Despite a very mild public response to her first two albums,
Jackson showed no signs of giving up, moving to Private I and recording this album of youthful, highly danceable material. Whereas most of the instrumentation on the earlier albums was live and authentic, drum programming and overdubs entered the picture in a big way here -- but not to the total exclusion of the real thing. The title track, which became the most successful entry, is the most gimmicky. Even with cameos from
Howard Hewett and
Musical Youth, it's a bit too produced to offer any real substance. More believable and alluring are the sprightly, soulful "Bet'cha Gonna Need My Lovin'" and "Think Twice," the latter featuring a surprisingly colorful trumpet solo. Amir Bayyan's production gets a bit repetitive on occasion, resulting in a few sound-alike tunes, and
Jackson's presence isn't as distinguishable as on previous output. But a handful of guilty pleasures here that are, if not much else, very catchy, making this a wise investment for anyone curious about the music of the
Jackson family "outcast." ~ Justin M. Kantor