Reviews (page 6 of 8)
FUNKY. Love the instrumentation. Bass is bumpin, snare is tight, strings are immaculate, horns are bright. Had no idea Jamiroquai had pipes like this either, silky smooth. 'Hooked Up' could have been on a Persona soundtrack. 'Music of the Mind' is a wonderful interlude track. Fav Track: Too Young To Die
annoyingly catchy
Solid disco band featuring a white guy who sounds like Stevie Wonder. Unnecessary didgeridoo.
Pretty great. I could see myself being really into this if I was around at the time it came out. Still, it sounds distinctly very 90s pop
6,60
Napoleon Dynamite is my favorite movie of all time. The dance scene at the end with “Canned Heat” by Jamiroquai might be my favorite movie scene ever. By the way, this album isn’t very good. 6/10
Legal...não esperava q fosse assim
Mixed feelings - if I hadn’t heard some of the songs a million and one times I’d feel better about it :)
It's funky and it's fresh. It might not be traditional funk, but it's a fantastic blend of funk and pop that is entertaining most of the way through. It also uses the didgeridoo, which is so unique I gotta give it some extra props. Favorites were Too Young To Die, Emergency on Planet Earth and Hooked Up.
I did not dislike this album, but saying it’s just “we have Stevie Wonder at home” would be putting it mildly. I do like the use of the didgeridoo. This feels behind its time, but not in a “appreciating the classics” type way. Lyrics are also very surface level “deep”. Conclusion: it’s fine. Favorite tracks were When You Gonna Learn?, Music Of The Mind, and Blow Your Mind.
Surprised this was good!
Actually pretty good
A very unusual sound that I'm not used to listening to. It's been very unique among the albums so far. It's not exactly the kind of music I listen to, but again I can see how it became popular and is an important album. It's funny, listening to the music and especially looking at the album cover, I wouldn't say it sounds particularly 90's but I definitely get that feeling from the music videos. Favorite song: "Whatever It Is, I Just Can't Stop" Best representation of the album: "Revolution 1993"
This was pretty rad, but I think fundamentally I'm not a funk guy and it didn't strike a chord with me. I was definitely impressed and new it was good, but just wasn't feeling it. Album cover: D. Worst rating yet. It doesn't fit the sound of the music at all and it's not a compelling design.
I don't know. I get it. It's good? I guess. I can listen to a song and then want to move on. Some songs are way better than the other on this album (for me it's the ones with a faster tempo) 3 stars. Maybe it deserves 4. Maybe 2
There's a 4/5 in here, but it's too long. 3/5
I never got super familiar with this particular album, but it has some really strong tracks. Plus, Jamiroquai really helped put acid jazz on the map for mainstream success. He always strikes the perfect balance between jazz, funk, and soul.
A fine, if not quite forgettable album. Digeridoo was cool tho 👍
My reaction to this was mostly "Eh..." There were some songs on the back half that I was jamming to a bit more. I would say if this is not your genre, I think you could skip it. I don't know the genre well enough to know if this is one that others might enjoy, but it's not bad so maybe worth a shot.
This was a really solid listen. I've enjoyed Jamiroquai for a while, but this was the first time I noticed how much I'm reminded of Stevie Wonder when listening. 3.5/5
I am excited to check this album out. Now that I have much more respect for music, I now realize what style of music Jamiroquai is. When I was a kid, I did enjoy the single out on MTV, thought it was cool. First phew tracks are pretty cool.
Very groovy. Need to check out more.
Funky. Interesting. Overall pretty solid. 3.5/5
There's always been something that's never quite clicked with me and Jay. It's damn fine music though.
Неплохой альбом. Грувы и будто бы жизнерадостный такой жанр внезапно пересекается с серьезными и довольно тяжелыми текстами, что конечно же всегда интересно. Лучшая песня - Too Young To Die.
Was made for JK and Co in the 90s owing to their throwback sound. Not sure about the cultural appropriation in 2024, but, still some jams.
