Off the Wall [Remaster] by Michael Jackson Review

I have been pretty much been on the run of late attending shows, having fun with family and my wonderful friends living life away from the keyboard. My return is an emotional one of sorts due to the passing of Michael Jackson. I have heard many views and opinions about Michael....some good and heartfelt and others downright blistering and I can honestly say that I understand both sides. From a musical standpoint no one could deny his genius. He will go down in history from a musical standpoint as one of the greatest that ever did it.....if not the greatest.

NEVER would I ever have thought that Michael would have turned out to be the tortured soul he became. He went from a glorified King to a pale joke with one long glide of the moonwalk.....and the landing that followed was not easy. During the first trial there MANY red flags that made me question what was becoming of The King. What followed began a downward spiral of VERY questionable action, weird behaviors, and poor judgements that would further hurt and haunt him. My thought during the second trial was lightening never strikes twice in the same place with OR without a guilty verdict(s). I also asked the question could he or his career ever recover from it all and got my answer this week.

Being a kid of the 80's music this was a time that would define what I listen to this very day and shape my ability to appreciate music on my AND it's own terms. I would be considered a fraud and a flat out lie if I said that Michael did not play a HUGE role in my musical journey. Even with all that I began to discover Michael was right in the middle of it all. While Jackson was not the greatest singer he had the power to bring together many elements to create a magic that today's "artists" could only hope produce.

Before the Thriller circus entered town their was Off The Wall and in my opinion THIS was his masterpiece. While Thriller was the one that sold the most and garnered the most attention it, for me, became to be a novelty. In contrast, Off The Wallcan still be played today and I still would get a musical thrill. Look no farther than the song Don't Stop Till You Get Enough to see clearly that before the madness there was an artist. That song and so many more included here for me represent what made him a great artist and lays proof that before the insanity was the music.