead single would have been a better fit than You Rock My World. One of the better songs on the album 9/10 Heartbreaker - I struggle with this song. Again poor plastic sounding production and uninteresting verses. Chorus is similar to the likes of Can't Let Her Get Away but nowhere near as fun. 6/10 Invincible - I like this one more than most, I think. Sounds way too similar to Unbreakable though. And long. The first three songs here really get me off to a bad start. 8/10 Break Of Dawn - The first "aaaaah, Michael Jackson!" moment of the album. Liberian Girl-esque intro, into that old faithful MJ swervy vocal. The "Rock With You" of the album. 9/10 Heaven Can Wait - Never took to this song, and only ever listen on a playthrough. I hate opening a song with a chorus. Sounds like MJ trying to sound like someone else. 6/10 You Rock My World - Classic MJ, and finally what sounds like a song performed by a session band. The music can breathe. Such a great tune. 9/10 Butterflies - One of the best RNB ballads MJ has done. Incredible vocals, and that chorus! Wish it was produced a bit better, and the drums sound way too loud. 9/10 Speechless - Gorgeous. Simple. Classic. A spiritual sequel to You Are Not Alone for me. 10/10 2000 Watts - Chosen over Another Day, We've Had Enough, Xscape etc. 5/10 You Are My Life - This is as good as any of the good ballads MJ did towards the end of his Motown years. This is a bit... I dunno, it never won me over. Shout would have made so much much more sense and helped the album. 6/10 Privacy - The first song I fell in love with when I heard this album. It was classic MJ, angry about stuff. I love it for what it is. 8/10 Don't Walk Away - I always quite liked this, reminds me of the ballads The Jacksons did between 76 and 78. 8/10 Cry - Again, another one that would be a favourite. Pity Robert Kelly is attached to it but whatever. I like it. 8/10 The Lost Children - I appreciate how ballsy it is, and that it was inpsired by a Twilight Zone episode... but I just don't think it's fantastic. Shoddy production hinders it too. If it was recorded with live instruments it would have helped it. 6/10 Whatever Happens - Fantastic song. Just fantastic. I don't quite think this song would have saved the album or lit up the charts, but it's so good. 9/10 Threatened - Another song that took me a while to warm to (because the album already feels so long, and Whatever Happens would have been a better closer) but I appreciate the symbolism. This is the final song in the Michael Jackson canon, and I like it for its underlying positive and supernatural tones. MJ ending on the absurd and theatrical is almost perfect. The "You" in this song could be anything to me. 9/10 You give Unbreakable 9/10 but your review is mostly negative. That's a head scratcher! Balls, I meant to give it an 8. I still love it, like. I'll just never forget that original feeling  |
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