Janet Jackson - Damita Jo

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So this has leaked. Talk about it on this thread. Initial impressions are that it is as patchy and weightless as previous efforts. Her voice is exactly what it's always been, but the production doesn't work with it, she just sounds floaty and far away.

Also, her attempts at being sexy are not working for me. "Sexhibition", for instance, is based upon a series of bad puns, "sexcapade", "sexposure" spoiling a rather nice groove. It's probably just as well you can hardly hear the words on the song called "Moist" too.

Probably the best song is "R&B Junkie" which has dirty bass, sounds retro and lots of cool buried noises. Otherwise, step away from the disco, there's nothing in there. Lots of slower, breathy ones. "Thinkin' About You" will probably be single #3, and those who liked something like "That's The Way Love Goes" will probably be into it.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 18 March 2004 09:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Seriously, when is she going to top "Control" already?

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 18 March 2004 10:00 (twenty-two years ago)

She has already topped "Control" at least half a dozen times (although maybe not the handclap).

― Jedmond (Jedmond), Thursday, 18 March 2004 10:04 (twenty-two years ago)

Er, I meant "Control" the album. NO WAY has she put out six better albums than that. Her best individual tracks are mostly off Rhythm Nation, but Control is her solidest full-length.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 18 March 2004 10:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Point taken, all apologies. She'll never beat Control, even if only because of the CD (I'd still take Rhythm Nation's inconsistent brilliance though).

― Jedmond (Jedmond), Thursday, 18 March 2004 10:12 (twenty-two years ago)

Janet Jackson CDR 80:

Nasty
What Have You Done For Me Lately?
Control
When I Think Of You
Pleasure Principle
State Of The World
Miss You Much
Love Will Never Do
Hey Baby (interlude) (OK, not a song, but I love it)
Escapade
Black Cat
If
What'll I Do
Throb
Whoops Now
70s Love Groove
Runaway
Free Xone
Every Time
Doesn't Really Matter

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 18 March 2004 10:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Nice, I'd probably include more early stuff (same songs - just the video edits "Is that the end?, NO!") and "That's the way love goes".

You a newcomer to ILM?

― Jedmond (Jedmond), Thursday, 18 March 2004 10:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh definitely video edits. I'd love to get my hands on some songs' video edits. I reckon TTWLG is one of the most overrated singles ever, though.

(Newcomer? I've been on here about four years, but with no real profile. Which is how I like it.)

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 18 March 2004 10:31 (twenty-two years ago)

God, I'm apologising again, ah well. I know TTWLG is overated, but I've always loved the intro to the video.

I'd also include "Scream" - it may be considered an MJ song, but she features on it just as much and it's her producers = she wins by a 2/3 majority.

― Jedmond (Jedmond), Thursday, 18 March 2004 10:35 (twenty-two years ago)

The singles off of All for You are all great. The title track has multiple catchy parts.

― theodore fogelsanger, Thursday, 18 March 2004 10:37 (twenty-two years ago)

'That's The Way Love Goes', 'Go Deep' and 'Rhythm Nation' in for 'Black Cat' and 'What'll I Do'

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 18 March 2004 10:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Forgot all about RN's title track. That's a good one. I think there's one particular mix of "Go Deep" that's really good, but the album version's only OK to me.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 18 March 2004 10:41 (twenty-two years ago)

You seem to be forgetting her best single there, 'Got Til It's Gone'..

― Baaderoni (Fabfunk), Thursday, 18 March 2004 11:08 (twenty-two years ago)

There is a significant number of people who think that is one of the worst songs ever made. One of the most polarising comeback singles ever, in hindsight?

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 18 March 2004 11:25 (twenty-two years ago)

The biggest omission is the gorgeous "Empty" I think.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Thursday, 18 March 2004 11:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Really? The languid groove and the genius sample of Joni really captures that blissful feeling of enjoying the best summer evening ever, knowing you'll look back onto it with bittersweet nostalgia...
AnywayI was so disappointed that 'The Velvet Rope' came nowhere near the level of sexyness of that single..
What's not to like?

xpost

― Baaderoni (Fabfunk), Thursday, 18 March 2004 11:30 (twenty-two years ago)

It was knocked out in 60 seconds, bound to miss something. Empty is pretty good, possibly not giving Velvet Rope a fair hearing because thought all the singles off it were rubbish.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 18 March 2004 11:35 (twenty-two years ago)

Amazed to discover that Every Time is probably her least successful single ever, as it's one of her best late-period ones.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 18 March 2004 11:37 (twenty-two years ago)

'Again' and 'Anytime Anyplace' seem like good ballads too

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 18 March 2004 11:52 (twenty-two years ago)

I used to masturbate to the video for "If" nearly constantly.

