Invincible - Jackson, Michael (CD 2001)

Michael Jackson is one of my all time favorites as a performer and when he releases an album I have to buy it. No one can hold a candle to Michael in my eyes; his music creates a personal safety zone for me where nothing can ever go wrong. I don t think of his problems or my own I become immersed in the music, it washes over me and takes me away. When I tore invincible out of the wrapper the first thing I did was grab a tape, I knew I wanted to put You Rock My World on tape, but what other Tape Worthy songs were contained therein, as I listened here are my observations.

Song One Unbreakable
Definitely not tape worthy at this time, but maybe, it will take a second listen. It tries, but Unbreakable is just too far away from the Michael I know, but it might not be far enough away to garner new fans. Let s just say I wasn t impressed with the keyboards, they were just annoying and grated on my ears.

Song Two Heartbreaker
More of the Unbreakable repetition, annoying noise, not the Michael I know, but maybe enough to garner him new fans, I listened to it once, but never again. I know that every song on an album will not be good, but come on, this song is just annoying, the guitar the drums, nothing on this song worked for me. Note to Michael, you can stop putting raps in the middle of your songs, that day is done for you.

Song Three Invincible Tape Worthy
This one is almost tape worthy and it might wind up on my tape, well you know the more I listen to it the more I think this one is tape worthy it seems as though the lack of promise on Unbreakable and Heartbreaker were a warm up to Invincible. Okay there is a rap in it, but take the rap out and the song is better than the sum of its parts.

Song Four - Break of Dawn Tape Worthy
A noteworthy throw back to the early Michael Music, it s been done before, but it s definitely tape worthy, It just rolls and grooves along with Michael sounding like he really is going to go till the break of dawn. For old timers like me, this is the Michael I prefer to hear.

Song Five Heaven Can Wait Tape Worthy
This is the flavor of Michael I love to listen to and can listen to all day long, this song just proves that there is nothing wrong with this album that placement would not help. This should be the first song on Invincible, the words and the music meld and flow until it s like butter, smooth creamy and one of the best songs on the CD.

Song Six You Rock My World Tape Worthy
From the moment I first heard this song, I knew that Michael still had the power to rock my world. The intro with Chris Tucker annoys me to no end, but this song is pure gold, it is the first of the tape worthy songs to go on my newest Michael tape. Like going back in time and taking a tiny step forward this song is the first on my tape of tape worthy songs from Invincible.

Song Seven Butterflies Tape Worthy
Andre Harris and Marsha Ambrosius, I don t know who you guys are, or where you are, but thank you for your association with Michael Jackson. The beauty and power of You Rock My World continues and I could listen to this song over and over, this is one for the greatest hits album. This song is the Michael I know and love cranked up two or three notches, this one is greatest hits worthy.

Song Eight Speechless
I am speechless, if this is Michael in love he needs to re-evaluate his passion and maybe grow up. Speechless starts off with just his vocals and then it goes to a place that only Michael can understand. I know that every song isn t for everyone, so I quickly pass this one by looking for greener pastures. The strings and the whole feel of this song is dated, Speechless should have been a song for his private collection, his very private collection.

Song Nine 2000 Watts
Okay, let us take a video moment and do a little dancing. This song it tailor made for a video or for working out, while it is not tape worthy for me, I m sure there are some out there who will love it, so for them I say play this one first.

Song Ten You Are My Life
If you ve heard the song Ben an early Michael Jackson song you have already heard this song and there is no need to proceed with listening to this song.

Song Eleven Privacy
Okay Michael, you want Privacy, you want the Paparazzi to leave you alone, well keep exercising no control or too much control over the material that goes on your album and you will have all the privacy you can deal with.

Song Twelve Don t Walk Away Tape Worthy
This song is so heartfelt and is such a great song that I just want to find and thank anyone who had anything to do with this song. Thank you Teddy Riley, Richard Carlton, and Reed Vertelney for this wonderful song.

Song Thirteen Cry
I was hopeful as this one started off, but the verses and the choruses all blend together to create a well produced mess that I m not sure where it was going, but the trip was very boring and well worth missing. Please tell me you don t really want us all to cry at the same time tonight, please, you want to hear a group of people cry at the same time, well get all your brothers together and tell them you will never tour with them again. Even the bridge of the songs melts into the mess that this song is, Cry I quite possibly one of the worst Michael Jackson songs ever.

Song Fourteen The Lost Children
Okay Michael you ve got to be joking, but I can see your heart is in the right place, this is a public service announcement, not a good song. Okay someone will like this song, but it s not my cup of anything, much less my cup of tea.

Song Fifteen Whatever Happens Tape Worthy
Thank God for the guitar work of Carlos Santana, he gives this song a feel and a heart that is real and whatever happens I will listen to this song again and again, but I do have a question. Michael did you have to thank Carlos at the end of the song? I know the guitar work of Carlos Santana, you don t have to thank him at the end of the song ruining the mood created by the song, thanks Mike, but no thanks. Great song otherwise.

Song Sixteen Threatened Tape Worthy
This is the Thriller of the album and a great song. Threatened blends the foreboding of Rod Serling with the current visage of Michael, Threatened, plus pictures of Michael should convince all but the truly determined that plastic surgery could make you a monster. But no matter how monstrous a visage you have if you have enough money you can still threaten people so they won't say what I just said, but I'm not threatened by you Michael.

Okay out of 16 songs 8 are tape worthy, but that is in my estimation I m sure some of the songs that did not make my list will make your list and the lists of others. The music and the production on this album are top notch and it is an album that is will worth a listen. Michael is after all smart enough to surround himself with the brightest and the best to create an album that with a little better placement of the songs and the deletion of a few would be a more listenable experience. After all his years in the business I must confess Michael still knows how to make them, he may not re-create himself with this album, but he does give us enough to make Invincible worthy of purchase.