Janet Jackson’s ‘jane...rospective

In the years prior to the release Jackson became the subject of a bidding war to secure her services for record labels. A&M had been her home and wanted to renew their arrangement (unsurprisingly given the enormous success of Rhythm Nation), but others wooed her. She eventually signed with Richard Branson’s Virgin label for what was (at that time) a record-breaking contract valued somewhere in the region of $40 million.

Making her the highest paid musical act in the world, it drew a line under those nepotistic notions and set her up as another member of the club that required only a first name for recognition. It also meant that there would have to be some payback, but in the US alone janet sold nearly 8 million copies and worldwide it reached 14 million. Swift and immediate was the payback.

What marks janet as different from its predecessors is the expanded musical palette served up. Having practically invented New Jack Swing and further established the Minneapolis sound on Control (1986) and Rhythm Nation, Jam & Lewis’ same formula wouldn’t necessarily work in the musical landscape of the time.

A couple of collaborations stand out immediately as compelling and interesting. Chuck D of Public Enemy lends his sonorous, pile-driving vocals to “New Agenda,” while even more intriguing is the presence of Kathleen Battle (an operatic soprano) on “This Time.” But beyond imaginative guests, Jam, Lewis and Jackson created an intimate atmosphere that allows Jackson’s lyrics and vocals to breathe life into their sensual soundscape.

On first sight, the track listing reveals 26 songs—a veritable marathon of sensual R&B. But closer inspection finds 14 of these are slight, unnecessary interludes or segues. Other than some (and only some!) of De La Soul’s segues and those on Solange’s A Seat At The Table, I think they never really add anything to an album’s quality. To these decrepit and old-fashioned ears, the impact of an album should come from the dynamic interplay of music and lyric, not from the snippets of studio conversation or random annoyance that these segues often become. It may be harsh, but I’m laying at least some portion of blame at Miss Jackson’s door.

Feeling lighter and baggage-free having relieved myself of that burden, let’s get back to that dynamic interplay of music and lyrics. Nowhere is that more obvious than on the lead single and opening track (discounting one of those pesky segues!) “That’s The Way Love Goes.” Entering the Billboard chart at 14, it went on to reach number 1 and stay there for 8 weeks, becoming the best performing single in the US by any member of the Jackson family. If she’d ever felt obscured by anyone’s shadow, this surely indicated that her time in the sun was ahead of her.

“That’s The Way Love Goes” is a song that is greater than the sum of its parts. Its mid-tempo, James Brown and The Honey Drippers sampling groove manages to go hard and stay cool at the same time, while Janet’s delicately wanton vocal and lyrics drip with sensuality. As well as offering up the musical MO of the album, it also serves as notice that Janet is not here to fuck about. She implores—in her seductively low-key way—her lover to: “Reach out and feel my body / I’m gonna give you all my love / Ooh sugar don’t you worry / You got me here all night / Just close your eyes and hold on tight.”