En koskaan oo pitänyt juuri tätä bändin parhaana vaikka tätä soudia diggailenkin. Vahva 3, lähellä nelosta! 3/5
A fun and funky time with a fantastic title track, but nothing too substantial on this debut record. Jay Kay (is that really his name) is trying too hard to sound like Stevie Wonder here and hasn’t really found his own sound yet
I'm conflicted. Music is great but it feels like a Stevie Wonder cover band.
Although my score isn't amazing I will say listening to this album changed my perspective on Jamiroquai. I always through of them as a poppy band that had some catchy, but rather lame, hits. Now I realize they are much more soulful than I thought, with some truly amazing instrumentals and a lot of inspiration from Stevie Wonder. Still, I am not a huge fan of the singing and was happier with the jazzier songs. A fun experience, but not an album I will revisit.
Super fun. Well made. But not particularly memorable. If I want this groove, I'm going to reach for Isaac, Curtis, or Stevie.
Enjoyable, but all the songs mesh together. Would listen again in the background, for sure.
There's a thumbnail for one of their videos on YouTube that is kind of low resolution and he looks like lewis Hamilton, which is weird
I like the genre and instrumentals, kinda tired of his voice a bit. Will I listen to again: 40%
There's some modern sense of am older style of music in this sound. Big band maybe? It's for some strength of composition from the layers of instruments being played, but overall for my taste this is a little too dancey. I'll give it 3 for talent.
The first track sets up this album very well, though I do think it's the strongest track. 3.5
Fun. Probably won’t look this up again, but an enjoyable listen for today.
Maybe 3.5*? I mostly liked it.
Surprised to discover that didgeridoo led songs bookend this album, and they're not bad...? I was also really surprised at how jazzy this album is - Jamiroquai at this stage are totally content to make 9 minute songs, or completely vocalless tracks, Which is good, because I do find Jay Kay's voice really quite irritating. There are none of the big commercially successful songs that I remember from the radio growing up on this album, instead just a pretty solid set of acid jazz inspired funk pop tracks. However I do still find the sound overall has a bit of tackiness to it, and I don't think there's many tracks here I'd actually actively want to come back to. Fave Tracks: Music of the Mind, Blow Your Mind 3.4/5
Pretty good. Not my thing but it's funky and not annoying
it was pretty okay but lacked oomph. no hits and nothing that stood out
Groovy album
Groovy disco soul. Played very well. The singer is alright but not great. Sound wise, there's a big hole in the mid range. It lacks warmth. I played this quite a few times in the past. I only remembered a couple of songs. Great background music. Favorite song: music of the mind.
Actually liked this way more than I expected although idk that I’m ready to give it a 4
I enjoyed this album a lot more than I expected to. I thought that the composition was very fun
I've always wanted to deep into Jamiroquai's discography, but having listened to this album and their grestest hits compilation made me realize I'm not that much into their music. Great singles though...
Who let Stevie Wonder get his hands on a didgeridoo?! 5/10
There were some nice grooves on this album. However, some were also too long. It was middle of the road but good background.
The first couple songs had me saying this is pretty good but then it started to repeat so that is why it’s a 3
Well I mean that was an experience. On the one hand it felt like total cultural appropriation bc the white Brit sounded like Stevie wonder and the lyrics reminded me of Bob Marley with all the social activism and stuff. I also felt like they were trying too hard to be socially relevant and woke before it was cool. On the other hand I thought they sounded pretty alright musically it was funky and alright. I also don’t understand why they’re on the list. They’re some second rate Brit funk wanna be and I didn't need to hear this before I died.
really like the funk/jazz sound, but.....after a few tracks they kind of start to blend together. and the double disc album is entirely too long. shame.
70/100 Fun & Groovy - What's not to like?
The funk/disco stuff isn’t really my thing. Fine in the background. Low 3.
