Off topic: Other Jackson gems?

[Shellshock]

I was just wondering, are there any other Jackson gems out there by the lost siblings? I saw a Jermaine Jackson album in HMV called "Dynamite" but it sounded a bit generic (listened on the listening post)

I'd like to know if anyone knows anything about this album called Randy Jackson and the gypsies! The cover and the fact that his band's called "the gypsies" intrigues me greatly. Is it a bit 'special'? Seems like it's hard to get hold of.



And what about snobby old Rebbie? I thought Yours Faithfully was boring with the songs all sounding too similar, but her 80s album might be more fun?

Also, how do Janet's pre-Control albums compare to Toy's at the time?

[latifaheaston]

I liked Rebbie's 'Yours Faithfully'.

Jermaine & Pia Zadora! Now that's a tune! I think he has quite a nice voice.

Janet is too generic for me. She's so samey.

[chrissydney]

Janet's done great stuff, I don't think that can really be denied. But she's gone down the shitter lately, it's all bland rehashings of stuff she's done before - and not GOOD stuff, either!

'janet.' is still one of my favourite albums ever.



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[Shellshock]

The only one I really love is Velvet Rope. All For You and Damita Jo are so generic. Like Kylie, it seems she doesn't really care much anymore.

I wish she's drop all the interludes as well! How pointless.

[chrissydney]

I wish she'd not use the words 'moist' or 'erection' in her songs. She's a grown woman for f***'s sake. I'm not against a smutty track here or there (hello, 'Sexual Feeling') but she's been doing them for over a decade now. It's getting redundant, Janet.


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[Shellshock]

I agree. When Toy sings about her back door or whatever she sounds like she's being light-hearted and jokey, singing it over a dance beat. When Janet does it she seems to think it's genuinely sexy and erotic, but it just makes her album sound like a cheap porn film... like at the start of Rope Burn when she goes "Mmmmmmm, my lips hurt"

[Annie]

I like Yours Faithfully but Rebbie's 80s albums are better. (ever heard "Reaction", "Plaything" or "Distant Conversation"?)

I have Jermaine's Precious Moments album, it's quite good though not as good as the duet with Pia. He also did a few duets with Whitney Houston.

I never heard most of Randy's songs, only his 1978 duet with Janet, "Love Song For Kids", that's Janet's earliest song and a very cute one.

[chrissydney]

Shellshock said:

I agree. When Toy sings about her back door or whatever she sounds like she's being light-hearted and jokey, singing it over a dance beat. When Janet does it she seems to think it's genuinely sexy and erotic, but it just makes her album sound like a cheap porn film... like at the start of Rope Burn when she goes "Mmmmmmm, my lips hurt"

'Rope Burn' was sensational. As is 'Throb'. There's been a couple of others which worked, too. Like I said, I don't have any problem with a slutty song here and there - it's Janet's inability to move on which worries me. I listened to 'Damita Jo' the other day, then played the 'janet.' era B-side '70's Love Groove'. You could practically slip that song onto 'DJ', and I even thought I'd heard the lyrics in that song somewhere on the 'Damita Jo' album.

THAT worries me.


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[Annie]

it worries me too... Janet used to be able to come up with something new but she's been copying the janet. album for years, I miss her edgier, her more socially conscious songs, the songs that had some substance.

but after all, most artists can't come up with something new as early as on their 2nd album... 90% of them sings dumb love songs all the time, so Janet is still better than most of them.

[m2]

I miss Janet's Control/Rhythm Nation days

[ublew]

I have the Randy & The Gypsies CD, I really didn't like it at all.. It's really no wonder that didn't do well.. It was like Jackson overload in the late 80s.. LaToya, Janet, Randy, Rebbie, Marlon, Jermaine and Jackie not to mention The Jacksons as a group had all released albums around then..

Some of you might like Rebbie's "Reaction" album, there were some tracks on there produced by Reggie Lucas, who produced Madonna's first album... "RU Tuff Enuff" is a good album too, if you liked "Reaction" you'll probably like that one, it's a more cohesive album.. I quite like "Yours Faithfully," too Some very smooth, mature R&B..

I have a few of Jermaine's albums.. Although I only have his "Ultimate Collection" on CD.. It's good when he sticks to some of the more upbeat stuff: "Let Me Tickle Your Fancy", "Let's Get Serious," not so good when he gets to the sappy ballads.. I have this album that he produced for the late Syreeta Wright, (former wife of Stevie Wonder) called "The Spell" (Motown, 1983), which is just a great album all the way through - kind of a mixture of New Wave and R&B - Jermaine was one of the few performers adopting that style at the time..

Janet's first album has it's moments, but her second album is much better, she had Giorgio Moroder on it, so it's no wonder..

[latifaheaston]

I might get a best of Jermaine and that Rebbie album sounds good, Plaything is fab. Thanks for the recommendations U-Blew! ;D

[Annie]

it's good i'm not the only one who likes Janet's Dream Street album... most of her fans dismiss it as her weakest one, dunno why, it's like a cross between the Jacksons and Donna Summer, all the 9 tracks are good. on her newest album only half of the tracks are good, I always fall asleep right after I Want You and wake up again around SloLove...

Rebbie is cool, I have lots of mp3s (come to the Janet hub