JANET JACKSON - ALL FOR YOU

I think it was the "Janet" album that threw me initially.  After it came out, I wasn't keen on following Janet as hardcore as I had been throughout most of the 80's.  The production on that record was a new direction for her and for Jam & Lewis.  They branched out into new sounds, new beats and a new style I wasn't altogether pleased with.  I still liked her and I enjoyed her music, but I didn't rush out and buy what she was releasing.

I got her next album only because I won it at a Pride event in Las Vegas.  They were giving away promotional copies and I won one.  But the subsequent releases, I admired from afar but never picked up.  Until recently.  I won an auction on eBay and stocked up on a bunch of CDs I'd missed out on over the years.  By a lot of bands I loved, but didn't have complete collections of their material.  Janet was one of them.

And that's how this record came into my possession.  I know this sounds like a broken record, but I think sometimes the segues on Janet Jackson records can really slow the pace of the music and can sometimes actually ruin a song.  And although I'm not fond of the snippets appearing on this release, they're not nearly as bad as some of her other records.

It starts off with 'Intro' that is somewhat funny, but doesn't really have to be there.  'You Ain't Right' kicks in shortly after and although it's funky and aggressive, it's not her best track.  It's still pretty good, but nothing to write home about.  However, 'All For You' is absolutely incredible.  I loved this song the first time I heard it.  Not only do I love it, I love the video!  This is pure Janet.  The dancing, the moves, that cool girl next door vibe she wears so well...  This is the Janet we remember from 'Love Will Never Do Without You' video.  That cool chick we all wanna hang out with and be best friends with.  She rocks this track!  

The next track is another interlude that kinda drags, but it sets up the next track...  'Come On Get Up' is another driving number that screams "Here's the Janet you remember!"  I love this song too.  It absolutely bursts out of the speakers and swings you as you sing along.  These are the songs she does that are so wonderful because as you sing along, your heart feels happy and cheerful.  Next up is 'When We Oooo' and it's the first ballad on the record.  It's also another strong track.  Janet does seduction well and this number let's her express all of that sensuality with minimalist music arrangement and a mellow groove beat...

'China Love' clocks in at number 7 and it's the second ballad on the disc.  The first time I heard it, I initially thought it was a throwaway slow jam, but as I listened to it, the more I fell in love with it.  It's a delicate number with interesting notes and sounds.  Janet really delivers on this one too.  She sounds sincere and soft on it.  I picture her laying on a velvet couch in the middle of a pool with huge orchids and other flowers floating in the water around her.  Cherry blossoms in trees surrounding the pool.  It's a very visual song and you can't help but imagine a romantic rendezvous when you hear it.  The next ballad is 'Love Scene (Ooh Baby)' and this one isn't as good as the previous two, but it has a lovely chorus.  It's followed by yet another ballad, 'Would You Mind'.  This song is on the naughty side and I'm a little uncomfortable with it.  It's a bit raunchy for this medley we've heard thus far.  She fades out to another interlude that supposedly winds up the medley.

'Trust A Try' is up next and this frantic panic number is a rockin' fast paced bit that leaves you feeling a little confused.  It combines different elements to create a song that is basically all over the place and so intent on making it point, it slams you more than rocks you.  I'm not a fan.  Next up is the interlude leading into the Carly Simon collaboration.  I'm not a huge fan of Carly Simon.  I dig the beat of 'Son Of A Gun', but I'm not big on the lyrics or the inclusion of Carly Simon.  I guess it's OK for what it is.  'Truth' is another ballad and it's nice, but it's not exactly what I wanted to hear after the previous song.  It goes out with another interlude.  Unremarkable.  But it's cool for what it is.

'Someone To Call My Lover' is a mid tempo pop number and this one gets us back on track with cool Janet grooves.  I love this one.  It's got those lovely bell sounds in the chorus Jam & Lewis are famous for using.  And it don't stop there...  Cause 'Feels So Right' kicks in with another strong beat and it's more classic Janet.  It's followed by 'Doesn't Really Matter'.  Once again, we have string of great tunes back to back.  'Better Days' rounds out the album and it's another ballad.  It's good, but not as exciting as other tracks on the album.  Then one final segue to close out the disc.

So to my surprise, there are some strong Janet songs here.  Enough to keep me coming back for more.  But there's also a lot of filler material here.  This disc is loaded with ballads.  Almost half the actual song material on the disc is slow.  That would be fine if Janet had come up as a ballad singer like Whitney Houston or someone like that.  But she's a pop star.  People wanna dance and hear some beats when she comes on.  So in that sense, I think the album failed.  But there's enough strong material to make me feel like I shoulda stayed around.  I shoulda kept listening to Ms. Janet.  My final words:  SOPPY WITH BALLADS, BUT FUNKY WITH BEATS...  IT'S WORTH THE MONEY!

JANET JACKSON - ALL FOR YOU
01. Intro
02. You Ain't Right
03. All For You
04. 2wayforyou (Interlude)
05. Come On Get Up
06. When We Oooo
07. China Love
08. Love Scene (Ooh Baby)
09. Would You Mind
10. Lame (Interlude)
11. Trust A Try
12. Clouds (Interlude)
13. Son Of A Gun (I Betcha Think This Song Is About You) With Carly Simon
14. Truth
15. Theory (Interlude)
16. Someone To Call My Lover
17. Feels So Right
18. Doesn't Really Matter
19. Better Days
20. Outro