The Jackson 5 - Dancing Machine/Moving Violation

The Jackson 5's final two Motown albums were both of their time--the early disco era--and an unwitting look into a future of dance-floor smashes like "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" and "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough." Dancing Machine quickly appeared as its title track (a remix of the Get It Together original) and it became one of the J5's biggest singles ever in early 1974. Hardly a slapdash release, it placed the hit between two thematically and sonically similar tunes ("She's a Rhythm Child" and "The Life of the Party") and offered the ambitious rock-disco fusion "I Am Love." Likewise, Moving Violation's biggest artistic successes were aimed straight at would-be hip shakers. A Brian Holland-produced remake of the Supremes' "Forever Came Today," "Body Language," and "Moving Violation" are the highlights, with a rare club remix of "Forever" the pick among two bonus tracks. --Rickey Wright Amazon.com

One of their highly underrated albums.

I don't really understand Mowtown sometimes and this is why. While the Jackson 5 have had many hits with the label its seem as though Berry Gordy and the other label heads forget to promote songs that are actually better than the more famous singles. Case in point, the songs "Moving Violation" and "(You Were Made)Especially For Me" should have been hit songs of 1975. For some reason they always thought that other songs were better. They done a great job as a whole but sometimes they really leave you thinking. "Forever Came Today","All I Do Is Think Of You", and "Honey Love" are also great songs that were actually singles(except the latter) but did not receive the recognition that they deserve.


To me I actally believe this is their best album of their Motown releases. Every song is great and their is no filler here(believe it or not). Michael's vocals were in peak form, and Jermaine's coleads are remarkable as usual. If your a true Jackson fan or fanatic this album is a must have. The Dancing Machine album is also exceptional with standouts being the afformentioned title song, "I Am Love","Life Of The Party", and "Whatever You Got I Want". These are the last to albums with Motown before they left (minus Jermaine and with brother Randy) to sign with Philadelphia International/Epic. Two great albums one great disc, and a ton of hits you'll be singing for a while!!!
July 17, 2006

Could Mike still hit those notes?

Several things make these albums winners.I care enough to list em'

1) The group was clearly heading into the funk/disco era. There are some damn good dance tunes on both albums. However, there are two bubblegum songs on Dancin Machine. "If I don't love you this way" is one of them. Personally, I like this ballad, but the fact that Mike's voice was still in transition gives the song more of a childish feel. Both CDs have knockout songs and great ballads, but the Moving Violation album proves that the Bubblegum is gone for good.

2) Mike's voice is in peak form on these albums in my opinion. It's evident that his voice matured during the Dancin Machine recording sessions because he sounds more mature on some songs than on others (For instance, he sounds less mature on "What you don't know" than he does on most others) His voice wasn't childish at all on the Moving Violation CD. His voice was such an instrument. He could reach the top of his tenor voice in an instant. There's no falsetto, no hiccups, no grunting, no "hee-hees!!" The boy could SANG. Listen to "All I do is think of you" and you'll see what I mean. Damn, I wonder if he could still sing like that? Or was his voice change still incomplete? I'm not sure, but regardless, many of MJ's forgotten, but best vocal performances r on these albums. Quite honestly, the material is pretty good on both albums. I wonder why these albums flopped? April 24, 2006

masterpieces from the jackson 5

the dancing machine album is so great, I could listen to that without skipping a song. I love the instrument arrangment so much in I am love, dancing machine and what you don't know have great melodies and if I don't love you this way is a beautiful ballad that mary j blige covered a few years ago

moving violation is funky too but it's full of hits and misses. Body Language, Breezy, call of the wild and a couple others are great but it doesn't flow as well as dancing machine though I give it to them for bringing fans the funk in their music before leaving motown to join epic

