Album: Janet Jackson <!-- none onestar twostar threestar fourstar fivestar -->

Y. O., VIRGIN

The title refers to the 20 years since Control, the Jam & Lewis-produced album with which Janet Jackson won mainstream recognition as more than just Michael's kid sister. And what better way to celebrate than by reuniting with the once-infallible hitmakers - albeit with current golden boy Jermaine Dupri riding shotgun, to ensure contemporaneity. Not that their combined efforts make a blind bit of difference to the result, which is effectively the same record she's been making for the past decade or so, since 1997's The Velvet Rope ushered in the sexual obsession pursued to such gynaecological extremes on 2004's ghastly Damita Jo. There's the same relentless assurance that Janet's up for it whenever you are, the same too-much-information details regarding the preferred location, speed and style of congress involved ("I'll open my spot for you/ Anytime you want me to"), and save for the addition of a few Steely Dan jazz chords to "Take Care", virtually the same tedious synthetic-handclap groove mode employed throughout. But despite her sultry cooings, it all sounds mechanical and joyless, an impression not helped by the sample of Herbie Hancock's "Rockit" on the opening track.

DOWNLOAD THIS: 'This Body', 'Get It Out Me'