Even with all the publicity her controversial 1991 autobiography generated,
Jackson was unable to find commercial success with her recordings of the same time. This set, one of many she recorded for relatively unknown, independent European labels, attempted to hit directly on that note: the album's title signifying her estrangement from the rest of the
Jackson family. A far cry from that concept, the content is concentrated in light lyrics and melodies typical of the singer's catalog. One-night stands with the potential for something deeper are the concern of "Sexbox" and "Could This Be Love We're Making," while dancing and fun are the pivot points of "Reggae Nights" and "Let's Rock the House." But
Jackson does make an apparent allusion to her rebellious streak on "Wild Side." The song is a nifty, pop-funk mid-tempo number that benefits from understated melodies atop a percussive, frugally produced dance track. It's precisely this vein that serves the limited vocalist well on further cuts such as the mellow houser "To Prove My Love" and the catchy, pop-club outing "Could This Be Love We're Making." Not overly ambitious in scale, the songs here are spacious enough to complement the artist's thin delivery -- and simultaneously, the production is fun and doesn't overpower her. Offering a healthy dose of danceable, memorable ditties,
No Relations certainly doesn't match the vigor of 1981's
My Special Love, but it is
Jackson's most consistently enjoyable, full-length effort from the '90s.