New Michael Jackson album announced: Xscape. 8 unreleased songs coming May 13th.

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SegaShack said:
Packaging: Unfortunately the image of that cool looking cover from last week's Walmart ad must have just been an error or some weird placeholder art. Walmart also only had the "softpack (aka cardboard)" version, no jewel case version (even though I 100% know it does exist). I couldn't be bothered to waste my time driving somewhere else just for better packaging.

The packaging looks cool and everything, especially when opened up, but the cardboard is cheap and the glossy material they use is a finger print magnet. It came with a book, poster, and free download code (have no idea what file format they are). I find it funny to include a download code with a CD when you can legally (and most playback programs have an option) just rip the audio from the CD to your computer, no information is lost either. Maybe some people don't know this?

The poster is OK I guess, it is interesting at least. Looks like some weird version of Mike that used a Blood On The Dancefloor music video look as the basis.Better than the front cover art.
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I don't think the jewel case packaging, which lacks the poster, is available in North America.
 
Man, the beat on Do You Know Where Your Children Are is so awesome.
At first I thought it was neat but kinda weird. Not I love it. It feels so... old, but in a good way.
 
Video is meh.

Do you guys like JT? I do actually. In fact he's the only current pop singer that I follow, so I had no qualms with this fake duet... just wish the video turned out better.
 
Mik2121 said:
Man, the beat on Do You Know Where Your Children Are is so awesome.
At first I thought it was neat but kinda weird. Not I love it. It feels so... old, but in a good way.
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It's Man in the Mirror meets Wanna be starting Something. So huge sounding - title is kinda suspect and the lyrics could use some polish but that beat, the passionate delivery, the epic string build and those ad libs - it's like an 80s nostalgia shot straight to the brain. Best track on the album, for me.

It's like a mix of what could have been and was, before the ugly child abuse stuff - when he was untouchable.
 
Been listening to the album all yesterday and today. Great album. Apart from "Blue Gangsta" I've enjoyed all the tracks on it. Shame the album is a bit short but it is nice of them to include the original versions for comparing/contrasting. If Sony had decided to save "Behind the Mask" and "Another Day" for this album it could've been a solid 10 track album IMO. Also, kinda feel the album's a bit disjointed when one track sounds like classic pre-Thriller MJ and the next track is post edgy Dangerous MJ but that's expected to be fair. Still, Xscape is better than "Michael".

My favourite tracks:-

A Place With No Name (Album Version)
Lyrics on "Loving You" and "Slave to the Rhythm" are remarkable.
Xscape (Original Version)
Chicago (Original Version)
Initially disliked the album version of "Do You Know Where Your Children Are" in comparison to the original but it grew on me.
 
my god this review

http://prettymuchamazing.com/reviews/michael-jackson-xscape

Xscape is far from terrible.
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Art and commerce needn’t be enemies. But as Xscape proves, one can easily crush the other. F
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kanyelaugh.png
 
I transposed DYKWYCA.... and i swear it's like Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' got modernized. It's yet another song that sounds so much better sped up and with the vocal pitch closer to his old days.
 
Zoba said:
I transposed DYKWYCA.... and i swear it's like Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' got modernized. It's yet another song that sounds so much better sped up and with the vocal pitch closer to his old days.
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Put it on dropbox and share the link? I'd like to check it out.

Also I really like xscape. It actually sounds like something consistent with what he'd do (not that the other songs are bad, just that I feel like xscape is like 95% 'finished').
 
SegaShack said:
That new music video is too generic and cheap. I'm tired of tribute videos. I would like original concepts. This Blue Gangsta one that Cirque did is much better but you could tell they must of had a cheap budget. With a proper budget and story and some better camera work the Blue Gangsta video could have been a classic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Te9h2vdpZ7M&feature=youtu.be
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Yeah...that's a better video. But I enjoy the watching and listening to the Love Never Felt So Good much more.

But I get your point.

I think that once the decision was made to include Justin Timberlake they wanted to take as much focus away from JT and put it on the ensemble of dancers.
 
Well then. Didn't expect to like this album as much as I do. I've been playing it nonstop since it released. This is classic Michael!! Both the original and modern versions of the songs are great in their own rights, too.

Favorites are Love Never Felt So Good, Chicago, A Place With No Name and Blue Gangsta. But honestly I love every song. Now I'm going to be on a MJ binge for the next couple weeks...
 
Really giving Xscape a listen over and over. The original track for a lot of the songs are much better. "A place with no name" gets me every time...that guitar lesson vibe.
 
Listening to some of these tracks, it's good the originals were released. I prefer to listen to those. Hope with any future albums, we're given the same options.
 
thecouncil said:
Listening to some of these tracks, it's good the originals were released. I prefer to listen to those. Hope with any future albums, we're given the same options.
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Same here buddy, I think remixes can be trendy and what not and are good for sales, but the originals are what will stand the test of time.

Remixes definitely helped out Michael's singles for HIStory in his lifetime, but he did not make them the main versions.
 
Just got the album today (deluxe edition), absolutely love it and easily one of the best albums I've heard in quite some time. The remixes are nice, but man are the originals great.
 
The original Xscape song is 100x better than the remix. The remix basically destroys (in a bad way) any and all that made the original good. What a terrrible remix.

