Second review of Man in the Music is in:

“Vogel, a Huffington Post writer, immerses readers in a chronological exploration of Michael Jackson’s remarkable solo career. Chapter by chapter and literally song by song, he discusses Jackson’s albums, videos, dances, cinematic influences, musical heroes, idiosyncrasies, and artistic transformations from the inception of Off the Wall, Jackson’s 1979 solo debut, through 2001′s Invincible, his last studio album. In a final chapter set after Jackson’s notorious child abuse trial, Vogel reconstructs the performer’s plans for a series of comeback concerts and the worldwide shock following news of his death. Vogel has produced a smart–if at times academic–study of Jackson’s creativity and musical legacy. Based on interviews (none with Jackson himself), articles, and reviews, he achieves moments of intimacy and insight: a glimpse of Jackson, an ambitious perfectionist, in the studio relaxing his vocal cords with a hot drink poured over cough drops. By astutely contextualizing Jackson’s cultural impact and relevance, Vogel bolsters his premise that media sensationalism continues to denigrate Jackson’s artistic integrity without sounding vindictive. Strangely, Vogel occasionally undermines his hard work by giving Jackson a makeover as a romantic hero rather than a unique, complex multimedia celebrity. Jackson may have agreed; readers will enjoy.” —Publishers Weekly

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