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Geuze
Joined: 16 Dec 2003
Posts: 184
Location: Finland
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 Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2010 14:57 |
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A review from Finland. Published today in Helsingin Sanomat, the biggest daily newspaper in Finland. The reviewer is considered as a high standard music critic. But of course in the end - it's always a one man's opinion. The text below is translated from the original.
Jamiroquai: Rock Dust Light Star (Mercury 2010)
"17 years have passed since Jamiroquai 's debut album and the first breakthrough. Over ten years ago the first doubters began to wonder if the band and its only visible member Jay Kay had already offered all that there is to give.
You can wonder and doubt, but Jamiroquai has always had it's audience, and so here we have the band's seventh album Rock Dust Light Star. Jamiroquai haven't shuffled the successful pack of cards this time either. The outcome stands out as a carefully controlled pop music, with some extracts from soul and funk music from past decades that give the needed swing and cadence for the album.
The basic format is colored with a disco beat of White Knuckle Ride, the rock riffs of Hurtin' and with a couple of ballads. It's a familiar course comparable to previous albums of Jamiroquai.
It is difficult to decide which ultimately makes Rock Dust Light Star only a humble listening experience. Maybe Jay Kay's eternal mannerism, maybe the house-trained arrangements and playing altogether. Or maybe, after all, it is the total unsuprising and risk-free realisation, which floats above the music, as the clouds in November.
The ending track Hey Floyd wakes you up for a moment with it's Philly-soul which turns to reggae and slides back with a clang and a drama. But it's a pretty cold comfort."
Stars: **
Credit: Ilkka Mattila (Helsingin Sanomat) 04.11.2010
Original link:
http://www.hs.fi/kulttuuri/levyt/artikkeli/Jamiroquai+Rock+Dust+Light+Star/1135261407581
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Space Clav
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Joined: 21 Nov 2005
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| Posted: Sun Nov 07, 2010 20:56 |
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Swedish review - Expressen : Anders Nunstedt
Original link: Expressen.se
3/5
In the wonderful novel 'One Day' by David Nicholls one of the main characters are hanging with the drummer from Jamiroquai in some chapters. Not to point out how cool or successful he is, rather the opposite. Almost 20 years after the debut 'Emergency On Planet Earth' the cred status of Jamiroquai closer to nil. They have never been so far from qualifying for the annual 'Cool List' of the NME.
They could probably not care less. Jamiroquai indeed happened to be trendy when they made their breakthrough in the middle of the Acid JAzz boom, but they have really never adapt their sound for what's hip for the moment. Jamiroquai sounds like they've always done. The same strutty retro mix of discotheque soul and funk hat.
And speaking of funny it sounds better than in a long time. Jay Kay doesn't try to hide his love for Stevie Wonder, whom the Englishmen were an opening act for. 'Hurtin'' is certainly a maddening rock jam, but other than that 'Rock Dust Light Star' is quivering from soulful charm and British hi-fi funk. It's not a record that will change pop history, not at all of course, but it is unexpectedly appealing.
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Space Clav
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| Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 20:38 |
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Swedish review - Nerikes Allehanda (Meny) : Sara Haldert
Original link: Nerikes Allehanda (Meny.nu)
2/5
ACID JAZZ/FUNK. 14 years have passed since 'Virtual Insanity'. I liked that album. Since then I've grown up and moved on, but Jamiroquai haven't.
And nothing wrong with that. The band, with Jason Kay and his weird hats leading the way, continues to deliver competent funk on album after album.
It's well polished, well executed. But boring. Like a sleeping pill, although without the side-effects.
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Space Clav
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Joined: 21 Nov 2005
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| Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 21:58 |
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I've found 8 Swedish reviews so far. Some of them are quite harsh, one is pretty brutal, almost abusive. I'm not translating that trash. You could always translate with Google translate if you are interested and can tolerate the rather odd English output it generates. It's not much cheerful reading though. 
Links to the remaining 6 reviews and their scores:
Maja Bredberg @ Nöjesguiden.se 3/6 (readers vote 5/6)
Ralph Bretzer @ Arbetarbladet.se 3/5
[url=http://www.barometern.se/noje_o_kultur/recensioner/skivor/jamiroquai(2169847).gm]Henrik Rydström @ Barometern.se 3/5[/url] <- This url seems to be bugging the forum software. With the usual [url][/url] BBCode the entire post looks empty in a preview.
Özgür Kurtoglu @ Gaffa.se 3/6
Roger Bing @ Kristianstadsbladet.se 2/5
Johanna Karlsson @ Nya Wermlands-Tidningen 2/5(NWT.se)
Who listens to critics anyway? I think they're like a club for mutual admiration. Belittling the successful and famous people whom they are envious of.
Bah! What do they know? Bitter besserwissers (possibly with failed pop/rock celebrity dreams of their own) on a powertrip deciding what's hip and not in music biz today... people can actually hear for themselves what's good and not. Get a real job w*nkers! 
