MY HIT LIST-OFF THE WALL: MICHAEL JACKSON



Released in 1979 Off The Wall features Michael Jackson at the top of his game, producer Quincy Jones at his best and songwriters Rod Temperton, Carole Bayer Sager,Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney joining Jackson in writing a set of tremendous songs. Artists such as George Duke, Patti Austin, Jim Gilstrap, Larry Carlton, Randy Jackson, David Foster and Bobby Watson contribute to what is essentially a perfect album.

 

 

The tracks that comprise this unpretentiously feel-good album are Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough, Rock With You, Working Day And Night, Get On the Floor, Off The Wall, Girlfriend, She's Out Of My Life, I Can't Help It, It's The Falling In Love, Burn The Disco Out.

 

 

The title track sums up the essence of Michael Jackson at the moment before things started to change for him. Jackson as the epitome of talent, good times and high hopes. Yes the follow up album Thriller would become a massive record breaking juggernaut but Off The Wall is a soul and Disco album to Thrillers pop sensibilities and is the perfect record of an artist schooled in the Motown ethic performing at his zenith. All the ingredients came together in perfect harmony for a record that perhaps more than any other showcased the pure quality of Jackson's voice.

 

“So tonight gotta leave that nine to five upon the shelf
And just enjoy yourself
Groove, let the madness in the music get to you
Life ain't so bad at all
If you live it off the wall”

 

 

 

 

TINTIN THE MOVIE

http://youtu.be/JrrJfV4Y6nE

Fifty years ago TINTIN the movie (Tintin and the Golden Fleece) was released. This film was a reasonable success and was followed by a less successful sequel Tintin and The Blue Oranges.
These were French films starring the Belgian ensemble created by Herge and were original screenplays as opposed to being based on the books.Never the less these were early examples of the 'Comic book to film ' genre.
They are a bit rickety but have a certain charm, which is more than can be said for The adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn.
This rainy afternoon I took some of the kids to the Odeon (£2:60 a bottle of water!) to see the new Tintin movie and with Spielberg at the helm you would have thought that the intrepid Belgian's adventures were in safe hands however the inclusion of Peter Jackson in the process raised concerns. This over rated master of bombast has, metaphorically chucked a spanner in the works and as a result all the characterisation and nuance that Spielberg brings along with his showmanship is obliterated by Jackson's speciality; People running away from stuff, stopping, having a tussle and chasing stuff. That's what all of his major success' involve. 
It's a shame because I, like many. have a soft spot for the Tintin books and to see this big screen treatment turn  all the charm inherent in Tintin into just another CGI blockbuster is disappointing. The most disturbing aspect is the cold dead eyes of the motion captured actors, which give the whole enterprise a flat feel. The most Herge part of the movie are the opening credits which tells a Tintin adventure story  in shadow animation form.
The French Tintin's are not great but they have one thing that the 2011 vintage doesn't have and that's the charm of Herge's Tintin.

http://youtu.be/fdJ0qknitJE

http://youtu.be/jInis43v4TQ