Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that Janet bursts out of the starting gate with "So Excited," a very sexy, explicit song. Things calm down after a while, with some terrific R&B and a couple of charming spoken interludes.
Families can talk about Jackson's public life after her well-publicized Superbowl "wardrobe malfunction." Did she handle the incident well? What's the best way to respond if embarrassing things happen to you in public, especially at school?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Kathi Kamen Goldmark
20 Y.O. is the celebration of Janet Jackson's 20 years as a pop star, and she's letting us know it's time for a party.
Eleven songs and five spoken "interludes" portray Ms. Jackson as a sexy, honey-voiced performer with the clout to demand the best in terms of instrumentation and production. Every track is perfectly mixed and beautifully performed. The CD begins with Jackson explaining that over the course of her career she has spoken out on important issues such as racism, spousal abuse, and women's empowerment. But now ... "I wanna keep it light. I don't want to be serious, I wanna have fun." And she proceeds to do just that.
On one danceable track after another, the vibe is as substantial as whipped cream, especially if the whipped cream is part of someone's playful, sexy fantasy. "So Excited," for example, leaves very little to the imagination with lyrics like "Get me so excited/I'm hot ... I'll open my spot for you/Anytime you want me to/so you can act bad/don't hurt me/look sexy/talk dirty." And "This Body" makes playful fun of a man's fantasy as he imagines a magazine centerfold coming to life.
Other songs are less explicit and also less interesting. "Enjoy" is little more than the title word sung over and over again; "Take Care" is a slow love ballad that borders on being too saccharine. But the overall impression is one of a carefully crafted, beautifully performed selection of material that presents Jackson as a mature woman ready to take on the next 20 years with a vengeance.
Fans will also like Beyonce. Those interested in Jackson's unusual musical background might want to check out some early Jackson Five.
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentSome sexually explicit lyrics. The worst of it is from "So Excited": "Act bad/Don't hurt me … Talk dirty/and I'll open my spot for you/anytime you want me to … Throw me up against whatever's close and get to bossin' me around … You'll never hear the word no … Licking on my body body like it's something to eat." |
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LanguageSexually suggestive lyrics, but no swearing. |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoA glass of wine here and there. |
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