Customer Reviews

Break Out

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I remember when this album was first released in 1983 with a different mix, tracklisting, and even a song other than "I'm So Excited". ("Nightline"--a song that made its rounds at the time, being covered by Ellen Foley and Randy Crawford, as well.) I couldn't wait to get to the record shop to get the new Pointers LP with their new single: "I Need You". Sadly, this initial release from Break Out made only a modest dent in the charts. An honest, tender song it was, but the one to be released after it was the one that really perked radio and ears alike: "Automatic". Not only did it sound like nothing else that was coming over the airwaves in '83, it was also a brand new sound--an American sound in the midst of the second British Invasion. "Automatic" proved that tough, muscled American music at this point in history didn't have to be guitar-based rock-n-roll in order to have an audience. Ruth, Anita, and June had already been rocker chicks (with their Priority LP being the best of that phase of their career) and were out to conquer a new territory: The Age Of Machines. Richard Perry's been quoted as saying that Break Out was made with the intention of getting the Pointers back to their R&B roots, and soulful it is. But for me Break Out has long been the very first album by an American artist that brought machine-based music to the masses. This is the album that signaled the dawn of the techno that followed in the later 80s. Along with Eurythmics, the music on this album demonstrated that warmth, soul, and artistry were possible indeed with a computer and a drum machine. Softer tracks like "Telegraph Your Love" and "I Need You" were illuminated and sharpened by their techno foundations and enlightened and made plushy by the Sisters' sincere readings, while tracks like "Dance Electric" and "Baby, Come & Get It" are exemplary meetings of the rock-n-roll stage and the dance floor--on Mars! "Neutron Dance" is just about the best gospel Top 40 radio has ever seen; and the singles simply speak for themselves. My hope is that Break Out will eventually get remastered and re-issued in its original, un-remixed incarnation, which is really the best way to comprehend and appreciate what this gem accomplished and just how artistically and critically underrated it is. Even re-releasing it in '84 with a new track order, new mix, and the previously passed-on "I'm So Excited" was a clever way pushing a superior product into the market, making it a milestone record from more than just the aesthetic angle. Of course I'll take any number of bonuses on a re-issue (yes, even the omniscient "I'm So Excited"!) attached after the origial 10 tracks, but until then investigate this 80s necessity once again--or for the first time. It's truly worth it.

In this age of cheap, tacky, mass-produced pop music, it's so refreshing to get back to the heart and soul that is the Pointer Sisters' "Break Out" CD. Every song is a winner; although those '80s synthesizers are getting to sound kind of dated, the core of the music-- the gutsy talent of the Pointer Sisters themselves-- remains unblemished by time. These three women just sing about life in all its joys and sorrows--the thrill of new love, the grind of work, the wistfulness and pain of relationships gone wrong-- and make it rock with the kind of soul music doesn't have anymore. The simple truth is, I bought this twenty-year-old CD because the music has stood the test of time. It's not going away, and we're better for it.

What can you say about " BREAKOUT " except it is a classic! It has hit after hit on it - JUMP, AUTOMATIC, NEUTRON DANCE, I'M SO EXCITED, I NEED YOU, BABY COME AND GET IT - and stands the test of time. It's now 25 years ago that it was first released & it's still sounds fantastic. ANITA, RUTH & JUNE just gave it their all , as usual. You could call it the female " THRILLER " . You can hear the influences of soul, dance, rock, electronica , and new wave all over these amazing songs. A classic that deserves more recognition and an expanded reissue today. It's the Pointer Sisters at their peak here.

One of my favorite albums happens to be The Pointer Sisters' 1983 album, "Breakout." As a fan of 80's music, I figured I should pay my respects and lend a boasting hand to this awesome 80's group and their music. Feel-good and exciting from start to finish, "Breakout" should be one of those time-capsule albums. Afterall, early 80's style funky urban soul can't really be defined better.

Now this is an album that I could keep in my CD player 24/7. How could you go wrong with such variety?

1. "Jump (For My Love)" - A wonderful opening song to get you hitting the dance floor right away. For first time listeners of this album, this will wake you up and make you wonder what is next. Synth-pop, peppy, fast and danceable. That's the best way to describe this song that hit the Billboard top hits of 1984.

2. "Automatic" - My favorite song from the album and one of my all-time favorite 80's songs in general. Unique and funky, this song is one of those that you can raise up your arms and move your hips to. Great harmonizing and trippy synth. Perfect for a song about being so obsessed with someone that you're "automatically" at their beck and call and basically zone out all other contact with the world.

3. "I'm So Excited" - You've heard this party-it-up song on movies and commercials. This is a classic from the Pointer Sisters. A great example of early 80's urbanized dance. The style of this song truly fits the feeling of excitement; like you're so full of energy that you can't contain yourself. Yes, this super feel-good, energized, fast-paced number will get you excited.

4. "I Need You" - The Pointers slow the pace down a bit on this soulful, easy-going piece. After the first three songs, this is the first kick-back-and-relax song. A catchy beat will make you slowly bop your head.

5. "Neutron Dance" - Extremely high strung, fast, and danceable. Hope your feet will be able to keep up! Go back to your chemistry class and burn up the dance floor at an amazing speed as if you were neutrons.

6. "Dance Electric" - This synth-pop piece of perfection features a bit of a slower dance groove compared to song #5, but is very catchy. Cool 80's-style synth melodies!

7. "Easy Persuasion" - A personal favorite, and another laid-back song. This smooth, soulful, dreamy groove with its silky melodies and heartfelt harmonies from the Pointers will have you hooked and "persuaded" that this is your song to relax to.