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Sunnyday
Joined: 19 Sep 2010
Posts: 144
Location: Netherlands
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| Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 22:13 |
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O what an annoying reads those reviews Space Clav! Well, it's just what you say; it's a person's individual opinion, often I think based on how the writer himself wants to be percieved to the outside world... so their writings don't say anything to me really. I listen myself to whatever I wanna listen to and decide myself.. who cares about what someone else thinks?  |
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*LeeLoo*
Joined: 28 Jun 2008
Posts: 113
Location: Barcelona, Spain
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| Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 22:18 |
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I read very few music reviews, almost all of them in the 20 minutes and other free papers; and I've suddenly aware that never I've read a positive critic. Normally the person who write those always find all wrong, not like his colleague from the videogame reviews, who tries to find the good thing of all. Pretty biased them two. 
Also, I find that de fans reviews are further better than those written by "professionals". 
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Dye
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Joined: 16 Nov 2003
Posts: 5146
Location: Planet Home; Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Chief Big Smoke
Joined: 06 Nov 2010
Posts: 15
Location: United States
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Andrew
Joined: 26 Oct 2004
Posts: 1015
Location: Australia
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Vincenzo89
Joined: 01 Oct 2005
Posts: 360
Location: Naples, Italy
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| Posted: Sun Nov 14, 2010 13:46 |
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Trying to do something really poppy and groovy, and pretending that you’re 21 years old, is just not the right way to do it. And also we had to get out of that box of being the disco jazz-funkers – that wasn’t the box we wanted to be in, so we had to break out. I think we did that quite well with this record.
I don't like these word... why Jay think that ? |
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BlackCapricornDay
Joined: 01 Oct 2010
Posts: 34
Location: Surabaya,Indonesia
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| Posted: Mon Nov 15, 2010 05:27 |
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you (i mean we) don't like those words because he sounded like leaving old jazzy Funky JMQ heading to more rock-like JMQ
Me, i like these words :
"I have hairy German kids"
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Sandriche
Officer & Jamily Coach
Joined: 07 Oct 2005
Posts: 5564
Location: Austraria
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| Posted: Mon Nov 15, 2010 05:47 |
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| Vincenzo89 wrote: |
| " And also we had to get out of that box of being the disco jazz-funkers " ( |
I think Jay wants to have this creative freedom..
It was discussed before if Jamiroquai are a pure Acid Jazz /Funk band and the answer is NO.
They always combined different styles and were looking for new sounds.
They changed from album to album and they have a lot of funky disco elements but also reggea elements, soul elements, rock elements..
and I reckon it´s great.
it keeps the music interesting!
thanks for sharing the article! good read
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Dye
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Joined: 16 Nov 2003
Posts: 5146
Location: Planet Home; Buenos Aires, Argentina
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| Posted: Mon Nov 15, 2010 14:05 |
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You have clear examples of bands that never let the sound go, and stayed in that 'jazz-funk' box: Brand New Heavies, Incognito. Great bands, for sure, but they didn't really tried anything different. They always play on 'safe mode'.
So, I think Jay's confidence and pursuing new sounds, is what elevated Jamiroquai from being just an acid jazz band from the early 90's.
We wouldn't have straight disco songs like Canned Heat if it wasn't for that. So I'm happy they are trying new things. And, luckily, everything still somehow has a Jamiroquai feel to it  |
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matutevip
Joined: 26 Jul 2006
Posts: 185
Location: Capital Federal, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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| Posted: Mon Nov 15, 2010 17:42 |
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| Quote: |
You have clear examples of bands that never let the sound go, and stayed in that 'jazz-funk' box: Brand New Heavies, Incognito. Great bands, for sure, but they didn't really tried anything different. They always play on 'safe mode'.
So, I think Jay's confidence and pursuing new sounds, is what elevated Jamiroquai from being just an acid jazz band from the early 90's.
We wouldn't have straight disco songs like Canned Heat if it wasn't for that. So I'm happy they are trying new things. And, luckily, everything still somehow has a Jamiroquai feel to it |
I agree with what dyego said. Besides if Jamiroquai played in "Safe mode" (as diego says) and stayed in the jazz-funk box they wouldnt be worldwide famous as they are, and they would be a band like the heavies and Incognito are, awesome bands but not a Hit.
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Vincenzo89
Joined: 01 Oct 2005
Posts: 360
Location: Naples, Italy
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| Posted: Tue Nov 16, 2010 23:59 |
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| Dye wrote: |
You have clear examples of bands that never let the sound go, and stayed in that 'jazz-funk' box: Brand New Heavies, Incognito. Great bands, for sure, but they didn't really tried anything different. They always play on 'safe mode'.
So, I think Jay's confidence and pursuing new sounds, is what elevated Jamiroquai from being just an acid jazz band from the early 90's.
We wouldn't have straight disco songs like Canned Heat if it wasn't for that. So I'm happy they are trying new things. And, luckily, everything still somehow has a Jamiroquai feel to it |
Yeah, i think i'm changing my mind with your words... it's j
ust my opinion but i think that a lot of the new songs aren't of the same level but i'm not talking about different style . For example Butterfly (ballad) Use the force (latin / acid jazz) Where do we go from here (funk) they are all different in syle but anyway i feel that is 5 star quality music... i can't think the same of Blue Skies , Hurtin or Hey Floyd good stuff but NOT THE SAME LEVEL! maybe it's just me, i prefer the OLD style and i simply can't judge ... |
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