| | |  | Music | Home » » Jacksons | | | | | | | Description: | | Out of print in the U.S.! | | | Product Details: | | | Audio CD Release Date:
| October 25, 1990 | | Studio:
| Sony | | Number Of Discs:
| 1 | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 36 reviews |
| | | 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 | |
| | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 36 customer reviews )
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
25 of 25 found the following review helpful:
 The Jacksons do the sound of PhillyDec 08, 2006
By Olukayode Balogun
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.
12 of 12 found the following review helpful:
The Jacksons' New StartJul 18, 2001
By Thomas Magnum
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.
10 of 10 found the following review helpful:
 Part 1 of a 5 disc "box set"!Jul 06, 2001
By A*
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!
4 of 4 found the following review helpful:
Enjoy Yourself!Jul 12, 2003
By Kyle
MThis album was such a big step for the Jacksons. Their first release on the Epic Records label, this is a classy effort including two songs written by the group, both among the best on the disc: "Blues Away" by Michael and "Style of Life" by Tito. While typical Jackson messages are here (love, music, being happy), there are some fresh, adult songs. For example, Michael's "Blues Away" deals with depression; "Living Together" confronts the need for people to unite as one; "Strength of One Man" is about growing up. That song grooves so hard with its piano-driven intro and vocal swapping among the brothers, it almost sounds like something from a Blaxploitation film. Here we get a chance to hear Randy for the first time, replacing Jermaine who stayed at Motown. Randy was only 14 at the time of this release! Each member of the Jacksons has more vocal presence here than on many J5 records. Their harmonies are strong and so are their individual solo lines. The music is lush, with fluid guitar, pecking congas, flashy horns, and breezy strings. One of the best jams I have ever heard is "Show you the way to Go." It was a top 30 hit in 1977 but should have done much better. Listen closely for some of Michael's vocal nuances that would eventually develop into his trademark style. All in all, a terrific set!
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
The Jacksons: Re-Invented, or Re-Controlled?Dec 03, 2004
By Benjamin Bitter
"Bennie-fried"
In 1975, Joe Jackson was tired of Motown Records controlling his childrens' careers. So he moved them over to Epic Records. The newly Christened "Jacksons" had to prove themselves to not only CBS Records, but to the world that they could produce, write, and perform their own records with plausible credibility.So instead of being controlled by Henry Cosby, Hal Davis, and to a lesser extent, Berry Gordy at Motown, their direction was handed over by Epic to Philidelphia Phunk-Meisters Kenneth Gamble, and Leon Huff. They had a tremendous string of success, with Teddy Pendergrass, MFSB, Harold Melvin, and The Blue Notes, and McFadden and Whitehead to name just a few. They took the Jacksons' original songs, brought them into the studio, worked their Philly majik, and out came one of the greatest Soul records ever cut on wax. From Start to finish, "The Jacksons" takes you from one Phunkified Phunk Phest top the next, starting with "Enjoy Yourself" and Culminating in the Phunkadelic "Style Of Life". When I was a child I heard this record, and originally thought that "Good Times" was the Jackson's remake of the theme from that TV show. But it was pure slow Phunk. Phunk-da-fied-, Phunkalicious, or just just plain Phantastic, The Jackson's Epic Debut is Phat.
See all 36 customer reviews on Amazon.com
| | |
|