― LC, Thursday, 18 March 2004 12:38 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm never posting after 4am again. Peace.

― LC, Thursday, 18 March 2004 12:38 (twenty-two years ago)

'If' is one of her best tracks because it's one of the best examples of that menace/euphoria dynamic (see also 'What Have You Done For Me Lately') which is sort of rare in pop now but prevalent in harder dance music and a fair bit of stuff from the 80s

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 18 March 2004 12:42 (twenty-two years ago)

steve's on fiyaah today.

Which is the track that samples the Supremes' 'Baby Love Child' ('70s Love Groove' maybe)?

― Barima (Barima), Thursday, 18 March 2004 12:42 (twenty-two years ago)

How do ILMers rate Janet's late period (post Rhythm Nation) songs? I personally prefer early Janet, but mostly because I prefer her early spiky production to the smoother production of her late career.

Include Damita Jo if you have heard it (I haven't), as that was the point of this thread before it got derailed by somebody.

― Jedmond (Jedmond), Thursday, 18 March 2004 12:44 (twenty-two years ago)

I derailed my own thread, because I could. Because nobody else has downloadedheard it yet, clearly.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 18 March 2004 12:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Could I be the only one who (remotely) likes 'I Get Lonely' and 'Together Again'? The latter's been on satellite here regularly and I caught a Janet megamix clip yesterday.

Jed, I'm guessing most prefer early Janet. Including me, not so surprisingly.

― Barima (Barima), Thursday, 18 March 2004 12:46 (twenty-two years ago)

edward what do you make of the song where janet talks with a dick in her mouth??

― jeremy jordan (cruisy), Thursday, 18 March 2004 12:46 (twenty-two years ago)

I want to point out that I'm still into the Damita Jo track on the Enthusiastic But Mediocre blog.

― Barima (Barima), Thursday, 18 March 2004 12:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Together Again has a great early-Janet chorus, but the verses - there's nothing there.

I liked the dance routine from the I Get Lonely clip.

RE: "dick in mouth", you are referring to "Warmth"? It's about as erotic as... well, it's not very good. It has some nice sounds going on, but er, if she's out of breath BEFORE she's putting it in there, she's probably not much of a lay. (Worst. Phrasing. Ever!)

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 18 March 2004 12:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Edward, besides "R&B Junkie", and "Thinkin' About You" what tracks would you recommend downloading from Damita Jo? I did guess most people would prefer early Janet - I was just surprised that there was more debate about the late tracks, are the great early tracks obviously better than their surrounding tracks, etc.

― Jedmond (Jedmond), Thursday, 18 March 2004 12:54 (twenty-two years ago)

(That's it, Barima! Plug my blog good!)

Just realised that R&B Junkie sounds like it could have been on "Body Language" - it would have fit perfectly.

Um. Best tracks. Depends on what your tolerance is for floaty wispy Janet breathe-a-thons. Kanye West did some of the album, I gather, so it'll probably be important to have an opinion on "My Baby", on which guests. I don't think it's great. "Island Life" sounds OK - at least it's going some place melodically [/Geir], "All Nite" is as fast as the album gets and is not bad. The album is fairly middle-loaded, the four strongest tracks other than the single are all right in the middle.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 18 March 2004 13:03 (twenty-two years ago)

('course I should mention that "I Want You", the track Barima mentions isn't there anymore)

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 18 March 2004 13:05 (twenty-two years ago)

my version has 'slolove' on it which is house tempo!

― jeremy jordan (cruisy), Thursday, 18 March 2004 13:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh yeah, forgot about Slolove. Was just breezing through the tracks to find one to recommend and didn't get up to that one. Must try harder.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 18 March 2004 13:14 (twenty-two years ago)

(That's it, Barima! Plug my blog good!)

All part of the service. BTW, someone answer my Janet/The Supremes question already.

― Barima (Barima), Thursday, 18 March 2004 13:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Has anyone ever heard her pre-Control records? The, ahem, Cliff Richard duet?

