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'Invincible' is Incredible.

What struck me as upsetting about Invincible was how much sweetness, love and calm was expressed in the songs. It was such a big turn from HIStory, where there are so many angry songs - a theme that started appearing in Bad with Leave me Alone, and then Dangerous with Why You Wanna Trip on Me, and then culminating to songs like Scream, Tabloid Junkie, They Don't Care About Us, This Time Around, D.S., Money, 2Bad, and Is It Scary. He really communicated his feelings through his songs, and he made it perfectly clear that 1993 had taken a serious toll - but then, after his children were born came Invincible, with so many beautiful ballads and so much love. He had reached a different state of mind by 2001, which only upsets me more when i think of 2005.
 
So many songs were dedicated to his kids on Invincible. It really shows what an amazing effect the kids had on him and how much he just adored his 'babies.' These poor kids have been robbed of such an amazing father :(
 
Invincible has some nice songs yes. But in my opinion, most of the songs are 'overproduced'...
 
what good would heaven be if the angles came for me I tell them noooooooo




Yo he killed "heaven can't wait" u felt every word
 
I adore the "Invincible" album - it's my favourite of Michael's (although "Dangerous" is very close). I love that there is such a level of variety on it, from your hard-bangin' tunes like "Unbreakable" and "2000 Watts" to the slower and more gentle tracks like "The Lost Children", "Butterflies" and "Break Of Dawn".

Personally, though, I think that "Cry" and "Whatever Happens" are two of his best-ever songs. The vocals in both tracks are powerful and yet heart-breakingly delivered, and his ability to see the cause through his words and the music is masterful. "Cry" has such a fantastic tempo and a great build-up, and "Whatever Happens" is unlike anything Michael's ever done with its Spanish influences and Carlos Santana on guitar.

I'm probably ranting now, but I truly think that this album will not only stand the test of time, but it will probably be more loved by fans and the general public in ten years than it is now because of the top-notch music production (which you cannot deny) and because of how much of a reflection it was as to the direction Michael was taking his music, and, subsequently, the industry along with him.
 
by industry standards it's pretty good, but if your going to compare it to his previous albums it's not that great. His vocal range was incredible but the number of really really really good songs is just too low. Basically Invincible, Unbreakable, Privacy and 2000 watts. then you have you rock my world which is just okay.
 
i like it more than i did when i first heard it. most songs sound EXTREMLY dated.

my favs:

speechless,
you are my life
butterflies
whatever happens
rock my world
unbreakable
heartbreaker
invincible
privacy
 
Pez said:
i like it more than i did when i first heard it. most songs sound EXTREMLY dated.

my favs:

speechless,
you are my life
butterflies
whatever happens
rock my world
unbreakable
heartbreaker
invincible
privacy
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Can I ask what tracks you think sound dated and why? I really can't see that on the album, to be honest, but I'm curious to know what makes you say that.
 
strawberrypie999 said:
Invincible is my favorite album...there is just something about it. It's like...funky and hip...yet it is so classically Michael. It's got all the best elements rolled in to one.
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it's my favorite album also. I remember when I first got the album 8 years ago, my family was driving to Disneyland for my birthday. We listened to that album for 16 hours. 8 hours driving there and hours driving back. I never got sick of it. There are so many amazing songs like speechless, break of dawn, unbreakable, you are my life, the lost children and whatever happens. And there is even a song for all those mj haters who say "michael sounds like a girl" 2000 Watts, Michael's voice is so deep!!! And Michael's voice is just so superb on this album it makes me want to squeal with joy. I wish he'd come back :cry:
 
blujein said:
I adore the "Invincible" album - it's my favourite of Michael's (although "Dangerous" is very close). I love that there is such a level of variety on it, from your hard-bangin' tunes like "Unbreakable" and "2000 Watts" to the slower and more gentle tracks like "The Lost Children", "Butterflies" and "Break Of Dawn".

Personally, though, I think that "Cry" and "Whatever Happens" are two of his best-ever songs. The vocals in both tracks are powerful and yet heart-breakingly delivered, and his ability to see the cause through his words and the music is masterful. "Cry" has such a fantastic tempo and a great build-up, and "Whatever Happens" is unlike anything Michael's ever done with its Spanish influences and Carlos Santana on guitar.

