200 MOST RECOMMENDED ALBUMS: #66. Continues tomorrow.

THE CAFFE` LATTE`

200

MOST RECOMMENDED ALBUMS

Some are the best selling, while others may be obscure, but the albums listed here are all worthy of a listen. No compilation/ best of sets. Only exceptional live albums included. This is a personal listing of the albums I enjoy the most to this day.

#66

BAD:  MICHAEL JACKSON

 [1987] 

After the record-breaking sales of 'Thriller', Michael Jackson faced the insurmountable challenge of following up that monster album. 'Bad' was a brave attempt. It lacked the quality of highlight tracks such as "Billie Jean", "Rock With You", "Thriller", "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough" and "Beat It" on his preceding albums, but it did possess some mighty songs. These include the title track, "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Smooth Criminal" and "Another Part Of Me". There are songs where MJ seems to repeat what he had done on earlier records, such as "Man In The Mirror" and "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" (a duet with Seidah Garrett). The quality drops on "Dirty Diana" and "Liberian Girl" before nose-diving on the remaining filler. Tracks "Speed Demon" and "Just Good Friends" (the latter a collaboration with Stevie Wonder) simply don't belong on any album by an artist of Jackson's stature. The fact that these were included after a 5-year gap between studio albums is disappointing, especially when the superior track "Leave Me Alone" was excluded. Fortunately, later issues of 'Bad' include this autobiographical gem. Jackson was astute enough to make the tactical decision to switch producers for his next studio album- 'Dangerous'.

Highiight tracks: The Way You Make Me Feel; Bad & Smooth Criminal.