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Michael - The Great Album Debate

Dictionary Definition of Sexy

Michael Jackson.
Can it be used in a sentence?
"Mmmm look at Michaels gold pants they really highlight the sexiness of MJJR. They both sure can tango....In bed :p"
 
It´s clear that Roger Friedman was supporting the album from the start and was part of the plan to sell the songs to Sony and to make believe Sony & the fans that the tracks were sung by MJ.

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Exclusive: Michael Jackson Recorded A New Album in 2007


05/02/10

Bombshell exclusive:

Michael Jackson recorded a whole new album of material in the fall of 2007. The information about the album was only recently revealed by sources close to the late pop star.

I’m told that Jackson’s manager and adviser, Frank DiLeo, knew that Jackson was working on a new album.

The song titles that I’m aware of include: “Water,” a song Michael actually sang a little bit of in the movie, “This is It” (Jackson fans have commented on this on fan blogs), plus “Breaking News,” and “Burn Tonight.”

According to one source who’s heard the material, Michael’s vocals are “perfect.”

The question now, of course, is what happens next. The Jackson estate just signed a record deal with Sony Music that could be worth $200 million, but it includes re-releases of previously recorded music, live albums, and an album of unreleased songs that were in the Sony vaults or recorded during Jackson’s contracted time with the label.

That deal does not include newly discovered material. This could mean that other record companies could bid for the collection of songs.
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New Michael Jackson Album May Pose Legal Problems

05/03/10

The newly discovered Michael Jackson album I told you about –exclusively–yesterday may pose some legal problems.

Yesterday I wondered in this space if Michael’s recordings with Cascio would be covered by his estate’s recent $200 million deal with Sony. I thought maybe not, since no one knew about the tracks at the time of the deal.

But things could get sticky between the Jackson estate and Cascio. I am told that Cascio has engaged a top music entertainment lawyer in Los Angeles, Don Passman. And sources do say that Cascio is “covered,” whatever that means. There’s no word on whether Jackson–who used to put his “M” signature on anything in front of him–signed a piece of paper with Cascio.

There will be some tough questioning by the estate over who wrote the songs Cascio recorded, and whether Michael was their author or co-author. I’m told that may be “covered” as well by copyright registrations.

Indeed, two days after Jackson died–on June 27, 2009–Cascio filed a copyright claim along with Michael Jackson and another songwriter for something called “MJ Songbook.” The filing is just for lyrics. An earlier filing. from March 2008, is labeled “JPEC Collection.” The song titles in each collection are not specified in the Library of Congress’s database, but it’s possible that Cascio updated his 2008 filing after Jackson died to reflect the superstar’s contribution to material Cascio had already written–and wisely registered.

What everyone who’s heard the tracks agrees on is that Michael Jackson’s vocals sound great.
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Michael Jackson New Album: “Before End of Year”

09/27/10

In the end, four of what might be 12 tracks will be derived from sessions Michael did with Eddie Cascio in his suburban New Jersey studio three years ago. At least one of those tracks was originally co written and produced by Eddie’s brother Frank Cascio for an R&B singer named Bobby Ewing.
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Michael Jackson Album of New Songs In Limbo

10/19/10

That album of Michael Jackson‘s unreleased material?

I’ll tell you what: it’s in limbo.

The best material available really comes from those sessions with Eddie Cascio in New Jersey circa summer 2007. Some of the songs were already written by Eddie’s brother Frank Cascio and recorded as demos with a local singer named Bobby Ewing. Michael put his vocals on them during that time he stayed with the Cascios in New Jersey.

At first there was a lot of skepticism about the tracks. I’m told that co-executor John McClain questioned whether the vocals were really Michael’s, or faked. But they are Michael’s. And they will be needed to round out the selections.
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Michael Jackson: New Album Stalled, Friends and Family Fighting

10/27/10

It’s not easy putting out this new Michael Jackson album. In fact, it’s turned into a war among family and friends.

The biggest issues have come because of what’s known as the “Cascio” tracks. Five of them are so good that they’ve been slated for inclusion. But there’s the rub. According to sources, co-executor John McClain has poisoned the water with Katherine Jackson regarding the Cascio family. On Monday, Mrs. Jackson apparently insisted that no tracks from the Cascio sessions be included.