I'm probably ranting now, but I truly think that this album will not only stand the test of time, but it will probably be more loved by fans and the general public in ten years than it is now because of the top-notch music production (which you cannot deny) and because of how much of a reflection it was as to the direction Michael was taking his music, and, subsequently, the industry along with him.
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I love Whatever happens. He always put his heart and soul into every song he sang but I think he really lived that one. It a sad but hauntingly beautiful song.
 
callmerose said:
I love Whatever happens. He always put his heart and soul into every song he sang but I think he really lived that one. It a sad but hauntingly beautiful song.
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Oh, absolutely right! :)

"Whatever Happens" just has such a charming and...as you said, haunting, tone to it. Everyone I've played it to, even non-fans, have absolutely fallen in love with that track. :D
 
dancemasterman said:
by industry standards it's pretty good, but if your going to compare it to his previous albums it's not that great. His vocal range was incredible but the number of really really really good songs is just too low. Basically Invincible, Unbreakable, Privacy and 2000 watts. then you have you rock my world which is just okay.
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I guess "really really really good" is subjective. I would consider Whatever Happens one of the best written, produced and performed songs that I have ever heard. I agree with Invincible and 2000 watts but I didn't really care for Unbreakable as much. Speechless is amazing, Butterflies, Don't Walk Away, Cry, You are my Life. All much better than 90% of what is played on the radio. Actually by industry standards it is an amazing album and by commercial success as well. Unfortunately when you have the best selling album of all time, any success no matter how great, will be compared to that. IT is a shame people always did that and couldn't just enjoy Michael's music for what it was.
 
Invincible is Incredible indeed! I love all of the slow/ballad songs. Butterflies is my favorite song from this album. Unbreakable is my favorite uptempo song. I love the keyboard arrangement! I believe that an outstanding short film would have taken this song to another level! You Rock My World is an amazing groove! I love Threatened! That's a hot song as well! It's all a matter of personal taste, but for me, Invincible was an amazing masterpiece from a true genius. I truly believe that this album will get the appreciation it deserves in years to come.
 
callmerose said:
I guess "really really really good" is subjective. I would consider Whatever Happens one of the best written, produced and performed songs that I have ever heard. I agree with Invincible and 2000 watts but I didn't really care for Unbreakable as much. Speechless is amazing, Butterflies, Don't Walk Away, Cry, You are my Life. All much better than 90% of what is played on the radio. Actually by industry standards it is an amazing album and by commercial success as well. Unfortunately when you have the best selling album of all time, any success no matter how great, will be compared to that. IT is a shame people always did that and couldn't just enjoy Michael's music for what it was.
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well said.

oldmoon20 said:
I can't stop listening to speechless.
I have repeated it I don't know how many times! :D
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Oh, I know what you mean.........words cannot describe how beautiful and pure that song is...truly from his soul.
 
yeah Invincible has been one of my favorites since I bought it from Wal-mart back in 2001.


I still envision in my head the never made music video of the Invincible song, starring Michael Jackson, he would be sporting his hair tied up with his famous fedora look almost similar to what he did with in the You Rock My World video, except an addition of him sporting a cut off phantom mask in a fashionably white suit. Jirating to through the lyrics in a grayish-white, and red setting, and the camera focusing between Jackson and his female models who are seating in fixtures in the backdrop. Queue in that rapper to do his verse in the video. Then near the end of that song, you know the part where the lyrics repeat "She is Invincible" confetti would drop at that moment.


Butterflies. Oh gawd, how I remember when I first heard this song played on the radio, it made me play through my album again (cause at first heard from the album, I dismissed it). I remember everyone would jam to the song. I completely envisioned the music video of this song would be a black and white filmed video, black backdrop white floor, with 2 female singers. The camera would change shots between the female singers and Michael Jackson in this video. Jackson still wearing the cut-off phantom mask.

2000 Watts would have, should have been made into a music video as well. The mood of this video would have been a midnight, metropolitan like setting, where a pulse of light would be illuminating through video representing Jackson, but he wouldn't be revealed till mid-end of the song, and he would still be wearing the cut-off phantom mask as prior.

Whatever happens featuring Carlos Santana. Music video, night-time, back alley of a bar lounge, in a rainy/wet setting. Carlos and Mike are singing, but the main focal point of the video is actually focused on the actors to which the story the song tells. The end of each scene the focus would cut to Carlos and Mike. No cut-off phantom mask in this video.

Threatend, I envisioned this music video being the biggest budget of them all. An updated or part II to Thriller. Michael Jackson would be fully transformed to CGI, using the latest computer technology of 2001. If you remember how good Squaresoft was able to get CGI in Final Fantasy Spirits of Within back then. the classic Thriller Michael Jackson in his bright red leather jacket would surprise the world in his stunning CGI video.
 
"dont walk away" shouldve never been included.. sounds so sappy and dated...

