My 100th Epinion-Michael Jackson's Dangerous

After writing for Epinions for nearly a year and a half, I am finally embarking on my 100th Epinion. When deciding what I would review for my 100th Epinion, I decided to review the first album I ever bought, Michael Jackson's "Dangerous." While it may be a surprise to some that my first foray into the world of music was the King of Pop (most of my reviews are of guitar-driven rock albums), "Dangerous" is a great r&b/rock/pop record full of finely produced tracks and catchy songs.

Some refer to "Dangerous" as a political album. Nothing could be further from the truth. "Dangerous" is instead a socially conscious album that examines such tried-and-true subjects as racism and resource depletion in a refreshing manner, without sounding the least bit hackneyed. The lyrics in songs like "Heal The World" are both humanitary and personal, no small feat. The songs are not simply pseudo-poetry though, as they are backed by fantastic music produced by the King of Pop himself.

The best known track on "Dangerous" is the infamous "Black or White." Known just as well for it's controversial and ground-breaking music video as for the song itself, "Black or White" is one of the best tracks of Jackson's career. The song has a fun little intro, a great guitar hook provided by Guns and Roses guitarist Slash, and an old-school rap break. The lyrics are equally as important as those of "Heal The World, and "Black or White" has everything in place to be a stellar track.

"Gone Too Soon" is one of the must heartbreaking songs in recent music. The song is Michael's tribute to Ryan White, a young AIDS patient Michael befriended shortly before White's death. The touching lyrics are placed over beautiful strings orchestrated by Marty Paich, producing a stunningly beautiful track. Michael's heart is truly breaking as he sings this song. A more upbeat track with a similar mood in the introduction is the phenomenal "Will You Be There." Though the song was relegated into cheesiness due to its role in the movie "Free Willy," it is an intensely catchy track that is sung perfectly by Michael with great choral backing vocals. The modulation in the middle of the song cements it as a track that cannot be skipped.

The album does not consist of all beautiful, touching songs. Along with "Black or White," there are some upbeat dance tunes like "Jam." The upbeat songs provide danceable grooves without losing the socially conscious attitude prevalent on the other lyrics on the album.

"Dangerous" is one of the two best albums of Michael Jackson's career, along with the legendary "Thriller." The caliber of songwriting, production, and vocals is rarely matched in popular music. Very few artists are able to combine inspiring lyrics with great music without sounding cheesy, yet Michael is placed on this short list alongside such artists as Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye. "Dangerous" is a shining and worthy effort from a musical genius, and should be regarded as a prototype for deep, meaningful, and enjoyable pop albums.

I hope you have enjoyed reading my first hundred Epinions, and hopefully you'll put up with another hundred.