Search - The Jacksons :: Destiny

No Contest-One Of The Best (If Not THE Best) Album Of 1978

Andre S. Grindle | Brewer Maine | 02/23/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Sometimes an groups artistic pinnacle arrives the same time as their commercial breakthrough.Or in this case,rebirth.The Jacksons and this album holds a very important place in my pop music education.When I was 13 and first saw the mini series The Jacksons - An American Dream (The Complete Miniseries) my mom presented me with her old vinyl copy of this album for me to hear. It was the first album I listned to all the way through and remember how strongly the music impacted on me at that point.A few years later I got the original CD of this and still listened to it but found that particular CD had exceptionally bad sound,even for an old style "Digitally Mastered Analog Recording". So.......here we are 15 years later and FINALLY a version with remastered sound has finally arrived! So has this album held up as well with me as it did when I first heard it?The answer is !@(#* RIGHT!!!!!!Despite Michael Jackson's completely tarnished reputation in the years since I first heard it this album stands out even more in fact to me now as a masterpiece.Especially since I understand more about music since that time and the musicians.AND WHAT INCREDIBLE SIDEMEN!!!!Greg Phillinganes,Roland Bautista (of EWF),Michael Sembllo (of Stevie Wonder's Wonderlove) as well as Laudir De Oliveira of Sergio Mendes Brasil 77 and jazz/R&B orchestrater Claire Fisher. These musicians not only shaped much of the greatest music of the era but also helped the Jacksons persue their new musical vision. Musically this album has roots in 70's funk,Northern Soul,pop jazz and some good ol' rock n' roll kick for good measure. The sound was so distinctive it became the basis for what the band and Michael would achive later on "Blame It On The Boogie","Things I Do For You" and "Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground" still resonate with all the power they always had.What really gets me now are the albums surprises.The title track is actually a lot closer to being a contemporary 70's country tune then an R&B number,excerpting Tito's blistering rock guitar solo at the end.But it also brings to mind a recurring theme about this album-lyrically it has the feeling of a blacks mans version of Pet Sounds;the concept of teenagers confronting time and adulthood. And,despite the Jacksons' consistantly rose colored,utopian view of love and the world these songs themes of broken hearts,uncertain relationships and what the future holds shows a personal maturity to match the music backing it up."Push Me Away" is an absolutely incredible ballad.Not only does Tito offer up another amazing (and very jazzy) guitar solo but Fishers transendant strings make this very adult themed tune stand out all the more.Still impressive,but on a more epic level is "Bless His Soul",where the usually helium voiced Jackie duets with Michael in an unusually deep,gritty tone-one that he began introducing pretty much as soon as they band arrived at Epic from Motown. "All Night Dancin" is pretty much a straight rock n roll tune,very much in the Huey Lewis vein and Michael and his brothers pull it off with gusto to match,even if it's a forgotton song sometimes it's still a favorite.Michael's own signiture style of romantic anxiety pops up on "That's What You Get (For Being Polite)";it's pretty clear by the end the "Jack" he talks about in the song is really him,especially what we know of MJ today. Now if the fact the bonus cuts are just rehashed remixes of hits your really in for a surprise. These are actually high octance latin disco-funk remixes curtesy of John Luongo;with the resequencing of the song structure,added purcussion,vocal echoes and odd foghorn like sound effects they work both as headphone music and something to kick booty on the dancefloor as well. This is a fantastic revisit of a deserved classic and really brings out,to me at least how some things only get better and better the more times you hear them."

What was simmering before "Off The Wall"......

John H. | boston, ma | 08/20/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I got this LP as a kid when I asked for the "Shake Your Body" 12" single,so I thought Ok I will check out the whole album. This Lp made such an impression on me, I was only 9...yet Michael's vocals were something I had never heard before.."Blame It On The Boogie" is pure, joyous heaven. "Push Me Away" is a gorgeous, paradise..."Things I do For You" gets you movin' and groovin'..this is a classic..."Shake Your Body" was a big radio single, and I loved dancing to this infectious track. (I love the remix version with the almost eerie sound effect - right after the chorus- this was why I wanted the 12" remix). "Destiny" was one of the songs that i just loved hearing Michael sing, his voice is so sincere, aching, fragile yet strong, moving; love the climactic guitar ending. "Bless His Soul" is simply a journey to heaven: you'll never hear the Jacksons in this setting again. "All Night Dancing" blows the doors off. I swear this track gave me the disco/funk injection I carry to this day. Sweaty, urgent, in your face boogie-funk; I dare you to sit still. Michael's insistent vocal carries me through this workout, I was just blown away, I never heard anything like this...I never made it to the final track "That's What You Get" - i was obsessed with the previous 7 tracks...The LP cover art was intense: crashing waves, lightning, tornado looming in the background; yet the J5 are unmoved perched atop the cracking stone which bears the album title. (This was a gatefold Lp, so open up to see some groovy pics.) This was the album that hooked me to Michael, before "Off The Wall" exploded unto the world. Essential MJ."

Now is a good time for cd's

B. L. Williams | 08/10/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"i got several of the lasted recording of the jacksons and michael is because before he died i had all of these on albums and want them to last longer great like it puts me back to the 70's and the 80's a time when it was not like now calmer peace and that is why i bought these still great after all these years"