Special Coverage
American Idol
"Lost" Coverage
2008 Grammys
2008 Oscars
The A-List
* HomeHome
* NewsNews
* All Headlines
* Columns
* Hollywood Insider Blog
* PopWatch Blog
* learn chinese chicago * Games & Gadgets
* Stage
emo clothing MoviesMovies
* Movie Headlines
* Movie Reviews
* Coming independent style * Movies Index A-Z
* TVTV
* TV Headlines
* indie clothes Watch
* TV Reviews
* Tonight's Best TV
* TV Index A-Z
* MusicMusic
* Music Headlines
* Music Reviews
* Music Index A-Z
* DVDDVD
* DVD best life insurance * DVD Reviews
* emo clothes Index A-Z
* BooksBooks
* Book Headlines
* Book Reviews
* Books Index A-Z
* MoreMore
* Magazine Archive
* Contributors
* Newsletters
* RSS Headline Feeds
* Promotions
* EW chinese chicago * VideoVideo
* American Idol
* Behind the Scenes and First Looks
* Take 5
streetwear style Exclusive Star Interviews
imprinted playing cards Festival Exclusives
Music
-----
Music Headlines
* ''Thriller'': Can't beat it
* The Grammy winners are...
* Grammys: automobile insurance performers
* Grammys: Our live blog!
* First Listen: Stephen Malkmus!
* More Music Headlines
Today's Most Popular
1. The Grammy winners are...
2. ''Lost'' guy leads Must List
3. The next ''Sex and the City''?
4. Grammys: Grading the performances
5. ''Jericho'' season 2 cheat sheet
Music Reviews
* Simple Plan
* Vagabonds
* Falling Off the Lavender Bridge
* Field Manual
* Detours
* mandarin tutor chicago Music Reviews
Music Index A-Z
EW Presents...
Sci-Fi Central The Lists The fall TV season, at a glance
* Bookmark and Share
cheap renters insurance Tell a friend by email
* Tell a friend by AOL Instant Messenger
* heart shape playing cards this page
Home // Music // 'Thriller' at 25: Still Can't Beat ItMusic Commentary
'Thriller' at 25: Still Can't Beat It
=====================================
Though a flawed masterwork, a new anniversary cheap house insurance reminds us how
well the best of Michael Jackson's seminal album holds up a quarter
century later (even if the bonus tracks are mostly Bad)
--------------------------------------------------------------------
MICHAEL JACKSON Thriller was cheap car insurance collection of songs that cohered as the
statement of a young artist proclaiming his freedom, writes Ken TuckerLynn
Goldsmith/Corbis By Ken Tucker Ken TuckerKen TuckerKen Tucker is
critic-at-large for EW
By now, it's simply assumed that Michael Jackson's Thriller is some
kind of masterpiece, its legacy sullied only by the private-life
shenanigans-or-worse of its principal creator. But Epic/Legacy's
release of a volvo insurance edition of Thriller tricked out with
five remixes, an unreleased track, and a DVD is a good time to place
this creation in its proper art-historical context. When it was
released in November 1982, Thriller initially seemed an extension of
1979's Off the Wall. Here was another solo album from a young man
trying to gracefully separate best car insurance from the family act that made
him a star, produced once again by Quincy Jones, as a mixture of
hits-plus-filler that characterized the then-dominant pop-music
delivery system: the LP.
It soon became apparent, however, multiple insurance quotes Thriller was something unique.
Its first single, the goofy-sweet Paul McCartney duet ''The Girl Is
Mine,'' was a safe choice, but the second single, ''Billie Jean,''
exploded everything around it. Its driving funk beat and atypically
aggressive, fascinatingly obscure lyrics which found Michael
vehemently denying some woman was his lover lent ''Billie Jean'' an
urgency that only became more intense when Jackson used cards playing custom on the
March 1983 TV special Motown 25 to unveil his signature dance moves,
including the moonwalk.
That performance is included here on DVD, plus the learn mandarin chicago long-form
music videos for ''Billie Jean,'' ''Beat It,'' and ''Thriller.'' The
shock and awe that a human being could inspire navigating a stage with
indie style effortless yet almost supernatural command (not for nothing did
legends Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly congratulate Michael on his
dancing) vaulted Jackson and Thriller to a new level promotional playing cards prominence.
Songs such as ''Beat It,'' with its stinging hard-rock guitar solo by
Eddie Van Halen, and ''Wanna Be Startin' Somethin','' instantly one of
the greatest party songs ever, were no-brainer hits, but Michael's
sudden pop culture pervasiveness carried even a weaker song like
''P.Y.T. (Pretty custom poker cards Thing)'' into the top 10.
Here's the thing: Thriller isn't a perfect creation. Quick, can you
hum ''The Lady in My Life,'' the album's hookless closer? Didn't think
so. The core of Thriller's music was executed by members of Toto, the
ultimate L.A. session-hack band (remember auto insurance more hits ''Hold the Line''
and ''Africa''?), in arrangements that sometimes required Michael's
masterfully expressive vocals to mask their mere slickness. And if you
ignore the hype and look around at other 1982 releases, Thriller is
arguably not even the most-sustained quality album of that year: I
could make strong arguments for George Clinton's Computer Games (come
on, ''Atomic Dog'' alone ford insurance more hip-hop than any Michael song
ever did), Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska, and, yes, Marshall Crenshaw.
Largely due to its staggering business figures more than 100 million
chinese tutor chicago sold its longtime ''world's best-selling album'' tag, chinese lessons chicago media domination, Thriller transcended mere musical achievement. In a
way that is unthinkable now in a landscape that doesn't view playing cards promotional album
as its primary medium of expression, Thriller was a collection of
songs that cohered as the statement of a young artist proclaiming his
freedom, a boy custom faces playing cards into manhood as a compleat entertainer singer,
songwriter, performer. (Director John Landis brought out the best in
Michael's rebellious, angry side in the ''Thriller'' video.)
The thing to celebrate about Thriller's 25th-anniversary release is
the pleasure still to be taken from its best songs, and the
opportunity to, for at least a few moments, put aside all the tabloid
controversy that has since engulfed an undeniably gifted artist.
Because, to paraphrase one of the album's lyrics, when it comes to
Jackson's Thriller phenomenon, tenderoni you've got to be.
NEXT PAGE: Grades for each of the six bonus tracks added to playing cards custom poker 25th-anniversary edition of Thriller
Page 1 of 2 Next
You Might Also Like
-------------------
* The Q&A Quincy Jones on ''Thriller'' | Simon Vozick-Levinson
* All About What insurance quote Can I Give
* Music Commentary Music to survive the strike | Nicholas Fonseca
better auto insurance NEWS ROUNDUP News Roundup: Jackson customized playing cards items previewed | Mike
Bruno
From People
* Britney Spears Steps into Dance Class – As Teacher
* Mother: Amy Winehouse motorcycle insurance Road to Recovery'
* Revealed! Marisa Miller On Cover of SI's Swimsuit Issue
Add to My AOL, MyYahoo
From InStyle
* Behind the Scenes: Eva Longoria Parker's Cover Shoot
* Look of the Day: Penelope Cruz
* Transformation: Angelina Jolie
Add to My AOL, MyYahoo
* Home |
* Help |
* Site Map |
* About Us |
* Advertising |
* Magazine Customer Service |
* Subscribe |
* Promotions |
* Privacy Policy |
* Terms of Use |
* RSS
Copyright © 2008 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights
reserved.