Michael Jackson - Bad Spec (18 tracks) +Album Reviews

A Very Good Album And I Even Like it Better Than "Thriller!"

Frederick Baptist | Singapore | 12/04/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I know some of you are going to say it's just plain sacrilegious but hey, just because everybody jumps into the lake.... "Thriller" is a great album with great tracks and because of a variety of fortunate reasons e.g. timeliness, MTV etc, has become the biggest selling album of all-time but that doesn't mean that everything else that MJ comes up with later that doesn't sell as much is crap.

In fact, this is the album when MJ's weirdness first became pretty obvious. "Hey! Is that really Michael on the cover?" was my reaction as well but I chose to look beyond the looks and not to judge the book by the cover and just listened to the tunes. Some of my favourite MJ songs ever are on this disc.

"The Way You Make Me Feel" is an MJ classic and clearly among his top 5 ever songs. "Smooth Criminal" was always a great track even before Alien Ant Farm showed us why, "Liberian Girl" and "Man in the Mirror" are also great tracks and the rest of the tracks cannot be called album filler by any stretch of the imagination.

The sound quality of this special edition has also been remastered to near perfection and the bonus interviews and tracks are a real bonus to fans. This album grows on you over time and for me has aged a lot better than "Thriller" has. Maybe I've heard "Thriller" too many times but give me a choice between the two if I had to put one of them on the cd player, I'd choose "Bad" any time and if not "Off the Wall" before I'd reach for "Thriller."

Get over the Wacko Jacko hangup and just judge the cd for the tracks if you can and then you'll see just how great this album really is. This very well remastered and special edition is very highly recommended."

Have You Seen My Childhood?

essence_uk | 11/16/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I grew up almost solely on this album and I'm sure many 80s children can relate to that. A little too young when Thriller was at it's peak it was the relative pop perfection of "Bad" that appealed to this young child and a few million other new inductees. This is not to say it doesn't stand up to repeated listenings by the more critical adult ears though... it very much does.The title track kicks things off in boastful style, with MJ assuring he's "Bad". This big hit was initially hoped to be a duet with 80s rival Prince however the line "Your butt is mine..." meant the MPLS Genius was less than enthused. ;)"The Way You Make Me Feel" is a catchy pop effort, recently re-immortalised in his excellent single "Rock My World" (Both concept wise and video scenario)."Speed Demon" is amongst the more experimental music on "Bad" with it's clunking chain sample and unusual tempo. It all works well however as Producer Quincy Jones doesn't allow duds onto any MJ material."Liberian Girl" is an exotic sounding ballad with a celebrity packed video. "Just Good Friends" is a duet with the legendary Stevie Wonder, a brave move as you just know you can't out-do that man! MJ holds his own however in this funky pop tune. "Another Part Of Me" continues this tempo in good style."Man In The Mirror" is a very inspiring tune which builds to the familiar gospel finale we expect from MJ's big numbers. "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" is a beautiful love duet with Siedah Garret.The album ends in very strong style with the final three tracks. "Dirty Diana" is a superb atmospheric song which makes use of great guitar work and crowd samples. It seemed quite spooky when I was younger and remains dark to this day.My album highlight is "Smooth Criminal" (Like "The Way You Make Me Feel" it's excellent video was also recycled in the recent "Rock My World") it's got a superb bassline and addictive melody. It's a real shame that to many it's more associated with Alien Ant Farm now after their parody cover version."Leave Me Alone" begins MJ's disillusionment with the attention he gets (Leading to "Scream" etc) and is a fitting end to the CD album.Though not even approaching the commercial success of Thriller's sales it still easily slots in alongside it, "Off The Wall" and the underrated "Dangerous" in terms of quality. This is a great compliment in such legendary company.The re-mastering and bonus tracks only add to the appeal on this re-issue."

Bad-Ass Mo'Fo Of An Album!

Busy Body | London, England | 03/31/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Michael Jackson was always going to have trouble with a follow-up to his multi-Grammy award winning, record breaking, revolutionary and 50 million selling "Thriller" album. After all, it was the biggest selling record in history and spent a remarkable 37 weeks at No.1 on the US chart. So along came 1987, and with it, Michael's long-awaited follow up, "Bad." It's a well-known fact that it wasn't as good as Thriller, but it's definitely still an excellent and classic record too - and 25 million sales prove it, even if this was only half of its predecessor. As with all Michael Jackson albums, "Bad" spawned a string of massive worldwide hits which topped the charts worldwide and set new trends, broke records and revolutionized the way the world listens to music. Bad contains an impressive eight singles that were released in the UK.

Bad opens with the superb title track, "Bad." As the second single to be taken from this album, 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 vocals from Michael are nasty - they really do give the sense of bad and evil. The verses are subdued, while the chorus is a full-on assault in which Michael proudly declares his 'badness,' perfectly built up with the bridge. "The Way You Make Me Feel" is just an absolute classic. 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 bassline on this song is absolutely amazing, which runs the entire five minutes of the song. The way the song is arranged is just perfect, and Michael's voice is excellent as it rises and falls. "Speed Demon" is another excellent song, with a clunky beat that captures the imagination. The highlights include Michael's high-pitched vocals halfway through and the car engines revving up. "Liberian Girl" is one of the most laid-back and relaxing songs on Bad, yet it isn't really a mid-tempo song. Michael's subdued vocals are perfectly contrasted with the deep beat and the mysterious woman's foreign chant every so often. Not the best song, but still a good song overall.

