Wardrobe malfunctions aside, what has Janet Jackson done for us lately? The FCC’s favorite punching bag hasn’t appeared in a film or released an album since 2004’s “Damita Jo.”
But wait: There she is on the cover of “W” magazine, looking like an alien Barbie doll. There she is in the U.K.’s respected Q magazine, deflecting questions about her hubby/producer, Jermaine Dupri. There she is on the covers of Giant and Ebony, touting her newly trim bod.
Why? Because Miss Janet has a new album, “20 Y.O.” (Virgin, $10.99) out today. It’s titled in honor of the 20 years that have passed since her groundbreaking hit “Control.” That album still stands as a sterling pop statement, and it’s referenced slyly in “20 Y.O.’s” second single, “So Excited,” which sports Khia’s streetwise flow.
“So Excited” is undoubtedly one of the stronger tracks on the new disc. The slinky beats and insistent handclaps feel energized for the 40-year- old performer, even if they are actually recycled ’80s pop samples. Breathy near-whispers don’t mask Jackson’s vocal confidence as she twists through baldly sexual lines like, “And I’ll open my spot for you, anytime you want me to.”
We all know Jackson doesn’t possess the range of divas like Mariah Carey – another artist who has benefitted from Dupri’s deft production touch – and her comfort zone feels smaller because of it.
“Call on Me,” featuring Nelly, is more considered, an agreeable slow-jam that would sound at home over the loudspeakers at a Wal-Mart, even with the electronic bass bumping in the background.
Not surprisingly, “Call on Me” reached No.1 on Billboard’s R&B/hip-hop charts less than two weeks ago, proving Jackson still has something her weird, older brother hasn’t had for some time: commercial appeal.
“Take Care” is Jackson’s “She Bop,” a song about the empowering qualities of, er, making yourself happy. It’s also a safe, midtempo ballad that does nothing to expand the otherwise playful sounds on the rest of the album.
“Do it 2 Me” and “This Body” are less obvious than their titles would imply, the escapist undercurrent of divine love uniting their themes.
More of the same? You bet, and maybe that’s just what Jackson needs after her tabloid targeting. “20 Y.O.” doesn’t push any barriers, but it seems happy not to. It’s just the right artistic balance for this stage of her career – an album from which her family members could learn a thing or two.
Staff writer John Wenzel can be reached at 303-954-1642 or jwenzel@denverpost.com.