In the end, it may not matter what the Ts, Michael’s children, or his mother, or John McClain thinks. Sony made a deal with the estate earlier this year that could be worth $200 million. They’re so keen on the Cascio tracks they even hired forensic audiologists to make sure the vocals are Michael’s and not those of an imitator. The Jackson family will likely have to accept those findings and let the estate and Sony proceed with the album.
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Michael Jackson Producers Rejected Burt Bacharach Arrangement for New Song

11/09/10

The “Michael” album is not quite finalized, I’m told, but will have to be by Friday. Right now there are three “Cascio” tracks including “Breaking News.” Fans are complaining about “Breaking News” on the Jackson website because it doesn’t sound right to them. Folks, it really is Michael singing on that song. The finished version on the album may sound more like him. Part of the problem may have been in the uploading to the website.

“Breaking News” only streams through Sunday. On Monday, the first actual single is released–with Akon–called “Hold My Hand.”

I’ve heard a lot of the tracks, and I can tell you–they are by Michael. Michael’s nephew, Taryll Jackson, knows that, too. Despite his campaign to discredit the album, Taryll was around when the tracks were being put together. More will come out about this soon.

Conspiracy theories are fun, but buying into them is just going to cheat true Michael Jackson fans out of a great experience. “Michael” is shaping up to be a very solid project.
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Michael Jackson Sings About Himself on New Single, “Breaking News”

11/08/10

Here’s the new Michael Jackson single, “Breaking News,” written by Michael Jackson (lyrics only), Eddie Cascio and James Porte (aka Bobby Ewing). Yes, it’s Michael singing about himself. It’s a song they wrote in the Cascio home studio together in August 2007. Eddie’s brother, Frank, was Michael’s long time friend, confidante, and protege. It was his work with Bobby Ewing that brought Michael into the studio.

“Who is that boogeyman you’re thinking of?”– the song is tailored for Michael, and addresses all the gossip that was leveled at him, the accusations, etc.

“Why is it strange that I would fall in love?” Michael sings. Is he referring to Lisa Marie Presley, Debbie Rowe, or someone else? Anyway, the production by Teddy Riley, is terrific, giving Michael a modern sound and horns. And, yes, that’s him singing. There is only one Michael Jackson.
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Michael Jackson: New Single Tonight, Second Single Next Week (Version Here)

11/07/10

Michael Jackson‘s first new single, “Breaking News,” should hit his Sony website tonight at midnight.

The track has been available for some time on YouTube. But it’s likely that the newer version will have more of Michael’s singing mixed in front instead of as background.

(Video after jump)
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Exclusive: Michael Jackson New Album Video Teaser

If the Cascio tracks hadn’t been recorded in 2007 and discovered–by this column exclusively, last spring--there would be many fewer, in fact.
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Michael Jackson New Album: Five New Song Titles

11/05/10

Here are the likely titles of the Cascio songs for the album called “Michael,” which will be released on December 14th: “Breaking News,” “Monster,” “Water,” “Keep Your Head Up,” and “All I Need.” There were 10 original Cascio songs Michael sang on. The finished ones chosen, aside from “Breaking News,” are still pending.

I know these songs. I heard them in a pre-Michael version in 2006. They were recorded with his vocals in 2007. Recently, producers have polished them up. They are said to be “amazing.”

There is no question that these are Michael’s vocals. It’s kind of universally karmic that Michael did them when he did them. He was staying with the Cascios, the only people who offered him refuge during troubled times. He loved them. And they took care of him.
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Michael Jackson: “Secret” Work Tapes Will Prove It’s His Voice on Tracks (“Hold My Hand” Now Available)

11/14/10

But now sources tell me that there were “work tapes” made during the Cascio sessions. These aren’t outtakes of the songs, but tapes running in the studio while Michael discussed what was going on with Eddie Cascio and other members of the Cascio family. Jackson’s own kids even make cameo appearances on the tapes. At some point, the work tapes will be released, although it’s unclear by whom. The main thing is, there’s plenty of evidence of Michael Jackson working with Eddie Cascio.

Still, it’s nice to know that the tapes prove once and for all what was going on in the Cascios’ home studio in the summer of 2007. It’s truly, without a doubt, Michael Jackson on the recordings.

There are three Cascio tracks on the new album. “Breaking News,” of course, has already been heard. Last Friday, “Keep Your Head Up” was leaked to the internet. Some people heard it, but Sony’s legal team moved quickly to have it removed. It’s a great record. The third Cascio track, “Monster,” with 50 Cent, remains a mystery, although I’ve heard good things about it.
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Michael Jackson: There Is Concrete Proof He Sang the New Songs

11/10/10

The fans are worried that Michael Jackson‘s new songs–recorded in 2007 at the New Jersey home studio of family friends–aren’t his.

The “Cascio tracks” have caused an uproar. On the planned “Michael” album set for December 14th release, there will be three: “Breaking News,” “Monster,” and “Keep Your Head Up.” (I’ve heard the latter song, and it’s quite wonderful.)