Not bad - very 70s vibes, but with more modern instrumentation. The band never really grabbed me, and they're still not one of my go-tos, but I'm happy to let it play when it comes on.
Nice funky album but far too long. Just pick the best ~dozen songs and plop them on a single album. I've found now 800+ albums deep that double albums seldom are good. 5/10.
I think I always thought Jamiroquai sounded similar to Keane. Thought it might be because they both wear hats. Turns out the Keane guy doesn’t even wear hats. My world is crumbling
Very much of an era but undeniably smooth
Wasn't expecting to like this, I must have had a bad memory of a song or something from the band in the 90's, but on this album their funky, jazz sound was easy to digest and held it's own throughout. Though I'm no expert in the genre, it reminds me a bit of Stevie Wonder, circa 1970's. It's interesting and I think in the future, I can enjoy this in small doses and I will check out their other music and see if my tastes have "matured" since.
3.5/5
Good background tunes but it went a little long for me
Pretty jazzy but not great. 2.5
#271. I wouldn't say I'm a huge fan of disco or whatever it is this is, but this isn't bad by any means. Overall, I'd say my thoughts on this album are pretty neutral. It's fine. 3/5: acceptable
Too young to die
There’s better jamiroquai songs and albums, but this is a great start. Love the acid jazz type beats but also great lyrics and just a good time all around
3/5
Good stuff, but I'm always gonna wanna listen to Canned Heat or Virtual Insanity.
Obvious Stevie Wonder influence, but good.
Funky
Any album that starts off with some didgeridoo sounds is worth listening to. All in all not bad, but neither great.
I forgot how funky they could be. But. It feels like an extended series of jams, often with ad-libbed lyrics that you wish they hadn't put on record. So it feels like something enjoyable in a club for an hour but not as enjoyable for an hour in record.
Decent overall
Pretty good album with a unique sound. Strong start to a career that stuck to a similar sound throughout.
Still not sure what acid jazz is - but feels like an apt descriptor among many I've seen for this. Good, but didn't stick for me this go round. Revolution 1993 sustains some pretty incredible energy throughout. Awesome drumming on this and throughout.
Funky, not terrible. Not my style, so didn't enjoy it, but giving it the benefit of a 3 star rating because even for something I didn't love, it was still technically good.
Better than I expected, but less silly hats and treadmills.
I only really know Canned Heat, so it was interesting to listen to this debut album. Listening through I found it to be groovy and upbeat, without any catchy tunes I want to listen to again. I missed the revolutionary tone throughout the lyrics, only learned about that from the album review afterwards. On its own, the album was a decent listen. None of its songs are added into my playlists.
This was fun and funky, but I feel a little conflicted after reading the top reviews and learning more about the band. Idk. I feel weird now!
truth be told, i was kind of digging this album until i found out the lead singer was just a white guy (well, half British, half Portuguese) trying to sound like stevie wonder, using a band name with a lazy Native American pun, along with a backing band that may have just been white guys when this was released? it just doesn't look great on paper no matter how you slice it. not sure how people of color felt about this at the time or now vis-a-vis the spectrum of cultural appreciation to appropriation but i'm not really qualified to weigh in on it. as for the music, it's tight and funky with an electronic flair. some of the songs are pretty long and repetitive but it's great as background noise for sure. apparently the lyrics also have a social justice message but even after listening through this about 1.5 times i couldn't tell you a single one. all in all, a very conflicted album for me favorites: when you gonna learn, too young to die, emergency on planet earth
I don't think criticizing them for sounding like Stevie Wonder is valid, many musical groups emulate others who came before them. I think this has a more funky sound that borrows from 70's mainstream funk and does it rather competently but it lacks a depth that makes me want to comeback I do like that later album with virtual insanity a bit more.
