“The King of Pop is dead, long live the King of Pop” should be Michael Jackson’s epitaph. Since his death in June, Jackson has achieved one of the most remarkable comebacks in the history of music.
Jackson’s much-anticipated concert rehearsal film “This Is It” hits theaters Wednesday — but if you can’t wait, the supporting 20-track double-disc CD that follows the film song by song is available Monday, and it’s a hits collection worthy of the King.
Disc one features original album masters of some of Jackson’s hits, such as “Billie Jean,” “Smooth Criminal,” “Human Nature” and “Thriller” to name a few, all arranged in the same sequence as they appear in the film. While there is little here avid MJ fans won’t know, the real point of the record is to remind the public that the wacko part of Jacko is outweighed — at least in death — by the man’s stylistic range and vocal strengths.
Who can’t hum a few bars of the funk-fueled strut “The Way You Make Me Feel,” in which Jackson’s yelps punctuate the syncopated beat to the lusty love song. Yet even among the hits there’s surprises, such as the deep vault “Earth Song,” an ode to saving Mother Earth, loving one another and praising the power and glory of God. It’s an orchestral tune that lets Jackson’s vocals progress from sweet to aggressive anger.
The first disc concludes with two versions of title track “This Is It,” the Paul Anka song Jackson recorded in the ’80s. This song is used in the film’s closing sequence and includes newly dubbed backing vocals by Michael’s brothers — yet if it wasn’t said, you probably wouldn’t have noticed their contribution.
The first and original version is the one I prefer. It keeps MJ’s voice in front; he sounds strong and manly. The second version is the orchestral cover that is uncharacteristically grand, and the instrumental bombast and choir distract from the man.
Even the most devoted Jacksonites will be fascinated by disc two. It’s here that we get insight into the evolution of Jacko’s sound through unreleased early demo versions of classics such as “She’s Out of My Life,” “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ ” and “Beat It.”
On “She’s Out of My Life,” for instance, Jackson sings with an angelic falsetto accompanied by only a finger-picked acoustic guitar. It is beautiful, simple and sends shivers down your spine. “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ ” has no real surprise, but the chorus/verses of “Beat It,” performed a cappella with backing three-part vocal harmonies, are a stunning piece of music only marred by its brevity.
The disc closes with a spoken-word poem by Jackson titled “Planet Earth.” The rhyming verse is pretty AB-AB simple as Jackson fathoms the fragility of Earth. It’s hokey at times, but there is a childlike quality that emerges after a few listens. I like the opening, in which Jackson tests his dictionary by writing “Planet Earth, my home, my place/ a capricious anomaly in the sea of space.”
The two-disc set includes a 36-page commemorative booklet featuring exclusive photos of Michael’s last rehearsal sessions by renowned music photo journalist Kevin Mazur, whose work often appears in The New York Post.