Some of the other remixes are okay, but most seem to just be producers wanting to get their stink all over an MJ demo, to their detriment. Very few seem like they are trying to update the tracks in tasteful ways
 
CartridgeBlower said:
The original Xscape song is 100x better than the remix. The remix basically destroys (in a bad way) any and all that made the original good. What a terrrible remix.

Some of the other remixes are okay, but most seem to just be producers wanting to get their stink all over an MJ demo, to their detriment. Very few seem like they are trying to update the tracks in tasteful ways
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The only problem I have with the new xscape is the loss of the bridge piano and the guitar lick at the very end, and the constant beat drops (I somewhat fixed that part in a remix I did, which I'm still trying to figure out where to upload).

Besides those, I like how much more energetic it is, especially the horn chords and fanfare.

All of the new songs have grown on me a lot, especially Blue Gangsta. That second verse is hot.
 
Been listening for a while now, and have a sort of final verdict

I love the original Demos of Xscape and Love never felt so good, so much better than the updated.

Slave to Rhythm, Chicago and APWNN are all radically different, but equal. Great different takes!

Blue Gangsta and Loving You are sooo much better than the originals. Especially loving you, its just lovely now

Not a massive fan of DYKWYCA, oh well

Overall I think its a marvellous album :D
 
CartridgeBlower said:
The original Xscape song is 100x better than the remix. The remix basically destroys (in a bad way) any and all that made the original good. What a terrrible remix.

Some of the other remixes are okay, but most seem to just be producers wanting to get their stink all over an MJ demo, to their detriment. Very few seem like they are trying to update the tracks in tasteful ways
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Nope. They're both great in their own right. Learn to embrace both and join me in the utopia that is full of amazing MJ music.
 
LAM09 said:
Amazing performance at the Billboard , but disappointed they used an impersonator, instead of the King himself.


http://t.co/11CkiFw4z1
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So it wasn't the best but I enjoyed it. I thought it was CG... so it's an actor? How does this "hologram" magic exactly work?

Edit: looks like I was right, from The Verge:


The likeness was created by visual effects studio Digital Domain, who reportedly took four months to create the projection of the rapper, at a cost of up to $400,000.
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Edit 2: my bad that was referring to Tupac's hologram

Edit 3: I don't know what to think anymore...

GeekWire said:
Sunday night’s production for the Billboard Awards was the result of nearly six months of planning and demonstrated similar CGI technology seen during the Tupac’s performance at Coachella and Celine Deon’s duet with Elvis Presley.
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I can't seem to find clear explanation or confirmed mention of an "impersonator"... I need to get the bottom this
 
Naked Snake said:
I can't seem to find clear explanation or confirmed mention of an "impersonator"... I need to get the bottom this
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They likely used an impersonator to dance, then superimposed the face.

I like the album a lot. I forgot about it till saturday, then listened to it on Spotify while I was cleaning. Had to buy it that day! Vocals sound very late 80s/early-90's Michael (which makes sense), and I like the production on the tracks. Slave to the Rhythm is pretty hot. The one that will have to grow on me is Blue Gangster.

I liked the JT video. He shot it in like 2 days, which is why it looks so low budget. He did it while he was touring in Europe. Half was shot in Sweden, half in LA. A girl that I was in a dance group with is in the video :-D
 
I like the album but i enjoy the demo's/originals more than the "produced" songs (well slave to the rhythm's updated version is good but that's the exception).
 
djplaeskool said:
Man, this seriously slays me every time I hear it. Real moving stuff. Probably makes it my favorite track.
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Yessss!!! The song has some great lyrics, really gives you goosebumps and the vocals, damn.

Though I always picture the first verse like it's story time with MJ. He'd sing it just like that.
 
I can't get enough of the album (its just so good), but is anyone else really disappointed the deluxe edition didn't include the original recordings? - i would have loved those on the album as well.
 
Love the album. Chicago and Blue Gangsta are probably my favorite songs. A Place With No Name is extremely high up there too.
 
I was afraid to listen to this album and feel betrayed, but, fuck, it's amazing. A Place With No Name is my favorite so far.
 
Air said:
Put it on dropbox and share the link? I'd like to check it out.
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Sorry for the delay

https://soundcloud.com/zobazeta/dykwyca-sped-up/s-3EmnX

transposed it and raised the tempo to the same speed of Wanna Be Startin' Something (notice the similarity when the guitar kicks in and he starts to do the he-hes). I was trying to layer Wanna Be Startin Something's vocals over it but I couldn't cancel the original vocals. I have a version at the original tempo and another with the WBSS vocals layered over the intro if you want me to put that one up.

Also put up Break of Dawn

https://soundcloud.com/zobazeta/break-of-dawn-tranposed-1/s-gDDtk

I have 3 versions - the original key, transposed up once and transposed up twice. The last one is my favorite as far as the chords go but MJ does kinda sound like he's on helium, so I uploaded the one with the first transposition. At 90 BMP compared to the 80 it was originally.

Naked Snake said:
I thought you were going to upload DYKWYCA... not Break of Dawn?
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I was posting them both but some stuff was cut out of the post for a moment.
 
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