Review Roundup: Janet Jackson - 'Discipline'
Janet Jackson’s tenth studio album Discipline arrives in stores tomorrow. Here’s what the critics are saying.
Entertainment Weekly: When she’s not feeling randy, she’s hopelessly trying to prove she’s still hip. Though Jackson boasts in ”Feedback” that her swagger is ”heavy like a first day period,” it’s more like a bloody mess. C-
Rolling Stone: Janet Jackson has abandoned the plastic R&B of 2006’s 20 Y.O. for a sexier brand of digitized megapop. On her Def Jam debut, the beats are as crass and processed as Jackson’s heavy breathing, so she sounds more like a sex droid than a blow-up doll. 3.5 out of 5
The New York Times: This album should remind listeners that Ms. Jackson helped invent the hybrid electronic R&B sound that currently rules the pop charts. Everyone’s talking about a comeback, but it sounds as if Ms. Jackson would rather keep going, burrowing deeper into the weird world she has created.
Newsday: For the first half of Discipline, Jackson seems determined to leave all the sexual shock-and-awe talk behind for a more radio-friendly sound. Jackson has some great songs on Discipline and a handful of possible hits, but still somehow leaves you cold. How’s that for frustrating?
Us Weekly: Highlights include the catchy singles “Feedback” and “Rollercoaster,” which echoes Britney Spears’ “Gimme More.” But take note, Ms. Jackson: Those spokenword interludes have gone out of style. 3 out of 4