| Janet Jackson: Finally.....Back To The Music! |
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Who would've thought that Janet would
have been the last Jackson standing? I
guess she who laughs last laughs best.
Although Michael, despite his many troubles,
remains a big star, Janet had made it
through a non-stop period of almost two
decades of uninterrupted success and good
will. Then came Super Bowl and the public
moral outrage her right breast provoked.
have been the last Jackson standing? I
guess she who laughs last laughs best.
Although Michael, despite his many troubles,
remains a big star, Janet had made it
through a non-stop period of almost two
decades of uninterrupted success and good
will. Then came Super Bowl and the public
moral outrage her right breast provoked.
Granted, the action was a bit irresponsible on Janet's part, and the
woman who'd been a class act thus far seemed to have stooped to the
level of Britney Spears-style publicity stunts. Has the shock & horror or
seeing a woman's nipple (a Black woman's nipple, mind you) on network
TV irreperably tarnished Janet's career?
It certainly hasn't affected her recorded output. "Damita Jo" is Janet's
ninth album (counting her greatest hits), and doesn't reinvent the
wheel. Janet continues her run of bouncy, upbeat pop/dance jams with
a bit of a high-tech twist. Although there is nothing ridiculously novel on
this album, the sound fits like a warm glove, and Janet subtly expands
her sound by going outside of her comfort zone and working with
different songwriters & producers for the first time since 1986's
"Control". Overall, "Damita Jo" is solid, a step better than 2001's slightly
overcooked "All For You". It's easy to say that Janet bucked trends here.
There are no superstar duets, there's only one guest appearance from
a rapper, and there's no Neptunes or Timbaland, especially notable
because she's worked with both in the past. So, it's nice to see Janet
sticking to her guns for the most part-although I guess adding Kanye
West to your roster is a bit bandwagonesque.
The highlights include "Strawberry Bounce" has a sing-songy melody
that gives the song a kind of nursery rhyme feel till Janet drops the "F"
bomb several times on the song's bridge. Still, it's an uptempo, head
nodding track, embellished by the repeated usage of a sample of Jay-Z's
voice saying "bounce" over and over again. It's one of several tracks
co-produced by "It Man" of the moment Kanye West. He also stops by
to drop an uninspired verse on the otherwise pleasurable "My Baby"
and produces "I Want You", an innocently pretty throwback to the
girl-group era with a candy-sweet chorus. It took me a few listens to
appreciate this song, but it now stands as one of the album's better
tracks.
woman who'd been a class act thus far seemed to have stooped to the
level of Britney Spears-style publicity stunts. Has the shock & horror or
seeing a woman's nipple (a Black woman's nipple, mind you) on network
TV irreperably tarnished Janet's career?
It certainly hasn't affected her recorded output. "Damita Jo" is Janet's
ninth album (counting her greatest hits), and doesn't reinvent the
wheel. Janet continues her run of bouncy, upbeat pop/dance jams with
a bit of a high-tech twist. Although there is nothing ridiculously novel on
this album, the sound fits like a warm glove, and Janet subtly expands
her sound by going outside of her comfort zone and working with
different songwriters & producers for the first time since 1986's
"Control". Overall, "Damita Jo" is solid, a step better than 2001's slightly
overcooked "All For You". It's easy to say that Janet bucked trends here.
There are no superstar duets, there's only one guest appearance from
a rapper, and there's no Neptunes or Timbaland, especially notable
because she's worked with both in the past. So, it's nice to see Janet
sticking to her guns for the most part-although I guess adding Kanye
West to your roster is a bit bandwagonesque.
The highlights include "Strawberry Bounce" has a sing-songy melody
that gives the song a kind of nursery rhyme feel till Janet drops the "F"
bomb several times on the song's bridge. Still, it's an uptempo, head
nodding track, embellished by the repeated usage of a sample of Jay-Z's
voice saying "bounce" over and over again. It's one of several tracks
co-produced by "It Man" of the moment Kanye West. He also stops by
to drop an uninspired verse on the otherwise pleasurable "My Baby"
and produces "I Want You", an innocently pretty throwback to the
girl-group era with a candy-sweet chorus. It took me a few listens to
appreciate this song, but it now stands as one of the album's better
tracks.
Janet deftly maneuvers between several
different genres on "Damita Jo", and
unlike her unfocused previous album, it all
kinda makes sense. "Island Life" is a bit
reminiscent of Aaliyah's "Rock The Boat". I
guess that makes sense since most of
today's top female artists (including
Aaliyah and Ashanti) borrow heavily from
the template Janet created. It's easygoing
vibe and semi-orchestral breakdown make
this song a perfect "chill out" type song.
"Slolove" is anything but slow, as it's
pulsing beat and etheral vocals recall the
best of disco.
different genres on "Damita Jo", and
unlike her unfocused previous album, it all
kinda makes sense. "Island Life" is a bit
reminiscent of Aaliyah's "Rock The Boat". I
guess that makes sense since most of
today's top female artists (including
Aaliyah and Ashanti) borrow heavily from
the template Janet created. It's easygoing
vibe and semi-orchestral breakdown make
this song a perfect "chill out" type song.
