HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book 1

Michael Jackson's double-disc HIStory: Past, Present, and Future, Book I is a monumental achievement of ego. Titled HIStory Begins, the first disc is a collection of his post-Motown hits, featuring some of the greatest music in pop history including "Billie Jean," "Don't Stop Til Ya Get Enough," "Beat It," and "Rock ith You." It leaves some hits out — including the number ones "Say Say Say" and "Dirty Diana" — yet it's filled with enough prime material to be thoroughly intoxicating. That can't be said for the second disc, called HIStory Continues and consisting entirely of new material — which also happen to be the first songs he released since being accused of child molestation. HIStory Continues is easily the most personal album Jackson has recorded. References to the scandal permeate almost every song, creating a thick atmosphere of paranoia. If Jackson's music had been the equal of Thriller or Bad, the nervous, vindicative lyrics wouldn't have been quite as overbearing. However, HIStory Continues reiterates musical ideas Jackson has been exploring since Bad. Jackson certainly tries to stay contemporary, yet he has a tendency to smooth out all of his rougher musical edges with show-biz schmaltz. Occasionally, Jackson produces some well-crafted pop that ranks with his best material: R. Kelly's "You Are Not Alone" is seductive, "Scream" improves on the slamming beats of his earlier single "Jam," and "Stranger in Moscow" is one of his most haunting ballads. Nevertheless, HIStory Continues stands as his weakest album since the mid-'70s. = Stephen Thomas Erlewine.