I am told that in addition to forensic tests on the songs to make sure the vocals are Michael’s, Sony sources say Eddie Cascio has provided notes written on lyric sheets in Michael’s unmistakable handwriting. (Of course, they can always call in Helena Bonham Carter’s aunt–see yesterday’s column.)

Sources tell me there’s plenty of proof left behind by Michael that he provided the vocals on 12 tracks. Michael wasn’t just sitting around that whole time in the studio. He worked on the songs, and there’s evidence of it in the notations.
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Michael Jackson’s New Album Leaks Onto the Internet

12/07/10

The good news is, both “Monster” and “The Way You Love Me” are just great. “Monster” is one of the three Eddie Cascio tracks.

And yes, all three Cascio tracks are sung by Michael. There are no imposters. The album version of “Breaking News” is a little different than the one that streamed last month on Michael’s website. It should convince everyone that it’s MJ himself.
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Michael Jackson’s New Album Finishes at Number 3 in US, But It’s an International Hit

12/22/10

What it lacks, though, is a break out hit. And the album still has not overcome the stigma of Jackson’s vocals possibly not being his–and they are.

Sony sort of screwed this up from the beginning. The version of “Breaking News” that was put on the website for streaming in November didn’t sound like Michael Jackson. It was in fact the wrong mix. This led the rabid Jackson fans to scream that they were being fooled.

It’s too bad: “Breaking News” is a great single. On the album, it’s clearly Michael Jackson singing all the way through the lead.

“Michael” has plenty of potential singles. “Monster,” “Keep Your Head Up,” and “Another Day” are all great.
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Michael Jackson: New Album Zooms to Number… Five?

12/14/10

What gives? Last night at Roseland, Jackson fans turned out in droves for an album launch party, Entry was free. Upstairs in a private section, Jackson executor John Branca, manager Frank DiLeo, execs from Sony, writer-producer Eddie Cascio, brother Frank and their dad, plus Akon all partied–glad that “Michael” is finally out.

But now the trick is to overcome the weird, incorrect impression that vocals on the album aren’t Michael’s. They are.
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Michael Jackson’s New Album: It’s Out, and It’s Really Pretty Good

12/07/10

The best thing about the finished album: “Breaking News” is great. It’s all Michael singing all the way through it. Sony screwed up the mix on the Michael Jackson website last month, which sent his fans into shock. But the real mix is clearly Michael’s vocals from beginning to end. It’s a very good track.

The other tracks made with Eddie Cascio, first conceived by his brother Frank Cascio with co-writer James Porte, are excellent. Both “Keep Your Head Up” and “Monster,” the latter featuring 50 Cent, are destined for singles. Again, they are clearly all Michael. “Monster” is destined to be a Monster hit.
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There is no other way to explain his supportive campaign. ;)
 
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Kapital77;3571905 said:
It´s clear that Roger Friedman was supporting the album from the start
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Yo. Is that a crime?


Kapital77;3571905 said:
and was part of the plan to sell the songs to Sony and to make believe Sony & the fans that the tracks were sung by MJ.
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No, Kapital.

I repeat: Imagining how anyone of these business people should become influenced and manipulated by reading a blog from a tabloid journalist is beyond funny!

Neither do business people nor fans care about Roger Friedman, a simple camp follower.


Sony screwed up the mix on the Michael Jackson website last month, which sent his fans into shock.
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That wrong rumor (not made up by him but he jumps on it) that there would be another version of "Breaking News" alone does show he had been in a mist all the time.

Both “Keep Your Head Up” and “Monster,” the latter featuring 50 Cent, are destined for singles.
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It's again very clear he's got his info from inside The MJ Estate.


Let me just show how much he's been speculating all the time and how often he was wrong:

That deal does not include newly discovered material. This could mean that other record companies could bid for the collection of songs.
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The MJ Estate and Sony have made an exclusive distribution deal that includes any and all post-Motown stuff to be released with Sony only! What Roger Friedman says here however shows you he doesn't know what deal they have made.

covered by his estate’s recent $200 million deal with Sony. I thought maybe not, since no one knew about the tracks at the time of the deal.
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See above. It's completely irrelevant whether the tracks were known or not. The deal simply gives Sony the exclusive distribution rights. As always they only need to pay the people who worked on these songs but no other record company could distribute them until 2017.

The filing is just for lyrics.
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--> Simply wrong.

I know these songs. I heard them in a pre-Michael version in 2006. They were recorded with his vocals in 2007.
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Aha, he claims to have heard the demos? Yeah, of course. LOL!

