265. OFF THE WALL by Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson's fifth solo record, 1979's Off The Wall, has always been my favorite Jackson album. Off The Wall signaled a turning point for Jackson, essentially leaving behind his Motown roots and fully embracing the late 70's and early 80's disco craze. A lot of the credit for not only the musicality of the record but also its immense success goes to producer Quincy Jones who was able to tease a more mature Michael out of the child star Motown had created.

The best track is the album opener, 'Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough.' I'm sure many of you reading this can remember hearing this on the radio back in the day. What makes this song even sweeter is the fact that it was written solely by Michael. Move on to 'Girlfriend' next. This track was actually written by Paul McCartney for Jackson to eventually use, but before that happened McCartney ended up recording it himself and including it on his 1978 Wings album London Town. If you listen to McCartney's original and A/B it with Jackson's version you will get an idea of the kind of magic Quincy Jones conjured up for Jackson's take. Next up is 'Rock With You' - another radio staple rivaled only by the aforementioned 'Don't Stop....' Lastly, give 'Workin' Day and Night,' another Jackson-penned track, a listen.