― JoB (JoB), Thursday, 18 March 2004 13:21 (twenty-two years ago)

*Choke*

― Barima (Barima), Thursday, 18 March 2004 13:27 (twenty-two years ago)

I seem to recall that it was You Want This that had the sample, but this could be wrong as I'm not that familiar with the Supremes song.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 18 March 2004 14:02 (twenty-two years ago)

"R&B Junkie" is this album's "All For You" in that it really just cops a vintage sample and does little else in the production department (the sample in question is Evelyn "Champagne" King's "I'm In Love" which is, like, in my all-time Top 10 EVER EVER, so I can't say I mind Janet purring over it). That track, though, I think sets up the album's concept -- she's not exploring sex (as in Janet.'s oh-this-is-new, or TVR's oh-this-is-rough or AFY's oh-this-is-swingin'), but her love of R&B. "Just a Little While," in its pseudo-rock glory is just tacked on. My favorite is "My Baby," because the melody is really just sick and Kanye's "You try an' stab one like Jack the Ripper/I was tryin' to stab two like Jack the Tripper" is fantastic. "All Nite (Don't Stop)" comes close to Rhythm Nation's mechanical precision and "Strawberry Bounce" is also fantastic in its minimalism. Even the Babyface track owns, which, I think at this point in his career, probably is the record's greatest accomplishment. It is patchy, but Janet, Jam and Lewis really, really, really know exactly what'll work with her frail voice. I think "SloLove" blows though, watered down body & soul shit. But if this album isn't successful, it's the public's fault, not Janet's.

"I Get Lonely" (we're talking the Teddy Riley mix) is one of her very best singles. I wish this album were a bit more experimental ("When We Oooo" from AFY is as close to IDM as I've ever heard any mainstream American R&B get and I want more like it), but there isn't a "hard rock" track in sight, so I'm not complaining. Undoubtedly solid.

― Rich, Thursday, 18 March 2004 14:40 (twenty-two years ago)

"Again" is Janet's best ballad by far. Really, I think the vast majority of her singles are superior (especially "Runaway").

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 18 March 2004 14:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Ugh, "Runaway" is bottom five for me. The world's big enough for only one "Man in the Mirror." She similarly salutes Michael on DJ's "Spending Time With You," which is "Butterflies" all over again.

― Rich, Thursday, 18 March 2004 14:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Aside from different song structures, different chord progressions, different keys, different melodies, different tempos, and different subject matter, I can totally see how comparing "Runaway" to "Man In The Mirror" makes sense.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 18 March 2004 15:00 (twenty-two years ago)

EdwardO is OTM re: "You Want This" having the "Love Child" sample. That ting-ting-tingtingting (ooh ooh) bit before the youwantthisBOMBABOMBOMABOMABAM chorus bit.

― David R. (popshots75`), Thursday, 18 March 2004 15:02 (twenty-two years ago)

oh c'mon, 42 posts and no mention of "Someone To Call My Lover"!!!

as opposed to the rest of the world, i think that "All For You" (the album) is rather consistent and overall excellent, with that rarest of things - a killer four ballad sequence (esp. "China Love" - as ornate and vividly exotic as Timbaland's finest out-there ballads). and i'm counting down days til "Damita Jo" with childlike glee - god i'm SO PSYCHED!

― Mind Taker, Thursday, 18 March 2004 15:22 (twenty-two years ago)

_All For You_ is a great album.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 18 March 2004 15:26 (twenty-two years ago)

Well, the melodies of the verses' last line in either song ("One thing was missing that's you" in "Runaway," and "That's why I want you to know" in "Man in the Mirror") are identical. I don't know, I never liked "Runaway."

― Rich, Thursday, 18 March 2004 15:48 (twenty-two years ago)

wasn't the DFA in line to produce some tracks for her?
what happened?

― jyu, Thursday, 18 March 2004 16:20 (twenty-two years ago)

they're not quite identical Rich (slightly different key and the note on which the line ends is different - Janet's being higher) but yeh quite similar

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 18 March 2004 16:33 (twenty-two years ago)

"I Want You" isn't on there anymore? I guess that's just as well...it sounded like she just asked Kanye to do the same thing he did for Alicia Keys, but she really doesn't have the voice for it.

― Al (sitcom), Thursday, 18 March 2004 16:41 (twenty-two years ago)

also what the fuck is the album title about?

― Al (sitcom), Thursday, 18 March 2004 16:44 (twenty-two years ago)

is it just an anagram for "I'd jam too"?

