Janet Jackson has come a long way since the release of her first album, Control, in 1986. She morphed from the cute younger sister of Michael Jackson to the sexy yet flirty chanteuse of 1990s R&B. Then the good luck and the hits suddenly stopped.
After two previous flops, Discipline is Jackson?s latest effort to climb back up the charts. She?s moved to a new label, ditched her longtime collaborators (Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis) and replaced them with today?s most successful names in music. Rodney Jerkins, Ne-Yo and Jermaine Dupri are among those who show up to give Jackson a much-needed production boost. But despite the stellar beats, Discipline doesn?t seem to pack the same punch that say, the newest Mariah Carey release would.
The album?s first single, the catchy ?Feedback,? is perfect for Jackson?s dance and vocal background. The beat meshes well with her sexy vocal style to create a great single worth dancing to at the club. However, the lyric, ??Cause my swag is serious/ Something heavy like a first day period? is pretty jarring when it plays across the stereo. Whether the line was inserted into the song merely for shock value or as a celebration of femininity, women everywhere can confirm that there?s nothing sexy about the first day of a period.
The following tracks, ?LUV? and ?Rollercoaster,? are both frothy R&B songs that recall 1993-era Jackson. ?LUV? includes the hypnotic refrain, ?He hit me with his love, love, love, love? that will be difficult to stop singing. The song flows so well that the repeat button is guaranteed to be pressed. ?Rollercoaster,? on the other hand, could do without the annoying background shouts of ?Whoa!? and ?Hey!? The shouts are unnecessary and distract from the song more than they add to it. Other tracks, such as the pulsating ?Rock With U? and the danceable ?2nite? contribute to the positive elements on Discipline.
Discipline also includes plenty of interludes. Interludes on albums are nothing new, especially for Jackson. While they can sometimes be a pointless way to transition from one song to another, the interludes on Discipline added to the underlying futuristic sound of the album. All were quite creative and just long enough not to grate the nerves. If only the same could be said for the ballads.
With the one exception of the title track, the ballads on Discipline are disappointing and fail to stick out in any memorable way. The title track paints Jackson as a woman longing for a bit of S&M play with her lover. The lyrics, ?Babe, I need some discipline tonight/ Don?t hold back/ I?ve been very bad/ Make me cry? are clearly meant to arouse the listener, but I personally felt more uncomfortable than aroused. The song feels very forced, as if Jackson is saying, ?Hey everyone, I?m still as sexy and naughty as I was 20 years ago!? Take a look back and you?ll find that this isn?t exactly a new concept for Jackson. Consider ?Moist? of 2004?s Damita Jo album or ?Do It 2 Me? from 2006?s 20 Y.O. If this is Jackson?s way of appealing to a younger crowd, she really does need to try a new tactic.
Overall, the danceable tracks are what could save Discipline from becoming another in a string of flops. While Discipline proves Janet Jackson certainly is capable of churning out a catchy song, only time will tell if listeners are willing to give her the same glowing reception she has received in the past or if they have the discipline to hold out for something a bit better.
3 stars out of 5
