Your Love Is Surreal

Janet Jackson “Rollercoaster” – Much of Janet Jackson’s music since the late ’90s suffers from the singer’s overcompensating exhibitionism. She’s told us — and showed us — so much about her kinks that the topic has become a total bore, especially as she made it the the focus of virtually everything she does, including her latest record. She’s still rebelling against her good girl image, and for what reason? Among her catalog of fantastic hits, the best always conveyed her sexuality in the context of sweet come-ons or full-hearted romance. I mean, for example, isn’t it so much better to fill-in in the blanks on a song like “Escapade” and surmise that she wants to take her boyfriend to some sort of fuck colony, instead of just flat-out singing “I want to take you to a fuck colony”? Subtext is a nice thing!

Unsurprisingly, the best song on Jackson’s new record Discipline is decidedly PG-13 in tone. “Rollercoaster” rides a subtly throbbing, slightly aloof Rodney Jerkins beat and sets a fairly standard “your love is like a rollercoaster” sentiment to a vocal melody that vacillates between a gentle coolness and a non-cloying sweetness. There’s a great deal of negative space in the track, and so the piece feels extremely light and smooth, like a musical approximation of soft-serve ice cream. The song doesn’t need to be coy — it’s open and sincere, like a good crushy pop tune ought to be, especially if it is being sung by Janet Jackson. (Click here to buy it from Amazon.)