audio review : 2 Bad ( song ) … Michael Jackson

This song should end at about the 3:41 mark before Shaquille O’Neal enters the court. His verse is decent enough, aside from the faddish “95” reference, but the song would be better without him. Michael Jackson holds his own (“crotch”) vocally; there are some funky harmonies happening here; especially during the peaks when he starts doing his signature ad-libs.

my rating : 4 of 5

1995

audio review : History ( album ) ... Michael Jackson

Janet Jackson’s All For You or Michael Jackson’s Invincible : Which album is better?

audio review : All For You ( album ) ... Janet Jackson audio review : Invincible ( album ) ... Michael Jackson

It’s not exactly a case of sibling rivalry, but it’s hard not to compare Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson when it comes to their music. Big brother far surpasses little sister in popularity and record sales, thanks mainly to his reign as King Of Pop in the 1980s, but this is about the quality of their music, specifically in 2001; the first year both released a new album since Janet’s debut got trounced by Thriller. She’s basically been on the come up since then while only Dangerous nears the level of Michael’s 1982 magnum opus. In this new era of All For You and Invincible, it seems Janet has begun to eclipse her brother.

It’s not a blowout by any means. Both are good albums, but Janet’s is consistently good while Michael, whose signature vocal style and unprecedented ad-libs make him the better singer, stumbles a few times along the way. If I were to compare the albums song for song, they’d be about equal, but the essence of an album is more than just its individual tracks. There’s order and flow to be considered. In that regard, Janet does better, partly because Invincible, though led by Rodney Jerkins, employs five main producers while All For You continues Janet’s partnership with Jimmy Jam And Terry Lewis.

Jam and Lewis are major music talents, at least in the soul groove genre they specialize in, and Rodney Jerkins doesn’t stand a chance against them. His music, on a Michael Jackson album, actually disappoints more than it impresses, leaving it up to the singer; my pick for best in the world of pop (popular) music; to lift the songs from mediocrity. Listen to the first three. The title song doesn’t even have a bassline. You Rock My World sounds great; not only is it the best song on the album, it’s one of Michael’s all-time best; but even it can’t outdo the title song of All For You, which happens to be Janet’s all-time best.

That song; five minutes of flirty fun; owes its party life, and much of its artistic credit, to a Luther Vandross (Change) cut from decades ago. Invincible, the album, is more original, sampling only a rap verse from The Notorious BIG and TV clips from The Twilight Zone. It’s no Thriller though. It’s not even Bad. It’s Michael Jackson’s worst album going up against what I consider to be Janet Jackson’s best. To be clear, All For You is the title of both her best song and best album. With that said, while I certainly prefer Michael Jackson as a music artist overall, deciding the better of these two albums isn’t hard to do.

my vote : All For You

audio review : All For You ( song ) … Janet Jackson

This is Janet Jackson’s best song ever. That’s thanks in part to an old Luther Vandross (Change) sample her loyal superproducers, Jimmy Jam And Terry Lewis, decided to bring back to life. It’s a gorgeously slinky beat to match Jackson’s gorgeously slinky vocal melodies.

If there’s a flaw, it’s that the song dances around the cliché concepts of sex; the part in which she tells a stranger she’s going to “ride” his “package” is uncharacteristically graphic for a radio single; and romance instead of just being the classic party anthem it’s meant to be.

my rating : 5 of 5

2001

audio review : All For You ( album ) ... Janet Jackson

audio review : Babylove ( song ) … Morris Day

This is a party anthem for sugar daddies. The club is packed with “sexy people”, but it’s the young ladies Morris Day is after, “as long as you’re 21”. What he means is 21 years old, no younger and not much older, and who could blame him? The best meat is fresh meat. There are no girls in jail though, so Jerome is posted at the door, checking state IDs and driver’s licenses.

Pedophilic undertones and all, the song is a banger. A louder beat (drums/bass), less cluttered production and more melodic ad-libs; the one at 3:08 is the best part of the song for me; could push it up to classic status, but it’s still the jam as is, mostly because of a set of hooks catchy enough to go fishing. “Calling on the sexy ones,” it goes, “Girls are sure nough fine.”

my rating : 4 of 5

2021

audio review : Jam And Lewis [ Volume One ] ( album ) ... Jimmy Jam And Terry Lewis

audio review : Jam And Lewis [ Volume One ] ( album ) … Jimmy Jam And Terry Lewis

audio review : Jam And Lewis [ Volume One ] ( album ) ... Jimmy Jam And Terry

The title suggests a compilation of songs from the past, but this is a new album; the duo’s first ever after four decades of making music for other people’s. Some of those singers are featured here. Every song is by a different artist or group, in fact, with one flagrant exception.

That Janet Jackson isn’t included, and starting the whole damn set, is about as disheartening as recent rumors Jam And Lewis aren’t involved in her upcoming Black Diamond project. Unbreakable was underwhelming, yes, but they should never stop making music together.

Maybe if they had a new Janet song, they wouldn’t need to restore a 2005 Toni Braxton album reject, the inclusion of which makes me wonder how much of this set is actually new. Babylove; the best song and one true jam; sure is. It’s Time for another Morris Day solo album.

my rating : 3 of 5

2021