Consumer Guide Album

Jermaine Jackson: Don't Take It Personal [Arista, 1989]
As he turns 35, the 5's original teenthrob undertakes to fill little brother's shoes. Having dominated songwriting as well as lead vocals on the family's 2300 Jackson Street, a perky piece of disposable pop-funk that failed to go gold, he's forced to hand-pick black-crossover hacks from Surface to David Z on his (huxtry, huxtry) "first solo album in over 3 years." A mild-voiced journeyman whose heyday is 10 if not 20 years behind him, he's equally bland as love man (title hit promises they can still be friends) and stud (though he does thank six foals on the back cover). Docked a notch not just for muttering, "Hey baby, I'd like to buck you," but for having some hired b-boy chime in with the requisite "Word." C-