My rating of the Jackson 5 and solo members albums

[zinniabooklover]

There’s a bunch of videos on youtube with regular mortals playing that bass part. Apparently Jermaine played it faultless live.

Yeah, I'm not so keen on those videos. It's great that they are there, I'm just not so interested for myself. The bass guitar is my thing, I've been in love with it since I was a child so I'm pretty good at picking out the bass line. It doesn't always have to be Geezer Butler, lol.

The thing with the bass is you never really notice it until you have listened to a song dozens of times and preferably with a headset

Oh, trust me, I notice. It's the first thing I key into. Either the bass or the rhythm section.

I love bass lines, I love drum patterns, I love percussion. I'm not a musician but I know what I like, lol. It's true my fave bass players are all heavy. Geezer Butler, Jean-Jacques Burnel, Billy Gould. But I'm fine with any bass line. They all speak to me.

 

[staywild23]

@filmandmusic I just heard "A Fool For You" for the first time tonight and I am SCREAMING about it. Literally. I keep screaming and my husband is staring at me like I'm an absolute freak. But I can't stop playing it and I feel like it broke open my soul.

Anyway, do you plan on reviewing this? lol

From what I can tell it was first released on Soulstation! in 1995?

 

[filmandmusic]

@staywild23

No as it never was part of a studio album, Mikey sings the blues, It is something he should have covered as an adult, it's the kind of song where you can pour your heart out. It is completely different to Ray Charles' original. I have to give props to Motown for not rehashing the songs and making them too similar to the original, they emphasized different textures for different singers. It would be really cool to see Motown studio footage to see how Michael handled these classic songs, to me it always feels like he is given just enough freedom to do his own thing but maybe that is wishful thinking. The way he interprets all these songs at that age never ceases to amaze me.
What do you think of the song "too young" on the album music & me? It is one of those magical songs Michael did we talked about earlier.

 

[staywild23]

@staywild23

No as it never was part of a studio album, Mikey sings the blues, It is something he should have covered as an adult, it's the kind of song where you can pour your heart out. It is completely different to Ray Charles' original. I have to give props to Motown for not rehashing the songs and making them too similar to the original, they emphasized different textures for different singers. It would be really cool to see Motown studio footage to see how Michael handled these classic songs, to me it always feels like he is given just enough freedom to do his own thing but maybe that is wishful thinking. The way he interprets all these songs at that age never ceases to amaze me.

I would freak out if I could see Motown studio footage. I love watching him sing as a child (well, at any age, obviously) because in part it's just so incredible that he could do what he did with this voice. Whew. I would have loved to see him record some of this style as he got older too, but alas. I am more and more obsessed with Jackson 5 and his solo work from Motown. I cannot believe how good these songs are. It's kind of frustrating that only a handful are commonly known when there are SO many gems.

What do you think of the song "too young" on the album music & me? It is one of those magical songs Michael did we talked about earlier.

I had listened to the whole album awhile ago, but only once or twice because I was really hooked on Got to Be There. I take a long time to work through albums because i just become obsessed with one and can't stop listening to it. Anyway, I listened to "too young" again and it definitely has that magical quality! Absolutely beautiful. Not my favorite of his solo songs at this point, but I really like it. It makes me want to spend more time on that album.

 

[filmandmusic]

I cannot believe how good these songs are. It's kind of frustrating that only a handful are commonly known when there are SO many gems.

Agreed and this is just coming from studio albums, all the tracks on compilation albums post 1975 together could be another 4 or 5 studio albums worth. It seems they were recording non stop back then. Apparently there are still as of yet unleaked and unreleased tracks of the Motown period. I'm guessing they still have dozens of audio concert recordings too which are particularly interesting because back then he sang live and each performance live is different.

Music and Me is only slightly less good as got to be there, once you get to it you'll love it. Also watch out for "doggin around" on that LP

Like you said 99% is unknown. In Belgium only ABC and I want you back get airplay and to a much lesser extent One day in your life, I'll be there and Ben. But it is their loss

 

[staywild23]

Agreed and this is just coming from studio albums, all the tracks on compilation albums post 1975 together could be another 4 or 5 studio albums worth. It seems they were recording non stop back then. Apparently there are still as of yet unleaked and unreleased tracks of the Motown period. I'm guessing they still have dozens of audio concert recordings too which are particularly interesting because back then he sang live and each performance live is different.

OH wow, this is mind-blowing to me. They released SO much music so quickly back then too, so to have that much more stuff that was unreleased is just insane. I am taking a long time to work through Jackson 5 material and have barely listened to the Jacksons (outside of some obvious hits and songs Michael performed). Sometimes I feel like the amount of MJ content I've worked through since becoming a fan in January is ridiculous, but then I'm reminded I still have so much more to explore and I'm very happy

Music and Me is only slightly less good as got to be there, once you get to it you'll love it. Also watch out for "doggin around" on that LP

I have no doubt I will love it! I know this is an unpopular opinion, but I sincerely like every single thing Michael has ever done lol. I mean, of what I've listened to so far. Perhaps there will be songs I don't like, eventually, but I think there's just something about him and his voice that no matter what the song is I become really into it. I just love it all! Obnoxiously so lol.

Like you said 99% is unknown. In Belgium only ABC and I want you back get airplay and to a much lesser extent One day in your life, I'll be there and Ben. But it is their loss

Yeah, I would say it is similar in the US actually, though perhaps a bit more. The songs I already knew prior to diving in include I Want You Back, ABC, The Love You Save (I didn't even remember they did this until I heard it again, but I loved it as a kid!), I'll Be There, Ben, Never Can Say Goodbye, and Dancing Machine. But the only ones I ever hear on the radio are I Want You Back, ABC, and I'll Be There. Granted, the only time I listen to the radio is in a restaurant or grocery store, so the fact that I even catch those fairly often is kind of amazing lol.

 

[zinniabooklover]

Bought 'bassplayer' magazine today, they have a Top 100 bass parts feature. 'I Want You Back' (Wilton Felder on bass) came in at no.28.

'Darling Dear' got an honourable mention. James Jamerson!

@Agonum - Bass Player mag is no more. At least not in hard copy. But I was stoked to see this in the last issue I bought.

 

[Agonum]

@Agonum - Bass Player mag is no more. At least not in hard copy. But I was stoked to see this in the last issue I bought.

Would have loved to see that list.

 

[zinniabooklover]

Would have loved to see that list.

god, yeah. Would have been awesome. That's the kind of stuff I want.