| Summary: An exercise in manufactured pop, and the calculation obviously paid off, but the work itself isn't as perfect as the sales would have you believe, confirming what most already knew in that the biggest isn't already the best. |
2 of 2 thought this review was well written
You know the singer (in fact you probably know too much). You know the album. You know the songs, the videos (or probably just THE video), the era, the blitz, the milestones, and now, the legend. But just how good is one of the greatest selling albums of all time? Michael Jackson’s Thriller comes close to all it’s made out to be. Thriller is one slick, exciting pop record. But is it timeless? There are dabbles of its era, but for the most part, and especially (and interestingly but not surprisingly) on the hit songs, the production is spare, lean, and cool. Thriller is not an artful pop record at all, so it can’t really qualify as the best pop record of the 80s (its nowhere near as fascinating as, say, Peter Gabriel’s So or as truly diverse as the Fine Young Cannibals’ Raw & Cooked). Rather, it’s probably as good as pop/disco/R&B gets within the confines of a hit-radio mentality, i.e. it’s a very blatantly entertaining record for the masses, like a flashy new amusement park ride whose builders did a lot of research (in fact, one of the outtakes, available on a special edition, was the charming “Carousel”). But like any great rollercoaster, there truly are some breathtaking moments on Thriller that you remember for a lifetime. And Jackson amiably attempts to nudge those confines forward a little in his unique style. What also makes Thriller entertaining and refreshing are the nice range of styles and moods, without seeming uneven: The electro-funk of the “P.Y.T.”, the duet “The Girl Is Mine”, the camp-horror sampling of “Thriller”, the hard edged pop-rock of “Beat It”, the soft-rock of “The Lady In My Life”. Jackson also makes use of now-classic guest turns on the album: Paul McCartney on the odd, unnecessary “The Girl Is Mine” and, much more impressively, hard rock god Eddie Van Halen providing searing riffs on “Beat It”. Thriller is so fun and charismatic as a whole because most songs manage to have a slight dance twist to it; at moments the album practically begs its listeners to get up and “dance on the floor in the round.”
The opener “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’” is a generic get-the-party-started number, rather faceless save for a brief, unexpected tribal-mamba acapella near the end. It’s pleasant, but anyone could have done it. “Baby Be Mine” is even more forgettable, sounding like a million other early 80s pop-R&B cuts. “The Girl Is Mine” (does anyone see possession as an emerging theme here?) features an amusing back-and-forth between Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney fighting over a girl. It has better hooks than the first two songs, but it’s a little too awkward and childish to be here. It’s an attempt at old-school lady-loving, but just doesn’t click entirely (especially with flat, embarrassing lyrics like “the doggone girls is mine”). Frankly, Jackson’s talking voice is a little too startlingly soft and feminine to be heard on the record, and Paul McCartney’s presence is just simply obnoxious, as if he invited himself on because he’s a former Beatle.
Fortunately, the next track is the amazingly fun Halloween standard “Thriller”. Ironically, “Thriller” is receiving a bit of a backlash today as being too gimmicky and weighing down the first half of the album. But I couldn’t disagree more. It’s one of the best songs here, with its delicious Vincent Price voice-over and punchy synth-horns. It’s just very catchy and engaging overall. Next, the tough, angular “Beat It” starts off sounding like a mistake, immediately triggering the cheese-alarm with a few grating synthetic gong drones (was it an intentionally false-start?), but Eddie Van Halen’s superb guitar riff kicks in and the song becomes a instant-classic and Jackson trademark. “Beat It” sounds like a typical roll-your-eyes at tough guy number from the 80s, fit for a Schwarzenegger movie, but it’s actually an anti-force anthem, perhaps the greatest flight-not-fight song ever, urging those about to pick a street fight to literally high-tail it out instead of getting hurt. It’s keeping with Jackson’s pacifistic, “I’m a lover not a fighter” image. But man does Jackson sound tense. As another review noted, his best songs are paranoid (his cameo on “Somebody’s Watching Me”, “Leave Me Alone”) and “Beat It” may have very well started that trend.