It's hard not to be charmed by Jamiroquai and the iconic Jay Kay. Everything is groovy, slightly futuristic and psychedelic (for a 90's record), while still being comfortably stuck in the 70's. Along the way the band constantly, but ever so slightly, seem to loose more and more grip of the situation before the end almost collapses in long instrumental passages leading to nowhere.
This put me in a good mood. Particularly enjoyed Revolution 1993
I liked this album way more than I thought I would!
Who are Jamiroquai's people? It's funky and fun but inauthenticity is bleeding through the album.
3.5. Bit long but some gems on there
Cultural appropriation at its worst.... heh... ei ole kuullut britannia rock bändeistä 60 sekä 70 luvuilla jotka ovat nykyäänkin maailman kuuluisimpia bändejä ehkä koskaan...siellä on beatles led zeppelin, claptonia, viiden tähden saaneena...heh mustalaisen musiikkia varastettuana... heh... sosiaalista herääntymistä herralla vain pirskun verran hehe..... noh en ala puolustelemaan..ehkä olen väärässä.. ehkä vain oman kansan musiikkia saa tehdä... nuapurista kuulu se polokan tahti jalakani pohjii kutkutti.... musick of the mind
Very good! Funky, fun, and so unique. It's like jazz collided with R&B.
Todo el rato igual.
Thought I’d like this more than I did. Very Stevie Wonder-ish which I enjoyed/appreciated, but a lot of it sounded the same.
I mean, I know what they sound like, and it's alright, but on this list? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I enjoyed this way more than I expected. It’s aged pretty well, a very easy to get on mix of styles. More jazzy than I expected. A very solid album.
Pretty interesting take on funk and jazz, dig the didgeridoo. I'd listen again.
Pretty good. I wasn't amazed and I wasn't disappointed. It made for a solid album to throw on in the background when you want something upbeat and pleasant.
Rhythm and funk, just as expected from Jamiroquai. Easy listening, multiple albums including a few unique mix alternatives to the originals.
Interesting... wouldn't listen all the time, but pretty cool blend of styles and def neat album to dig into.
Stevie Wonder lite. Had a fun time with it and was grooving the whole time. Probably something I'll pick up again. I think my biggest issue is its use of similar sounds on the songs. Felt like it didn't explore the sounds possible from a clearly gifted group. While good, nothing pushed it over the edge for me.
Long af
I really like Jay's voice
Lots of fun jazzy sounds. No major hits but all great stuff. A really good listen.
Good album. The Stevie Wonder influence is all over this album.
+1 for accompanying me on a ride home from the pub post football, just music to cruise along on my bicycle to. -1 for a digeredoo starting and people cheering on the remastered version my streaming service gave me.
Emergency on Planet Earth is a great sound, loads of fun, energy, groove, style and swagger, and a reminder that Jay Kay has a top voice and delivery for this stuff. Travelling Without Moving has all the hits and rightly deserves acclaim but this is superbly put together and is basically impossible not to get up and dance to. A high 3 because I don't really think any of it will stick with me in the same way the big singles that followed did, though there are reasons outside of quality for that (and the first three tracks on here are stellar), but this is a stylish album worthy of inclusion.
This is quite fun, but I definitely don't love it as much as some of you do. It drags a bit towards the end of the album - there's not enough good stuff in Blow Your Mind and Revolution to warrant them being 8 and 10 minutes long. Don't know their music at all really, but sounds like a shame that we've got this album rather than the later ones that are maybe a bit more poppy. Fades away after a really good start, 3/5.
Already heard
Wel ok niet helemaal geluisterd
Good, but I'm not sure it actually represents Jamiroquai's greatest hits.
Some bangers but I think I just like the hits
Good jams but they all sound the same after awhile, lyrics are good.
Not my usual pick of genre but fun and funky!
Fun and funky
Humm. Foi legal ouvir, mas não escutarei novamente.
