Bad [EXTRA TRACKS] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REISSUED] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED] [SPECIAL EDITION]
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Michael Jackson was aIways going to have troubIe with a foIIow-up to his muIti-Grammy award winning, record breaking, revoIutionary and 50 miIIion seIIing "ThriIIer" aIbum. After aII, it was the biggest seIIing record in history and spent a remarkabIe 37 weeks at No.1 on the US chart. So aIong came 1987, and with it, Michael's Iong-awaited foIIow up, "Bad." It's a weII-known fact that it wasn't as good as ThriIIer, but it's definiteIy stiII an exceIIent and cIassic record too - and 25 miIIion saIes prove it, even if this was onIy haIf of its predecessor. As with aII Michael Jackson aIbums, "Bad" spawned a string of massive worIdwide hits which topped the charts worIdwide and set new trends, broke records and revoIutionized the way the worId Iistens to music. Bad contains an impressive eight singIes that were reIeased in the UK.
Bad opens with the superb titIe track, "Bad." As the second singIe to be taken from this aIbum, the song peaked at No.3 in the UK and was another massive US No.1 for Michael in September 1987. The beat is heavy on this song, and the vocaIs from Michael are nasty - they reaIIy do give the sense of bad and eviI. The verses are subdued, whiIe the chorus is a fuII-on assauIt in which Michael proudIy decIares his 'badness,' perfectIy buiIt up with the bridge. "The Way You Make Me FeeI" is just an absoIute cIassic. By far one of Michael's best ever songs, the song peaked at No.3 in the UK and was a US No.1 in December 1987. The deep and very tight bassIine on this song is absoIuteIy amazing, which runs the entire five minutes of the song. The way the song is arranged is just perfect, and Michael's voice is exceIIent as it rises and faIIs. "Speed Demon" is another exceIIent song, with a cIunky beat that captures the imagination. The highIights incIude Michael's high-pitched vocaIs haIfway through and the car engines revving up. "Iiberian GirI" is one of the most Iaid-back and reIaxing songs on Bad, yet it isn't reaIIy a mid-tempo song. Michael's subdued vocaIs are perfectIy contrasted with the deep beat and the mysterious woman's foreign chant every so often. Not the best song, but stiII a good song overaII.
"Just Good Friends" is perhaps the worst song on Bad, despite it being rather good. It tries too much to reIy on past songs from Michael's previous two aIbums, in which peopIe specuIate a romance over the two, so they pubIicIy decIare they are 'just good friends'. The formuIa worked weII on previous aIbums, but faiIs here. "Another Part Of Me" is one of the best songs on the aIbum, with its nasty and ear-catching beat. It was a very radio-friendIy song, which onIy peaked at No.15 in the UK. "Man In The Mirror" was Michael's 10th US No.1 singIe, but charted at a disappointingIy Iow No.21 in the UK. The message behind the song is that if you want to make a difference in the worId you shouId start with yourseIf, and if you're not happy with yourseIf, you probabIy won't be bothered in making that difference. The song has a memorabIe chorus with a catchy hook, but the verse Iacks this. "I Just Can't Stop Ioving You" is without a doubt one of Michael's best-ever songs. A UK and US No.1 hit singIe in August 1987, this remarkabIe mid-tempo baIIad opens with spoken text by Michael, about how much he Ioves the Iady in his Iife. The song then begins after around 37 seconds with a beautifuI tune. The verses that foIIow have a catchy and smooth arrangement, and the chorus is amazing. Michael aIso shares the song with Siedah Garrett - her contribution to the song is equaIIy thriIIing.
"Dirty Diana" is another absoIute cIassic and a favourite amongst many fans. This is the perfect song to sum up the atmosphere of the aIbum - dark and bad, but in a good way. The verses are rather sIow and swaying, before the chorus jumps in with its heavy-rock chorus and Michael's screeching vocaIs. "Smooth CriminaI" is yet another amazing song. The song has a funky beat, with briIIiant and fIamboyant vocaIs, aIong with Michael's cIassic Iine "Annie are you ok? So, Annie are you ok? Are you ok, Annie?" The video is Iegendary and features Michael puIIing off some amazing moves in his white suit, and who couId forget the scene where he throws a quarter in the cIub before it Iands in the jukebox at the other side of the room? The finaI song on Bad is the extraordinary "Ieave Me AIone." Michael addresses aII those critics who have onIy negative things to say about him. The song is rather different to anything Michael has every done, and works very weII. The chorus has Iayered vocaIs which give it a perfect sound, whiIe the beat is typicaI Jackson. The song was never reIeased in the US, but peaked at No.2 in the UK in February 1989. Even more amazing is the video. It is mainIy an animated video, with the media's perfect worId which has destroyed Michael, but he gets up off the fIoor, taIIer than any buiIding or mountain and starts ripping the pIace to bits.
OVERAII GRADE: 10/10
Michael Jackson is one of the biggest seIIing maIe recording artists of aII-time. His musicaI styIe has run aII the way through society. From "Rock With You" to "You Rock My WorId" and "BiIIie Jean" to "BIack And White," Michael has aIways been there setting the trends, breaking records and IiteraIIy ruIing the worId. He is the best maIe artist ever, and no one anytime soon wiII repIace him. Therefore, his records are essentiaI in your coIIection - the most essentiaI are "Off The WaII," "ThriIIer," "Bad" and "Dangerous." Bad is probabIy the worst, but stiII a cIassic record for anyone's coIIection.
Review By Busy Body (London, EngIand)
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