October 25, 2005

The Aftermath of Dancing Machine

This was actually the very first of the 5 double album/single cd collection that i purchased,and it drew me closer to the Jacksons. Well,after 15 year old Michael Jackson gave the disco dancers in Black America a brand new Soul Train dance,the boys were still being disappointed with their albums. Relunctantly on these last two commercial Motown albums,the Jacksons give it one last try. On the critically acclaimed "Dancing Machine" album,Jermaine re-introduces his self on the openning track (as Tina Turner would say it,Slow and Easy in the beginning and Rough in the end) "I Am Love,Parts 1 & 2". Michael also joins him on the bridge part,but Jermaine takes over again. Michael then comes back with one of my favorite tracks on the album "Whatever You Got,I Want". Followed by that is Rhythm Child which is kinda like a preview to Dancing Machine. After that comes the all too familiar song that convinced all of us that Michael can actually dance on his own at his age,"Dancing Machine". With a pure and traditional R&B vocal arrangement over a mid-tempo bass-n-snare drive,it's no wonder this song was a hit,right along with the 20 second dance routine in the middle of it. Not only that,the harmony on the song is just as perfect as The Temptations trademark harmonizing. Dancing Machine gets followed by a much faster song and also another one of my favorite songs 2 run around the house and sing on called "Life Of The Party". Here Michael and Jermaine are at it again. The album finally comes down on a lighter note with "If I Don't Love You This Way" which actually makes sense if u pay attention to the lyrics,and the one song on the album where Jackie,Michael,Jermaine,and Marlon take turns to sing to their fans,"It All Begins And Ends With Love",this is also my mother's favorite song. A very beautiful and simple song to close your eyes and sing to,but in my opinion,i think this song could've done a little better if Michael stayed in the background (sorry...). The next album is fairly good and,to me,have only 5 singable songs on it. The amazingly good standout track on Moving Violation is "You Were Made (Especially For Me)" with both Michael and Jermaine on lead. It has such an infectious and addictively good groove to it,that me and my Ex-girlfriend from 2004 found ourselves singing it together - amazing,huh?. After that comes "Honey Love" which i believe has either Marlon or Jermaine closing the song out. Skip the next track and go straight to the BEST song on the album,"All I Do Is Think Of You". I just love how Michael finally lets go of his little kid voice and sounds GROWN!!! This is the point where i love how Michael's voice sounds cause its so mature and it's still pure and from his heart. After the beautiful music fades out,we shoot straight to my third favorite song on the album,"Breezy". Jermaine starts it off and Michael takes it to the chorus,but i'm not sure if that's Jermaine or Marlon who take it on the second verse,but i hope it's Marlon cause it would sound like him. All the rest of the songs on the album with the exception of "Through Thick and Thin" should've been replaced with the remake of "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" or any other original tracks. Other than that,these last two commercially released albums did me proud after purchasing this set. Long-live the Jackson 5.... October 18, 2005

The mature J-5 delivers again

This 2-fer CD, DANCING MACHINE and MOVING VIOLATION, is a continuation of the musical style that the "new" and now-older Jackson 5 had given us on GET IT TOGETHER, an excellent album where every cut clicks.

Although DANCING MACHINE (1974), entitled as such to capitalize on the success of the single (which was originally on GIT), has several different producers, they all attempted to keep the same theme in mind: to come up with funky and exciting sounds for the J-5, and that they do. Opening with the fantastic nearly eight-minute funk/rock dance groove of "I Am Love", you know that you are in for something special. Jermaine primarily handles the leads on this song, with Michael coming at the bridge. "Whatever You Got, I Want" is bluesy and has a slinky-type of feel with great lyrics. "She's a Rhythm Child" is basically a knockoff of "Dancing Machine", but it's not all that bad. The single edit of "Dancing Machine" is next, and nothing more need be added about the extraordinary appeal of this song.

Next is the J-5 dance classic, the quick-paced "Life of the Party", an all too-short song I would love to hear remixed to be a bit longer. "What You Don't Know" is another funky dance jam, then we have two great ballads back to back: "If I Don't Love You This Way" (Michael on lead) and "It All Begins And Ends With Love" (Jermaine on lead). DM closes out with "Mirrors of My Mind", keeping the funk/dance theme intact.

Most of the tracks on MOVING VIOLATION were produced by Brian Holland of Holland-Dozier-Holland fame. Holland had produced a great solo album for Michael entitled FOREVER MICHAEL earlier that year (1975), and it was a good move to extend that collaboration to producing some solid tracks for the J-5. Even though by this time, the brothers were not happy with Motown's treatment of them, MV is one of the best albums that they ever recorded. Not as funky as GIT or DM, but it feature mostly smooth, infectious dance tracks. It was technically their last on Motown and Jermaine's last appearance with his brothers, so they did go out with a bang. An old Supremes track from 1967 that was not a hit for those ladies but did fairly well for the J-5, "Forever Came Today" was the big hit from this album. Reworked into a driving 6 minute disco anthem, "Forever" will have you looking for your dancing shoes. "Moving Violation" is another funky disco cut, with clever lyrics...reminds you of "The Love You Save" theme-wise. The sexy dance tracks "(You Were Made) Especially for Me", "Honey Love" and "Body Language" (another well-known track from this album) increasingly moved the brothers into more mature waters. Most notably, "Especially For Me" has a hint of the Philly Sound that the Jacksons would take on their first two albums for Epic/CBS. Michael's vocals on the gorgeously harmonious "All I Do Is Think of You" are simply beautiful and further proves that his voice made a seamless transition from boyhood to adolescence. "All I Do" is the only ballad on MV and a Quiet Storm radio classic, and still extremely popular today. The final three tracks, "Breezy", "Call of the Wild" and "Time Explosion" has futuristic touches of lite jazz and rock, material the brothers began to get into way back on GIT and on "I Am Love" from DM.

Two bonus tracks are included as well: a sweet ballad with Jermaine on lead vocals, "Through Thick and Thin", sounds like a throwback to the SKYWRITER album - and another mix of "Forever Came Today", although I can't really hear much difference between this one and the original, except that the second half of the song is completely instrumental.

These two albums together are a perfect combination! As much as I enjoy the J-5's earlier classic work, I feel DM/MV are far more interesting and artistically challenging. If you love dance music and the Jackson 5, then this is the CD for you!! Party over here!! August 27, 2005

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