[.ca] Janet Jacksons Rhythm Nation

Picking up where the breakthrough funk-pop of Control left off, Janet Jackson and her production team of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis laced Rhythm Nation with high-minded references to societal ills--seldom the favored province of dance music, but a daring attempt nonetheless. Songs like "State of the World" and "The Knowledge" follow in the tradition of "free your mind and your ass will follow." Still, aside from the title track, it was the pure pop fare and dance music that stormed the charts: "Escapade," "Love Will Never Do (Without You)," "Alright," and "Come Back to Me" concentrate on the politics of personal relationships, not public policy, while "Black Cat" burns the place down with a fierce burst of hard rock. Rhythm Nation 1814 doesn't necessarily hang together thematically, but it's so chock full of hits, you scarcely notice. --Daniel Durchholz

We are a part of the rhythm nation...:
I was never a huge Janet Jackson fan until I heard the song "Rhythm Nation". I picked up this album and listened to it. I was close-minded when I first bought the CD, thinking that the only song I would like would be "Rhythm Nation". But as I listened to more and more of the songs, I began to like more and more. There are several songs on this album that sound the same. "Escapade" begins to sound like "Miss You Much" after a while, and so does "Love Will Never Do (Without You)". The disturbing "State of the World" is a rude awakening for our society, as is "Livin' In A World (They Didn't Make)". Jackson's thin voice is well hidden with loud rhythms and excellent musical arrangements, which actually saves the album in a way. It is obvious that the beats and rhythms in this album play a very important role. The highlights of the album are obviously "Rhythm Nation" in addition to "Black Cat", "Come Back To Me", and the unlikely "Someday Is Tonight". (After spending 3 hours in a car listening to this CD over and over, I found "Come Back To Me" and "Someday Is Tonight" to be actually the BEST songs on the album, with the exception of "Rhythm Nation".) For your first Janet Jackson CD, invest a few dollars in "Rhythm Nation 1814". This is Jackson's strongest album.

Untouchable:
This was such a defining moment in this woman's career. Fans may have expected (and I'm sure the label were probably hoping for) Control Part 2, but Janet did not deliver that. Instead she took fans and new listeners to where few pop artists have: reality. Janet's social commentary on racism, bigotry, intolerance and prejudice was a smack to the face that nobody saw coming. Here, she sang about the harshness of a pregnant runaway teen, the terror of gunshots being fired on a school playground and the hope of communities breaking down colour barriers. This was a woman determined to make a difference. It's funny to think, after looking at the album cover's dark and direct image that it contains such colourful and light tunes such as Love Will Never Do (Without You), Alright and Escapade. Towards the album's closing moments, we are also reminded of Janet's innocence on Lonely and Someday Is Tonight (a second chapter to Control's Let's Wait Awhile). The fact that Janet spoke up on such issues is a true testament to the kind of person this woman is. A landmark album.

This Is What Janet Was Really About:
Before the days of showing flesh (not that I mind that but it has its place), Janet was more about being a serious artist. After the success of "Control", she came back with Rhythm Nation 1814. The title track didn't do much for me at first but the other tracks such as "Escapade", "Come Back To Me" and especially "Alright" (still my favorite Janet song of all time) sold the album for me! Would highly recommend it to someone that only knows Janet as the assets-bearing, flesh showing Janet just to show them that there was (and still probably is) more to her than body parts at one time!

Janet's only great album. Thumbs up!:
This is the only Janet album that I still enjoy. Every following release was completely dissapointing and her newest album "Damita Jo" is worst piece of filth I've ever heard. "Rhythm Nation" however is an important and powerful album with really powerful messages of social conscience on the title track and "State of The World" and yet also having lots of fun like on "Alright" and "Escapade". Every song on here is brilliant and this is Janet's strongest outing without a doubt. The Janet and Velvet Rope were boring, All for You was bad and don't get me started on "Damita Jo". RN is the best album to close out the 1980s and is a must have. A pity she never came close to being this good ever again.

Janet's Greatest Album of all Time? You bet!:
While "Control" was funky, "Janet" was sensual and "The Velvet Rope" was introspective, this album, released in the fall of 1989 was DEEP and raw in terms of its messages on some songs, the New Jack Swing beats that accompanied it, and Janet's own voice which showed much strength here on this album. As a matter of fact, it's Janet Jackson's best album ever. I really don't need to explain why because generally 10 million worldwide seemed to get the message. This album made you think, made you cry, made you fall in love, and made you dance. Janet followed behind Tina Turner, her brother Michael, Prince and Donna Summer by singing a full-fledged rock song. That song was put into the R & B, soul, ballads and hip-hop of the rest of the album and was a perfect mixture. This album also proved to people that "Control" wasn't a fluke and that Janet Jackson would truly be a mainstay. While not all the time political (it has its share of love and relationship songs), this album truly proved to people at the time that this legend-in-the-making had arrived...and she hasn't looked back since. If there's one reason why she should be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame years from now, this is it. It don't get better than this. This is the Janet I missed. You really wanna cop the best of Janet, go pick up "Control" and this one and it will take you back or for those who just saw Janet at the Super Bowl or those who thought her first record was "All For You", it's a great history lesson just to tell you who Janet Jackson truly is, this is it! Get the point? Good, let's dance.

• Interlude: Pledge
• Rhythm Nation
• Interlude: T.V.
• State of the World
• Interlude: Race
• Knowledge
• Interlude: Let's Dance
• Miss You Much
• Interlude: Come Back Interlude
• Love Will Never Do (Without You)
• Livin' in a World (They Didn't Make)
• Alright
• Interlude: Hey Baby
• Escapade
• Interlude: No Acid
• Black Cat
• Lonely
• Come Back to Me
• Someday Is Tonight
• Interlude: Livin'...In Complete Darkness