Track Listing

1. Enjoy Yourself
2. Think Happy
3. Good Times
4. Keep on Dancing
5. Blues Away
6. Show You the Way to Go
7. Living Together
8. Strength of One Man
9. Dreamer
10. Style of Life

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #135046 in Music
• Released on: 1990-10-25
• Number of discs: 1

Album Description
Japanese only paper sleeve pressing features all new 2009 remastering. Sony.

Customer Reviews

The Jacksons do the sound of Philly
There was a time, many, many years ago, long before he became known as the king of pop, when Michael Jackson was simply regarded as an incredibly gifted soul singer. He and his brothers had had several years of international success (and a bucket load of number one singles) as the Jackson 5 but as the boys grew older, they hankered for more control over their music and their destinies. Reportedly, Berry Gordy wasn't so keen on letting them have it.

So they quit Motown - sadly, Jermaine couldn't join them as he'd gone and married the boss's daughter - and with youngest brother Randy, joined CBS and changed their name to The Jacksons. CBS brought in super-producers Gamble & Huff, McFadden & Whitehead and Dexter Wansel. Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff had founded Philadelphia Records in 1971 as direct competition for Berry Gordy's Motown and in fact, had enjoyed huge success with their 'Philadelphia Soul' sound with acts like Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, The O'Jays and BillyPaul. Wansel at the time was relatively new but he made his mark on this album and also worked on the Jacksons' follow-up, "Goin' Places".

This album is the end result and it spawned the hits "Enjoy Yourself" and "Show You The Way To Go" - a tune that still gets played on my local radio station to this very day. The producers wrote all the songs, except for the beautiful mid-tempo Blues Away, which was penned my Michael Jackson himself. Other Jackson brothers shared in the lead vocals but it's always Michael's voice that rings clear and true. He and his brothers sound like they're having a really good time doing what they do. Songs like "Think Happy", "Good Times", "Living Together" and "Dreamer" are simply joyful to listen to.

This is one of the best soul records of that era and people who use albums like "Thriller" or/and anything that came after it to assess Michael's prowess as a singer have no idea. Personally, I believe it was on "Off The Wall" that he last did soul. He was one of the best soul singers of our generation and if you need proof, you need look no further than this gem. Still worth a gander after 30 years.

PS. And if you do like this, may I suggest you check out the box set, "The Philly Sound 1966 -1976: Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff". It's not cheap but it's worth every penny.

The Jacksons' New Start
The Jackson's 1976 self-titled album was their first release for Epic records after leaving Motown. With youngest brother Randy replacing Jermaine who stayed with Motown, the band moved from the Motown production machine to the Philly Soul engineers Gamble & Huff. The band recorded the album at the famed Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia and the original album actually was released on the famed Philadelphia International Records imprint. Mr. Gamble & Mr. Huff provide a more mature sound with their trademark lush orchestration. The album's opener and first single "Enjoy Yourself" is a bubbly and kinetic number with a popping guitar riff that is accentuated by horn bursts. The song was a big hit peaking at number six in the early part of 1977. Michael shows off a more mature side of himself on strong numbers "Blues Away", "Strength Of One Man" and the swirling and gorgeous "Style Of Life". The Jacksons was an attempt to move the band away from their teenybopper image towards a more adult sound and it succeeds on every level.

Part 1 of a 5 disc "box set"!
A thread of Jacksons albums from the 70's were made on epic records starting with this disc followed by Goin' places, Destiny, Triumph and victory. The first disc is produced by Gamble and Huff: two of the greatest producers of the 20th century! They wrote "Mrs. Jones"! The sounds on this album is playful and cohesive the disco era is in full effect the sonic blurps and marred vocals are here and are put to work on Michael's falsetto. The disc moves at a fast pace the opening track "Enjoy Yourself" is as light and infectious as the sun on a winter's day. The stand outs on the disc are easy to find it's the slow jams Gamble and Huff had a knack of shutting out some of the best vocals from the artist they worked with The Jacksons vocal range as a family has never been better since their hay day on Motown. "Good Times" is a gem of pure melody and just raw emotion and Dreamer is the Jacksons at thier best just open, free and superior to the backing track behind them. This album is all about the vocals and lyrics and the emotions forced out is top notch!