CLASSIC CHILDHOOD FAVORITE...STILL SOUNDS FRESH (ABC that is

I am 40 years old and still listening to this album. I still can't get over how absolutley fabulous these songs are. 2-4-6-8 has a hook that I can't get out of my head. Don't Know Why I Love You is classic J-5. Michael wails on this one, nice cover of a Stevie Wonder song. Of course..ABC and The Love You Save are the instant classics on this album..but howabout "I'll Bet You" and "The Young Folks"..The Young Folks is a cover of a Supremes song, but the J5's version demolishes it. My all time fave though is "One More Chance".. I think I have played this song over a thousand times. What a great ballad. Nice melody and vocal performance. This would have gotten 5 stars, bought I still am not fond of "True Love Can Be Beautiful" and "Never HAd a Dream Come True". Their next great lp was "Maybe Tomorrow".

Exuberant Music

The J5 debut and sophomore discs on Motown are collected here and, interestingly enough, the two albums sound remarkably different. The first, "Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5" is rooted in the older Motown sound, produced largely by Bobby Taylor and including several covers (in fact, nearly all the songs were covers). For the most part, these covers are made very unique, but aren't really exciting or fresh. The exception to this rule is their smoking, bluesy soul on "Who's Loving You." This was the b-side to the only single on the album, the #1 smash "I Want You Back," regarded by many critics as perhaps the most perfect pop song ever released. Aside from these two tracks, the album shifts between decent pleasantries and ho-hum covers. If released in 1966, this album would have been much better suited than it was in 1969. When the first shouts of "The Love You Save" come through the speakers, it's clear that the "ABC" half of this disc is going to be very different. At times spunky, gorgeous, and precocious, "ABC" is one kiddie album that shouldn't be overlooked. In one recent poll of critics and musicians alike, it ranked among the top 100 albums. Containing two more #1 hits, this was a successful record and the basis for what woule become the Jackson 5's signature sound for years, until songs like "Get It Together" and "Dancing Machine" helped propel them towards the funk/dance arena.

Strong debuts of the J-5

Not counting the Steeltown records, these albums were the debuts of the J/5. Couldn't have started on a better note! Much has been said about the original tunes, but the J/5 were brilliant at covering tunes and making them their own. These versions of "Can You Remember," "Stand," "Born to Love You," "Standing in the Shadows of Love," "Oh How Happy," "La la Means I love You," "Come Round Here," "Who's Lovin' You," etc. usually outclass the original versions. This two-cd set lives up to the cliche' ALL KILLER NO FILLER!