Thursday, 28 June 2018

Jackie Jackson (1973) In My Dreams - LOST 70s GEMS

In the second of Jackie Jackson double bills, I look at the other highlight of Jackie Jacksons' 1973 solo album. While in the last post I already chose the best track, in light of the passing last night of Joe Jackson, the Family Patriarch and the manager of the Jackson Five it felt right to do another. The album is surprisingly underrated, check out the Philly inspired, electric sitar riff of Love Don't Want to Leave or the atmospheric piano chords, sample ready drum beat and Jackie's sensual spoken word intro in the opening of Is It Him or Me. Other sonic moments is the huge airy vocals of It's So Easy or Do I Owe's mix of tricky piano, soothing doo wop vocal backings and warm electric guitar all swaying along to the tempo.


But I chose In My Dreams for my second pick from this featherlite album with it's bracing hook of "Every night, Stars come out to play, Moving slight down the milky way, As we fly by they stop and wave", sung with blunt statements while the verses counteract that with longing in a yearning melody complete with sweet harmonies. There are also nice doo wop vocals singing 'Dreams' against a familiar background of piano, twangs of electric sitar and cosmic strings as they are present on most tracks to provide a suitably soft yet tough aural landscape for Jackie's angelic voice. This was definitely a strong solo effort form the elder Jackson, it's a shame only Michael and Jermaine ever got notice.

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