Janet Jackson Velvet Rope CD

Personnel includes: Janet Jackson (vocals); Q-Tip (rap vocals); Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis (various instruments); Mike Scott, Dave Barry, O. Nicholas Raths (guitar); Vanessa Mae, Hanley Daws, Brenda Mickens, Michael Sobieski, Elizabeth Sobieski, Carolyn Daws, Leslie Shank, Daria Tedeschi, Jan Chong (violin); Alice Preves, Myrna Rain, Glen Donnellen, Charles Gray (viola); Josh Koestenbaum, Daryl Skobba, Dale Newton, Camilla Heller (cello); Ken Holmen (flute, clarinet, saxophone); Lynne Erickson (trumpet); James "Big Jim" Wright (organ, keyboards, background vocals); Gary Raynor (bass); Alex Richbourg (drum programming, background vocals); Xavier Smith (drum programming); The United Children's Choir (background vocals); Joni Mitchell.
Producers: Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, Janet Jackson.
Recorded at Flyte Tyme Studios, Edina, Minnesota.
"I Get Lonely" was nominated for the 1999 Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.
Personnel: Janet Jackson (vocals, background vocals); James "Big Jim" Wright (vocals, organ, keyboards); Alexander Richbourg (vocals, drum programming); Debbie Morrison, Alyssa Hanson, Shawnette Heard, Tina Landon, Kelly Konno, Miko Salone, Prof. T. (vocals); Q-Tip (rap vocals); Nicholas Raths, David Barry , Mike Scott (guitar); Daria Tedeschi, Liz Sobieski, Hanley Daws, Leslie Shank, Brenda Mickens, Jan Chong, Mike Sobieski, Carolyn Daws, Vanessa-Mae (violin); Glen Donnellen, Myrna Rain, Alice Preves, Charles Gray (viola); Dale Newton, Joshua Koestenbaum, Camilla Heller, Daryl Skobba (cello); Ken Holmen (flute, clarinet, saxophone); Lynne Erickson (trumpet).
Audio Mixer: Steve Hodge.
Recording information: Flyte Tyme studios, Edina, MN; Hit Factory Studios, N.Y., NY; Record Plant Studios, L.A., CA.
Photographers: Mario Testino; Ellen Von Unwerth.
Unknown Contributor Role: Miko Salone.
Where janet., Ms. Jackson's third blockbuster album, implied sexuality with its teasing cover and seductive grooves, its sequel, The Velvet Rope, is sexually explicit, offering tales of bondage, body piercing, and bisexuality. Not that you'd necessarily know that from listening to The Velvet Rope, since the album sags with endless interludes, murmured vocals, and subdued urban grooves. Working with her mainstays Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Jackson essentially reworks the hushed atmosphere of janet., neglecting to put a new sonic spin on the material -- for an album that wants to push the limits, it sounds surprisingly tame. Similarly, Jackson's attempts to broaden her sexual horizons frequently sound forced, whether it's the references to piercing or her recasting of Rod Stewart's "Tonight's the Night" as a lesbian anthem. Furthermore, the album is simply too long, which means the best moments sink into the murk. And that's unfortunate, because there are good moments on The Velvet Rope, but at its running time of 70-plus minutes and 22 tracks, it's hard to work up the patience to find them. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Where janet., Ms. Jackson's third blockbuster album, implied sexuality with its teasing cover and seductive grooves, its sequel, The Velvet Rope, is sexually explicit, offering tales of bondage, body piercing, and bisexuality. Working with her mainstays Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Jackson essentially reworks the hushed atmosphere of janet., without putting a new sonic spin on the material. With a running time of 70-plus minutes and 22 tracks, the album is simply too long, which is unfortunate, because there are good moments on The Velvet Rope. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
In her most personal and emotionally revealing album to date, Janet Jackson tackles subjects close to her heart, including homophobia, abusive relationships, AIDS, and sexuality. THE VELVET ROPE is deftly produced by longtime Jackson collaborators Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, who have a knack for injecting heavy, emotionally charged themes into musically flawless, stylistically innovative settings. The understated "Got 'Til IRolling Stone (10/30/97, p.67) - 3.5 Stars (out of 5) - "...there's plenty of emotional navel gazing here, but there are also moments of unsullied pop bliss....it's a testimonial to the record's merits that it's ultimately stronger than Jackson's sense of self-importance."
Spin (1/98, p.87) - Ranked #15 on Spin's list of the "Top 20 Albums Of The Year."
Entertainment Weekly (10/10/97, pp.89-90) - "...In the end, the most daring thing about THE VELVET ROPE isn't its sex talk but its honesty. Tempting as it may be to compare the album to similarly sultry stuff like Madonna's EROTICA, it's much closer in spirit to the unabashed emotionalism of Joni Mitchell's BLUE..." - Rating: A
Village Voice (2/24/98) - Ranked #24 in the Village Voice's 1997 Pazz & Jop Critics' Poll.