Solid album of the Jacksons - but it would have been possible

The album "Victory" was released in 1984, four years after its predecessor, the album "Triumph". It is the most successful album of the group and the last has contributed to the lead singer Michael Jackson. Within the four years that happened between the two albums were something not insignificant: Michael published in late 1982 album "Thriller", which is the biggest selling album in music history to date and made him the "King of Pop". After "Thriller's" extremely successful predecessor "Off The Wall" was speculated whether Michael would now not turn back his brethren and would focus exclusively on his solo career. He did not, whether out of duty to his brothers over, or uncertainty as to whether his own career would continue to be successful, no one knows. Even after "Thriller" Michael remained for the time being a member of the group and announced in 1984 after a successful reunion of the Jackson 5 at the "Motown 25" - Gala, the album "Victory" and a tour of the same name with them. However, no songs were played from the album on "Victory" tour and the album was negatively perceived by many listeners and fans. Michael was surprisingly not the main focus of the album, but can only be heard on four of the eight songs. Whether this was due to the conflicts of the brothers among themselves, or the fact that the other brothers in the face of Michael's success now also wanted profile is not known, but it was disappointing that most listeners back then, who wanted to hear Michael mainly to "Thriller". Precisely in this way the album is, however, also interesting because each of the brothers has at least one own song while previously usually (almost) only Michael could be heard and Jackie, Marlon, Tito and Randy were in the background.

1. Torture (5/5) - The opening track, a duet of Michael and Jermaine, is one of the best songs on the album. It was written by Jackie Jackson and is the only major vocal contribution of Jermaine to this album.
2. Wait (5/5) - A very good fast pop song written and sung by Jackie Jackson. At the end of the songs are surprisingly briefly Michael and Jermaine to hear what the song raises unexpectedly again.
3. One More Chance (3/5) - The first of two ballads on the album, written and sung by Randy Jackson. A beautiful song, in places but something very cheesy for me.
4. Be Not Always (4/5) - The second ballad of the album, written and sung by Michael Jackson. A very slow simple song, but moving due to the instrumentation and Michael's vocals. For some, the song may however be too long-winded and repititiv, I see in him, however, to be very good.
5. State Of Shock (4/5) - The most famous song of the album, a rock song written by Michael and he and Mick Jagger is sung as a duet. A cool song with a funny performance of both singers, which makes fun, but would be even more have been most out of this song.
6. We Can Change The World (3/5) - Written and sung by Tito Jackson. The song sounds like reggae and is surprisingly good. If in the long run, however, unfortunately a little boring.
7. The Hurt (2/5) - A mid-tempo song written by Michael and Randy, sung by Randy. From production forth actually a good song, but I do not like Randy's falsetto vocals. Here you should have let Michael sing, which can sing better in this pitch (see the song "Your Ways" to "Triumph").
8. Body (1/5) - Written and sung by Marlon Jackson. Especially the chorus sounds very much like Michael's hit song "Wanna Be Startin 'Something", but the song is far from this. The text is partly just hollow and Marlon's just not a good singer in my eyes. In addition, the number is pulled too much in the length.

Conclusion: "Victory" is an album for fans of the whole group, or for the hardcore fans of Michael Jackson, the every album in which he was involved want. All others could be disappointed that Michael Jackson is rarely heard. It would be much more in this album have been possible, Michael would often can appear, the brothers were more able to work together and the song "Tell Me I'm Not Dreaming, a duet of Michael and Jermaine, which on Jermaine's solo album of the same year was, would have to be on this album. However, since all of Jackson's good musicians, the album is solid in any case and worth listening to. But who wants to hear the best of the Jackson's as a group, should be with the predecessors "Destiny" and "Triumph "start.