Retail Music Store : Discipline - Janet Jackson

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Finally!,

April 12, 2008

By	W. Joure (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews

Having been a Janet Jackson fan for some time, I've begun to approach the release of a new cd with a certain amount of apathy. "Damita Jo" had maybe two memorable tracks. "20 y.o.," was only distinguished by the good people who manufacture cd's placing track marks throughout so we the listeners could distinguish when one song ended and another began. So "Discipline" comes along, and the reviews are not great. Ugh! But guess what? It is good. Really good.

The opening is a little creaky with a dated "voice activation" interlude, but then it kicks into high gear with "Feedback," Janet's best single since "All for You." The record moves forward with consistently dance driven tracks like "LUV," and "Rock with U." Despite critics griping about Janet trying to keep pace with the younger singers coming up behind her with racy lyrics (and honestly, some of her "girls out at the club" interludes seem silly for a 42y/o), she delivers a record that's totally contemporary and listenable. Her vocals often sound like a young Diana Ross; and where the sexuality felt really forced on her last two records, here it feels like fun.

Call it control, or discipline -- Janet proves she's still got it.