Gotta say that I really do like 'Daybreak'. It's the one song on the CD with a hook, melody, interesting production. Surprise, surprise, JD had nothing to do with it.

Moonbeam said:

"This Time" is actually one of the songs on there I don't really care for.

GangstaFam said:

you're runnin' rounnnd!

wiiiith those nasty hoes

CinisterCee said:

Okay, I guess I do like some parts of it.

Anything like "New Agenda" on the new one? I haven't got a "copy"

CinisterCee said:

bet.com, baby. i lllllooooove janet damita jo miss jackson if you're nasty but you ain't missing a thing.

are all the tracks isolated or do they segue into each other?

My review:

After listening to this a few times all the way through in the past 24 hours, I think the best song on the album is "With You." In fact that might be my favorite Janet song since "Got Till It's Gone"--my all time favorite Janet song. I think it has smash hit written all over it. The track is just the jam. I'm so glad to have a Janet classic on the album.

That being said, there aren't many other songs that I think will emerge as Janet "classics." Which is a bummer. Among the only other ones that might is "Enjoy." I really dig the layered vocal chorus and the vibe. It has a funky, soulful Janet, and her vocals are fantastic.

Other highlights:
"So Excited." I don't understand the hatred some have for this song. It's fucking hot, the sample is off the chain, the beat is fantastic, Khia's rhyme is catchy as hell. I think this WILL be a huge hit. Much better than anything on "Damita Jo."

"Get it Out Me." I think this is the other major dance smash from the album. It's no "Miss You Much" or "If," but I could see this one banging live or for a video. I also really like the 80s vibe going on in this track. I think this song is the homage to "Control" along with the almost as stellar "Show Me."

And the whole "Control" issue. I really wanted more homage to "Control." I was really pumped for that. That is what's disappointing here. I guess the norm with Janet releases is that the pre-release hype is always unfounded...the musical direction that is reported by fans and press in the early and mid stages are NEVER correct. I don't think much on here melodically stands up to "Control"--save for "Enjoy" "With you" and "Daybreak"--but at the same time current urban music isn't really melody based.

I actually DO dig the simple melody of "Call on Me" which gets a lot of hate. I think it's a nice slow laid back summer jam...nothing A+ but for what it is I really enjoy it.

I had high hopes for the two final "baby making" jams "Take Care" and "Love 2 Love" and I'm underwhelmed. I think "Take Care" has major growing potential, though, it has a beautiful tone to it...it's just feels boring at the moment, nothing like "Anytime Anyplace." And "Love 2 Love" feels way too long...but I need give this whole record another week or two and then I'm sure all my opinions will change.

I do think it's better than "Damita Jo" and MILES ahead of "All For You." Compared to "Velvet Rope," it holds up with a couple of cuts, but overall isn't anywhere close.

Ditto for "Control" my other favorite Janet record.

And the interludes--thank god there are fewer this time, but the opening is just painful. She sounds like a deranged Jackson. The whole thing should just kick off with "So Excited" IMO.

As of right now...7.5-8/10
[Edited 9/20/06 23:43pm]

Well, I will say, after listening to half of the album on BET.com, that 20 Y.O is a decent album. It is a lot better than her 2001 megahit, All For You by a long shot. But I think I favor Damita Jo a little more because of the urban production, Janet's sultry vocals, and those killer songs. A little more thought and strength could've been put into the songwriting process of 20 Y.O, though. And Janet's voice is in fine form, but it's still a little whispery. The production is killer, but it is a little overblown in some places. So, 20 Y.O is a fine album, that could've been a little more better.

To those of you who hate the album,I have to ask....what did you expect?

Janet made a modern-day R&B album and we all know that today's R&B is crap...lazy midtempo beats,numerous samples,lyrics that are focused exclusively on sex,lame hip-hop elements and cameos,songs that lack a melody....this is today's R&B music in a nutshell.When you work with a "producer" like Jermaine Dupri,this is all you're gonna get.Even Jam and Lewis have become lazy and uninspired these days.


I refuse to listen to most modern-day R&B albums.

SoulAlive said:

I expected them to turnout what they initially said the album was going to be. A dance album that somehow tipped it's hat to Control. But the more I heard JD talk the more I had doubts that it would truly be along those lines. Or maybe I should along the lines of my taste.

I think you're right about today's R&B and therein lies the problem for me. I didn't expect it to sound so--as someone described--generic. The songs that are classic Janet are okay but not strong enough to save it. Even the baby making songs are weak and I always looked forward to those (although I hated those songs on DJ and not so much on AFY).

It feels like this is more about JD showing off his work with his girlfriend than this is a Janet album.

JackieBlue said:

A dance album would have been a good idea,but let's face it,JD couldn't make dance music if his life depended on it.He makes midtempo R&B with hip/hop elements thrown in.If Janet wants to make a real "dance album",she will have to ditch all of the current R&B producers (who can only seem to come up with ONE beat) and look elsewhere.