8. "Baby Come And Get It" - Bouncy and synth melody-laden. This is a fun, feel-good, dance song pure and simple!

9. "Telegraph Your Love" - How can you resist this funky-beat clad song? Showered with melodic synth, this number is probably the closest thing to the flip-side of "Automatic."

10. "Operator" - The Pointer Sisters chose to go out of the album dancing and leave us dancing in the end with this peppy piece complete with fantastic harmonizing. Enjoy!

So there you have The Pointer Sisters' 1983 album "Breakout" in a nutshell. It is impossible to not have fun with this album, so with this bit of "easy persuasion," "baby come and get it," "get excited," "jump," and "dance electric" until dawn.

You know when all of the songs on the first part of your album are huge hits then you are really going places.Jacko knew it and so did The Pointer Sisters-'Break Out's first three songs alone-"Jump","Automatic" and "I'm So Excited" are just back to back to back classics,leaving only the midtempo hit "I Need You" before "Neutron Dance".And what's the best thing about 'Break Out'?No albums cuts-Ruth's poweful "Dance Electric","Telegraph Your Love","Operator" and the super funky "Baby Come And Get It" could have ALL easily been hits (and were in fact played a lot on the radio)."Easy Persuasion",the closest thing this has to a ballad is a nice change of pace but what makes 'Break Out' so unique is it's production.Not only is every song as pop perfect as it comes but it feels as if the layors of synthesizers and computers used to make most of this music are coated over again by several layers of Sherwin Williams heavy gloss coat-instead of sounding cold and electronic,the technology used here sounds more like a hot furnace,soulful and I must say very sexy.It really shows you that great talents like these sisters and talented producers like Richard Perry can make anything they wish sound like pure gold.Surely enough 'Break Out' is about as 80's as it gets but the hits (and even non hits) have withstood the test of time with grace.'Break Out' is one of the Top Five best pop records of the early 80's and is a must have for your collection.

Length:: 1:46 Mins

I bought this compact disc on January 14, 2006, and I have not been able to turn it off! The Pointer Sisters "can-can" really sing, and the synthetic riffs are outstanding! I would without hesitation recommend this compilation to anybody, no matter what type of music they prefer!
Some of the features of the album include lyrics to all the songs, special thanks from each of the Pointer Sisters, and a wonderful collection of songs! ENJOY!!!

"Break Out" is mostly a fast-tempoed album, with some great hits like "Jump (For My Love)", "I'm So Excited", and "Baby Come and Get It". All three songs are enjoyable and addictive, as well as two of my other favorites: "Automatic" (great husky female vocals on this one) and "Dance Electric". I like the majority of songs on here, which is rare for me; I generally only like about half the songs (if that many) on most of the CDs I own, so "Break Out" is quite a gem. I'd certainly recommend it to listeners who like 80's pop/r&b music and especially to fans of this sororal trio.

By the early '80s, the Pointer Sisters had become the closest thing to the Supremes of that decade, having huge hits with "Fire", "He's So Shy" and "Slow Hand".

In late 1983, they released the "Breakout" album, which gave them four top-ten hits during the next year-and-a-half.

It's easy to take for granted the first track "Jump (For My Love)" since it has been used in commercials and was played endlessly on MTV back in the day, but the truth it's still an upbeat, exhilirating song that is impossible not to like. It peaked at #3 in the summer of 1984.

The slightly slower "Automatic" was the first hit single from the album, reaching #5 on Billboard in early 1984.

A new and slightly different mix of the 1982 hit "I'm So Excited" appears next on the album. Like "Jump", this one has been a little overexposed and easy to take for granted, but still undeniably infectious.

"I Need You" was actually the very first single released from this album and was a minor R&B hit. It's one of the more low-key efforts, and the type of song that usually ends up on easy-listening muzak stations in department stores or offices. It's ok but doesn't stand out.

"Neutron Dance" of course, was a HUGE hit, (just missed the #1 spot here in Canada) helped along by its inclusion in the "Beverly Hills Cop" movie in 1985. The drum machines go wild on this one.

The familiar hits end with "Neutron" but that's not to say the album loses steam. In fact, "Dance Electric" is a fantastic futuristic-sounding cut that has the sisters soaring during the chorus. It's one of my favorite tracks of the LP.

Things slow down for "Easy Persuasion", another song that perfectly fits that "easy-listening" mode, but the lyrics, phrasing and harmonies save it from being a bore.

"Baby Come and Get It" is a forerunner to the kind of music that younger girl groups such as Klymaxx and the Mary Jane Girls would soon be making, at the same time stealing the Pointer Sisters' thunder. It's a catchy number and the electric guitars give it a darker, different sound than the previous tracks.

My favorite song on the LP is definitely "Telegraph Your Love". Here again, it's easy to see where Klymaxx and MJG got their inspiration. The difference being, the Pointers were able to make dance music with melody and soul. Despite the synths and electronic sound, they bring heart to what could easily be cold and calculated.

The closer is "Operator" (not the 1984 dance hit by Midnight Star), though this one is just as funky. It's perhaps the weakest track and certainly not the best way to go out, but it's sequencing here is the ONLY misstep this album makes.

If you're looking for catchy, familiar '80s dance/pop with a couple of slow jams thrown in, you can't go wrong with "Breakout".

4 Top Ten singles ("Automatic", "Jump (For My Love)", "I'm So Excited", "Neutron Dance"), two Grammy Awards, and two American Music Awards make this album a "must" for fans of the sisters as well as those that want to fondly remember the early 80's when pop music ruled. Producer Richard Perry can be credited with providing the ladies with their seminal album, one that they, unfortunately, were unable to duplicate in commercial and critical success.