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This week in New Reviews, we have a pair of remix collections: Michael Jackson: The Remix Suite and Phoenix’s Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (Remix Collection).
The Neptunes, Stargate, Dallas Austin and Salaam Remi all contribute re-imaginings of selections from the Jackson 5 and Ben era to the Jackson set. “This collection of Michael Jackson retreads from the Motown era seems to walk the line between shameless cash grab and worthy tribute,” writes Will Hermes in his three-and-a-half star review of Michael Jackson: The Remix Suite. The evidence comes in the three different remixes of “Dancing Machine”: Polow Da Don’s interpretation is great, while Steve Aoki and Paul Oakenfold’s versions are overdone. Thankfully, songs like Salaam Remi’s exceptional reggae-tinged version of “ABC” help make the set a worthwhile tribute.
With Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (Remix Collection), the French dance-rockers place their latest album in the hands of indie all-stars like Animal Collective, Passion Pit, Friendly Fires and Chairlift. Like most remix albums, there are plenty of peaks and troughs throughout Wolfgang’s 15 remixes, but the highs outweigh the lows as (Remix Collection earned a three star Rolling Stone review. “It’s a fun, slightly gratuitous album, whose varied results underscore the strength of the source material: songs too well-built to be improved upon — or ruined,” Jon Dolan writes.
...Article Source: Rolling Stone : Rock and Roll Daily
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