ALBUM REVIEW: 20 Y.O - JANET JACKSON

After listening to this again, I'd like to retract some of my statements. Janet Jackson's new album leaked this afternoon so I'm glad I caught it as soon as it hit the Net. 20 Y.O is a good album, not masterpiece mayerial but good (I've been feeling this way about quite a few new big releases this year). The tracks are nice and sexy and she incorporates her trademark soft vocals into the hard-hitting beats. You have club dance beats (Show Me, Get It Out of Me, So Excited) which are all very typical of Janet. You have smooth midtempo joints (With You which bears a striking resemblance to Mariah's We Belong Together, as well as Call On Me and Enjoy). You have electro-sounds (This Body) dance pop (Daybreak) and sultry ballads (Take Care). Having to consistently put up with Jermaine's voice is kind of annoying. The album doesn't shit on her previous efforts such as the classic Janet album or the Velvet Rope, Rhythm Nation and Control albums. Even Damita Jo was an enjoyable listening experience in my opinion. 90's Janet couldn't go wrong. Millennium Janet is where she started going downhill (2001's All For You, for instance). But with this album, I think she pretty much redeemed herself and you could hear a lot of old-skool Janet in some of the tracks.

As unpopular as it was, I did love the Damita Jo album simply because she hired a number of different producers WITHOUT ditching Jam and Lewis. It definitely worked for her (she had Dallas Austin, Kanye West, Sean Garrett, Scott Storch, Cathy Dennis and Babyface, just in case you're wondering where I'm getting my list from I am going through my Damita Jo album booklet and the list of producers is pretty impressive). To me, that album is so underrated and didn't get its due-accolades because of the Superbowl debacle. OK cool. JD is your man. He produces music. But his hand is not as miraculous as it was when he resurrected Mariah's career with the brilliant Emancipation of Mimi album. Now that was one CD that made me say wow. Still, I will do my part and buy this next week just to get one over on a certain Mr Timberlake. Janet needs our support since MTV is still boycotting her music and hell, I've brought much worse (including the craptacular All For You CD).

I think JD did good but not outstanding as was the case with Mariah's fantastic Emancipation of Mimi album. JD and Mariah are well suited. Janet and JD are not as overwhelming. Her musical genius is in Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, just like how Timbaland's best work comes out in Justin Timberlake, just like how Rodney Jerkin's best work comes out in Brandy, just like how Rich Harrison's best work comes out in Amerie and you know, you get my drift. Good effort nonetheless, and it's exhilarating to know she had fun with the album.

Rating: 3.5/5