Jamiroquai occupy an odd space in the British public consciousness. Their 25-year career has been sustained through a thrilling combination of catchy funk hits and the undeniable charisma of leading man Jay Kay. Furthermore, their first three albums - which were reissued several years ago - are stone cold modern classics and sound as fresh and full of ideas today as they did in the ‘90s.
Yet they aren’t a particularly well-loved band. Sure, they avoid the outright hostility that Simply Red, U2 and Coldplay seem to provoke, but they also fail to inspire the devotion that those bands do. The typical impression one gets from British music fans could be described as a begrudging respect. Their new album, ‘Automaton’ demonstrates why.
The lead single, Automaton, is a stadium sized sci-fi disco anthem, rich with EDM synths and swirling strings. It’s the best single the band have released in 15 years, and shows real expertise in songwriting, arrangement and production. It's also a fine update of the band's sound, which has too often slid towards retro novelty in more recent albums.
Other standouts include Dr. Buzz, Carla and Nights Out in the Jungle, but for the very different reason that these songs sound like they’ve been formed out of jam sessions. Despite imperfections (the scratches on the latter just sound dated), they give the record an experimental, improvisational integrity.
The second single, Cloud 9 is standard post-2000 Jamiroquai fare: funky grooves pounding through retro flourishes and a romantically empowered lyrics. Interestingly, the video acts as a sequel to the 1996 song, Cosmic Girl, which featured the band speeding around Spain’s Cabo de Gata-Níjar natural park in search of the eponymous heroine of the title. In the Cloud 9 video, a now solo Jay Kay finally finds her in the form of the actress, Monica Cruz. They dance (brilliantly) and in the early morning hours, he speeds off in his austere, classic sports car.
Jay Kay’s well publicised obsession with cars, in addition to the transformation of Jamiroquai the band into Jamiroquai the backing band, reveal why people are lukewarm about the group. These factors suggest unchecked vanity and a degree of complacency in musical direction that is borne out in much of the rest of the album. Tracks like Hot Property, Something About You and Superfresh are excellent cuts that are written, produced and performed with real expertise. But they lack charm, youthful fun and vulnerability, elements that seem to have evaporated over the years.
And that, perhaps, is the secret to understanding ‘Automaton’. It’s a good album that doesn’t make emotional demands or take new creative risks. Crucially, one of the things that defined Jamiroquai’s early work was a political itchiness in the singer: a poetic anger (think: When You Gonna Learn or Virtual Insanity) that can trace a lineage through Marvin Gaye and James Brown. But you can’t really do that hanging out of a supercar. For all the intelligence the music lacks depth, and it will probably never return.
Jamiroquai Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Fri June 23 2017 - LONDON O2 Arena
Sat June 24 2017 - LONDON O2 Arena
Thu November 02 2017 - MANCHESTER Arena
Sat November 04 2017 - BIRMINGHAM Barclaycard Arena
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