Never Happens

Newest Jackson offering more risque than others

Today brings us a new offering from Janet Jackson (Miss Jackson if you're nasty).
The Velvet Rope, Jackson's sixth studio album, is reported to be more frank in its sexual nature. So if you thought "Throb" and "Any Time, Any Place" were risqu on 1993's janet. album, watch out.
Jackson remakes Rod Stewart's steamy classic "Tonight's The Night" and instead of aiming her amorous desire to a man in the tune, she sings it to another woman.
Another track on the album, "Together Again," is dedicated to the friends who she has lost to AIDS.
Two other cuts, "What About" and "Free Xone," address domestic violence and homophobia, respectfully.
Jackson has always had a mind for dealing with issue-oriented topics. Control, her album released in 1986, was all about her independence from her family and her ex-husband. Her 1989 album, Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814, dealt with education and violence, among other issues. This schtick is not new for her.
What is remarkable is that she has not stopped dealing with issues, whereas most female singers tend to never stray from the tried and true formula: ballads about love and dance tunes about love.
Yes, love is a great thing, but Jackson showed that there was a heck of a lot more out there that she wasn't talking about. Her willingness to attack certain ideas and topics deserves respect. With some singers, like Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston, the bulk of their material is safe.
Everyone knows that Carey is going to bust out with great ballads and up- tempo numbers. Even with Carey seven years into her career, she hasn't really tackled any "grown-up" subjects.
At least Houston released a mostly gospel album last fall. How often do you see a mainstream artist blend religion and pop music so effortlessly?
Some have mentioned that Jackson's new album might easily be compared to Madonna's 1992 album, Erotica. Madonna's album was filled with deep house beats and lyrics that went way over the edge of suggestive. It should be noted that Erotica also didn't do very well commercially.
One can imagine that Jackson might face the same challenges as Madonna. Will an album thematizing such tough subjects sell to teen-agers? Will Jackson come off as fake? I mean, how can Jackson possibly relate to tough issues when she is a millionaire?
I'm not saying that she can't do any of these things; I'm only suggesting that these are the questions that her critics will pose.
Undoubtedly, The Velvet Rope will be a cause for commotion, at least for a while. The first video and single, "Got Til' It's Gone," received a lukewarm reception on radio. One can only wonder if Jackson has lost the Midas touch when it comes to producing commercial music.