JANET JACKSON: DISCIPLINE [ALBUM REVIEW]....

Janet Jackson is back with her new album 'Discipline'. Infiltrated with catchy pop hooks, sultry slow crooners and soothing midtempo melodies, Janet strives to give us something worth listening to. With the helping hand of boyfriend Jermaine Dupri, Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, Ne-yo, Stargate, The Dream and Tricky Stewart among others, Janet delivered us with a solid but admissible effort. Satisfactory at best but not feet-sweeping. Lead single Feedback, which is an infectious dance number had the right elements to become successful. It had hit written all over it. Unfortunately, the feedback in chart position wasn't a high one. The fact that Janet didn't do much promotion could have also been a leaning force as to why the song hasn't been performing as well as it should.

That said, with the lukewarm response of Feedback, Janet is swiftly moving onto the electronic-inspired Rock With U as the next single. The europop single is no doubt the perfect advocate for the UK market. None of Janet's 'pop' songs have cut the grade in the US since we've entered the millennium. Janet hasn't had a major pop hit since 'Together Again' which was pop royalty back in the day (and still is if you listen to what is out this minute. Not even comparable). Luv has a rather playful but bubbly type of urban feel. The beat is annoyingly catchy and you can't help but bop your head to it unconsciously. I am uncertain if this will cut it as a potential single but we'll see. It's light, but Janet's delicate vocal delivery provides great momentum for the song. One of my favourite songs on Discipline would have to be the shoulder-jerking dance track 2Nite. I could see some hot choreography and it's definitely dance floor hotness. Hell, this has even become my latest work-out anthem over the last couple of days.

Janet suddenly switches up the happy-go dance mood of the album but slowing it down with the serene Can't B Good, Never Letchu Go and Greatest X. These tracks do take me back to oldskool Janet when she's putting across her more vulnerable side. I particularly like the melodic keyboard in Letchu Go. As for So Much Betta, this is a funky upbeat R&B number that you could get use to. Not my favourite song on the album but it has a grittiness to it that can't be denied. On The 1, Janet and Missy are no strangers to collaborating and they work well together. The beat is street but sweeeeet. Missy's rhymes leave me baffled. It's clear she munches carpets but continuously strives to make countless references towards the male genitalia (not like she's enjoying it).

What's Ur Name has that pleasant laidback summery feel that you can just chill out to. Nice beat. I can groove to this. Now with Discipline, I don't think it was really necessary for her to go down that route with the full-on sexual over-saturation to domination, sex and masturbation of all things. You could tell she was going for that one orgasm-ignited sex song that many Janet albums have, but I had to skip through it. Not exactly Anytime Anyplace from the Janet album (one of my favourite Janet albums I must add) but this song was just lacking in content. The final track on the album is called Curtains. This song is probably one of the most soulful sounding songs on the CD and I love the horn. It's sexual but not as overly graphic as Disciple. It's metaphoric in which Janet distinguishes between pleasing her fan and lover at her showing. Nice way to close off the album.

Overall, this album is pretty fulfilling. Definitely my favourite album since the millennium caved in on us 8 years ago. And although Damita Jo was a huuuuge commercial failure in light of the Superbowl debacle, I'll have to say as far as quality and standard goes, Damita Jo is my 2nd favourite Janet album to drop in the Y2K's. I am just happy Janet stepped it up a notch. She just needs to start promoting.

Rating: 3/5