Easy Star’s Thrillah

One of a series of albums that were released on the coattails of their Dub Side of the Moon Pink Floyd tribute, Easy Star’s Thrillah is a celebration of Michael Jackson’s groundbreaking Thriller album. It starts out with a relatively straightforward cover version of “Wanna Be Startion’ Somethin,” but then quickly moves into the series’ standard MO: a sweetly skanking lovers rock version of “The Girl Is Mine” (featuring David Hinds of Steel Pulse), a slow and smoky one-drop arrangement of “Beat It,” etc. A few tracks may have the whiff of “novelty song” about them, but for the most part this project works really well.