"Slolove" is anything but slow, as it's
pulsing beat and etheral vocals recall the
best of disco.
On "Just A Little While" and "Sexhibition", producer Dallas Austin brings
out his closet rock freak. "Sexhibition" is loud in the best way possible,
and is probably the best of Janet's extra-freaky cuts. "Just A Little
While" is obviously a homage to "Dirty Mind"-era Prince, with the tinny
high-end organ and dry guitar running throughout the song.
"R&B Junkie" is a throwback to the old 80's roller-skating days. Jam &
Lewis loop a significant amount of Evelyn "Champagne" King's "I'm In
Love" and Janet creates one of those feel-good "hey mr. DJ" type
songs, as she reminisces about dances like the wop, the smurf and the
cabbage patch, bound to create instant flashbacks for any urban citizen
over the age of 25 or so. "Spending Time With You" is the best of the
midtempo/slow tracks. It's a languid, easygoing, summery track with a
pretty melody that prevents the song from getting boring. "Like I Don't
Love You" is an attitude-laden, almost funny song on which Janet begs
her man to do her "like you wanna do them other girls". It has a cool,
jazzy feel with a looped bluesy guitar lick (played by none other than
New Edition alum and rumored Janet ex Johnny Gill).
This album fails (as Janet albums have done successively) when it comes
to the ballads. Whereas songs like "Funny How Time Flies (When You're
Having Fun)" and "Anytime, Anyplace" were certified bedroom steamers,
songs like "Warmth" and "Moist" are sort of cliched attempts to be
sexually explicit, and while many folks out there would love to personally
experience Janet's bedside manner, she uses a metaphorical
sledgehammer on these songs when a feather would do just fine. And
the horrid ballad "Thinkin' About My Ex" proves that not only has
Babyface completely lost his hitmaking touch, it is easily one of the
worst songs Janet has ever done. This album's other sore spot has to
do with the inane interludes interspersed throughout the album. Do we
really need to hear Janet's thoughts about life? Again? You'd think we'd
have had enough after the interludes that have been plastered all over
the past 4 albums!
So, is this new Janet? Yeah and no. It's definitely a credit to Janet that
she brought a whole lot of different producers to the table for the first
time in her career and still came up with a sound that's unmistakably
Janet Jackson. However, the "sex queen" act was tired back in 1996
when she was promising to give us "Rope Burn". If she eased up on the
shock value and the interludes, it would be better, but "Damita Jo"
continues Janet's streak of accessible, listenable, danceable pop/soul
music.
out his closet rock freak. "Sexhibition" is loud in the best way possible,
and is probably the best of Janet's extra-freaky cuts. "Just A Little
While" is obviously a homage to "Dirty Mind"-era Prince, with the tinny
high-end organ and dry guitar running throughout the song.
"R&B Junkie" is a throwback to the old 80's roller-skating days. Jam &
Lewis loop a significant amount of Evelyn "Champagne" King's "I'm In
Love" and Janet creates one of those feel-good "hey mr. DJ" type
songs, as she reminisces about dances like the wop, the smurf and the
cabbage patch, bound to create instant flashbacks for any urban citizen
over the age of 25 or so. "Spending Time With You" is the best of the
midtempo/slow tracks. It's a languid, easygoing, summery track with a
pretty melody that prevents the song from getting boring. "Like I Don't
Love You" is an attitude-laden, almost funny song on which Janet begs
her man to do her "like you wanna do them other girls". It has a cool,
jazzy feel with a looped bluesy guitar lick (played by none other than
New Edition alum and rumored Janet ex Johnny Gill).
This album fails (as Janet albums have done successively) when it comes
to the ballads. Whereas songs like "Funny How Time Flies (When You're
Having Fun)" and "Anytime, Anyplace" were certified bedroom steamers,
songs like "Warmth" and "Moist" are sort of cliched attempts to be
sexually explicit, and while many folks out there would love to personally
experience Janet's bedside manner, she uses a metaphorical
sledgehammer on these songs when a feather would do just fine. And
the horrid ballad "Thinkin' About My Ex" proves that not only has
Babyface completely lost his hitmaking touch, it is easily one of the
worst songs Janet has ever done. This album's other sore spot has to
do with the inane interludes interspersed throughout the album. Do we
really need to hear Janet's thoughts about life? Again? You'd think we'd
have had enough after the interludes that have been plastered all over
the past 4 albums!
So, is this new Janet? Yeah and no. It's definitely a credit to Janet that
she brought a whole lot of different producers to the table for the first
time in her career and still came up with a sound that's unmistakably
Janet Jackson. However, the "sex queen" act was tired back in 1996
when she was promising to give us "Rope Burn". If she eased up on the
shock value and the interludes, it would be better, but "Damita Jo"
continues Janet's streak of accessible, listenable, danceable pop/soul
music.