Read Review of The Return Of The Space Cowboy by Jamiroquai
Review Summary
About the Author
Funk-Infused Modern Soul Ala Jamiroquai
Apr 09 '02 (Updated Apr 10 '02)
Pros Great reinterpretation of classic funky soul.
Cons Light years. Boring beats at times.
The Bottom Line An acquired taste, Jamiroquai shines the brightest on The Return of the Space Cowboy. Be prepared for a throwback.
Full Review
The hip-hop, jazz, alternative vibe from London’s own Jamiroquai took a bit of time to catch on stateside. Jason Kay’s soul-infused vocals backed with the band’s groovy take on music was an easy sell in England. Americans on the other hand are a bit more fickle.
Formed in 1992, Jamiroquai has released five full length albums of original material to date. Led by vocalist Kay and rounded out by keyboardist Toby Smith, drummer Derrick McKenzie, bassist Stuart Zender, and Wallis Buchanan on vibraphones, Jamiroquai released their first album in 1993.
Emergency on Planet Earth is a primer of sorts to understanding the band. It’s dance hall groove and textured rhythms help to push this somewhat socially conscious album to the number one position in Britain. Eventually going platinum (yet remaining unnoticed in America), the band’s debut effort was assumed by some people to be the thing that one-hit-wonders were made of as a result of the beats that seemed to lack much diversity or depth.
Jamiroquai shook off any criticism with their explosive sophomore effort. 1995’s The Return of the Space Cowboy rocketed to the top of the British charts and went platinum quickly upon release. Once again, the upbeat tempos, groove-injected rhythms, and Kay’s smooth jazzy vocals helped to make the album a success commercially and at times critically. The album speaks about various social ills, but the message is lost in the urban dance beats.
Americans were finally exposed to Jamiroquai upon the popularization of the band’s third album…1996’s Travelling Without Moving and infectious tracks like Virtual Insanity and Alright. More recently, the British wunderkinds unleashed 1999’s Synkronized and 2001’s A Funk Odyssey upon the world. But, in my somewhat sheltered mind at least, Jamiroquai was the more impressive musically between the years between 1993 and 1997.
The Return of the Space Cowboy is most notably marked by songs like Space Cowboy, Mr. Moon and The Kids. Kay’s Stevie Wonder-smooth vocals are impressive while the mix of Buchanan’s vibes is unique to Jamiroquai and what has helped the band to be more than just a minor flash in the pan. Borrowing from soul of the 1960s and 1970s, the album is soothing and controlled at times while funky at others. Overall, The Return of the Space Cowboy is a better than average album. Brilliant? Nah…too retro, and too borrowed but fun nonetheless.
Who could have possibly guessed that a white boy from England could sound so significantly like Stevie Wonder on songs like Space Cowboy. The modern take on soul by Kay and the gang is refreshing yet a major throwback to thirty years ago. Quite an impressive homage to the genre that seems truthful rather than cliché. Space Cowboy is a great track to begin this album.
Kay’s wailing vocals on Half The Man are once again impressive. It’s easy to imagine Jamiroquai as having been on the scene years ago. Improbable as it may seem, they instead are making old fashioned vibe soul today. Half The Man seems to lack some drive, in part probably as a result of the strange infusion of Latin music. If this is an example of ‘bad’ music from the band, then the album is on the whole quite good.
Manifest Destiny is an example of one of the band’s politically charged songs. On first listen, the message isn’t easy to discern over the smooth soul. But, upon further inspection (and some knowledge of American history) it’s easy to figure out that Jamiroquai is speaking about the atrocities committed upon Native Americans during the country’s colonization west. The message is important and astute, but slips by as a result of the strange presentation and at times barely audible lyrics and vocals from Kay.
The loud, upbeat and raucous beats of The Kids is a welcome release from the mostly soothing tracks on The Return of the Space Cowboy. I’m most impressed by Jamiroquai’s ability to be musically relevant yet have fun at the same time. It’s a natural sound, not forced and certainly not dated…despite the repeated musical references to soul and funk thirty years ago.
With the drum line in the beginning of Mr. Moon reminding me a bit of Funky Cold Medina from Tone Loc, the track actually ends up being a continuation of the refreshingly funky soul presented on the rest of these tracks. But, by the time this track appears on the album I find that the sound has become less interesting. What was first novel about the album is now old and creased.
Oh, and the final song on the album Light Years is no exception to my ongoing distaste for live tracks. The album could have been better by simply omitting this piece of self absorbed crapola that proves exceptionally difficult to listen to.
I do like Jamiroquai, but it seems to be an acquired taste. The Return of the Space Cowboy consists of twelve songs that blend into one another. At times the tracks are entertaining and fresh while at others they seem recycled and lackluster. Overall, this album is arguably the best of the band’s career, although I do still hold on to the hope that Jamiroquai will one up themselves and throw together something even more lovely.
Track Listing:
1. Space Cowboy
2. Stillness In Time
3. Half The Man
4. Light Years
5. Manifest Destiny
6. Kids, The
7. Mr. Moon
8. Scam
9. Journey To Arnhemland
10. Morning Glory
11. Just Another Story
12. Light Years - (live)
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As I’ve already mentioned, Jay Kay fancies himself as the second coming of Stevie Wonder. But, Jamiroquai as a whole is sonically similar to contemporary bands like Stereo MC’s (cue ‘guilty pleasure’ music), The Brand New Heavies, and even at times the underrated Robbie Williams.
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