4.5 - Was it the Super Bowl nip slip that caused Janet's star to fade? I see that she's playing in my city in a few weeks. She's booked the massive sports arena, which is good. But tickets are still plentiful, and cheaper than I expected -- just $33 snatches up a nosebleed? This album is a banger, and probably my favorite example of new jack swing (though I’m hardly an expert). The synthesized percussion does much of the heavy lifting in the bass and middle registers, creating a clean, minimal, bold sound. Also, this record is absolutely stacked with hits. Seven of them were on regular rotation back in the day, and many still get considerable airplay. Of these “Love Will Never Do…” is my favorite — equally vulnerable and assertive, sweet and sassy. I love that single pulsing bass, insistent and propulsive. I love the call and response breakdown near the end, and how it gradually incorporates some surprising jazz chord structures, little variations that keep an otherwise repetitive set of elements sounding fresh until the very end. Phenomenal. But, the real surprise was hearing “Black Cat” for the first time in years. It’s a stone-cold rocker that reminds me of some of Heart’s power balladry of the late-80’s. That guitar solo goes hard. What an unexpected surprise that lifts the tail-end of an already impressive record.