Better than her last efforts.
At least there are two really good songs on this disc...'Feedback' and 'Rock Wich U.' That is more than her last few discs offered up (i.e. 20Y.O. = Enjoy and Damita Jo = All Nite). Yes, those tired interludes and wispy-voiced songs are still there. I was going to buy tickets to her concert today but then figured it would be same old show (inflatable-storybook set, dry humping a male audience member, crying on a stool, etc..) Janet really needs to learn some new tricks.

"No Control" is more like it! Far too much "Discipline" for Janet.
After gaining "Control" on her 1986 album, Janet totally loses it along any help from longtime producers/writing partners Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis on "Discipline". In fact, look at the liner notes. Janet calls none of the shots here (apart from being able to contribute writing to only one interlude....and she only probably wrote four words of..."Four Words"). Janet is totally out of control on this one and has to play producers/writers pet over a mostly tepid pop/R&B album.

The promise of a return to more dance numbers is actually untrue overall as "Discipline" has some club stompers but mostly is weighed down by soft/mid tempo R&B written by men and about being in love. A practice in humble but ultimately heart warming female subservience is found on the light ballad over a rocking guitar is found on the Jermaine Dupri written "Never Letchu Go". It's hard to tell who is more desperate to hold on to the relationship....Janet, under the coos of "If something is broke/let me go and fix it/if something is lost/let me go and get it" or the writer Jermaine, who felt the need to be in the role of admired. Much less successful musically and thematically is the "Greatest X". It's familar terrority for Janet (the much pleasanter "Thinkin' Bout My Ex" on DJ said these things already) but it feels strange for yet another male writer to have Janet sing about how she still has feelings for someone else. It's a gratingly boring track. "The 1" is totally listless mid-tempo R&B with Missy in a useless, vulgar guest rap. But I guess it sells. "Can't B Good", which is being serviced to Urban AC radio, is a fine ballad but ulimately been done.

"Feedback" truly is the greatest hit on the album. Witty lyrics, dynamic singing and strong beats provide Janet with one of her most memorable hits in years. It is a Janet classic. "Luv" has a nice club feel, while "Rollercoaster" is childish pop garbage. The slinky "Rock With U" is club ecstasy but the much prompted "2Nite" is a predictable dance track that is a reminder of upbeat tracks from "All For You", but lacks a good punch as Janet seems faking enthusiasm and the repetition bogs down the track.

The album's intro promised an interesting premise of a Janet speaking with a computer "person" (Kieko?) and almost treating the album like a pre-recorded journal. However, there is nothing personal about this album that is written by male producers. And as a producers album, it is backfires. "Feedback" gets truncated where the radio version let the beats ride on for a minute or so after the vocal ended....what kind of producer's album does that? How in the world does a radio version end up being longer than the album version (and it's not like this is a long album). Also, it lacks consistency. There are so many things that "Discipline" could have or should have done instead. If it was going to be a dance album, go for it! It sort of follows the programming of the forgettable and/or despised "20 YO". Front load the dance tracks, then mid tempo, then ballads. Even though "Feedback" sounded so cool and different, it's an album that ends up for the most part playing it damn safe! It mostly R&B when Janet showed such promise on DJ by working with Euro dance producers. The only attempt at experimentation with euro dance beats is "So Much Betta", a beyond dubious duet with Keiko over borrowed beats that combines usual robotic vocals and an unexpected attempt at vocal gymnastics as Janet attempts at the end with Janet trying to sound sincere about being so much betta than any other girl. It's thankfully short but will leave you with a "WTF" look right after. So people loved this track, but ultimately, it is more evidence of Janet being controlled by those who think they know what is best for her to do. The theory is that the reason for Janet not being able to contribute to the album as anything but sining and possibly a name (although, a slightly tainted one) is because Def Jam wanted to have total control and make an album that would appeal to the masses. Thus the title "Discipline" being beyond fitting. However, I think if Janet is left to her own devises and can write about things other than being in love (but also not limited to just her recent status as an outcast due to conservative politics, either) and with being allowed to work with others than just "stable" names in R&B, we just might get that interesting record from her. Surprisingly, since underselling in recent years, Janet albums have been coming out quicker and quicker. The gap between "20 YO" and "Discipline" is ONLY a year and a half....maybe a record for Janet. Maybe, though, she does need to take more time and care on the next one. "Discipline" doesn't deserve to be totally dismissed as it has by some who have not even listened to it yet. Many people who keep complaining but did not listen suggest that it is too sexual. But only the title track, a not surprisingly erotic but not awful throwback to "Velvet Rope" tracks, even hints at being explicit. It has some winning tracks but also a fair share of filler material ("What's Ur Name" is mid tempo boredom). But considering we are talking about a woman who gave us some of the best pop/R&B albums of the eighties and nineties, we expect better.

An improvement from her recent efforts.
First of all, I wouldn't consider this a full on comeback album but thats not a bad thing. It has some of the best dance songs to come around in a while.Disipline has a futuristic feel to it instead of the bland r&b that was "20 Y.O" which is good she needed a change of pace but the one thing that still hasn't changed was the sexual overtones which seem to be all over her newer music but its nowhere near as explict as Damita jo was. Greatest X is probably her best song in YEARS! It would definitly chart if released as a single.
Over all id say its a good record to listen to but its still not strong enough to push janet to the top again but shes going in the right direction. Shes just not quite there yet.

DISCIPLINE
Absolutely love this CD. I would recomend it to any Janet Jackson fan out there.

Hot Bitch
I LOVE JANET'S C,D DISCIPLINE IT IS A FUNKY UP BEAT CD WIRH A MIXTURE OF SLOW SONGS AND FAST SONGS LOVE IT IF YOU DO NOT HAVE IT PURCHASE IT ASAP!!!!!!!!!