Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Background Harmony was Awesome!, February 23, 2005
Its been said that when artists First come out they are hungry and generally Sing their BEST. Not necessarily for food, although some May have had..Slim Pickings! Not sure if the J5 ever went hungry, I don't think so.Few artists remain true and strong after the first 3albums..quality suffers after awhile..Egos get blown all out of proportion..and folks dont think they have to Sing as strong..or something..I dont know what the problem is..but its with every group. The first 5hits are the best..of course their are exceptions..the supremes had 12number 1s but by the time it got to 10. Florence was gone..by the time they reached theyre 7th hit.The background(Mary and Flo) voices were barely heard and the harmony..suffered. although the singles were big..and hits..not nearly as Pure as the first 5hits.. But, my point is. When this album was released and hit the stands..I was 13yrs old..same age as Jermaine. Who at the time was My idol..we had the same voice tone..lol and I could match it perfectly, which I did, during a 1970 talent show..certainly a HIGH point in my life..I actually thought I was Jermaine! Big fro and two-toned pants flowered shirt and all..minus the guitar though LOL.> The album..simply a masterpiece and Jermaine and the rest of the brothers could be Heard Loud and Clear..On this album..as with the second and 3rd. Were the J5s best. Why? because they were HUNGRY for Stardom and it was all about the GROUP, saturday morning cartoons showed the Group..not just Michael... Supersized fros..bell bottoms..and Great Great Harmony. Listen to Born to Love You, Youve Changed. and later the Third Album, (Ready or NOt,Here I come, originally done by the Delphonics..and also brought back to life by the Fugees.aka Lauryn Hill, when she was quote unquote Hungry. When folks reach a certain Level of success. They dont seem to Sing as hard anymore..or as good. This I noticed after the 4th actually Third album on the 4th the only noteable song for harmony was "Weve Got Blue Skies which I recommend all J5 fans to check out!..the music wasent Quite as good after that song..the harmony began to suffer and it was hard to hear the brothers in the backround. Jermaines roll increasely diminished while Michael came further to the front..thats when he began showing up solo, as guest on talk shows..and releasing singles..on his own. then they left Motown..Still all this before the eccentric bizzare behavior, obssession with make-up..which became evident during the Wiz days..Still to this day when I hear Whos Lovin You, I get goose pimples from how beautiful and talented this Group and of course Michael..was..regardless of how Michael looks today, I think of that lil fellow sliding like James Brown on the Ed Sullivan show....I hear RAW talent. How I wish He could have stayed more grounded. He seemed to gradually loose over the years his Identity..as If he wasent sure Who or(what) he is..the red lip stick, strait black hair..and pale skin..and chopped off nose and the increasely bizzare behavior with the face masks..took attention away from His raw talent.his gift..and of course the obssession with little boys.. and although Thriller and Off the Wall were masterpieces. as far as Music..the singing..to me. wasent Near as good as when he was with his brothers hungry and singing their hearts out. The albums they released as the Jacksons Lacked the raw Singing abilites that they possessed in their first or early recordings..This happend with the Supremes who had serious harmony.until it became Diana Ross and the Supremes..and the background could hardly be heard. .then when they became Really big..diane stepped further out front..and the group died a fast death.It was mainly DIANA ROSS..with two girls oooew..and awwwwww and a few faint claps..This happened with the J5..michael like diana always Stood out..but lets be fair. It was the Harmony of the GROUP that Made the World fall in love with the sound. Not just the lead by his or herself.it was five guys on stage tearing it up..with One Outstanding lead singer(Michael and Diane OUtshinning, out singing, out dancing everyone else..But Still the back Up..did their parts.If there is doubt in anyones minds as how Good both the harmony for the J5 and the Supremes were..they need only purchase this album by the J5 and pick up..Maybe Tommorrow album.and listen to the "We've Got Blue Skies" the J5 did and Excellent job in backing Michaels lead(also on this album..again BORN TO LOVE YOU stands out for harmony...as does the Supremes's "Any Girl in Love(From the I hear of Symphony album and A Breath Taking Guy" The begining of change and the end of the J5 was when they left Motown..and although their creative side really shinned..I am sorry..the real Good soul from the heart harmony was lost. and things were never the same. Unfortunately..for the Jacksons..things WILL NEVER be the same..even if Michael does Avoid going to Prison! So enjoy this album..and think back to when Michael was just a little cute afro american boy..with a Hellva Voice! Michael 1969, Where are you? I WANT YOU BACK! We Want you Back, the way you Used to be. Black and Proud. Not some Phantom of the Opera, reject Peter Pan. inspite of everything though..I still think HE IS ONE OF THE GREATEST..to ever perform..during or before our lifetime..and quite possibly after..as Usher, and others will NEVER..out do what Michael has accomplished. and if they do..they will Always be Compared.