"the lost children"... i cant understand why he put this on the album.. i kno he wrote this song and loved it but i just cant stand it really.. probably my least fav MJ song... ever!!

"you are my life".. i never really liked this song until i saw MJ's PHM special on fox in '03.. cuz when they were showin home footage of his kids, this song played in the background and thats when i really got that this song is about his kids.. but it still sounds so old and its soooooo slow.. they shouldve made it jus a tad faster.. it puts me to sleep..

"speechless" i never liked until recently.. and i mean REAL recent.. like when ive listened to it since MJ passed away, it has a new meaning and i actually have grown to really enjoy this track..

"invincible" i never really liked this one either.. i love "unbreakable" and even "heartbreaker" but this one was so repetative (the chorus over and over) and i didnt really like the beat much..

"break of dawn" and "heaven can wait" and "butterflies".... 3 of his greatest slow jams.. ever.. so smooth, such great music, great melodies and harmonies... love these... instant classics as soon as i heard em the 1st time...

"you rock my world".... enjoy this song but it too sounded so dated.. and even tho i knew thats wut he and rodney jerkins were going for (they stated they were trying to make it sound like a classic quincy jones produced track), it still stuck out to me as strange as to why it was chosen as the 1st single.. i thought HCW or Unbreakable were better 1st single choices...

"2000 Watts"... such a weird song to me.. liked the beat but everything else was too much.. probably wouldve been awesome live.. but wasnt really feelin it then ('01) or now...

"privacy"... ugh.. i dunno why but theres always been sumthin bout this track that bugged me.. cant really pinpoint wut it is either.. def not my fav.. by a long-shot...

"cry" liked it very 1st time i heard it.. but didnt love it.. i thought it was toooooo similar to man in the mirror to be honest.. but good nonetheless.. had special meaning for me after 9/11...

"whatever happens"... WOW!!! this is such a special gem in all of MJ's work.. so unique and so great all on its own.. santana was amazing as always on here.. i wish it was a single.. even if it had no video.. it wouldve been awesome...

"threatened"... this song is different for me.. cuz i like the beat to it.. but theres just seems to be soooooo much going on in this song.. i totally admire the work it had to have taken to get the rap part so seemingly perfect by rod serling.. whenever i play that part for someone whos never heard it, they trip out too..in a good way.. but like i said, i think this song is the definition of "overproduced"... sometimes less is way more..

-Dal
 
I was never too crazy about Invisible....I liked it but wasn't blown away from some reason. Maybe I should go back and listen again....

My all time favorite is Off the Wall with Thriller coming in second :p
 
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I never understood why people said that myself, it was probably my favorite of them all. (But that's pretty hard to choose, I loved Dangerous and the others a lot as well)

I think it was mostly the media that went on about how terrible it was to ruin him, but us fans know it's amazing (or to the one's who aren't crazy about it, decent), because we actually LISTENED to it. :)
 
Invincible was the first album I properly listened to and I loved it! It's not my fave now but I prob listen to it the most as it's the easist of Michael's albums to listen to (for me) and seems to always catch my mood.

Also - 'Whatever Happens' is the most underrated song ever!
 
I love Invincible so much! Dont Walk Away, Heaven can Wait, Whatever Happens are all my favorites. That album is completely underrated, I thought it was amazin
 
StephluvsMJ said:
LOL when I first heard it I thought the same thing! I was like 'who is this guy singing on Michael's album!?'

Anyway, I love Invincible. I've been listening to it a lot lately. I love Unbreakable, Whatever Happens and Speechless.

It's sad that Michael was constantly being compared to Thriller. They didn't just compare the quality but the success as well. It's like anything Michael put out that didn't sell more than 104 million was a 'flop' :smilerolleyes: I think Invincible sold around 12 million, and that wasn't deemed a success. And yet Justin Timberlake or Eminem sell 5 million copies of an album and they are hits -_-
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Compared to Thriller, every album is a flop. I'm sorry, but only an idiot wouldn't agree with that and honestly, I don't like to waste my time with album reviews, they're heavy with personal taste and supposed new trends...

Plus, people never pay attention to the fact that little Justin followed Invincible's innovations to make his album Justified (2002). And here comes the worst part, he got good reviews and awards! That's SO unfair.

Back to the topic:

I love Invincible!
Unbreakable, Heartbreaker, Break of Dawn, Heaven Can Wait, You Rock My World, Butterflies, Speechless, 2000 Watts, Whatever Happens, Cry... It's a 77 minutes-long album and you don't get tired of it. It's so heartfelt, the ballads are soft and the uptempos are so energic and different, yet it's like what we hear on the radios today, 8 years later!

