Out Front

By JAY COCKS

Bart Simpson, we trust, is prouder than ever of his pal Michael Jackson. When he recently ceded some Fox network airtime so that the new Jackson video Black or White could debut in style, there was a great outcry. The video was violent! The video was dirty! Michael's moves would incite kids to unspeakable acts of autoeroticism and social outrage! Perfect. Bart and Michael, soul mates forever.

Now that the commotion has died down and the album been released, one thing must be said: Michael sings better than Bart. Dances better too. But Bart has the edge in humor. Dangerous lacks only the Simpson sass to make it a dazzler. As it is, the album is merely terrific.

The Black or White track is driven by an infectious riff that sounds like prime Keith Richards. In fact, Slash of Guns N' Roses is the guitar man here. Once again Michael proves to be the grand master at pulling together all sorts of styles -- dance, rock, rap -- into a seamless whole. He may be reluctant to show his face -- only his eyes, a lock of hair and a tiny image of the child star of the Jackson 5 appear in the album art -- but he is fearless about his feelings. Every one of these 14 songs is out front and unashamed, whether in the soulful snap of In the Closet or the smoothly streetwise Why You Wanna Trip on Me? In his music, the reclusive Michael never gives himself a hiding place.

This is most clear late in the album, beginning with Will You Be There, a song that sounds a little like Paul McCartney's Liverpool Oratorio and a lot like a spiritual scored for the first cathedral in outer space. Lush, sentimental sounds continue through the next two tunes before things settle back to the hard rhythm of Black or White. It's a virtuoso performance. Michael may wear his heart on his sleeve, but a fair portion of his soul, it seems, is still back in church. Sorry, Bart.