Album Review | ‘A Funk Odyssey’ by Jamiroquai

Jamiroquai brings funk into the 21st century

Jamiroquai’s style, often called acid jazz, blends several Black styles from the 1970s, most notably jazz, funk, and soul, with traces of blaxploitation soundtracks and infusions of disco grooves. They also garnered plenty of attention for the political nature of their lyrics, more noticeable on their earlier albums. A commonly explored topic is questioning what humans are doing to Earth itself, through all manner of their activities.

Jay Kay, the group’s sole mainstay, has reluctantly noted that people prefer songs to dance to and hinted at record company pressure to shift the focus to lighter themes:

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As the only remaining member of the group’s foundation and lead singer, Jay Kay is often seen as the physical embodiment of Jamiroquai. His eye-catching dress sense, his magnetic Prince-like charisma, his love for fast cars, and several physical altercations made him a popular figure in the press, becoming a figure of some celebrity, far beyond that afforded by his lyrics and vocals, his more relevant cultural contributions. While he may come across as irreverent, he remains earnest in his pursuit of creating the music he loves. He evidently thoroughly enjoys his art, drawing on his own beliefs and experiences to pen heartfelt lyrics that continue to resonate with audiences.

An important part of Jamiroquai’s appeal is their visual aesthetic. Between Jay Kay’s ever-changing headgear and several unforgettable music videos, they formed a clearly identifiable image right from the beginning in the early 90s. While their chart success may have peaked in the late 90s, when hits like Cosmic Girl, Virtual Insanity (and its iconic video), Canned Heat, and Deeper Underground contributed to their popularity, 2001 saw the release of their fifth album.

Jay Kay, courtesy of MusicTech

Stepping into a new millennium, the group had evolved from the loosely defined acid jazz of their early albums, with their third and fourth albums sliding more into 70s funk and soul. Fifth time around, A Funk Odyssey brings us on an intergalactic journey, embracing its space theme with a sometimes whimsical, tongue-in-cheek, multi-layered approach, seemingly never taking itself too seriously on the surface, all the while dealing with severely serious topics when you dig deeper.

The album takes off with Feel So Good as Jay Kay launches his spaceship, gleefully describing his transformational journey with a futuristic, danceable tune featuring zooming keys, thudding bass, and catchy guitars. There might not be much to it, but it gets the party going. All too often, albums open with a flat number; A Funk Odyssey is an example of the opposite: They don’t go with their strongest cut but provide a solid opener that gives the listener a good idea of where the sonic voyage will take them.

This song then blends into Little L, aurally teleporting us to a late 70s discotheque with snapping percussion, gurgling guitars, and orchestral swirls. Jay Kay laments the end of a relationship, expressing his frustration with his partner’s indecisive, inconsistent behaviour, with the lingering suggestion that it might not be entirely over. Meanwhile, he is downgrading his own feelings by de-capitalising his love.

The track that follows is the complete opposite, a tribute to a new love backed by a breezy, summer groove. You Give Me Something rolls into life with Jay Kay’s understated vocals and a simple guitar riff. The lyrics capture his euphoric fascination, his vocals rising in line with his romantic headrush. After the desperation of Little L, we see a Jay Kay revived, having found an invigorating slice of joy.

Corner of the Earth is an abrupt tempo switch, starting off with rousing horns and strings before slowing down and settling into a slick bossa nova groove. The music is haunting and charming, but its understated nature allows the listener to focus on the song’s message. Jay Kay is at his most poetic, describing his peace with the world and his enduring connection with nature, expressing his contentment and unity with his inspirational surroundings:

The wind it whispers and the clouds don’t seem to care And I know inside, that it’s all mine It’s the chorus of the breakin’ dawn The mist that comes before the sun is born To a hazy afternoon in May

Love Foolosophy provides another twist at romance as Jay Kay attempts to seduce with a self-deprecating tone. It features an upbeat, rolling riff and an uptempo groove. Perhaps wary of earlier experiences, he doubts himself, embracing the role of a hopeless romantic, now newly-entranced by his latest object of desire, though uncertain of the balance between love and lust and its mutual reciprocation:

She shimmers like a California sunset Lady lady, glitters but there’s no gold She carries sweetly infectious magic formulas I’m so delirious, is she that serious? Or is she bringing me on, I’ve been waiting so long

Stop, Don’t Panic returns to the space sound with another turbo-charged electronic, futuristic tune detailing the singer’s waves of anxiety. A duel between the racing guitar and booming keys catches the rise-and-fall of a panic attack, finally relaxing as the singer reassures himself by accepting the song’s advice.

Black Crow is a mellow contemplation of what nature thinks of humankind’s single-handed destruction of the planet we share, returning to a familiar topic of seeking natural harmony. Jay Kay asks the titular bird for their take on what man is doing to the world and their prediction. His repeated pleas go unanswered as the song winds down, ending on a sombre note.

Main Vein is this album’s crowning achievement. It is a slow burner. The band builds tension with rolling guitars and horn blasts, blended with swirling strings. It ramps up as Jay Kay comes in, bravely and fiercely addressing the criticism, then dismissing it almost paranoically, resolving not to be fooled anymore. The music rises in intensity and power, matching the defiance of his affirmations. After several minutes, the song then descends into a calmer vibe, as he embraces his position, deciding to stand firm and promising to continue as he has done until now.

Twenty Zero One is another stop on the space voyage with its fast-moving futuristic sound, while the lyrics explore the possibilities and limits of technological development, likening it to an addiction, a nervous and concerned prediction, familiar territory to their 1996 hit Virtual Insanity.

Picture of My Life revives the smooth bossa nova vibe which underpins the brutally frank lyrics as Jay Kay opens himself up to the world, revealing all his pain, emptiness, doubts, and his search for answers. This is juxtaposed with what follows: So Good to Feel Real, a chirpy, uplifting tune in which Jay Kay now flows in the opposite direction from the previous tune, singing stream-of-consciousness lyrics. On the CD pressing, this was a hidden track, contained within Picture of My Life, giving the whole track a bipolar feel.

Courtesy of Amazon

This is an album that is a lot of fun musically. While the title announces its quest, they go on a journey through several styles, successfully trying out bossa nova and the more reflective soul of Black Crow. However, they stay true to their mission, and these sidequests are sprinkled throughout a funky album that looks to the future, at times sounding like latter-day Parliament or Daft Punk.

The lyrics come at the listener from all angles. On the more danceable songs, like Feel So Good and Twenty Zero One, they are reeled in and stripped down, while on others, Little L and Main Vein, they reach a bit further. For balance, the lyrics take on greater depth on the slower songs like Corner of the Earth, Black Crow, and Picture of My Life. Through his lyrics and vocals, Jay Kay’s real journey brings us through the gamut of human emotion: the different stages of love, fear, anxiety, and depression; infectious, bounding joy; and even contentment, all intertwined with a carefully crafted sound. Different songs shift the focus from lyrics to music, but the listener is provided with a satisfying whole.

Music is one of my biggest passions, and I regularly write about my favourite groups and albums, as well as more general music-related pieces. You can find these listed here.