― Al (sitcom), Thursday, 18 March 2004 16:45 (twenty-two years ago)

it's a typo, it's supposed to be 'dam it aja!'

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 18 March 2004 16:47 (twenty-two years ago)

_All For You_ is a great album.

Yes indeedy.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 18 March 2004 16:49 (twenty-two years ago)

It's her middle name. Standard there's-more-to-me-than-you-see philosophy behind the title choice, I think.

"I Want You" IS on there and I think it's great. She doesn't have Alicia Keys' voice, but IWY is much sweeter than YDKMN, anyway.

― Rich, Thursday, 18 March 2004 16:52 (twenty-two years ago)

"Man in the Mirror": sol-sol-sol-sol-la-do-do
"Runaway": sol-sol-sol-sol-la-do-mi

This is the only point of similarity between the two songs and it's one that's shared with approximately 8,000,000 other pop songs, r&b songs, and classical art songs.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 18 March 2004 16:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Regardless, that line in "Runaway" has always stuck out to me. The song's just too mushy everywhere else.

― Rich, Thursday, 18 March 2004 17:15 (twenty-two years ago)

is it just me or has the "I Want You" video been getting played on BET a lot but not at all on MTV? have they just not premiered it yet? I'm beginning to wonder if MTV holds a grudge against Janet for costing them lucrative future Super Bowl halftime shows.

― Al (sitcom), Tuesday, 30 March 2004 23:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Whoa! When did this retrospective loving reassessment of All for You (the album) happen?

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Wednesday, 31 March 2004 21:03 (twenty-one years ago)

I always liked it! Check the archives if you think I'm lying!

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 31 March 2004 21:08 (twenty-one years ago)

i like it! but it’s far from perfect and i’m not sure if i’d recommend it to people who aren't diehard Janetheadz.

yay:
- great sequencing
- summery feel
- like Rich said, no hard rock in sight (except for “Just A Little While”, which is great, and conveniently chucked away at the very end for anyone who disagrees)
- isn’t over-cluttered with ballads like “The Velvet Rope”
- roping in producers other than J&L is refreshing…
- including Swedish producers! i’ve been watching out for Bag & Arnthor (alongside Bloodshy & Avant they're a part of Murlyn Music the new Cheiron, y’know) since Jessica Simpson’s “Irresistible”, and “SloLove” is excellent – I can see why someone would think it’s “watered down Body&Soul shit” but I think it works a treat cos butterfly disco is Janet’s hometurf: yummy, slinky, sexy, mmmmmm

nay:
- is unimpressive production-wise
- lack of riveting standout gem a la “Empty”/“Someone To Call My Lover”
- the ballads are not as good as those on “All For You”, or “Anything” off “The Velvet Rope” (though “Moist” and “The One” are nice)
- “SloLove” still ain’t no “Together Again”

overall, my current verdict: All For You >> Damita Jo > The Velvet Rope (sad to say, of prior Janet cd’s i only have the “Design Of A Decade”)

― Mind Taker, Friday, 2 April 2004 20:04 (twenty-one years ago)

i haven't heard the rest of the album yet, but i love "all nite (don't stop)". the production (particularly the strings) is fantastic...is this the first single? very summery!!

― tricky disco (disco stu), Monday, 12 April 2004 14:13 (twenty-one years ago)

three months pass...

Strawberry Bounce is now in my top fifteen Janet tracks.

― Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 04:55 (twenty-one years ago)

three years pass...

Her new song "Feedback" produced by Darkchild (from her Def Jam debut album exec-produced by LA Reid) is set to leak any day now... does anyone still care?

― The Brainwasher, Wednesday, 12 December 2007 16:56 (eighteen years ago)

two years pass...

Listening to it now. Probably the most underrated r&b pop record of the naughts. That also includes it's b-sides/leaks/rarities.

― lilsoulbrother, Wednesday, 27 January 2010 22:33 (sixteen years ago)

I never heard it, but I wouldn't be surprised if it were some secretly amazing thing - at her best, she's one of the best of all time imo

― Lee Dorrian Gray (J0hn D.), Wednesday, 27 January 2010 22:34 (sixteen years ago)

When "All Nite" showed up on the recent (great, great) comp, I got curious again.