3 stars.... upbeat jazz.... English Funk and acid jazz
Funny that I had to read the reviews on this app to now realize how much of an influence Stevie Wonder was on Jamiroquai. The latter's hits were unavoidable on European radios during the nineties, you see (American friends in this group might not have been aware of the ubiquitous popularity of Jay Kay and his musicians across the pond at the time). Yet to me, what that band was doing was just cheesy commercial ditties with obvious earworm characteristics, never eliciting more than an ironic snarl on my part. Now that I've discovered Stevie Wonder's stellar seventies discography, I admit that I've started to wonder if I could take Jamiroquai a little more seriously. It seems so obvious now that this act was just following a soul-funk tradition I didn't know much about at the time. And since I've recently warmed up to said tradition, maybe it was for me to reassess what I originally thought about that act. The thing is, there will always be a huge difference between skillful imitators aping geniuses and the geniuses themselves. Stevie Wonder had a knack for incredible chord sequences and wonderful textures, at least in his run of gems starting with *Talking Book* and ending with *Songs In The Key of Life*. To be candid about what I think Jamiroquai were doing one decade and a half later, it's the sort of knack their musicians and composers rarely display, I'm afraid. What's missing is a truly creative spark going beyond the formula that was used for the two hit singles opening the album. The latter are still catchy jewels today, I'm not gonna lie, and there it does feel like Stevie Wonder could have written them (most singles from Jamiroquai's next two LPs also convey this sort of miracle, by the way--evidence enough that this formula was well-thought out at least). And the title track and "Revolution 1993" convey very intense and contagious energy at times--suggesting that Jay Kay and his mates might have been a treat to see live on a purely "technical" and performative standpoint. The rest is quite "meh", however. A lot of the compositions sound lazy to me, and so do a lot of the lyrics, as "conscious" and topical some of them try really *hard* to be. Worse, the instrumentation is often all over the place, with all sorts of innocuous and awkward funky licks on guitar, synths, horns and whatnot, all of which soon start to cancel each other, as if thrown onto the wall in a haphazard fashion, and therefore giving no rhyme nor reason to their presence in the mix. As a result, a lot of those jams sound interchangeable to me, and the vocals rarely elevate them to a genuinely exciting proposition. Stevie Wonder's seventies "deep cuts" very often had something thrilling or endearing or interesting in them. Here it's the contrary, up to the point where Jay Kay and Co.'s own deep cuts often borders on muzak (or elevator music). Finally, what I also found a little grating as I listened to this album was its relative lack of "identity", both on a sonic and a songwriting level. A lot of style, and not much real substance. You can't take Jay Kay's calls for "revolution" seriously, for instance. His music is too "happy-go-lucky" for that--and too formulaic, also, in spite of the topsy-turvy arrangements on it, very ironically. There's no real "tensions". No real stakes. No real... soul. Interestingly, this album starts and ends with a didgeridoo sound, in a somewhat vain attempt to create a distinctive "mood" that would go beyond the expected soul-funk-mellow-pop proceedings found everywhere else in the record. But as such, this colorful addition is merely a gimmick, and not an element making a lot of sense or leaving a memorable imprint in your mind. And this as supposedly "fun" and lively as the last track displaying that didgeridoo sound is. Like all the other gimmicks in the album, it's one that suggests the going-ons of a mind-numbing party pillaging "cool" ideas from the past without ever giving back something relevant in return. You can even end up doubting that real flesh-and-blood partygoers are enjoying this party, if you see what I mean. The album is *too slick* for that. And conversely, it's also too gratuitous and confusing at times. And those characteristics only add to the overall stifling effects of the music, unfortunately. Flesh-and-blood characters also need to *breathe*, you see... Really hoped to discover something I had missed for no valuable reason when I was younger (reasons going from snubbery to lack of openmindedness or sheer ignorance...). Maybe I still have those flaws and I'm lying to myself. Or maybe those flaws are *within* this record, and it's the old fans of the latter who just fail to see them for what they are. In the end, all I have is my subjective reckoning to solve this equation. And what my own reckoning tells me is that *Emergency On Planet Earth* is *not* an essential album--"cultural appropriation" or not, and as "professional" and "competent" as this record is overall. 2.5/5 for the purposes of this list, rounded up to 3. Which translates to a 7.5/10 grade for more general purposes (5 + 2.5). Number of albums left to review: 289 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 313 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 172 Albums from the list I won't include in mine (many other records are more important to me): 231 (including this one)
Not my favourite jamiroquai album
Seems good
I liked Hooked up and Emergency On Planet Earth. The other songs sounded pretty similar to each other.