The third Cascio track, “Monster,” with 50 Cent, remains a mystery, although I’ve heard good things about it.
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I thought he would know the demos at least. Here he admits to know nothing about "Monster". Not even what the song is about. But he heard "good things" about it.
LOL, Roger!


And why did he try so hard to get Quincy Jones to say that the Cascio songs are MJ (according to Quincy)?
Really simple: It would have brought his blog another "exclusive" report and lots of site views as it would be the only publicly accessible documented statement on video of one of MJ's long-term producers.
Roger Friedman doesn't have any attitude to morality. Stalking an old man is just disgusting!
 
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Just being nostalgic... :cry: When I remember all these... *sigh*


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I wish Cascios just stayed away from Michael's art, and were nothing more than what they were, his friends, and not some kind of apprentice music producers after his death.
 
Some people suggested that Michael did some kind of favor to help the Cascios. But I can't stop thinking that Michael did help people with his appearances here and there in different studios. He never sounded neither different nor did he record so many songs (an entire album!) to help people in a matter of few months!

Here are some rarities in which Michael aprticipated if you remember or maybe you'll discover some songs. Note that no matter in which song or how long he appears you immediately notice his unique voice, even in the background (contrary to the Cascio tracks which is actually bugging me since the beginning):

[youtube]5GWW4B9hwds[/youtube]
[youtube]Ag4MNjkBCyI[/youtube]
[youtube]a8SdzwoIcwo&ob=av2n[/youtube]
[youtube]9kGrp_LLxEQ[/youtube]
[youtube]eBce2h02oDg[/youtube]
[youtube]iG2cBAEuSms[/youtube]
[youtube]4US8jOB9dwI[/youtube]
[youtube]cZ9Pa41KJjM[/youtube]
[youtube]YKdQPDZ63DA[/youtube]
[youtube]kMQ3jwqH_lU[/youtube]
[youtube]D86ye9nCBLM[/youtube]
[youtube]JgolYfq4xvI&ob=av2e[/youtube]
[youtube]OQy86k4fBu0&feature=fvst[/youtube]
[youtube]5OFC8Di1v70&feature=related[/youtube]


etc.
 
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I've just noticed that there's "Burn Tonight" uploaded on youtube. It's been there since Dec 13th. I wonder what's gonna happen to it now after I wrote about it here. A little anti-spy test.
 
Willy said:
I've just noticed that there's "Burn Tonight" uploaded on youtube. It's been there since Dec 13th. I wonder what's gonna happen to it now after I wrote about it here. A little anti-spy test.
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Interesting thing about this song, is that James Porte's voice is very present on the chorus, to the point where I'm not even sure we can hear MJ. Also, from about 2:00 to about 2:40 in the song, there is a long instrumental passage where a bridge would normally be. All of which indicates that they created this song from incomplete vocals : they apparently only had a few verses to work with. If they had used an impersonator like some believe, they would have complete vocals.
 
All the songs has empty bridges without Monster which 50 Cent recorded a rap for.

And you don't know that they would have completed the vocals if they used an impersonator.

You wouldn't know that.
 
kreen said:
Interesting thing about this song, is that James Porte's voice is very present on the chorus, to the point where I'm not even sure we can hear MJ. Also, from about 2:00 to about 2:40 in the song, there is a long instrumental passage where a bridge would normally be. All of which indicates that they created this song from incomplete vocals : they apparently only had a few verses to work with. If they had used an impersonator like some believe, they would have complete vocals.
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The lead vocals that are on there (which is all of the verses) are quite clearly Jason. I think it's a joke that they are supposed to be MJ. There are perhaps less lead vocals on that than other songs but the fact that other tracks consist of complete lead vocals by Jason, such as Water, Fall In Love and All I Need shows that this is not a comprehensive argument. Also, Burn 2Nite is comprised of many takes on the lead vocals, showing that they had a lot of material from the lead singer to choose from, as is the case with all the songs. There are many takes of each song.
 
Why would the Cascio Singer record so many takes of his vocals, when he can nail it a few times and be done. I understand perfection but wouldnt it make more sense if they had a buttload of MJ lead vocals that he recorded differently or incompletely? Then they just put it together? Ignoring the questional vibrato and snorts would it make more sense to do that?
 
Billyjeanplxiv said:
Why would the Cascio Singer record so many takes of his vocals, when he can nail it a few times and be done. I understand perfection but wouldnt it make more sense if they had a buttload of MJ lead vocals that he recorded differently or incompletely? Then they just put it together? Ignoring the questional vibrato and snorts would it make more sense to do that?
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Because they had Jason record multiple takes and then used the ones that sounded most convincing.
 