― Blue Fucks Like Ben Nelson (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 27 January 2010 22:36 (sixteen years ago)

"all nite (don't stop)" sounds AMAZING at street dance class

― لوووووووووووووووووووول (lex pretend), Wednesday, 27 January 2010 22:38 (sixteen years ago)

this song/video owns

xp: lol irrelevancy

― struck through in my prime (HI DERE), Wednesday, 27 January 2010 22:38 (sixteen years ago)

street dance class

lol

― The Tommy Westphall Universe Hypothesis (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 27 January 2010 22:38 (sixteen years ago)

it's been a while since lex has posted about dance class

― waka shame (J0rdan S.), Wednesday, 27 January 2010 22:39 (sixteen years ago)

You should listen with an open mind. I hated it at first. Like with a passion. It was too laid back and she started doing the "whispering" styling full time. I think it was the leaks that got me loving this album. I heard it was suppose to be her "Prince-Dirty Mind" album. If they cut some of the slow songs and included some of the Rich Harrison songs it could've been her "Dirty Mind."

― lilsoulbrother, Wednesday, 27 January 2010 22:39 (sixteen years ago)

got nothin against her. generally better/more interesting than her brother, that's for sure

― The Tommy Westphall Universe Hypothesis (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 27 January 2010 22:40 (sixteen years ago)

i stopped going for a while for various ~convenience-related~ factors

xps

― لوووووووووووووووووووول (lex pretend), Wednesday, 27 January 2010 22:40 (sixteen years ago)

"so much betta" off her latest album was also a dance class regular. everyone loved janet there.

― لوووووووووووووووووووول (lex pretend), Wednesday, 27 January 2010 22:41 (sixteen years ago)

Well she is relatively more "normal." I guess...But she is weird as hell herself.

― lilsoulbrother, Wednesday, 27 January 2010 22:41 (sixteen years ago)

it's been a while since lex has posted about dance class

It's bad that I read this and that Staind song popped into my head, right.

― struck through in my prime (HI DERE), Wednesday, 27 January 2010 22:41 (sixteen years ago)

one year passes...

"I Want You" is so fucking great

― KIP malone (The Reverend), Friday, 29 April 2011 03:44 (fourteen years ago)

seven years pass...

this album is awesome

― J0rdan S., Sunday, 17 February 2019 04:54 (seven years ago)

the first half is kinda patchy especially when she's like openly trying to make amerie songs (the demos w rich harrison from this era are really off putting)... the first few songs sound squarely dated in 2004 in a way that i just don't associate w/ janet and it's kind of a weird listen ("damita jo" could've fit seamlessly onto 'confessions' which was released 1 week earlier). but from "strawberry bounce" on it's a really good album... probably better than 'all for you' and carrying on the thread of 'velvet rope' way better than it gets credit for. some of the production/guitar playing on this record is as lush as anything in her discography... the stretch from "like you don't love me" (great song) thru "moist" is colored by these curlicue guitar lines that kinda snake up like steam from a grate. "strawberry bounce" is really underrated as a kanye production, just a cool beat to build a song on top of... i love how it's sorta hard and rap influenced but still has the same surface shimmer of "doesn't really matter." "my baby" is a more literal application of the early 00s kanye sound -- i can't believe she let his goofy ass verse fly -- but is just a sweet song and texturally works w/ her voice. "r&b junkie" is great to me as a sorta explicit sequel to "all for you"... "slo love" is super silky and has this cool breakdown where the song breaks into the disco edit of itself for like 6 seconds. "island life" is another one w/ really rich production... anyway tons of great songs

― J0rdan S., Sunday, 17 February 2019 05:15 (seven years ago)

This is a long album! (65 mins.)

― yuh yuh (morrisp), Thursday, 21 February 2019 17:58 (seven years ago)

"r&b junkie" is fucking amazing iirc

― jolene club remix (BradNelson), Thursday, 21 February 2019 18:01 (seven years ago)

The beat on "I Want You" is really cool

― yuh yuh (morrisp), Thursday, 21 February 2019 18:17 (seven years ago)

the stretch from "like you don't love me" (great song) thru "moist" is colored by these curlicue guitar lines that kinda snake up like steam from a grate.

Nice observation, this is a great stretch (tho unfortunately, I'm one of those people for whom "moist" is something of a trigger word)

― yuh yuh (morrisp), Thursday, 21 February 2019 18:32 (seven years ago)

Damita Jo and All For You are both crazy underrated.

― kitchen person, Thursday, 21 February 2019 21:23 (seven years ago)

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