Janet JacksonThe Velvet Rope

Her darkest, most personal record, a deep look at depression and loneliness wrapped in moody, experimental production. "Got 'Til It's Gone" floats on a Joni Mitchell sample with understated cool, half-spoken and slinky. "Together Again" soars into a euphoric house anthem for friends lost to AIDS. "I Get Lonely" drips with quiet desperation, every breath audible. Includes the hidden track "Can't Be Stopped." Bruised, sensual, and braver than almost anything else she cut.