Customer Reviews

High Times: Singles 1992-2006

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I dare you to throw this CD on and not move. The pure funkiness on this album is so pervasive that you'll be gettin' down with it in no time.

Jamiroquai has been around for a long time! And I was surprised by how many of the songs were semi-popular. They've been consistently good for quite awhile, which is hard for a group to do.

You could argue that buying the individual albums is better, but that gets expensive. You could also argue that some of their best songs are missing (Mr. Moon, one of my favorites, is missing). But for a compilation, this is about as good as it gets.

Plus, the two new songs on here, at the end, fit in perfectly. They are just as good and funky as the others. Jamiroquai (Jay Kay) write great catchy songs with catchy choruses. Somehow they never get cheesey though.

I don't like giving 5-star reviews normally, but this one warrants one. The entire album is consistently enjoyable and danceable. This is top-notch funky white-boy disco soul! Highly recommended.

If you are like me, your first exposure to Jamiroquai may have been something along the lines of 'WTF with the crazy buffalo hat'? Other acceptable associations are: 'nice voice', 'wow, my chick really loves this album' and 'sounds like disco'. As Jamiroquai grew on me, I think the initial phase of my acceptance was one of the more interesting - reconciling their popularity and style as an offshoot to rave culture (via acid jazz), yet their organic vibe and funk simply defied the rigid constraints of popular dance music in the early 90s.

Through the years, Jamiroquai have proven themselves as a band capable of longevity by evolving in a very fluid fashion. Always an outfit with a intensely distinctive sound, they have drifted unapologetically between various production styles and modes of songwriting all while being respectful of the essence that garnered them a strong following in the first place. What this best of really highlights is a band that started out with a groovy pimp strut and only continues to gain confidence in their walk over the years.

Face it, if you don't dig what they're about, I'm not going to change your mind. As with any artist, there are points of critique that could be lobbied but the idea is that any one of the songs off this album, when juxtaposed well with a similar song by a soul, funk or disco contemporary, is going to hold its own: this is a great compliment to your party mix on shuffle in other words. "High Times" definitely nails the focus of what Jamiroquai does - bouncy, funky, fun music that sounds genuinely inspired. It's a great springboard to the rest of their collection as well: if you happen to find yourself drawn to one era or another via a song on this album, you are going to know exactly where to start.

By the way, the two previously unreleased tracks, "Runaway" and "Radio" are sure to please, both are class tracks that compliment the rest of this collection well. . . I'm just loving "Radio" in particular, great turnaround hook in the chorus and rock-funk movement of the track is sweet.

In conclusion, my hope is that a similarly well thought out collection of remixes is released on CD as a compliment, seems like a remix best of could fill two discs easily.

I am so glad I bought this CD with JAMIROQUAI's best hits (and plus some "extra" bonus songs are included).

If you like the sound of a sort of combo "jazz-rock" Cd then this is the one for you. JAMIROQUAI is a great band. It`s hard to truly define their sound, but whatever it is ,... it's GREAT!


As I said before, this band is a combo jazz-rock with a bit of alternative thrown in. The lead singer is AMAZING! The other band players are absolutely amazing too.

If you get this Cd, you wont be able to stop your feet from twitching to their beat. FUN!!!!!!

PS: if you have seen NAPOLEAN DYNAMITE then you will recognize track # 11!!---LOVE IT, and so will you!

Man, I've been a fan of Jamiroquai since the first album, technically because I heard the first single from the second album first. Then, while at The Fugees concert waiting for Goodie Mob to start the show back in 1995 in Boulder, the theater was playing, "Emergency..." over the sound system. I was like who the hell is this singing?! It reminded me of some stuff old heads used to play when I was younger. Cool vibe to it, but couldn't pronounce the name. Well, the classics didn't stop there, evidentially, because High Times is one of the BEST best of collections made! I bought it because of the more edgy single version of "Space Cowboy" and it's the unedited version! After my first listen, I went back and pick one CD I didn't like very much and realized I didn't give "Funk Oddessy" hardly a chance. I can't get "Love Foolosophy" outta my head and it was on that album. I'm givin' another chance. The last two songs on here are the new joints and maybe a glimpse of what's to come from Jason and the band. This is an excellent collection of singles and I hope to hear more from them soon.

BTW, if you've ever heard of Vaughn Mason (mostly known for a cut called "Bounce, Rock, Skate, Roll,") try listening back at that cut from back in the day and tell me Jay Kay don't sound a lot more like Vaughn than Stevie Wonder. It would make more sense, too, because that was a funky disco jam. It's okay to compare Jay with the legendary Stevie, that makes him great, also. Just listen to the song and leave me a comment or two.

