Rhythm Nation 1814 (CD - 1989)

Personnel: Janet Jackson (vocals, keyboards, background vocals); Jellybean Johnson (vocals, guitar, drums, background vocals); James Greer, Warlesha Ryan, Reshard Taylor, Anthony Thomas , John McClain, Jamial Lafleur, Steve Wilson, Sonya Robinson, Shante Owens, Tshaye Marks, Randy Ran, Rene Elizondo, Clarice Rupert, Steve Hodge (vocals, background vocals); Tamika McDaniel (vocals); David Barry (guitar, electric guitar, 12-string guitar); Nicholas Raths (guitar, classical guitar); John McLain (guitar, background vocals); Jesse Johnson (guitar); Kathy Kienzle (harp); Julie Ayer, Hanley Daws, Carolyn Daws (violin); Tamas Strasser, John Tartaglia (viola); Joshua Koestenbaum, Peter Howard (cello); Herb Alpert (trumpet, brass, horns); Jimmy Jam (piano, keyboards, drums, percussion, programming); Terry Lewis (percussion, background vocals); Johnny Gill (percussion); David Eiland (programming); Tarnika McDaniel, Lisa Keith (background vocals).

Recording information: Flyte Time Productions Studio, Minneapolis, MN; MPR Studio, St. Paul, MN.

Photographer: Guzman/Rotterdam Conservatory Orquesta Tipica.

Arrangers: Janet Jackson; Lee Blaske; Terry Lewis.

After shocking the R&B world with 1986's Control -- a gutsy, risk-taking triumph that was a radical departure from her first two albums -- Michael and Jermaine Jackson's younger sister reached an even higher artistic plateau with the conceptual Rhythm Nation 1814. Once again, she enlists the help of Time graduates Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis (one of the more soulful production/songwriting teams of 1980s and '90s R&B) with wildly successful results. In 1989, protest songs were common in rap but rare in R&B -- Janet Jackson, following rap's lead, dares to address social and political topics on "The Knowledge," the disturbing "State of the World," and the poignant ballad "Living in a World" (which decries the reality of children being exposed to violence). Jackson's voice is wafer-thin, and she doesn't have much of a range -- but she definitely has lots of soul and spirit and uses it to maximum advantage on those gems as well as nonpolitical pieces ranging from the Prince-influenced funk/pop of "Miss You Much" and "Alright" to the caressing, silky ballads "Someday Is Tonight," "Alone," and "Come Back to Me" to the pop/rock smoker "Black Cat." For those purchasing their first Janet Jackson release, Rhythm Nation would be an even wiser investment than Control -- and that's saying a lot. ~ Alex Henderson

Little did you know that the American national anthem, "God Bless America", was written in 1814. Janet did, and she sets out in RHYTHM NATION to dish out a bit of "let's all work together for a better world and improve our way of life" type thing. This vein continues for a number of tracks, and admirable though it is, she sounds so much more convincing singing a good old-fashioned love song. The Jacksons were meant to dance, not to sermonize. That said, "Miss You Much", "Lonely" and "Come Back To Me:" are fabulous. Slick, sweet soul sung and played perfectly. minimize