Funky & fun.
Funky
I'm surprised how well I liked this given my vague memories of Virtual Insanity. Funny hat man was not a cool thing to like in my corner of suburbia. This album has some solid grooves and likely the century's best use of didgeridoo in a funk song.
Didgeridon't. Then again, I don't mind this. This is pretty good. It's like a really good Stevie Wonder impression? Is that it? Like enjoying the abilities of a tight band even if the music itself doesn't quite go all the way?
Funky
Good and funky, but not my thing after a while
Enjoyed the funk and rock throughout
Overall not a bad album, haven’t listened to many songs from Jamiroquai but this album had some decent to good songs. Some of the songs are only musically based and although I don’t have a problem with that, it’s just not my personal taste. If I Like It, I Do It is the best song on the album in my opinion.
3.1 Stevie Wondern't faves: when you gonna learn
Jazzy, groovy 90s pop from a band that had their 10 minutes of fame. Unique sound for the time and it pushed the boundary for other styles to be discovered. Fun listen.
HL: “When You Gonna Learn?”, “Too Young to Die”, “Music of the Mind” The *bass* December 23, 2023
Aside from an over abundance of didgeridoo, it’s a fun funky groovy record.
I liked this way more than I thought I would having only really known their one big hit. But I doubt I’ll put it on again anytime soon.
Goes on a bit - would give this is a 4 star if they had cut it to 35/40 minutes.
I've always really liked Jamiroquai's album Travelling Without Moving, so I was looking forward to listening to this one. Overall, I don't think it's as interesting of an album as it felt a bit repetitive, but I did still like it. "Didgin' Out" was the obvious highlight here.
Todo el rato igual.
Allmählich fühle ich mich schlecht, dass ich Album um Album nicht mag. Das hier fügt sich nahtlos in diesen Trend ein. Ich habe immer wieder sehnsüchtig auf die Uhr geguckt, in der Hoffnung, dass die über zwei Stunden Laufzeit der remasterten Version ENDLICH vorbei sind. Jazz mochte ich noch nie sonderlich. Acid Jazz macht da keine Ausnahme. Der Hauptgrund, dass Jamiroquai doch noch immerhin drei Punkte bekommen, liegt daran, dass ich den musikalischen und künstlerischen Wert der Musik durchaus höre. Mir gefällt das Gedudel halt trotzdem einfach nicht. Zwischendrin blitzt immerhin immer wieder mal eine vielversprechende Sequenz auf, die mein Interesse erregt und in meinen Ohren Gnade findet. Und Revolution 1993 habe ich sogar markiert, weil ich es mir irgendwann vielleicht sogar nochmal anhören würde. Aber zuerst muss ich mich von dieser Überdosis Acid Jazz erholen. Aus freien Stücken hätte ich niemals aktiv über zwei Stunden Jamiroquai gehört und ich möchte das auch so schnell nicht wiederholen. Als dezente Hintergrundmusik im Fitnesstudio oder einem hippen Café kann ich mir diese Platte aber sehr gut vorstellen. Fahrstuhlmusik mit Anspruch würde ich sagen. Sorry, aber zu mehr Begeisterung reicht es einfach nicht. Immerhin gefiel es mir besser als die meisten anderen Alben bis jetzt. Fazit: Gute Musik, aber ich mag sie nicht. Hoffentlich kommt demnächst etwas, was mich so richtig abholt.
