The latest albums making noise
There’s obvious logic to the phrase “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” but that apparently wasn’t evident to whoever green-lighted Michael Jackson’s Thriller: 25th Anniversary Edition. As the best-selling album of all time and one that was recently “inducted” into the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry, it seems unimaginable that anyone would have the audacity to touch this masterpiece.
Perhaps, though, this doesn’t come as a surprise given who contributed to the remixes. “The Girl Is Mine (2008 Remix)” features will.i.am in a back-and-forth with Jackson that finds him simply repeating “she likes the way I rock” and “she mine” to the point of just being annoying. Somehow will.i.am redeems himself on “P.Y.T. (2008 Remix),” a smooth, uptempo version that’s much slower than the original, but sexier, laid-back and easy to groove to. Will.i.am.’s further chanting and verse, however, the song could do without.
“Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ (2008 Remix)” features Akon, though one has to question why, considering his lyrics address “startin’ somethin’” with a young woman he meets on the street, while Jackson talks about starting rumors and fights. The conflicting lyrics aren’t the only things that don’t connect on this track, as Jackson’s re-recorded voice (guessing here) seems unable to catch up with the speed of the song’s tempo and Akon’s delivery.
The 2008 remix of “Beat It” showcases Jackson sharing verses with Fergie, and though the melody remains true to the original, one can’t help but feel something is missing by not having Jackson handle the song by himself. On Kanye West’s reinterpretation of “Billie Jean,” the rapper is for the most part absent as MJ sings over a bass-heavy melody that doesn’t stray too far outside the lines of the original’s composition, but like “Beat It,” doesn’t feel natural. The set’s saving grace is “For All Time,” a cut that sounds as if it were recorded ― and it probably was ― during the Thriller sessions.
While it’s respectable to pay homage to one of the most memorable albums of all time, listeners are instead greeted with mismatched pairings of today’s singers and rappers, and a 1982-voiced Michael Jackson. Where Thriller has a timeless sound and quality to it, nearly everything new on the remixed edition sounds dated and forgettable. It’s challenging to reinterpret an album that is a favorite to so many, just as it is for fans to open their ears to the idea of hearing these songs in new ways, but the effort on the part of the contributors fails to even challenge their stubbornness let alone expect them to accept it.
Track List:
1. “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’”
2. “Baby Be Mine”
3. “The Girl Is Mine” with Paul McCartney
4. “Thriller”
5. “Beat It”
6. “Billie Jean”
7. “Human Nature”
8. “P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)”
9. “The Lady in My Life”
10. “Excerpt from Thriller Voiceover Session” featuring Vincent Price
11. “The Girl is Mine (2008 Remix)” with will.i.am
12. “P.Y.T. (2008 Remix)” with will.i.am
13. “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ (2008 Remix)” with Akon
14. “Beat It (2008 Remix)” with Fergie
15. “Billie Jean (2008 Kanye West Remix)”
16. "For All Time"
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