I can understand Janet's position. She wants to get back onto radio and be accepted amongst the mainstream stars of today. Especially with the Superbowl/Damita Jo garbage from a few years ago. She is looking to clean her slate and is playing it safe.

Unfortunately as we can see in this thread, she has isolated a lot of her fans in the process. Janet didn't achieve 20 years of success making run of the mill material. This is the irony of comparing this album to Control.

You're right SoulAlive but I bought into the hype and I had so much hope. JD is not the guy for that. I should have known when I heard less and less from Jam & Lewis about the album and then it became all JD.

jayaredee said:

What did you think about the cd? You're only lukewarm about it? Well that's a bummer.

Well...I'm going to wait because I don't want to be negative. Then again, I really might like it! lol I liked the video. In fact, I'm still happy about the S.EX video! lol I guess I'm concerned because it's true what you others have said, that it's like Janet is alienating SOME of her long-time fanbase. I'll buy it regardless because I really think it might be her last cd for a long time. I've read this her last cd fulfilling her contract to Virgin?
I don't know if that's true.

You know what really concerns me is that I don't think there has been a whole lot of formal publicity, do you all? To me, even if everyone agreed that it's Janet's best cd of all time, very few people would know it because there is just not a lot of buzz?

What do you all think about that? Maybe I'm just way out of the loop, but next week is all of her appearances. Don't you all think it's too little too late?

I mean it when I say I appreciate both the positive and negative. I do understand both sides.
[Edited 9/21/06 6:49am]

Isel said:

I'm still on the fence. It's not a *bad* album. There are many good tracks such as So Excited, Show Me, Daybreak and Enjoy. Those are my favorite at least. The slow jams are really lacking on this album. Very run of the mill material IMO. And it's thanks to JD. Save him for Mariah's album since she sells shitloads no matter what she puts out. Janet should really focus with the uptempo numbers since they seem to be her strength.

Jd is good for making mindless, danceable music.


Maybe that's what janet wanted.

I like s.ex though...

I'm thinking about going to Best Buy and see if they put it out early. It's seems like word of mouth isn't that bad. And I'm one of the few people that likes "All For You" (maybe better than RN1814) even though I had a period where I was sick of it.

jayaredee said:

i really disagree with you on that. She is known for her sultry slow james and ballads and even on her last album she made some decent cuts:

"i want you", "thinkin 'bout my ex" and especially "i'm here" are great. i can't comment on the new stuff because i haven't heard it yet ( i'm waiting until the album is released PHYSICALLY)

I just heard this song on the radio called enjoy and its the best Janet Jackson song I've heard in years. As soon as I heard it, I knew there was something diffent, it stood out like a sore thumb.

I guess the main thing is they set up our expectations by promising Control era hotness and it doesn't sound even remotely `80s (I gather from the comments, I still haven't heard it). I think the setup hype just didn't have anything to do with the music they made. I'm still looking forward to this CD.

mancabdriver said:

Janet ain't never been known for her ballads.

Scorpion said:

except that they're some of her biggest hits.

VinnyM27 said:

I personally considered All For You to be somewhat of a letdown. I mean, The Velvet Rope was a tough act to follow, with her dealing with darker and nastier subjects like homosexuality, bondage, and depression. But to follow that up with a softer dance-pop record like All For You was just over the grain. The production wasn't always the best, even though some of the songs were good. But I will say it again: 20 Y.O trumps All For You, by a long shot.

Hey, I just heard this Japanesse import - bonus single, called - Roll Withcu, and it's vintage Janet and Love is the tightest Janet slow Jam she's released since Any Time, Any Place

http://www.amazon.com/20-...16?ie=UTF8

Okay, I finally got to listen to the whole CD on BET.

This CD can be pretty much summed up as this: Janet, JD and Virgin Records execs sat down and discussed what's hot out there right now and what the kids gonna like and walla: 20 Y.O.

What a fucking shame.

And the whole homage to Control is a fraud.

I'm sorry, these are the most forgettable songs I ever heard. I'm trying to figure out if Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, being the true musicians they are, are happy with this.

Now this CD is going shoot to the top and sell very well, because it captures whats popular right now (which isn't saying much) and the CD does have some okay songs like Do It To Me and Enjoy, even though with Enjoy I kept thinking that I heard that song before and then I realized the song reminded me of Butterfly by MJ.

The only song that reminded me of classic Janet was the end of Get it Out of Me (i think). The first part of the song is unbearable to listen to, but it changed up at the end with some percussion and other keyboards in the background.

I can't believe Janet fans think this is the best CD in years.

wonder505 said:

Actually, has anyone said that? Let alone "Janet fans"?

CinisterCee said:

oh i'm sorry, I could'a sworn I read here that the janetfansites are hailing this as such. I believe they are just excited to see her dance and have a tour coming up.

but this cd ain't all that at all. This is totally industry driven.

Janet, next time keep JD out of the studio and let JJ and TL do their work!!!!

wonder505 said:

Thank you...

wonder505 said:

haven't heard it yet, but considering her work of the last several years, i can understand what they might mean.