Fridae

Four years after the release of the highly successful The Velvet Rope (seems like it was just yesterday), Jackson returns with All For You, a record resembling her 1993 effort, Janet, in its sexuality and ambiance.

Thanks to her long-time producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, All For You retains her old charms, which includes sensuality and plain-vanilla "fun". The title track and second single (first single being Doesn't Really Matter featured in the Nutty Professor 2 soundtrack) has a retro feel that takes you back to the days of Pleasure Principle; the video (which features cardboard cars and backdrops) adds to that old school feeling.

After the messy breakup with husband Rene Elizondo (who filed a suit for US$10 million for proceeds from Rhythm Nation 1814 and claimed to know of "secret lesbian flings" Jackson has had with several women), you'd expect All For You to be "revenge" album at the least, but it's far from one. Son of a Gun and Truth are probably the only tracks close to vengeful. Unlike The Velvet Rope, there's no sign of lesbian connotations anywhere�go figure.

Appealing as the album is, there's one bad apple in the basket. That's of course Son of a Gun, a duet with Carly Simon that samples lines from her hit You're So Vain. To put it bluntly, Simon sounds like she just sung for the first time in 20 years while smoking a joint. It's a painful revival of a great song from a musically dead artist. Pick another one Janet�this one's gone.

Reflecting a wide range of Jackson's personalities from "I'm gonna kiss you, suck you, taste you, ride you�" (on Would You Mind), to "�I'm gonna make you suffer / You Stupid motherfucker" (on Son of a Gun), All For You is a sure buy for your "all time favorites" collection.