Classic Albums #9 - Michael Jackson - Off the wall

[o]

Meister was supposed to be doing March, but doesn't seem to be here to announce it, so I'll fill in for him. MJ - Off the wall was the only album on the list he said he'd be able to review, so he chose that as Marchs' album.

1. "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough (recorded December 1978-April 1979)" Michael Jackson
2. "Rock with You (recorded December 1978-April 1979)" Rod Temperton Jones
3. "Workin' Day and Night (recorded December 1978-April 1979)" Jackson
4. "Get on the Floor (recorded April-June 1979)"
5. "Off the Wall (recorded December 1978-April 1979)" Temperton Jones
6. "Girlfriend (recorded June 1979)" McCartney Jones
7. "She's Out of My Life (recorded December 1978-April 1979)" Tom Bahler Jones
8. "I Can't Help It (recorded June 1979)"
9. "It's the Falling in Love (recorded December 1978)" (featuring Patti Austin)
10. "Burn This Disco Out (recorded June 1979)" Temperton Jones

[vastar iner]

This is actually an interesting start, in retrospect, as “Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough” sounds like it ought to be on Thriller, in that it has quite the groove, runs along trochaically, with a hint of jazz. The backing bounces along on its own track, extended jam session, with the vocals over the top independently of it. To that extent it reminds me of “Wanna Be Starting Something”, only is better; a better song, more memorable. With a bit more slick production work than was available in the seventies - the orchestral bits sound horribly artificial, there’s something plasticky about the ensemble - it would have been even better. Maybe some more bass to funk it up, as in the run-off to the song. Not confident enough to go full Clinton?

Trouble is, it segues straight into “Rock With You”, which is dire. The production ramps up the tin, the tune is atrocious and the lyrics banal. Everything about the song is an anticlimax, it sounds flat, meandering, meaningless. Jackson’s voice is technically excellent but there is no emotion in it. Marius Carey.

“Workin’ Day And Night” starts with a percussive stab which I assume is meant to approximate to construction work. Michael Jackson would be the least convincing bricklayer ever. Otherwise it’s forgettable. The backing overwhelms the vocals, and the backing is by numbers. “Get On The Floor” is not a change of pace, or mood, it’s like a continuation of the previous track, bit more slap bass perhaps. But again fairly endless and aimless, not so much a chorus as a chant.

What’s this? Aqua Marina? Oh, no, it turns into something else quite quickly. Bit more of a song than the previous couple, but still not that engaging. Then something else that’s completely forgettable. And then it goes all Disney. “She’s Out Of My Life” could be from the sad bit in a cartoon.

“Looking in my mirror, took me by surprise…” premonition? Otherwise forgettable, largely muzak. Forgettable is quite the theme with this album. The backing is almost entirely by numbers. Then something about falling in love. Trifecta chorus. Then something else that’s just there. Filling space. It’s a very samey album. And then something else that’s very similar; banal backing, electronic stab of orchestra, Jackson’s voice almost scatting over the top. How the album started and how it ran constantly.

In sum, this does not feel like an album. It feels like a CD single from 1997 - namely a main track and about 37 different remixes of it. Like Thriller, it is a one-track album, with the difference that the main track is not as good as “Billie Jean” and the remainder is not as bad as Thriller’s chaff. It might have been better with better production work - it singularly did not provide the backing that Jackson’s voice deserved. A return to the blandness of 1974. I’ve already forgotten most of it. And I can’t be bothered to go into more depth because Jackson couldn’t be bothered to give it more depth. Only fair I give it the same mark as Thriller. 1 out of 10.

[o]

Interest seems to have waned
I had a listen and made some notes they are at home, so will add them in tonight and will start April's album later today, I think it is me who is picking.

[vastar iner]

I think having two Michael Jackson in the first nine was pushing it a bit. There's an infinity of music out there...

[Shireblogger]

I've listened to the album twice and started to prepare a review. I tend to agree with vas that 2 Jacko albums so early might be a factor, especially as the individual who chose this album hasn't posted anything at Haven for a couple of months.

By my reckoning, o, vastar iner, raliverpool and I have reviewed every album so far, whilst smokeyb, Razzle Dazzle and thehitparade have all reviewed at least half. That's probably enough participants to justify keeping this going, but I wouldn't allow anyone to select an album until they have submitted at least 4, or 5, reviews.

[Razzle Dazzle]

yeah I have missed a few, problem is my attention span is shot, probably the medication I am on, I can't even listen to my favourite album all the way through, nevermind several listens of an album I don't know, so I can't see me having much input in the future, obviously at the time I was able to commit but things change which is annoying but can't be helped I guess

[wonderwall]

I have never purchased any of his solo albums but own history the best of not really my cup of tea.I like rock with you and don't stop till you get enough but apart from that not much to excite me.

[raliverpool]

Too be honest I was some what surprised we came around to reviewing another MJ album, certainly when you consider none of the other 1980s icons Prince, Madonna or U2 have yet to have an album reviewed.  .... and I covered most of what I wanted to say about MJ with my review of Thriller. But as I said then I think this was his best studio album, before he started to believe his own hype, have plastic surgery, behave like a messianic megalomaniac, and start to show decreasing returns as an artist as his hype machine increasingly took over making ever more bombastic uptempo tracks, and ever more sappy ballads ....


1. "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough 9.5
2. "Rock with You 10.0
3. "Workin' Day and Night 9.5
4. "Get on the Floor 7.5
5. "Off the Wall 8.0
6. "Girlfriend 6.5
7. "She's Out of My Life 6.5
8. "I Can't Help It 7.5
9. "It's the Falling in Love 7.0
10. "Burn This Disco Out 9.5

Score: 81.5 out of 100 = 81.5% (Falls into my 81-86% range, so)

9/10

[thehitparade]

Yeah, well we all know how behind I am with these and doing 2 MJ albums so early is less than optimal. But I have got the album so I do plan to do it eventually.

[o]

I gave it 3/10 for 3 songs that were passable, the rest was absolute dross.

[smokeyb]

Michael Jackson - Off the wall

As I have stated before, he is not my favourite artist, and I do not own any of his albums. So, not a good start, anyway here goes:

1. "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough – Remember this when it was out, just about passable 6/10
2. "Rock with You – Another track I remember, must have been a single, not as good as opener so 5/10
3. "Workin' Day and Night – Don’t know this track, still wish I didn’t 2/10
4. "Get on the Floor – Another track new to me, doesn’t do anything for me 2/10
5. "Off the Wall – Ah, I know this one but can’t say I like it 4/10
6. "Girlfriend – Don’t like this song at all 0/10
7. "She's Out of My Life – Heard this, but its quite dreary for me 2/10
8. "I Can't Help It – Is it me or are the songs getting worse as we approach the end 1/10
9. "It's the Falling in Love – There’s still another song to go after this, did I say I Didn’t like him 0/10
10. "Burn This Disco Out – Finally reached the end 1/10

Well where does that leave us ....23/100 that’s a big fat 2/10.

I wouldn’t rush out to add this to my record collection.