Easy Star All Stars Cover Michael Jackson's "Thriller": "Thrillah" Releases 8/28

Its tough to re-cut what is arguably the greatest pop album ever recorded, but Easy Star All Stars did exactly that. Following up on the hugely successful reggae tribute albums of Dub Side of the Moon (2003), Radiodread (2006) and Easy Star’s Lonely Hearts Dub Band (2009) comes the reggae adaptation of the greatest selling record of all time, Michael Jackson’s Thriller.  The album titled Easy Star’s Thrillah will be released August 28, 2012 (a day before the 54^th anniversary of Jackson’s birth). 

In selecting Thriller, Easy Star Records co-founder Lem Oppenheimer says, "We've always tackled the greats - The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Radiohead - but while we wanted to take on another huge album, we also wanted to blaze new trails. In Thriller we found those new trails in a number of firsts for the series: the first album by an American artist, the first non-concept album, the first R&B/soul record, as well as the first release from the 80s.”

Billy Jean and Baby Be Mine are the standout tracks that really keep the smooth/post-disco vibe alive, while catching on with a new dub style.

While the tracks retain a certain familiarity, Easy Star isn't trying to overtake the original and Thrillah stands on its own as a piece of art. If you've never heard Thriller, you could get down to this, and if you're a hardcore MJ fan, you can respect it.

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