Janet Jackson

Janet teams up with queenmaker Jermaine Dupree in hopes that the ATL producer/Virgin exec can do for her what he did for Mariah. The self-analysis of the intro gives way to the scratchy hip-hop soul of "So Excited," where Janet reveals the topic that has consumed her career: sex in all its forms and manifestations. At this point, the slyly sensual Janet of "Call on Me" and "With Me" is more appealing than the aggressive Jackson of "The Body" and "So Excited." It's doubtful that the singer will ever reclaim her throne, but there's enough on here to appease fans.

The title of Janet Jackson's latest album refers to the two decades since she released her
breakthrough, Control, with hits like "Nasty" and "What Have You Done for Me Lately." If we
were her, we wouldn't make the comparison. Armed with synth beats and way too many
hand claps, Jackson and boyfriend Jermaine Dupri (who executive-produced the album)
have tried to reinvent Control's irrepressible energy and attitude. But the woma... More >