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Can You Remember......., July 14, 2009
One of the big surprises of listening to this,the Jacksons' introduction to the world outside Gary Indiana you understand not too long into it why this album was assembled the way it was. Whatever the idea of the song happens to be,the image of five young men from the midwest enjoying the taste of LA for the first time and getting all dolled up in those wild psychedelic costumes cannot help but come into ones mind.Part of this general atmosphere was a strong sense of freshness.The same can be said of this that can be said of another classic pop music debut with The Fab Four's Please Please Me ;hard to believe there's only seven years between them. The main similarities is that both of them feature each group at the top of their form,eager and with their sounds in the most "uncut" of states. Not only that but the songs they cover on this album have a lot to do with their direction and musical vision from the outset."Zip-A-Dee-Do-Dah" alone shows how much the Isley's late 60's funk sound had on the Jacksons at this early stage and yes-even "I Want You Back" demonstrates a very high degree of funkiness.Of course we already know that;The Crusaders Wilton Felder plays bass on the song and that groove extends strong not only through versions of "Chained" and "I Know I'm Losing You" but around of course Sly's "Stand";the Family Stone's strong influence on the Jacksons' is not only evident here but especially on how they use the heavily funky outro to the original as a bridge throughout the song.As if it didn't in the first place their "Standing In The Shadows Of Love" enhances the eastern feel James Jamerson got with many Four Tops hits with strong psychedelic sitar-like guitar riffs.While Michael of course dominates in the vocal department Jermaine gives a particularly gravelly tone to "My Cherie Amour".Of course one of most rightfully revered songs here is Michael's take on Smokey's "Who's Lovin' You".His yearning pleads and cries on the song have an almost scary intensity."You've Changed",a cover of an old tune done at Gary's small Steeltown label is only marginally doctored up from the orginal through Motown's Funk Brothers smoothing out the rough edges well enough. The upbeat "Nobody" and "Born To Love You" find a place between the standard Motown sound and late 60's pop-funk wheras the ballad "Can You Remember",as with pretty much everything here focuses in on the brothers distinctive harmonies. When you think of how even the Jackson 5 progressed musically at Motown in only the next two years this music is very honest,as Diana Ross's liner notes state as well as possessing an enthusiastic drive and belief in the material they were singing on.The musical expectations of R&B based family groups would never be the same after this for sure!
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0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Big Debut, January 23, 2007
The Jackson 5 exploded on to the music scene in late 1969 with one of the greatest singles of all time, "I Want You Back". The song is as perfect a three minute single as you could record. The five brothers from Gary, Indiana had been honing their craft on the road for a few years before being discovered by the Motown label. Although Diana Ross gets credit for discovering the band, it was really Bobby Taylor form the label's virtually unknown Bobby & The Vancouvers that brought the brothers to Berry Gordy's attention. History aside, their first album is titled Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5 and band does their mentor proud with a stellar debut that is mostly made up of cover tunes, but shows off the brother's picture perfect vocals. As mentioned, "I Want You Back" is the centerpiece of the album and the song shot to number one on the charts. Their cover of The Miracles' "Who's Lovin' You" shows off young Michael's impressive vocal skills while their take on Stevie Wonder's "My Cherie Amour" allows Jermaine to shine. Other great tracks include "Nobody", "You've Changed" and a killer remake of the Four Tops "Standing In The Shadows Of Love".
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