Classic Jackson 5 and Michael Jackson’s Four Solo Motown Albums Reissued

After being out of print individually in any format for many years, 6 Jackson 5 original albums and 4 MJ solo ’70s Motown albums are being reissued on CD and vinyl. They should be available as of January 5, 2010.

With this year marking the 40th anniversary of the debut of the Jackson 5, the recent release of I Want You Back! Unreleased Masters, an acclaimed 12-track album of previously unheard Jackson 5 material, and the Jacksons’ new A&E series, The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty, which offers unprecedented access to the personal and professional lives of Jackie, Jermaine, Tito and Marlon, the world has once again turned its attention to the brothers from Gary, Indiana.

The newly remastered Jackson 5 albums returning to CD, with their restored original artwork, are:

• Goin’ Back To Indiana: Soundtrack to their 1971 TV special features excerpts from a triumphant homecoming concert; includes bonus track “Who’s Lovin’ You”

• Lookin’ Through The Windows: 1972 album spun off the Top 10 hits “Little Bitty Pretty One” and the title track; includes bonus track “Love Song,” a non-LP B-side

• Skywriter: Underrated 1973 gem with the hits “Corner Of The Sky” and “Hallelujah Day”

• Get It Together: Seamless and super-funky, this 1973 album boasts the No. 1 “Dancing Machine” and the title track.

• Dancing Machine: Highlighted by the single version of “Dancing Machine,” this 1974 album also includes “Whatever You Got, I Want” and two-part hit “I Am Love.”

• Moving Violation: A classic of the early disco underground, this 1975 album featured the No. 1 Dance/Disco chart hit “Forever Came Today”; reissue adds an alternate mix of that track. The last original album Jackson 5 album on Motown.

The LPs, imported from the U.K., are presented in their original 12×12 size. The vinyl albums from Michael Jackson are:

• Got To Be There: MJ’s 1972 solo debut LP features the title track and “Rockin’ Robin” and the Top 20 “I Wanna Be Where You Are.”

• Ben: His second straight solo smash, featuring the title track, his first solo Pop #1

• Music And Me: A ballad-heavy album from a maturing Michael, this 1973 disc includes the Top 20 R&B “With A Child’s Heart”

• Forever, Michael: From 1975, Michael’s final solo album for Motown, featuring the Top 10 R&B dance classics “Just A Little Bit Of You” and “We’re Almost There.”

All of these albums, plus bonus material, are available collectively on Hello World: The Complete Motown Solo Collection, released July 2009.

The vinyl editions of Jackson 5 albums, also imported, are:

• Goin’ Back To Indiana

• Lookin’ Through The Windows, Get It Together

• Third Album: In 1970, their first ballad, “I’ll Be There,” became the group’s and Motown’s biggest Pop hit ever, #1 for five weeks (also #1 R&B). “Mama’s Pearl” reached #2 R&B/#2 Pop. (ABC, their smash second LP, is already available on vinyl.)

• Maybe Tomorrow: This 1971 album contains some of the most-sampled and covered material in the group’s catalog, including the title track and the #1 R&B/#2 Pop “Never Can Say Goodbye.”

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