"Just Good Friends" is perhaps the worst song on Bad, despite it being rather good. It tries too much to rely on past songs from Michael's previous two albums, in which people speculate a romance over the two, so they publicly declare they are 'just good friends'. The formula worked well on previous albums, but fails here. "Another Part Of Me" is one of the best songs on the album, with its nasty and ear-catching beat. It was a very radio-friendly song, which only peaked at No.15 in the UK. "Man In The Mirror" was Michael's 10th US No.1 single, but charted at a disappointingly low No.21 in the UK. The message behind the song is that if you want to make a difference in the world you should start with yourself, and if you're not happy with yourself, you probably won't be bothered in making that difference. The song has a memorable chorus with a catchy hook, but the verse lacks this. "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" is without a doubt one of Michael's best-ever songs. A UK and US No.1 hit single in August 1987, this remarkable mid-tempo ballad opens with spoken text by Michael, about how much he loves the lady in his life. The song then begins after around 37 seconds with a beautiful tune. The verses that follow have a catchy and smooth arrangement, and the chorus is amazing. Michael also shares the song with Siedah Garrett - her contribution to the song is equally thrilling.

"Dirty Diana" is another absolute classic and a favourite amongst many fans. This is the perfect song to sum up the atmosphere of the album - dark and bad, but in a good way. The verses are rather slow and swaying, before the chorus jumps in with its heavy-rock chorus and Michael's screeching vocals. "Smooth Criminal" is yet another amazing song. The song has a funky beat, with brilliant and flamboyant vocals, along with Michael's classic line "Annie are you ok? So, Annie are you ok? Are you ok, Annie?" The video is legendary and features Michael pulling off some amazing moves in his white suit, and who could forget the scene where he throws a quarter in the club before it lands in the jukebox at the other side of the room? The final song on Bad is the extraordinary "Leave Me Alone." Michael addresses all those critics who have only negative things to say about him. The song is rather different to anything Michael has every done, and works very well. The chorus has layered vocals which give it a perfect sound, while the beat is typical Jackson. The song was never released in the US, but peaked at No.2 in the UK in February 1989. Even more amazing is the video. It is mainly an animated video, with the media's perfect world which has destroyed Michael, but he gets up off the floor, taller than any building or mountain and starts ripping the place to bits.

OVERALL GRADE: 10/10

Michael Jackson is one of the biggest selling male recording artists of all-time. His musical style has run all the way through society. From "Rock With You" to "You Rock My World" and "Billie Jean" to "Black And White," Michael has always been there setting the trends, breaking records and literally ruling the world. He is the best male artist ever, and no one anytime soon will replace him. Therefore, his records are essential in your collection - the most essential are "Off The Wall," "Thriller," "Bad" and "Dangerous." Bad is probably the worst, but still a classic record for anyone's collection."

One of Michael Jackson's Many Masterpieces

Musac Critic | 07/09/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It is truly sad that at the event of someone's death that their fame grows to epic proportions, sometimes even more so than when they were at their peak. Jackson has always been a fixation throughout the world as a cultural icon, through and through the controversies that sought to undo "The King of Pop". But even with his less critically praised efforts (INVINCIBLE), Jackson has always had the voice and the showmanship, that is untouchable by anyone else. He has paved the way for Usher, Justin Timberlake, Ne-Yo, Chris Brown and countless other performers today. BAD, is one phenomenal contribution to pop/R&B music, exploiting Michael Jackson's more rock/pop side. Instilled with hit after hit, one won't find one lax selection on BAD. Sure, THRILLER and sometimes OFF THE WALL are praised as Michael Jackson's signature works, but BAD can't be discounted giving its seven singles, its Grammy nomination for Album of the Year (1987) and its overall commercial success (even if less so than THRILLER).

The album opens up brilliantly with "Bad", the title track, and a #1 single. The production, though from 1987, still sounds cutting edge to this day. Something about Quincy Jones production skills on yet another Jackson album make for one of the most timeless tracks ("Bad") and most timeless albums of our time. My favorite line must definitely be "your butt is mine" with an energized MJ showing off his machismo through this signature track. Here on "Bad", you can hear Michael Jackson borrowing from the groove oriented nature that made James Brown, Michael's idol, such a revolutionary force in rhythm and blues, and the pop music of his time. Vocally, Michael sounds perfectly in tune and gets a grade "A".

"The Way You Make Me Feel" may have an inherit, signature 1980s sound, but as far as songwriting, vocal performance, and even the classicism of the production work is concerned, "The Way You Make Me Feel" is timeless. It ranks in my mind as one of Michael Jackson's very best performances. I'd stack it against any pop or R&B song today and it would easily outdo most or all of them.