Perhaps the best song here is the classic (and classy) “Billie Jean”, controversially addressing illegitimacy in the most tasteful way possible. The song owes it success to two factors: Michael Jackson’s excellently expressive and emotive vocal performance, slightly mournful and aggravated but still ultra-cool and composed, and the stunningly elegant production values. Never have street-beats and sudden orchestral swells been so stunningly combined. It’s an unusual topic packaged rather deceptively; in retrospect it’s actually a very serious song, and rather uncomfortably flattering for the narrator to have presumably attractive pregnant women pointing fingers at him. The darkness of “Billie Jean”, then, must also add a little allure. “Human Nature” gently heralds the beginning of the album’s end, with twinkling keyboards and a soothing, pondering chorus line. “Pretty Young Thing” is an empty but typical uptempo funk number. Unfortunately, the slippery synth zip squiggle and robotic vox-box back-ups date it terribly. Jackson then chooses to go out with a whimper with “Lady of My Life”, a dull, saccharine love ballad; but then again he is the King of Pop, and much of pop consists of the slow and mind-numbing. Fortunately, Jackson provides enough interesting cuts beforehand to the contrary.
Thriller isn’t a classic album but an album with a trio of fantastic, classic songs at its core (“Thriller”, “Beat It”, “Billie Jean”). But that only half-explains the album’s astounding success. The other half would be Michael Jackson’s then-ambiguous, easy-going, enigmatic persona, eccentric outfits (Napoleon shoulder pads, the gloves, hat, socks), and impressive stage presence and dancing abilities. It’s the interesting, sexy (in the most platonic way) character Michael Jackson once was that also catapulted this release. Half the product was a few superb pop songs, but the other half was the novelty in owning and experiencing something this creature made. It’s also feel-good historically in that it’s the first breakthrough mainstream album for a solo black artist. Although he prefers Prince-like (or did Prince get it from him…?) quick gasps and faint-sighs, his voice has nice fluid range, being alternately earnest, tender, excitable, and, when the sun goes down, tense, sexual, and aggressive. Thriller is where all of those moods and emotions merge evenly and very entertainingly. It's a snapshot of a young MTV star in his prime. Thrilling indeed.
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Album Rating: 4
Eagles: Their Greatest Hits, 1971–1975- The Eagles
Digging: Kayo Dot - Blue Lambency Downward | | |
break up that there second paragraph chief
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combine all three of your paragraphs
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into one big one
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Go big or go home
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somehow, i expected more reviews for the best selling album of all time....
what the previous dudes said
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thats worldwide.
and everyone knows only America really counts.
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man i have this lying around somewhere... it really is a good album, though.
Digging: Silversun Pickups - Carnavas
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No f*ck this, this is a 5.
Digging: From First to Last - From First To Last | | | Album Rating: 3.5
Aside from your views on "Wanna Be Startin' Something," we are pretty much identical. I was disappointed by most of the songs here. Good review too, I read it all. But I've been procrastinating, so that might be why.
Digging: King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King | | | Album Rating: 5
p.s. Eddie didn't do the riffs here dude just the solo.
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hard rock god Eddie Van Halen providing searing riffs
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This review makes me sad =( The hatin' on PYT makes me cry too :'(
Digging: Organized Konfusion - Organized Konfusion | | | Album Rating: 4.5
Um this kid doesn't know what he's talking about. Absolute pop genius, but I like Off The Wall more.
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im sorry but youre going to have to do something aobut his
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rating is obviously too low, but the review was swell enough.
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p.s. Eddie didn't do the riffs here dude just the solo.
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Steve Lukather (of Toto) performed the bulk of the guitar work. A very underrated guitarist too.
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Although he prefers Prince-like (or did Prince get it from him…?) quick gasps and faint-sighs
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It was probably mutual, and both certainly were heavily influenced by James Brown, Little Richard and others.
Digging: Flobots - Fight With Tools
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Brave review, not too badly written at all.
I disagree on the majority of what you say, I think this really does deserve the status of pop classic.
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Originally Posted by review, on Wanna Be Startin Something
Anyone could have done it.
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True, I guess, but could anyone else have done it so well?
Digging: Santogold - Santogold | | | Album Rating: 3.5
I admit this is pretty good. Glad to get that out in the open.
Digging: Danko Jones - Never Too Loud | | | Album Rating: 4
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I admit this is pretty good. Glad to get that out in the open.
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lol, this isn't really a guilty pleasure Balls. The middle of the album; Thriller, Beat It, and Billie Jean just might be the best middle section of any album ever.
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