A quick recommendation for you to listen to if you haven't heard 'em yet. Check out a '70's band called Real Thing, also from London. These guys, I believe, may be one of Jamiroquai's biggest influences. I listened to the best of album yesterday and was impressed. Didn't know much about them until now, but the second CD in this anthology is really good! Pick it up, you won't be upset. Children of the Ghetto: The Pye Anthology

This is one hell of Funkdified Adventure...Jay Kay is one of the most interesting characters i've ever run across...compare him to many but pin him on none. This entire collection is Funky, Danceable, and sad at the fact that Jay Kay ( Lead of the band) has apparantly quit the music buisness sighting a loss of his inspiration and a longing for a famliy, namely children. This is by and far the best collection of Jam's hits, an overall if you will...yes a true is going to buy the individual albums, no one will blame you. My only complaint is that a few tracks were cut short namely "Alright"...but it's cool, i have the single. Lyrics are a bit out there but very honest and the music has BALLS, they weren't trying to be like every other group and they've had staying power...hopefully we'll see the return of the space cowboy...my fav's are "Virtual Insanity", "Alright", and "little L"...o'h who am i kidding i LOVE the whole thing!!!

Because Jamiroquai such an album oriented band I didn't think 'High Times' would make much sense.So often CD's such as this are released as a contractual obligation gimmick,forcing a fan to duplicate many songs to purchase a couple new tunes.'Hight Times' is not the case.Even though this is a greatest hits of sorts,it isn't-or a best of.Jamiroqui are barely 15 years old so this isn't inteneded as any kind of ending,no more then Janet Jackson's similar 'Design Of A Decade' project was a decade ago.All of these songs are single edits,shorter and differing musically from the versions on the regular CD's.As a result the featured versions of "Emergency On Planet Earth" and "Space Cowboy" are drastically different (and actually far funkier) then the album versions.This only features one song from 'The Return Of The Space Cowboy',the band's sophmore release and considered their finest.'High Times' will also save casual fans from having to purchase the bands last CD to date 'Dynamite',an inconsistant recording best known for it's hit singles represented here.As for the two new songs,both are terrific."Runaway" (the 'hit' song) actually brings a little of the 80's production style of ABC and early Spandau Ballet,rather then J Kay's constant reliance on the 70's.And it's got that great hook that only this band can offer."Radio" is one of the great radio-themed songs out there and is,as far as I am concerned Jamiroquai's most successful experiment in rock,certainly a better fusion then the silly "Black Devil Car" from 'Dynamite'.So rather then being a CD Jamiroquai fans should avoid,this is actually something worth picking up if you already have their other seven releases.

Just unwrapping the package is a fetish experience. And then sinking into Jamiroquai's delicious funk, remembering old hits, now with a twist (these are different versions), is so cool. If you're a true fan, you just gotta have it. If you're new to Jamiroquai, this is also a great compilation, with the bonus of the remixed versions.

Jay K is a musical genius, and, this compilation cd proves it. My nineteen year old borrowed this cd, to put on his Ipod. That made me feel so cool.

This review is written for the fans. You have all of the other songs on this album, but why buy the CD? The two new songs are AWESOME! I am especially a fan of "Radio" - it is the sexiest tour de force about a threesome ever made. Granted, I am NOT into threesomes, but there is something about Jay singing, "Three's not a crowd, I'm a man, I'm a man". This song totally turns me on. Get yourself into the mindset before listening to it. Then, "Runaway" is just a great song, nothing hidden, no secret messages - just a great song. I can't wait for what they (or just Jay) comes up with next. Yes, you can download the songs "elsewhere", but give Jay and the band the benefit of the doubt and fork out the bucks for this album - it's a winner - and while you're at it, get the video DVD too, it rocks and has some videos that are hard to find. ENJOY!

I first noticed Jamiroquai when MTV was playing the Virtual Instanity video from Traveling Without Moving. I was first blown away by the video itself because I am not the type of person who can watch a video repeatedly unless it is extremely unique. I was secondly surprised because a lot of white singers don't sing like that in America. Jay Kay has one of the most unique and soulful vocals I have ever heard. I was finally blown away by the band itself. After doing some research, I purchased Traveling Without Moving and every album before it. I also purchased every future album. It was interesting listening to how they changed over the years. I still don't understand why America has not embraced this band on a larger scale. This band has given me another outlet of music to listen to outside of Rap, R&B, and Neo-soul. Thank you for a breath of fresh air.