I've just relistened to Burn 2Nite on youtube...

No matter how I tried to listen to it, with treble, bass, with one ear, with two ears, I just don't hear Michael. It's just not his voice. This has nothing to do with processing. Earlier I posted some songs on which Michael collaborated with other artists. I can immediately hear his voice there. And here, on Burn 2Nite, the whole song doesn't even make me doubt it's not him.

The very beginning, the first two-three notes make me think of Malachi's Runner Up. Then the intro in Spanish, makes me think again of Malachi's style.
As far as "catchyness" is concerned, well it's as catchy as Malachi's songs.

Does anyone really hear Michael on Burn 2Nite?
 
It also has the same melody humming ad lib like Jason did in Tell It Like It is.

Edit: I really need to do an audio compilation of all this Cascio "haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-a-a--a haaaaaaaa-a-a-aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa" humming headvoice screaming things. Like the intro of B2N, or in the middle of BN, etc.
 
Pentum said:
It also has the same melody humming ad lib like Jason did in Tell It Like It is.

Edit: I really need to do an audio compilation of all this Cascio "haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-a-a--a haaaaaaaa-a-a-aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa" humming headvoice screaming things. Like the intro of B2N, or in the middle of BN, etc.
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Don't you find that the first two three notes on Burn 2 Nite are the same as Runner Up, except that in B2N you just hear whispering "dah, dah" and in Runner up "Malachi, Malachi".

Regarding the humming style, it is true, it's another mark of Jason Malachi. The first thing Malachi does in for example "How I do" is humming.
 
Pentum said:
It also has the same melody humming ad lib like Jason did in Tell It Like It is.

Edit: I really need to do an audio compilation of all this Cascio "haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-a-a--a haaaaaaaa-a-a-aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa" humming headvoice screaming things. Like the intro of B2N, or in the middle of BN, etc.
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BUMPER SNIPPET said:
Don't you find that the first two three notes on Burn 2 Nite are the same as Runner Up, except that in B2N you just hear whispering "dah, dah" and in Runner up "Malachi, Malachi".

Regarding the humming style, it is true, it's another mark of Jason Malachi. The first thing Malachi does in for example "How I do" is humming.
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I also noticed that. It's like he's afraid of empty spaces with only music, as if the song needs to be spiced up by humming a melody. It's sounds a bit of too much 'decorating' the song. It's annoying and unneccesary...*shrugs*.

Did Michael do that too? I never noticed it?
 
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kreen said:
Interesting thing about this song, is that James Porte's voice is very present on the chorus, to the point where I'm not even sure we can hear MJ. Also, from about 2:00 to about 2:40 in the song, there is a long instrumental passage where a bridge would normally be. All of which indicates that they created this song from incomplete vocals : they apparently only had a few verses to work with. If they had used an impersonator like some believe, they would have complete vocals.
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Can't a long instrumental passage also be a bridge? It doesn't sound awkward to me. "Much too soon" also has a long instrument passage for example.

eta: mmm...maybe not a good example. But an instrumental passage isn't that strange.
 
Chamife said:
I also noticed that. It's like he's afraid of empty spaces with only music, as if the song needs to be spiced up by humming a melody. It's annoying and unneccesary...*shrugs*.

Did Michael do that too? I never noticed it?
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Yes, he did. He even has a song (with his bros) titled Hum Along And Dance. However, he didn't do it as often as Malachi.

[youtube]auh5nKSSG7o[/youtube]
 
BUMPER SNIPPET said:
I've just relistened to Burn 2Nite on youtube...

No matter how I tried to listen to it, with treble, bass, with one ear, with two ears, I just don't hear Michael. It's just not his voice. This has nothing to do with processing. Earlier I posted some songs on which Michael collaborated with other artists. I can immediately hear his voice there. And here, on Burn 2Nite, the whole song doesn't even make me doubt it's not him.

The very beginning, the first two-three notes make me think of Malachi's Runner Up. Then the intro in Spanish, makes me think again of Malachi's style.
As far as "catchyness" is concerned, well it's as catchy as Malachi's songs.

Does anyone really hear Michael on Burn 2Nite?
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Yupp.
 
ADKIc3mAnX said:
Yupp.
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Oh come on ADKI, it doesn't really sound like any of MJ's neither songs nor voice on his songs. Have you listened to:

-Yeah
-Save me
-Going back to Alabama
-You don't stand another chance
-All I do

On those songs even when nobody points it out to you you instantly recognize MJ's unique voice. They all match. How does it match with Burn 2 Nite? It's not even close.
 
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