Off the Wall is the fifth solo album from the late, legendary Indiana singer and performer, Michael Jackson. It’s his first album to not be influenced by the sound of the Jackson 5, as Michael wanted to have more creative freedom in his music. He teamed up with one of the greatest producers and composers in history, Quincy Jones, for what would be the first of three albums produced by Jones. It’s an album that was released 45 years ago, as of August 10th, and while it’s not as heralded as Thriller is, I’m going to share why this album is so phenomenal.

   The album opens up with an absolute bop, “Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough.” Whether it’s the funky guitars from Marlo Henderson, the dramatic strings, or drum beat that you can’t resist dancing to, this track established a new era for Michael. The chorus is incredibly catchy, and Michael’s vocal presence is undeniably strong on this track. I love the disco elements of the song, and Michael just sounds like he’s having an absolute blast on this song. Following that is another favorite of mine, “Rock with You,” which is one of Jackson’s greatest love songs, as well one of the most cinematic sounding tracks on the album with the dreamy keyboards, groovy guitar riffs, as well as the horn riff in the chorus. I think it’s important to mention that before working with Michael, Quincy Jones was a widely respected composer for films. They first worked together when the two of them were actor and composer, respectively, in the film, The Wiz. They ended up making the perfect pairing musically. The first two tracks of the albums, are absolute favorites of mine, and helped make Michael a superstar.

    “Workin’ Day and Night,” is one of the most underrated tracks on the record, I love the synth bass riff, and horn arrangements. Michael’s vocalizations also add a lot of character to the track. Michael’s songwriting has never been super deep or complex, but that’s not an issue at all, especially not on this album. He’s such a talented singer and performer, and stood out in a crowded pop field, with his signature voice, and great team of producers and musicians. Much of the album has a total 70s sound, while also sounding unique to Michael. Tracks like, “Get On The Floor,” and the title track, are super funky and iconic, and are also favorites of mine.  The track, “Off the Wall,” especially, has instrumentation that I marvel at to this very day. “Girlfriend,” is a warm ballad with atmospheric keyboards and guitars, and it wouldn’t have sounded out of place on Thriller. I love the vocal melodies Michael sings, as well as the saxophones and flutes featured. “She’s Out of My Life,” is a bit melodramatic, but it’s not a bad track by any means. In my opinion, it should’ve been the closing track to the album, as it would’ve fitted a lot better at the end of the record. “I Can’t Help It,” is another underrated track off of the record, as the dreamy, spacey instrumentation pairs incredibly with Michael’s falsetto vocals. However, while this album is mostly very strong, there are some weak points. “It’s the Falling in Love,” is a track that doesn’t really stand out that much in the grand scheme of the album, and while it’s by no means a bad track, it’s probably the weakest one on the album.

    Off the Wall, in my opinion, is Michael’s most underrated album, and while it’s by no means perfect, it’s one of his greatest records. Tracks like, “Rock with You,” and “Off the Wall,” have withstood the test of time, and Quincy Jones’s production is gorgeous to listen to. Him and Michael made such a great team. Michael was such a talented singer, and his ability to sing in various genres like pop, R&B, and disco, helped him grow as an artist. While not as loaded with century-defining hits like his later albums, primarily Thriller and Bad, it’s still one of the greatest albums of all time. I grew up with Michael’s music, and this record still leaves an impact on me as an adult. His life was a tragedy, and ended way too soon, but I think Michael would want to be remembered for his undeniably important contributions to popular music. These albums are his legacy, and have inspired generations of musicians. He couldn’t have done this without Quincy, and Quincy couldn’t have done it without him. Music is universal, it surpasses genres, languages, and cultures. Not a flawless album, but one that I still love to this day.

Overall Score: 9/10

Favorite Tracks: “Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough,” “Rock With You,” “Workin’ Day and Night,” “Off the Wall,” “Girlfriend,” “She’s Out of My Life,”

Least Favorite Tracks: “It’s the Falling in Love,”

Listen: https://youtu.be/5X-Mrc2l1d0?si=X8gvxLLFpWICyfT4

Genres: Pop/R&B/Disco