With this record, Jamiroquai have completed their transition from the beginnings of U.K. acid jazz to a disco-funk outfit whose songs reference some of the best parts of pop-soul and disco-era rhythms. Supplementing Jay Kay’s usual setup with a healthy portion of horns and strings, the songs are led by the punchy riffs of the band, with Jay-Kay’s smooth vocals bouncing over the top. Though mainly painted on a disco-funk backdrop, this album moves through a lot of different genres, with some heavier rock elements mixed in with happy reggae and Caribbean percussion, all on one song.
It gets occasionally cheese, as with the embarrassingly Tom Jones-esque “Two Different Things,” but when it works there are some good classic tracks and some standout ones laced with originality. “White Knuckle Ride,” the first single from this album, is pure, referential disco groove, like something straight out of the late period Kool And The Gang catalogue, and “All Good In The Hood” lays down a thick, powerful groove that thumps along, actually sounding a little too similar to the band’s 1999 hit “Canned Heat” at times. But “Hurtin” is a righteous, funk-rock song with confident wah guitar and breathy vocals leading into a party-starting chorus, and “Lifeline” is a mix of many styles, kicking off on a stuttering riff led by strings before breaking into a pop-soul verse and a happy, horn-led bridge. The album works well when it gets it right.
KEY TRACK: “HURTIN”