The self-proclaimed King of Pop has returned to the pop arena with a new set of tunes. Invincible could have been a great album had he released it five years ago. The highly promoted 30-year anniversary special did wonders for making a faded pop star appear "Invincible".

Unlike Madonna, Michael is not believable at taking a style of music and making it his own. It comes across as chasing the trends instead of setting them. I will give Michael credit for being brave enough to step back into a world ruled by one-hit wonders, female blonde teenage singers, and boy bands. Maybe it’s too much to expect an artist who has set the standard for pop music in the past to continually go above and beyond.

Michael Jackson’s proverbial expression is dated. The lyrics seem left over from Dangerous and History. Seventeen signature Jackson cuts overshadowed by personal revenge on the media his distorted perception of love. Though Invincible has its flaws and is not the Gloved Wonder’s best work, it doesn’t go without a couple of high points. The hip-hop/pop track "Whatever Happens" featuring Carlos Santana is classic Michael and he sounds great on this song. Even the car-thumping cut "2000 Watts" has a bit of Hmmmm to it. But not enough tracks like those to make it a great set.

The first single "You Rock My World" lacks innovation, even with the help of Chris Tucker on the intro. Clever for a new artist, weak from the King of Pop. Despite impressive sales, I think Michael Jackson’s Invincible will not hold its own and die a slow, painful death. Like Billboard Magazine said, ‘When you know a man is capable of greatness, it’s hard to accept anything less.’ I couldn’t have said it better.