Easy Star All Stars

From the concept to the execution to the misspelling of Thriller, the Easy Star All Stars's Thrillah is all-wrong. The collective behind Dub Side of the Moon have made a giant effort to update Michael Jackson's biggest record, but end up delivering inferior versions of some of Jackson's best work. It's interesting that a band that have devoted their career to reggae ― a religious genre ― would be so quick to sacrilege. A dozen of these All Stars don't equal one Mike. Respect is due for Easy Star's bravery, for taking on monsters from Michael's catalogue, but "PYT" sounds like bad karaoke. By the time we reach the breakdown ― the original's being a soul-shaking, brain-defying carnal reverie ― it's like they fed the song into an app called Trustafarian and it spat this version out. Thrillah is a misguided attempt to celebrate a legacy, like a bad back tattoo of a dead friend. The whole affair, despite its craft, is an unnecessary experience that does nothing to improve or expand upon the work of the King of Pop. Michael Jackson's actions did enough to besmirch his legacy without a miss like this by those who revere him.