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Jamiroquai's career for the past twenty years has been a long and curious one. First starting out as offering one of the few funk/soul based musically genuinely based in live instrumental productions with heavy songcraft and arrangements,the band gradually shed members at the end of it's first decade and relied more on heavy production and dancibility. Their previous studio set Dynamite was not 100% up to their standards. And a compilation released not long after only featured two new songs. Seemed Jamiroquai was over. Newer bands/soloists had arrived to fill the void they left. Taking several years between the last few album releases have given them a chance to figure out what kind of music they can deal best with. And that it might just be possible to extend on their peak period without looking embarrassing. Now Jay Kay has reuped with a new Jamiroquai band that's quite a bit larger and self contained than the original including bassist Paul Turner,guitarist Rob Harris,keyboardist Matt Johnson and original member Derrick McKensie on drums along with a horn section and backround singers.
On this album Jamiroquai have a sound that doesn't have much to do with the sound of their earlier recordings. And certainly not the previous two. While Jay's voicals,whether due to his hard living past or overeaching vocally over time,is continuing to lose the range and volume it once had the material here is unique and diverse. Sure the digeredoo sound is of course long gone. What is here is a sound that,overall blends Jamiroquai's funkier and more soulful influences with stronger elements of singer-songwriter and pop/rock. The upbeat title song and the pretty ballad "Blues Skies" are basically built around acoustic guitars. "White Knuckle Ride" and "All Good In The Hood" are the kind of Rod Temperton/Steve Arrington influenced sophistifunk Jamiroquai have always excelled with. Again,both have a somewhat subdued undertone even still. The arrangements of "Smoke And Mirrors","She's A Fast Peruader" and "Hey Floyd" are a reminder of the type of polyrhythmic "united funk" style instrumental power they were always able to insert into their sound.
While "Hurtin" does,to an extend replicate the sound of "Virtual Insanity" a little other songs such as the mildly 70's light rock influenced "Lifeline",with it's almost Beatle like refrain as well as "Two Completely Different Things" and "Goodbye To My Dancer" return to the singer-songwriter type pop funk of the title song. It all rounds out with another smooth groove in "Never Gonna Be Another". Lyrically Jay is resolving a bit of sewing his wild oates with this album. Not only that but as much of a return to form in terms of live instrumentation it is,the production is rather subdued by Jamiroquai standards. In some ways it's a return to the form of their first four albums. On another end it actually represents a completely different group-a more understated and somewhat adult Jamiroquai. Not sure if this is the end of the band,since they have signed to a new label or the start of a new beginning. Hope it's the latter. The band and their creative vision are more than worth it.
- Audio CD (November 9, 2010)
- Imported ed. edition
- Number of Discs: 1
- Format: Import
- Label: Mercury Uk
- ASIN: B003ZSH606
- Average Customer Review: 80 customer reviews
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