Search - Jacksons :: Victory

Japanese 2009 edition

bobby morrow | United Kingdom | 04/05/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This MLPS version of 'Victory' was released a couple of weeks after Michael's death in 2009. It became out of print virtually instantly. It's going for ridiculous prices here on Amazon as I write. A shame, as the CD is remastered for the first time and sounds wonderful.



Released in July of 1984, it was the first new product from Michael since 'Thriller' 2 years previous. The album was considered a let down with the lead single, a duet with Mick Jagger, 'State Of Shock' performing well, but lacking the spark of the best Jacksons material. Oddly, Michael's one true solo, 'Be Not Always' is the worst selection here. Five minutes of warbly, poorly written, self-indulgence, it badly spoiled the flow of the album and you get the feeling that (rightly) he was saving his best stuff for his solo albums.



After this, though, it's mostly good. 'Torture', a fine song, should have done better as a single and 'One More Chance', 'Body' and 'Wait' are all first rate. 'Victory', for me, captures the sound of the summer of '84 perfectly and is a great example of the group at their best. In my opinion, it's as much a highlight of the decade as 'Bad' and 'Thriller' are.



This Japanese CD, as I said, is beautifully remastered and comes packaged in an exact replica of the LP's original gatefold (and inner) sleeve. Lyrics are included and this album was the finest of the Japanese 2009 Jacksons' releases. It's a lovely article, if only it were more widely available...



It's about time the album was remastered and re-released domestically. It may not be as strong as 'Destiny', overall, but I bet it's one of the group's best known albums and I think many people would love to see and hear it again."