Janet Jackson
April 7, 2004
Janet Jackson is exposing herself once again. This time, she is showing off a different side of her personality — not another body part.
Her new album, “Damita Jo” (Janet’s middle name), like her “malfunctioning garment” incident at the Super Bowl, is explicit.
-However, the album is undeniably catchy with some gorgeous melodies, a musical gem whose only flaw is sex-obsessed content.
Songs like “I Want You,” with its Motown feel and the reggae dance beat of “All Nite (Don’t Stop),” make for a good listen.
“Island Life” captures a road trip to the beach with Janet’s heady soprano, and “Strawberry Bounce” is irresistible with its sample spoken hook from Jay-Z.
Though nearly all of the songs have a sexual tone, “Damita Jo” takes its most graphic turn in the back-to-back tracks “Warmth” and “Moist.”
Most of the songs’ lyrics are unprintable and sound like the soundtrack to something you’d see on Cinemax.
We know Ms. Jackson is talented, but some sexuality left to the imagination wouldn’t hurt. Songs like “My Baby” featuring Kanye West in its low-key simplicity is Janet at her most innocent.
“Damita Jo,” in its 22-track glory could be a little shorter, like the last track, “Just a Little While,” a stock, forgettable pop song perfect for a Pepsi commercial.
Also, Janet’s spoken tracks add unnecessary clutter. They may be a part of her signature style, but they simply sound odd intermeshed between her actual songs.
At the end of her track “Sexhibition,” Janet says “Relax/ It’s just sex.” Perhaps, but couldn’t she explore the subject more ingeniously?