I only really became enamoured with Janet Jackson's early work when a friend played me this album sometime in the mid nineties. Hearing "When I Think of You" blasting from a high powered car stereo seemed to fire my imagination and I became a confirmed fan of this record.
The copy I am playing here is a 180g re-release from 2019. I bought this record from the Universal online store as it wasn't much more than £10.
The opening title sets out the stall for what is to come. By and large these are heavily rhythm driven tracks with a sparse but funky production style. "Control" has a level of honesty that sets it apart from the manufactured pop being released at the time. When Janet tells us she is "now in control" she means it.
"Nasty" is another single that seemed to be defining a whole new genre in 1986. This song has an amazing groove that is all the impressive when you consider Jam and Lewis didn't even need to resort to using a bassline. "What Have You Done For Me Lately" has the winning formula of imaginative lyrics and a strong a club vibe. "You Can Be Mine" sounds less original and is the closest thing to album filler you will find here. However, if you are looking for a prime example of an eighties guitar solo, look no further than this track. It is impossible to find anything more 'eighties'.
"The Pleasure Principle" is the only track not produced by Jam and Lewis and, despite some weak vocals on the first chorus, it retains the same polish as the other efforts. For me the absolute pinnacle of this record is "When I Think Of You" with its amazing Yamaha DX7 BASS 1, Linn LM1 beats and Ensoniq Mirage piano. If you listen to the horns in isolation (also derived from the Mirage) they are actually very basic; but in the context of the song they make a perfect punctuation for Janet's silky vocals.
"He Doesn't Know I'm Alive" pulls on some funk influences but is still a little to generic to impress all that much. I always found ballad "Let's Wait A While" disappointing as its chorus sounds twee and the whole thing just plods along without doing much. Yet, it is worth remembering that songs such as this were covering new ground in the eighties. Girls were finally calling the shots and not only that, they were singing about it. For my money, a much better ballad is the final song "Funny How Time Flies" that has a truly inspired chorus. As for the ending of the song.... 4/5