And I've got good memories of 2001, when I saw YRMW short film for the first time. It was like: Wow! Michael is really back. It was so refreshing. I'm a pop music fan, always been and always will be and at that moment I knew nobody could top Michael. No one.
 
I was one of them who said that Invincible wasn't as good as it could have been, but it did grew on me eventually. And the reason why it now has a special place in my heart is because on the eve of june 25th I was listening to it, really feeling it, unaware of that at the same time Michael was spending his last hours here on earth. The last song that I listened to was probably whatever happens, I remember listening it twice. The next morning I go the news.
 
funny thing..i had a HUGE Invincible craving on the tube this morning so I blasted the first 3 tracks followed by YRMW..its still too raw for Heaven can Wait and Speechless..too emotional on the way to work BUT ive always got time for Break of Dawn..MJ is finnne on this one..kinda like a 2001 + forever version of Lady in My Life.

This was THE album i waited for as a fan..I was 14 when History came out..when I became a fan and the wait was long but worth it..I remember i got all my Uni friends around - an unforgetable night.

BTW - can we please talk about how amazing Whatever Happens is..this song is not discussed enough!!! it is SO different to Mike's other stuff ..thevoice is incredible and what is the story?? who else is intrigued to know the story behind Michael's writing of this song..who are the couple??!!
 
jsimpson9 said:
BTW - can we please talk about how amazing Whatever Happens is..this song is not discussed enough!!! it is SO different to Mike's other stuff ..thevoice is incredible and what is the story?? who else is intrigued to know the story behind Michael's writing of this song..who are the couple??!!
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I could talk about his song for hours...

I love it. In fact, I didn't like it the first time I listened to it, but it grew on me. Actually, the second time I listened to it, one verse stood out and I said, Ok, I surrender, I love it. This one: He doesn't know what to say, so he prays Whatever, whatever, whatever

Michael sings this part with his heart. I know he always means what he sings, but this part is special, it's desparate and passionate at the same time. I mean passion is a desparate feeling, but he is talking about love, about trust and (I think) about a established relationship that's going through some trouble or maybe that people get so focused on work and their daily activities that they forget their loved ones and what put them together in the first place. Ok I'm just babbling now. I'll shut up =P
 
ani_geleia said:
I could talk about his song for hours...

I love it. In fact, I didn't like it the first time I listened to it, but it grew on me. Actually, the second time I listened to it, one verse stood out and I said, Ok, I surrender, I love it. This one: He doesn't know what to say, so he prays Whatever, whatever, whatever

Michael sings this part with his heart. I know he always means what he sings, but this part is special, it's desparate and passionate at the same time. I mean passion is a desparate feeling, but he is talking about love, about trust and (I think) about a established relationship that's going through some trouble or maybe that people get so focused on work and their daily activities that they forget their loved ones and what put them together in the first place. Ok I'm just babbling now. I'll shut up =P
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ooooooooh my lord I feel the same thing! I think I posted earlier in this thread about that line,,,I get such a feeling of peace from it. I'm so excited that you noticed that too!!
 
ani_geleia said:
Compared to Thriller, every album is a flop. I'm sorry, but only an idiot wouldn't agree with that and honestly, I don't like to waste my time with album reviews, they're heavy with personal taste and supposed new trends...

Plus, people never pay attention to the fact that little Justin followed Invincible's innovations to make his album Justified (2002). And here comes the worst part, he got good reviews and awards! That's SO unfair.
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If you're talking about the quality of every album compared to Thriller is a flop, then I'm sorry, but you're very wrong.

Thriller is great in terms of commercial success, but because of all the crazy promoting Michael did for that album (the storyline in music video concept, Motown 25, etc), causing album sales to be flying, it became overrated. Don't get me wrong it is an amazing album, used to be my favorite album of his but its only noted as his best because of the hype that surrounded it. If you wanna talk about quality, listen to HIStory or Dangerous, that is where Michael's true musical abilities shine.

If you meant in terms of record sales and success, then sorry for ranting, you are right, Thriller cannot be compared.

Invincible is only viewed as Michael's worst because of the promotion and all the drama in 2001. Michael in the beginning had amazing record sales, the opening was a success and so was the new video. But then he sued Sony for not promoting his album well enough which was true. Unbreakable was meant to be the first single and was meant to be accompanied by a huge, all the works included, music video.

People say it just sounds like mechanical garbage but their wrong, the album is great. Its full of up RnB songs, goosebumps all over my body kind of ballads and Pop songs too. My faves are Break of Dawn and Don't Walk Away. Very beautiful songs. :)
 
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