Icon

Universal's 2012 Icon rounds up 11 tracks from Michael Jackson's solo recordings for Motown. In other words, although there are a few classics here -- "Got to Be There," "Ben," maybe "Rockin' Robin"-- this isn't quite his prime and the compilation reflects that, rounding up forgotten singles and album tracks. It's hardly the first Jackson comp one should get -- if anybody is interested in his best Motown work, they should find a Jackson 5 set -- but it's not a bad way to get the handful of best cuts from this early period. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine