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We Say...
Jackson’s Off The Wall had the brashness of the truest debut. Released at the close of the ‘70s when he was just 21 years old, “Wall” not only established Jackson as a man - instead of the boy he’d been with his brothers - it set the bar high for all of his solo albums to come.
Though the album arrived at the pinnacle of disco — and so incorporated its swirling strings and club-driven beats — the sound Jackson and producer Quincy Jones devised seems in no way tied to its time. Opening cut, “Don’t Stop ‘Till You Get Enough,” sets the tone, starting with Jackson lost to his passion in a half-stuttered speech that spews over a bass line punching with funk. From there, strings swing in, a guitar begins its sexy sway and the bass takes flight, Jackson topping them with an orgasmic cry.
There’s a low-down quality to the needs expressed here, tempered by an elegance in both Jones’ production and Jackson’s fleet falsetto. It’s forceful and beautiful at once, a balance that enlivened all ten tracks on “Wall.” Jones brought a jazz sophistication to the arrangements, especially in the liquid keyboards of “I Can’t Help It” and the sneaky tune of “Rock With You.”
Given the album’s rare unification of pop, jazz, funk and disco, it’s no wonder it sold over 5 million copies and nabbed an armload of Grammys. It also established the pattern and style most observers felt Jackson perfected on Thriller. To me, however, the freshness of the sound, and the surprise of its maturity, makes Wall even more cherishable than the deservedly worshipped work that followed. -
They Say...
Michael Jackson had recorded solo prior to the release of Off the Wall in 1979, but this was his breakthrough, the album that established him as an artist of astonishing talent and a bright star in his own right. This was a visionary album, a record that found a way to break disco wide open into a new world where the beat was undeniable, but not the primary focus -- it was part of a colorful tapestry of lush ballads and strings, smooth soul and pop, soft rock, and alluring funk. Its roots hearken back to the Jacksons' huge mid-'70s hit "Dancing Machine," but this is an enormously fresh record, one that remains vibrant and giddily exciting years after its release. This is certainly due to Jackson's emergence as a blindingly gifted vocalist, equally skilled with overwrought ballads as "She's Out of My Life" as driving dancefloor shakers as "Working Day and Night" and "Get on the Floor," where his asides are as gripping as his delivery on the verses. It's also due to the brilliant songwriting, an intoxicating blend of strong melodies, rhythmic hooks, and indelible construction. Most of all, its success is due to the sound constructed by Jackson and producer Quincy Jones, a dazzling array of disco beats, funk guitars, clean mainstream pop, and unashamed (and therefore affecting) schmaltz that is utterly thrilling in its utter joy. This is highly professional, highly crafted music, and its details are evident, but the overall effect is nothing but pure pleasure. Jackson and Jones expanded this approach on the blockbuster Thriller, often with equally stunning results, but they never bettered it.
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| 01. |  |
Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough |
6:05 |
|
| 02. | |
Rock With You |
3:40 |
|
| 03. | |
Workin' Day And Night |
5:12 |
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| 04. | |
Get On The Floor |
4:38 |
|
| 05. | |
Off The Wall |
4:06 |
|
| 06. | |
Girlfriend |
3:04 |
|
| 07. | |
She's Out Of My Life |
3:38 |
|
| 08. | |
I Can't Help It |
4:27 |
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| 09. | |
It's The Falling In Love |
3:46 |
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| 10. | |
Burn This Disco Out |
3:40 |
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10 Total Tracks, 42:16 Total Length
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Credits
- Patti Austin - Vocals // Patti Austin - Vocals // Michael Jackson - Percussion // Michael Jackson - Vocals // Michael Jackson - Vocals (Background) // Michael Jackson - Producer // Michael Jackson - Main Performer // Michael Jackson - Vocal Arrangement // Michael Jackson - Rhythm Arrangements // Michael Jackson - Percussion Arrangement // Larry Carlton - Guitar // George Duke - Keyboards // Quincy Jones - Producer // Quincy Jones - Producer // Quincy Jones - Producer // Quincy Jones - Rhythm Arrangements // Quincy Jones - Rhythm Arrangements // Quincy Jones - Rhythm Arrangements // Bill Reichenbach Jr. - Trombone // Phil Upchurch - Guitar // David Foster - Synthesizer // Ed Cherney - Assistant Engineer // Paulinho Da Costa - Percussion // Paulinho Da Costa - Percussion // Mitch Gibson - Assistant Engineer // Jim Gilstrap - Vocals // Jim Gilstrap - Vocals (Background) // Gary Grant - Trumpet // Bernie Grundman - Mastering // Richard Heath - Percussion // Marlo Henderson - Guitar // Jerry Hey - Trumpet // Jerry Hey - Arranger // Jerry Hey - Flugelhorn // Jerry Hey - Horn Arrangements // Kim Hutchcroft - Flute // Kim Hutchcroft - Horn // Kim Hutchcroft - Sax (Baritone) // Kim Hutchcroft - Sax (Tenor) // Randy Jackson - Percussion // Mortonette Jenkins - Vocals // Mortonette Jenkins - Vocals (Background) // Augie Johnson - Vocals // Augie Johnson - Vocals (Background) // Louis Johnson - Bass // Louis Johnson - Rhythm Arrangements // Paulette McWilliams - Vocals // Paulette McWilliams - Vocals (Background) // Johnny Mandel - Strings // Greg Phillinganes - Synthesizer // Greg Phillinganes - Piano // Greg Phillinganes - Keyboards // Greg Phillinganes - Clavinet // Greg Phillinganes - Rhythm Arrangements // Steve Porcaro - Synthesizer // John "J.R." Robinson - Drums // Seawind Horns - Ensemble // Bruce Swedien - Engineer // Bruce Swedien - Mixing // Rod Temperton - Vocal Arrangement // Rod Temperton - Rhythm Arrangements // Gerald Vinci - Concert Master // Wah Wah Watson - Guitar // David Williams - Guitar // Larry Williams - Flute // Larry Williams - Sax (Alto) // Larry Williams - Sax (Tenor) // Larry Williams - Wind // Zedric Williams - Vocals // Zedric Williams - Vocals (Background) // David Wolinski "Hawk" - Piano // David Wolinski "Hawk" - Keyboards // Erik Zobler - Assistant Engineer // Benjamin Wright - Arranger // Benjamin Wright - String Arrangements // Mike Salisbury - Design // William Reichenbach - Trombone // Frank "Cheech" D'Amico - Assistant Engineer // Bobby Watson - Bass // Steve Harvey - Photography // Rick Ash - Assistant Engineer // Michael Boddrick - Synthesizer // Steve Conger - Assistant Engineer
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