Janet Jackson (1982) and Dream Street (1984): Were they shit or not? Let's investigate...

[POP!]

Inspired by our impromptu Janet rankings, which revealed most of us have never heard these. They are both on Spotify, and allegedly, one of them is quite good (blame @Sheena if you disagree)

I'm on track #2 currently of the self-titled, "Say You Do" was sleeker than I imagined and seven minutes of joy. "You'll Never Find (A Love Like Mine)" is quite GROOVY too...

This isn't a sync per se, just have a listen and review at your pleasure...





Shall we do Latoya next

 

[Sheena]

The first album is really good! Not challenging her all time best levels of good, but good. Love Say You Do, Young Love and Come Give Your Love To Me. Where’s @Ellie to agree with me?

The second album ain’t all that, but I like a couple of the tracks. Less said about Cliff the better...

 

[Sheena]

I have both albums on vinyl, natch...

 

[Ellie]

She clearly has the voice of a little girl but I QUITE like them. They have pretty decent production values for B-grade Pop.

 

[POP!]

OK "Love and My Best Friend" is quite sweet even though I want to hate it. She does sound about SEVEN YEARS OLD on it, as @Ellie suggested.

"Doo-doo-doo-doo
Doo-dooo-doooooooooooooooooooo"

The EMOTION!

 

[Sheena]

They clearly thought she was more REBBIE than MICHAEL.

Which was why Control was such a DELICIOUS surprise.

 

[BoysForSeles]

I’ll listen this weekend. I’m in the mood for revisiting Five Star’s ‘Luxury of Life’ first though.

 

[POP!]

The tunes are certainly aplenty, but you can tell the confidence/personality of her later albums is not really there. It's very anonymous. Understandable, as she did not get a co-write until Control, and she was so young here.

 

[Sheena]

I’ll listen this weekend. I’m in the mood for revisiting Five Star’s ‘Luxury of Life’ first though.

Now there’s an album worthy of a sync listen

 

[Sheena]

The tunes are certainly aplenty, but you can tell the confidence/personality of her later albums is not really there. It's very anonymous. Understandable, as she did not get a co-write until Control, and she was so young here.

The first two albums were totally off the peg. I’m still not convinced she wrote a lot of Control, either, but the whole thing was definitely influenced by her and based on her personality of the time.

 

[POP!]

I don't know, the Dream Street lewk of "motorcyclist with a mullet" seemed very ON BRAND to me...

 

[Sheena]

Nice fisting gloves

 

[POP!]

First listen rate. On the whole, already better than 20 Y.O. but that was a given. We will see where additional plays will lead us...

08 Say You Do
07 You'll Never Find (A Love Like Mine)
07 Young Love
07 Love and My Best Friend
09 Don't Mess Up This Good Thing
05 Forever Yours
06 The Magic is Working
06 Come Give Your Love to Me

Oh, apparently the Spotify version includes the remix version of "Say You Do", which is the version that made it on to the CD release.

 

[Sheena]

See, NOT HALF BAD

 

[Sheena]

One of my all time favourite tip finds too

 

[POP!]

I find it odd they didn't release "Don't Mess Up This Good Thing" - it sounds like big fat hit to me on the first play! I'm already putting it on repeat...

 

[POP!]

I've just popped an edible and put on Dream Street - it's off to a promising start!

 

[POP!]

OK "Two to the Power of Love" is NOT IT

the chemistry

 

[Sheena]

I did WARN you

 

[POP!]

I did WARN you

I gave up after it - I shall persevere through the rest of it this evening (b-sides included).

 

[POP!]

Well Dream Street was a SLOG

08 Don't Stand Another Chance
03 Two the Power of Love
07 Pretty Boy
05 Dream Street
04 Communication
05 Fast Girls
04 Hold Back the Tears
06 All My Love To You
08 If it Takes All Night

05 Rock 'n Roll