Damita Jo Appreciation Post (22 years on)

33yo queer white guy from Australia here. I used the internet to deep dive into music to relate to when I was younger. R&B was one safe place and when I stumbled across The Velvet Rope back in 2009, I never looked back as far as Janet's music is concerned. I did a deep dive into her discography and found I preferred The Velvet Rope, janet. and Discipline as albums back then. I listened to everything post-Control.

Almost 20 years later, I find myself revisiting a lot of 1990s/early 2000s R&B (not just Janet) and re-listened to Damita Jo for the first ever time in about fifteen years. I am shocked as to how well this record has aged, how it might actually be up there as one of her best - maybe not subject-wise, but still an excellent feat of a pop R&B record.

To me, Damita Jo is an amazing concept album with great production and some really cohesive, lush tracks with some of her best vocal layerings and arrangements. It's quite cohesive as an album but also experimental, pop-friendly and funky as fuck when certain tracks hit - the tracks that got me first (2009-era) were Strawberry Bounce, I Want You and Like You Don't Love Me. All pretty safe, mostly singles.

After returning to this album this month, I realised completely overlooked most of it. Warmth and Moist especially - both amazing tracks. I've learned to appreciate All Nite (Don't Stop) as time as gone on. Plus R&B Junkie and SloLove were tracks I am shocked did not appeal to me on earlier listens - both are and will remain on heavy rotation. What I really enjoy about this album is that there is a lightness to it and a celebration of intimacy and I feel it's the summer escape fantasy we all deserve. She does good sex very well and this album, for me, proves that after some uneven attempts on All For You.

Knowing that this album was released one month after the 2004 Super Bowl makes that it was overlooked all the more tragic. Yes, I may be suffering through a bitter winter but I wanted to share some really deserved and overdue appreciation and love for this (yes I'm going to say it) R&B/pop masterpiece. I would love to hear any thoughts others might have on this - or even recommendation for sonically similar albums!