Lat Toya's music career is the perfect example of nepotism in Hollywood. I'm not saying she couldn't have succeeded in the industry on her own merits. However, it's obvious that her name and connections to her family got her foot in the door with little to no effort. Regardless, once you're in the spotlight, you still have to stand on your own merit. She was the first of the three Jackson daughters to strike out for a music career, and though she ultimately wasn't the most successful of the trio, she managed to release several albums between 1980 and 2011.
Heart Don't Lie wasn't the singer's first album. Rather, it was her third and follow up to 1981's, My Special Love. The title track would lead the charge, staying in heavy rotation on MTV that year, and ultimately become her most memorable track.
Probably one of the most interesting aspects of the album are the many guest appearances. These include Musical Youth, Shalamar's Howard Hewett and Kool And The Gang. Of course, since it's a Jackson project, there's also songs which feature Marlon, Tito and Janet.I can't tell if this was a middle finger or not to her family, but La Toya lays down a cover of Prince's Private Joy, and quite honestly, it's not bad. It may be more enjoyable than Prince's version, which is no small feat.
After hearing this album, I'd be lying if I said La Toya's album wasn't pretty good. There are a handful of tracks which stand out as better than the others, but overall, it's not bad. She definitely earns her own stripes, and while it wouldn't last long for her, I could see myself looking into other albums from her to see how they stand up in comparison.
I honestly don't have anything negative to say about Heart Don't Lie and recommend you check it out if you're in to 80's R&B or have a general interest in any other music from the Jackson family. It's a solid contender.
I fully expected to be ragging on this album left and right in this post. Call me solidly surprised and happy that this wasn't the case. Kudos La Toya. Your name may have gotten you a recording deal, but your music and talent stand on their own.
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