It was impossible for me to listen to it, knowing that MJ himself had not finished it, but rather, it was "finished" by musicians enhancing some basic tracks that he left behind in his vaults of music that were unpublished/unrecorded. “I always want to do music that inspires or influences another generation,” said Jackson in his last major interview in 2007. ... all the hype this album has received I was disappointed in it, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 11, 2014. Prime members enjoy FREE Delivery and exclusive access to music, movies, TV shows, original audio series, and Kindle books. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Very nice for fans though. “Contemporizing” Jackson’s songs, then, is a kind of parallel track in keeping Jackson’s legacy thriving. Reviewed in the United States on June 9, 2014. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. And let's face it this album is far from being perfect because it isn't a Michael Jackson album. The original cuts are simply priceless, and just for a moment, just for a few minutes...I felt like he was still with us. I'm sure if Michael Jackson heard this album he would turn over in his grave since he was such a perfectionist and didn't believe in releasing an album until it was perfect. 4/5 for both albums. Reviewed in the United States on June 9, 2014. First and foremost: Rest in peace, Michael Jackson. The King of Pop is back and he's knocked Lily Allen's Sheezus off the top spot For the serious Michael Jackson fans, the Estate of Michael Jackson and Epic Records offer a deluxe edition of the album, which includes a collection of the original recordings. MJ was the ultimate genius and perfectionist, and I shuddered to think of what he would think of those songs, not completed or done exactly as he would have demanded. Which is what really made me hate it at first because you can tell just by listening that this isn't signature MJ. We all owe a debt of gratitude to the most sensational performer of all time, the KING OF POP MICHAEL JACKSON. Additional taxes may apply. So "ESCAPE" and make your purchase. As strong as the songs were, however, Reid believed that they deserved to be heard by more than just Jackson’s most die-hard fans and began considering ways that would allow them to reach an even wider, contemporary audience. Jackson, however, frequently returned to tracks he liked on later projects, sometimes finding a “home” for them decades after they were first written and recorded. Love Never Felt So Good – Michael Jackson & Justin Timberlake. Wish I'd picked up my copy much earlier rather than waiting so long. Very few popular artists have tackled the range of subject matter of Michael Jackson. I skipped past all of the first songs on this album, and went directly to the "original" versions of the songs, to hear them exactly as MJ envisioned, wrote, and performed them. Please try again. Album Producer/Curator: Antonio “LA” Reid, EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS on behalf of the MICHAEL JACKSON ESTATE: JOHN BRANCA AND JOHN McCLAIN, When it came to his music, Michael Jackson was never one to play it conservative. The master is back! Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 7, 2014. Timbaland and Reid evoke the Michael Jackson we all love and miss, finding songs that are worthy and giving them arrangements that are simultaneously nostalgic and modern. Fwd to 2019 and here I am finally listening to Xscape. I really like the deluxe edition that allows you to hear the enhanced version with the original to hear what a great job that was masterfully done to give you what Michael would have given you today, which is only the best that you would expect. ... Xscape definitely belongs in my collection; and for those of you who don't have it yet, be sure to look at the DVD that comes with it, very interesting way of telling the story of how Xscape came to be by the people who made it … Having heard so many of the remixes already on the internet, I like the album but it could have done with more songs like "mamacita, "let me let go" and other songs from the so called 7even album. This release brings legitimacy back to the MJ franchise. When I'm listening to the original cuts of these songs, I know I'm listening to a song that MJ put together himself, untouched by other people, namely people that are trying to complete a project he started just for the sake of making a buck. On a first listen the tracks sound great (although the dominant bass kinda spoils the listening experience at any increase in volume). Michael Jackson’s official canon—the albums, performances and short films he oversaw and realized during his lifetime—is complete. A project overseen by music legend and current Epic Records Chairman and CEO L.A. Reid and carried out by world-class producers, including renowned studio veterans Timbaland, Rodney Jerkins, John McClain and Stargate, the goal was bold, but straightforward: take some of Jackson’s best and most complete unreleased music and make it feel as new, as current, as fresh as if the artist was still with us. For that reason only, I purchased the CD. I know that I'm probably going to be in the minority here but after all the hype this album has received I was disappointed in it. There's a problem loading this menu right now. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 2014. Xscape, got to get away Xscape, the pressure that I face Xscape, the man with the pen Xscape, I do what I wanna cause I gotta face nobody but me Xscape Xscape, gotta get away, the pressure that I face, the man with the pen Writer/s: FRED JERKINS, LASHAWN DANIELS, MICHAEL JACKSON, RODNEY ROY … The result of these posthumous “collaborations”—XSCAPE—features some of Jackson’s strongest unreleased work, dusted off and polished with state-of-the-art production. Posthumous albums, of course, are different than albums an artist finishes and releases while at the helm. The so called finished tracks with the exception of "Love never felt so Good" and "Slave to the Rhythm" felt unfinished and not at all what Michael would have wanted released they were definitely not up to his standard. This release brings legitimacy back to the MJ franchise. After lisitening to this CD only a few seconds it felt like he never left and seemed like Michael just took a break from recording and decided to come back with something new. This was the “great adventure,” as Jackson put it in one of his final rehearsals for This Is It in 2009, that escaping into great art and entertainment invited. I rated it 5 because I think it is an excellent CD, and was produced by Michael Jackson, but the DVD is a bit of an after thought was more than likely added by Sony to boost sales. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading. Blood On The Dance Floor / HIStory In The Mix, Chartbuster Karaoke CDG 3 Disc Box Set 5130 - Michael Jackson Hits. Do You Know Where Your Children Are (Original Version), 17. Xscape is Michael Jackson's second posthumous compliation album that was released on May 9, 2014 by Epic Records & MJJ Music. Which is what really made me hate it at first because you can tell just by listening that this isn't signature MJ. As someone else noted, it's unbelievable that MJ considered these either "throwaway" songs, or perhaps just unfinished.