But
So I watch Pop Up Video and end up getting all excited about "Torture". The only songs I've heard off the Victory album are "Torture" and "State of Shock." The consensus is that most of the album blows, and I can attest that "State of Shock" is pretty worthless, but "Torture" bowls me over every time I hear it. Reviews vary:
Victory was merely solo tracks by various brothers with Michael & Jermaine as reluctant participants.Though the other brothers lack distictive vocal chops,they perform admirably.Jackie wrote Torture for Michael & Jermaine to sing,while Randy contributed One More Chance(later covered by Janet for a B-side),and Marlon,known as the vocally weak Jackson,shines on Body,though repetitive,recall those glory days.The weakest cuts surprisingly all came from Michael.Be Not Always is his worst piece of writing(with Little Susie from HiStory),and State of Shock sounds like Michael and Mick Jagger having fun on a 4-track,then tossing it on the album to get his family off his back.In the end it sold but left many feeeling short-changed.
But there's some really good stuff, here, and most of it doesn't even involve Michael. Randy stands out pretty well in "One More Chance" (which Janet would later cover as a b-side); "Body" is a funky uptempo stomper, and I really loved "Torture," which features lead vocals from Michael and Jermaine (The video features all Jackson brothers sans Michael. Go figure).
Though everybody seem to dislike this album i think it's great! Torture is a strong and sharp song with a sort of "rock-feelin" over it. Another really good song is State of shock with Michael and Mick Jagger. Also a "rock-feelin" over this one.
This isn't a reunion album at all. More like a high tech compilation disaster and Jermaine is only included in 1 track and Michael, only in 3. Although no video availbale, I love the Mick Jagger colab "State of Shock" (#3 on billboard and #4 on Hot R&B/Hip Hop Singles) which was a celebrated pop/rock celebration and leading single off of lp. "Torture" was torture and so was the video. Although top 20 hit, it was so horrible that Jermaine and Michael did not join their brothers in the video (although they provided lead vocals) and the later was replaced by a wax dummy.
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