"Speed Demon" is given less credit than most of the "hits" from BAD. While it falls bridesmaid to many of the other tracks on BAD for me personally, it is still a killer track. The production rocks with all the synthesized instruments and the electric guitar(s). The hook is incredibly catchy and as always MJ sounds like signature MJ. MJ sounds particularly charged when he facilitates his falsetto.

"Liberian Girl", like "Speed Demon" is also underrated in comparison to the "hits" of BAD. However, it is as consistent as every other track that appears here. "Liberian Girl" tends to be a smooth, mid-tempo track exploiting the utter beauty of MJ's voice. Again, the production is typical of the 1980s, but a certain timelessness is apparent, much like the timelessness of the greatest pop albums of the 1980s (Prince's PURPLE RAIN, George Michael's FAITH, or MJ's own THRILLER). Another sound, highly enjoyable track.

"Just Good Friends" utilizes more cutting edge, electronic-based production work, providing for a cool-sounding, up-tempo number. MJ truly commands the track as always with his unrequited, undeniable swagger and his pitch-perfect, energetic vocals.

"Another Part of Me" features bombastic production work with the King of Pop evoking his signature "hee hee" in falsetto. Few performers manage this "scream" and perhaps the only one still living is Prince (both James Brown and MJ are now gone). Not my favorite track from BAD, but certainly worth the listen, as with anything else on BAD.

"Man In The Mirror" is songwriting gold and there is simply no other way to put it. Like Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder before, this song is socially conscious, a theme that many of todays pop and R&B artists fail to incorporate within their albums. After the phenomenal "We Are The World", so many of Jackson's songs took on this socially conscious aspect. Definitely one of my favorites from BAD and one of Jackson's very best. The choir just adds more depth and grandness to this fantastic song.

"I Just Can't Stop Loving You" is another brilliant Jackson song, also notably another Jackson #1. As far as the #1s from BAD, I think it falls victim to being forgotten, though personally I think it is an absolutely lovely song that is very unforgettable. Maybe it doesn't possess the greatness of say "Billie Jean" or "Rock With You", but it certainly shows off Jackson on his "A" game.

"Dirty Diana", yet another #1 shows of MJ getting his Mick Jagger on. Michael Jackson goes all out rock star on this extremely well produced single that is undeniably catchy, filled with soaring electric guitars and all the machismo that goes with rock and roll. A great song, not my personal favorite Jackson hit, but definitely timeless.

"Smooth Criminal" is definitely one of Jackson's best, BEST songs. The production is slick, Jackson's frantic vocals are perfect, and honestly it's just plain COOL!

"Leave Me Alone", like all other BAD tracks is well written and another clear-cut hit. It definitely deserves its accolades and its place in history as a hit by the King of Pop. The production, Michael's vocals, and the songwriting are magnificent.

The above mentioned tracks all appeared from the original release of BAD. Included on the SPECIAL EDITION are a couple of worthwhile bonus tracks including the funky "Streetwalker", a spanish version of "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" ("Todo mi amor eres tu"), and the slick"Fly Away", an unreleased ballad. Also, included are interviews regarding BAD.

Overall, no one can deny this is a 5 star album. Sure, it may play bridesmaid to THRILLER or OFF THE WALL, but it is every bit as notable and enjoyable. MJ doesn't miss a beat. 5 stars."

He'll always be bad.

Adam Sims | Kentucky | 07/09/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Like most people, after the sudden death of the King of Pop, my interest in his music grew. Now I'm not one of those guys who ridiculed the man and only started listening to his music after his death, but I only had Thriller and Off the Wall. This album was a welcome addition.

By the time this album came out, Jackson was changing, gaining him the moniker of Wacko Jacko. He had apparently tried to buy the Elephant Man's bones, he was caught sleeping in an oxygen chamber, and as shown on the cover, his skin was steadily lightening. I find it amusing that near the end of his life, he was known more for his escapades than what he should have been known for: his music. This album is a prime example of why he is the King of Pop.

The album has a perfect combination of danceable songs, some gritty rockers, and emotional ballads. From the darker songs, like the opening title track, a rocker about a groupie called Dirty Diana, and the fast-paced Smooth Criminal, it shows MJ's more adult side. Some other catchy tracks include Speed Demon and the mysterious-sounding Another Part of Me, and Leave Me Alone. The more emotional ballads, such as Liberian Girl, I Just Can't Stop Loving You with Siedah Garrett, and the more personal track, Man in the Mirror. He also has a duet with Stevie Wonder in Just Good Friends.

And who could forget the music videos? His one for Bad is an 18-minute classic with Wesley Snipes, where he dons that leather outfit. And Leave me Alone is a facetious response toward the tabloids.

The bonus tracks consist of interviews from producer Quincy Jones, two unreleased tracks, and a Spanish version of I Just Can't Stop Loving You. There could have been more, but it doesn't matter.

This album is a classic, rivaling Thriller. RIP MJ. But don't worry, we still got great pop artists like Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, and Lady Gaga. That was sarcasm."

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