Janet Jackson: Damita Jo

Reviewed by RUSSELL BAILLIE

Herald rating: * *

In case you're wondering, "Damita Jo" are Janet Jackson's middle names. But it's a different kind of personal touch that is the theme of the Jackson's latest album. Just like the consciously risque Velvet Rope and 2001's All For You she has again replaced the joy of pop — which marked her best work — with the joy of sex. Or at least the urge to bang on about it, over blockbuster pop production which last sounded fresh this time last decade.

The result is an album which tries to out-lapdance Jackson's younger competition — songs like Warmth and Moist don't leave much to the imagination while showing Jackson hasn't applied hers much. Unless she spotted a gap in the market for on-hold muzak for phone-sex lines.

Among all the groping, it does perk up musically on the Jacko-funk of Sexexhibition, Strawberry Bounce which samples Jay-Z (won't Beyonce be angry?), and All Nite, which lifts some Herbie Hancock.

But the 22 tracks outstay their welcome, not helped by those illuminating spoken interludes — on The Islands we find out she likes reading at the beach, while The One shows she pretends to understand the ending of The Matrix trilogy. Minor embarrassments they might be, but they help to add up to an album which shows Jackson does know yet another way of making a right tit of herself.

(Virgin EMI)