THE JACKSONS > Destiny & Triumph

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With these two releases, teen pop idols the Jackson 5 firmly established themselves as the more grown-up Jacksons, handling all writing, performing and producing duties on the third and fourth albums they released after leaving Motown.

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Label: EPIC/LEGACY
[Rating: 4 Stars, 4 Stars]

With these two releases, teen pop idols the Jackson 5 firmly established themselves as the more grown-up Jacksons, handling all writing, performing and producing duties on the third and fourth albums they released after leaving Motown. The albums are an enticing mix of high-energy dance tracks and smooth, soulful crooning. “Blame It On The Boogie” and “Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)” (on Destiny) and “Can You Feel It” (on Triumph) are guaranteed to help you get your groove on, underpinned with an insinuating beat that just won’t let up (“Shake Your Body” in particular is a blueprint for the kind of dance beats that would soon skyrocket Michael Jackson to solo superstardom). As the primary vocalist, Michael Jackson shines, even imbuing the lesser tracks (primarily the slower numbers) with heartfelt emotion. The mix is more upbeat on Triumph, most tracks having a pleasing mid-tempo bounce, making even the ostensibly downtown “This Place Hotel” (aka “Heartbreak Hotel”) sound like a funky place you’d want to hang out in. Both albums are newly remastered and feature bonus tracks in the form of extended 12-inch mixes previously unavailable on CD.

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