Michael Jackson
Bad

THE REVIEW

Review of the album "Bad" by Michael Jackson

The year 1987 marks the release of the third and final album resulting from the collaboration between Michael Jackson and the legendary producer Quincy Jones. At the beginning of the 80s, the two had released the best-selling album in history to date, Thriller. Michael feared the comparison with the incredible numbers of that album, and although Bad hasn't managed to reach Thrillers heights even today, I'd say that 30 million copies sold still make it a great success.

Speaking of musical quality, the album has nothing to envy from its predecessor. In fact, in this work, we find Jackson even more involved in writing lyrics and music. A sparkling beat and a restless bass line pave the way with the title track “Bad”, a track full of funk and electronics. Michael's voice is gritty and confident in declaring that he is the toughest opponent to beat. There's a lot of R’n’B and electronic pop in the up-tempo “The way you make me feel”, a real dancefloor classic and the singer’s signature style. Roaring engines lead us to the frenetic “Speed demon”, a somewhat underrated piece, but it's worth noting the quality of the bass and guitar in this song, which fades out and ushers us into the softer and more exotic atmosphere of the ballad “Liberian girl”, a song with a somewhat overly sentimental lyric, but the melody is truly evocative, and the singer’s subdued voice is highly engaging. The fifth track, decidedly dance in rhythm, is the result of collaboration with the master Stevie Wonder; the track in question is “Just good friends”, pleasant but certainly not the best in terms of quality. The syncopated sound of Greg Phillinganes’ keyboards brings us to the track “Another part of me”, a very energetic and danceable song in pure 80s style.

The seventh track is one of the evergreen songs in musical history, it’s “Man in the mirror”, a fantastic soul and gospel song with a social message, a classic by Jackson much loved for its beautiful words and sweet melodies. The evocative sounds of keyboards and synthesizers transport us into the dreamy and romantic atmosphere of “I just can’t stop loving you”, a duet with the famous Siedah Garrett, another gem from Bad. Steve Stevens' rock guitar introduces us to the rock masterpiece of the album, indispensable in every Michael's work; it's the passionate “Dirty Diana”, a true rock classic where the singer’s high notes compete with the guitar riffs. An atmosphere of tension marked by a heartbeat introduces us to yet another electro-funky masterpiece of the album; we're talking about “Smooth criminal” where Michael's whispered voice alternates with inimitable screams and scat vocals. The album closes with “Leave me alone”, a real cry of liberation where Jackson pleads with all his detractors and the mass media to give him a moment of respite. Truly remarkable is the use of the choir in the choruses.

Thus ends the album that reconfirms Jackson as the undisputed ruler of 80s pop music. The work is filled with great valuable pieces, and the production work and the sophistication of the sounds in my opinion are truly at the peak. Bad remains a milestone in musical history and Michael Jackson's discography.