Off the Wall

Tracks like "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough," "Rock with You," the title cut (all Top 10 singles), and "Burn this Disco Out" not only consolidated his dance-floor power, but showed just how soulful and varied his vocals could get on uptempo material. Artistic role models like James Brown and Jackie Wilson echo through the mixes, but these were Jackson's leaps forward. The addition of pure pop confection--Paul McCartney's "Girlfriend," Stevie Wonder's "I Can't Help It"--further fleshed out the star's young-adult persona and helped make Off the Wall among the most fondly remembered of all his solo work. This special edition features two magic home demos and entertaining, insightful interviews of producer Quincy Jones and "Rock with You" composer Rod Temperton. --Rickey Wright

The clarity of sound presented here is astounding! Especially when you go back and listen to the original release. From the swirling cackles in the title track, to the bass on Burn This Disco Out, to the layered voices in Don't Stop, the sound enveopes you in it's crispness and rishness. It's pure aural candy!

The special edition includes a booklet with 4 new photos (one featuring Paul McCartney), a brick design on the cd itself, and 18 minutes of bonus material including, interviews with Quincy Jones and Rod Temperton and, the best treat, two demo recordings.

Both demo's run about 4:30 and feature Randy and Janet on rhythm and sound efects. There is a hillarious spat between Randy and Janet at the begenning of the Don't Stop demo that had me roaring in laughter. These demos really give a sense of the Jackson family as a whole, fun, musically inventive, talented and wanting to help each other out. They also showcase Michael's strong song writing skills. The rhythms and arrangements are completely fleshed out but the lyrics are barely there. What you can hear of lyrics is very different from the final recordings and seems like MJ made it up as he went along in the song (Is he really singing 'Keep on with you hot dog' in Don't Stop Til You Get Enough?). The demo's highlight his talent as a rhythm arragner and song builder rather than a lyricist.

On the down side, the interviews aren't that enlightening and I can't imagine wanting to listen to them more than once or twice. Also nowhere in the booklet or on the jewel case is the bonus material given track numbers. There are a total of 19 tracks here with an announcer, interviews and demos. A track listing would''ve made it alot easier to find the demo's later. One final nitpick, I would've liked to have seen a picture underneath the cd's clear tray in the jewel case. Instead all we get is black. Oh well, it hardly detracts from all the great things about this sepcial edition.

If you're a MJ fan or have an older copy of Off The Wall, then you have to have this for the incredible restoration done, it's historical value and the insightful demo recordings. For the rest of you, don't miss out on this strong, innovative, fun and moving album. The sepcial edition is the one to have!


Off the Wall, but Still on Point.   October 12, 2002
The Groove (Boston, MA)
10 out of 10 found this review helpful

When Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones teamed up to record the 1979 album "Off the Wall," I doubt they knew what kind of beast they were about to create. Spawning four Top Ten singles including two Number Ones, "Off the Wall" blasted into the Top Ten and gave Jackson his biggest solo success at the time. But chart domination aside, the album is a classic collection of funk and disco-laced soul that holds up amazing well today. His magical voice breathed life into infectious hits like "Don't Stop til You Get Enough" and "Rock With You." He also cruises effortlessly through the hyperactive "Working Day and Night" and the blazing title track. But Jackson, I think, triumphs best on "She's Out of My Life." If tossed into the hands of a lesser singer, this song would have been a disastrous sapfest of maple syrup sentiment, but it's Jackson's delivery that makes this song a genuine "she-just-dumped-me" ballad. Three years later, he would return to the scene with a little album called "Thriller" which sold, oh, maybe a few million copies worldwide. But "Off the Wall" should be credited as the album that put Michael on the map as an adult solo star, and it holds up as a verified classic.


Best Remastered Disc I Have Ever Heard!   December 2, 2005
Frederick Baptist (Singapore)
8 out of 8 found this review helpful

This has to be one of Michael Jackson's top 3 all-time greatest albums. Before Michael became strange this album captures what the "King of Pop" is best at: Pop/R&B. Carefully chosen tracks from proven songwriters (Carole Bayer Sager, Rod Temperton, Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney)and a few tracks of his own added to a brilliant producer are all the ingredients of a great album.

Now, this disc has also been remastered par excellence! I have never heard such a great sounding remastering job in my life and believe me I've heard too many pretenders and alleged remastering jobs that even sound worse than the pre-remastered version.

The best tracks are the title track, "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough", and my favourite "Rock With You" but the other tracks, written by great hall-of-fame songwriters are great too and make the whole package cohesive and overall just a great album.

For the diehard fan, there are even bonus outtakes and interviews with Quincy Jones and Rod Temperton although personally I feel they should have either left this out or put it on a separate disc but I guess I can always stop the disc after "Burn This Disco Out."

This is probably the best version of this album that's out there and is highly recommended for all MJ fans out there.


This Was When MJ was MJ!!....My All-time Fave!!   February 4, 2006
MUZIK4THAPEOPLE!! (Charlotte, NC)
6 out of 6 found this review helpful

Wow, I can remember where I was the first time I heard
this album because it was that pivotal, not only in
his history, but in the collective pop
lexicon as well! In the late summer of 1979,
"Off The Wall", MJ's first adult solo effort hit
the world like a tsunami!
Every track on here is and was bangin'
and we were dancing our butts off to
"Don't Stop Til' You Get Enough", "Rock With You",
"Working Day & Night", "Get On The Floor",
the title track and "Burn This Disco Out" like
there was no tomorrow in sight!
We also were grooving on smooth
tracks like "Girlfreind", "I Can't Help It",
"It's The Falling In Love" and crying our eyes out
to "She's Out Of My Life"...

TRANSLATION: MJ had the world at his feet during this time!
I love this album even more than its follow-up
"Thriller", which was incredible in it's own right,
but "Off The Wall" was MJ before
all the weirdness, plastic surgery, scandals, etc.
and he was ours!