Track Listing

1. Enjoy Yourself (Extended Version)
2. Show You the Way to Go
3. Goin' Places
4. Find Me a Girl
5. Blame It on the Boogie
6. Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)
7. Lovely One
8. This Place Hotel
9. Can You Feel It
10. Walk Right Now
11. State of Shock (with Mick Jagger)
12. 2300 Jackson Street
13. Nothin (That Compares 2 U)
14. Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough (Live from the 1981 U. S. Tour)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1475 in Music
• Brand: Sony
• Released on: 2004-03-09
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Dimensions: .23 pounds

Customer Reviews

Great Stuff, Too Bad All The Singles Weren't Included
Overshadowed by brother Michael's solo career and best known for their career establishing, oft-packaged tenure at Motown (1969-1975), the Jackson brothers made some fine music for the Epic label from 1976-1989. Surprisingly, their Epic hits had not been anthologized until this new 14-track Essential set.

Having lost their Jackson 5 moniker and brother Jermaine to a solo career when they left Motown, the newly christened Jacksons - with youngest brother Randy now in the fold - were assigned to legendary Philly soul writer-producers Gamble & Huff for their first two Epic albums The Jacksons (1976) and Goin' Places (1977). These albums showcased a significant maturation in the group's sound, led by their more intricate harmonies. But aside from the snappy "Enjoy Yourself," the hits ("Show You The Way To Go," "Goin' Places," and "Find Me A Girl") are indistinctive pleasantries that could have just as easily been performed by Gamble & Huff's primary act, The O'Jays.

Starting with their third Epic album Destiny in 1978, the Jacksons - especially Michael, Jackie, and Randy - began writing and producing their own material. Destiny was, amazingly, a vast improvement over the Gamble & Huff albums. Its two hit singles "Blame It On The Boogie" and "Shake You Body" (Down To The Ground)" stand among the most potent hits of the disco era, highlighted by Michael's sunny lead vocals, smooth backgrounds from the brothers, and a supple bass line. Unlike most dance hits from the late '70s, these recordings still sound fresh today.

Michael followed up Destiny with his megastar-making solo vehicle Off The Wall in 1979. The confidence brought on by that project's success was immediately evident when he re-teamed with his brothers for Triumph in 1981. Triumph, on which Michael had a hand in writing nine of its ten tracks, was a topically diverse, sonically exciting masterpiece. The dramatic epic "This Place Hotel" - with its shrieking and slamming door sound effects - offered a small taste of the theatrics that Michael would later meld into the title track of his landmark solo album Thriller. Meanwhile, "Can You Feel It" delivered Michael's first save/improve the world anthem - a topic he would revisit on his subsequent solo projects.

After Thriller's release in 1982 made Michael one of, if not THE most famous musicians on the planet, he cut back on his musical involvement in the Jacksons. He contributed only three compositions to their slight, over-hyped 1984 album Victory that featured the return of Jermaine to the act. Victory's lead-off single "State Of Shock" - a lyrically empty riff - owed its success primarily to the vocal event pairing of Michael and Mick Jagger. It's the only recording from Victory included on this set.

With the Jacksons' next project, 1989's 2200 Jackson Street, Michael limited his participation to one track: the sweet, autobiographical title hit that featured vocal contributions from all of the Jackson siblings except the then-ostracized LaToya. It's other single, the Jermaine-led "Nothin (That Compares 2 You)" was a slice of new jack swing that recalls - far too much - producers LA & Babyface's work with Bobby Brown. Dropped by Epic after sluggish sales, 2200 Jackson Street remains the Jackson brothers last collaborative effort to date.

This Essential collection concludes with the brothers' live rendition of Michael's solo hit "Don't Stop `Til You Get Enough." Had this murky recording's spot been filled by Victory's haunting "Torture" and the Caribbean flavored "Body" (the only Epic singles excluded here), this retrospective of the most underappreciated phase of the Jacksons' illustrious career would have earned its Essential name.

Am I disappointed ??? YOU BET !!!
The Essential Jacksons "essentially" cheats both The Jacksons and their fans of so much I can't believe it! The songs here are good; but there's too much missing--this should have been a much more extensive two CD set. However the sound quality is good and what we do get is very good material. The artwork is nicely done.

"Enjoy Yourself" is an excellent number that has that funky `70s sound that still makes me want to dance today! The Jacksons sing this very well and "Enjoy Yourself" makes a great starter song for this album. Awesome! "Show You The Way To Go" slows down the pace a bit but it also has a disco flavor to it; I can't quite verbalize it but the song works very well. Michael's voice is in excellent form and "Show You The Way To Go" is a fine song. "Goin' Places" really has a great beat; I like "Goin' Places" with its rapid fire beat and The Jacksons sing this without a superfluous note. Michael sings the main lyrics of the song while his brothers back him up very, very well. Wow, these young men had talent!

"Blame It On The Boogie" is one of my very favorite tunes by The Jackson; Michael and his brothers perform this with all their hearts and souls. "Blame It On The Boogie" has a melody that is infectious and catchy--you'll want to hear this tune several times over! I really like "Blame It On The Boogie." "Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)" was a major hit for The Jackson; and thank goodness they had the wisdom to include this song here! "Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)" has a beat that is perfect for dancing and I love it! "Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)" is a major highlight of this album.

"Can You Feel It" is one of those tunes that once you hear it you can never forget it. The Jacksons really had their act together when they recorded "Can You Feel It." Michael again sings the main lyrics to the song as his brothers back him up; and that keyboard work enhances the ballad all the more! "Can You Feel It" is good, strong dance music from the `70s and it still sounds wonderful today.

"Walk Right Now" also has a funky 70s beat and The Jacksons perform this with all their might; the beat moves quick and this enhances the number--it's very strong and I think you'll like "Walk Right Now" very much. Similarly, "State Of Shock" is great music for dancing; it's not a tune I have heard as much as the others but it grew on me rather quickly. This shows us a more mature Jacksons and that's terrific. "Nothin (That Compares 2 U)" is also more recently recorded music; but the basic "Jackson feel" is still there. The CD ends with a live cut from a tour they did entitled "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough." You can tell The Jacksons enjoyed a fine rapport with their audience and that's a superb way to end this album.

Now I have no arguments with the music that we get here; but there's not enough to call this an "essentials" type of compilation. Humph! Three stars for being good but just not delivering all that I expected from this type of album.

Finally, but misses the mark
On the positive side, it's great to have a hits compilation on the Jacksons. I've wanted this collection to come out for so long. It was scheduled and cancelled at least four times. I'm thrilled that it finally happened.

I wanted to give the collection 5 stars, but...

The tracklist is weak. The absence of Torture is a major oversight. The live Don't Stop Til You Get Enough is barely listenable, while the exceptional Jackson 5 Medley from the same live album would have been more appropriate and still fit, but it too was omitted.

There are no liner notes. A poem by Jermaine from the 2300 Jackson Street album has been included here. But what about something new? The Jacksons great story? Not here.

However, my biggest complaint is that the mastering is poor. Were these songs mastered from the original masters or from the poorly sounding CDs issued over 10 years ago? The songs don't sound clean, while the original albums on vinyl sound wonderful. Of course, the actual albums on CD need an overhaul too, but that's another topic.

Sony, please do the right thing and try this one again. We've waited so long, and the Jacksons deserve their due.

If you don't have the Jacksons on CD, get this collection, they're great songs. However beware, it's far from perfect.