By Jon Bream
It may be reassuring to hear Michael Jackson's voice again on the radio. But his new single "This Is It" -- the title track to his concert movie that opens Oct. 28 -- is not it.
The song, streaming at michaeljackson.com, sounds unfinished and underproduced -- a demo with snippets of ideas pasted together. Yes, records are often made by the cut-and-paste process. But the storyline for "This Is It" is never really developed, and the arrangement begs for a bridge and crispness.
What's most effective about this nearly four-minute song (expected to be shown during the credits for the movie) are Michael's familiar breathy vocals, filled with urgency and determination.
Jackson's family explained this week that Paul Anka, the 1950s pop star known for "Diana" and "Lonely Boy" as well as writing "She's a Lady" and the Tonight Show theme, was Michael's cowriter on this new single. The writing took place in 1983, and the song was first recorded 18 years ago by an obscure Puerto Rican singer.
You can't underestimate the power of life after death in the music business. But "This Is It," the single, is more likely to be a posthumous curosity than a comeback hit.
