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Janet Jackson, All for You (Virgin): While it includes
some grudging concessions to new R&B — the dirty gluebuzz
shuffle-beats of "You Ain't Right," provocative and profanity-laced
lyrics (including some near-comic simulated sexual moaning), and a
naff tell-it-like-it-is-sister collaboration with Carly Simon that
borrows liberally from "You're So Vain" — All for You is,
for the most part, signature Janet. It even goes so far as to rework
ideas already delivered in the past. Through a slew of those natty
Janet-in-the-studio interludes, the set strides with suitably slick
production work from Jam & Lewis, the pair so self-conscious of their
skills they cut-in the word "edit" as a cute cut-up gimmick on both
singles: the surgically clean "Doesn't Really Matter" and the fine
neo-disco/ '80s-retro collage title track. Elsewhere, in its best
moments, the record steps through faux-Eastern synthesized
tuned-percussion on the slyly syncopated "China Love," and finds pop
heaven amid flush acoustic guitars, twee keyboards and skittery beats
on "Someone to Call My Lover." — Anthony Carew
copyright (c) 2001 michael goldberg | design by elephantcloud
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