A potpourri of esoteric sounds left to right, Jamiroquai do more than wear their heart on their sleeve with this album, whose title obtains attention grabbing status that is kept with the music within. The whiplash granted from the musical versatility would drive a listener insane after a while but it is worthwhile nonetheless. Favorites: When You Gonna Learn?, Too Young to Die, If I Like It, I Do It, Music of the Mind, Whatever It Is, I Just Can't Stop, Blow Your Mind.
Perfectly acceptable pop acid jazz. The sort of nice album I'd hate on principle when I was young and stupid.
Surprised to see this album didn't have Virtual Insanity on it. I do like Jamiroquai but it felt very much like you've heard one song then you've heard them all. Also he knocked up one of the All Saints.
I listen to a few of his albums, he has a unique sound, and especially voice. Groovy stuff, though not my absolute fav album by him.
Ahhhh Jamiroquai. Always the right amount of funk for a Tuesday afternoon. Fun sound. I imagine this is what a British wedding sounds like before Sweet Caroline but after Mr. Brightside.
Super nice melodies, interesting instruments and sound. Really like this album. I've never heard of these guys before.
Jazz
It's Jamiroquai, cool funk beats but sometimes the lyrics took me out of the vibes.
was alright, funky but you can see why the songs that became singles got picked as such, not gonna listen again
Some decent grooves, in 93 doing neo-soul or funk wasn't really a thing so at the time it was unique. Now not so much but I could see this being put on at setbreak so there's that.
Essential Tracks: Emergency on Planet Earth (Playlist) Too Young to Die Revolution 1993
I liked this but not quite enough to buy it
Easily the pop album I’ve heard make the most use of the didgeridoo. Not quite as earwormy as Jamiroquai’s later work, but a solid beginning.
Funky but not enough to make it great. There is something missing to really bring it together
There are some good tracks on here. Jay Kay gets a bit annoying after a while.
I am a fan of the funk sound! But two hours. Where am I driving to, Bath, ME or something?
It sounds like a soundtrack to a 1970's TV Cop show. It's pleasant... jazz funk R&B that though crafted in the 90's, definitely feels like a throwback. Though i don't find anything as catchy as what they put out later (Virtual Insanity), it is fine for the genre.
Cool jam album
This album was a pleasant surprise! I knew of Jamiroquai by name, but never really paid much to attention them. Very funky and jazzy grooves. Very listenable!
Jamiroquai always has a great clear sound that mixes well and can turn any background Playlist into a groove fest. But its just that, background. The music rarely goes beyond your template funk/soul vibe and the lyrics are a bit forced.
Not bad. Passable funk. Perfectly enjoyable.
There’s a didgeridoo song on this called “Didgin’ Out” that alone is great. This surprised me, it was fun, jazzy and funky. Jamiroquai is what Anthony Kiedis would be if he would stop being so pervy and annoying . This was fun 3 stars
Pretty ground breaking for the early nineties.
It's funk. It's disco. It's soul. It's Jamiroquai, and I'm always down. I hadn't heard this album, but it ain't too shabby. 3.5 stars.
same old story
Pop funk. You can hear the cocaine arrogance seeping through, but at the same time it's toe-tapping stuff. When I was a barman, I'd put on The Pogues when the pub seemed a little dull and everyone would spring into conversation. I imagine this would work for the same trick.
Whilst I still really enjoyed the hits, as an overall album, it doesn't quite jam. 2.5
Liked it more than I thought
Groovy, chill, bassy, spacey. A very fun listen. I already knew from limited exposure that I was into the acid jazz sound and this is just further confirmation. Best song: Music of the Mind
I hadn't heard of the band or heard any of their songs that I can recall, so it was nice to be introduced to them. They are an excellent band -- dang, they play superbly well! -- and I enjoyed the album. My only slight criticism is they sometimes sound too similar to Stevie Wonder to my ears, but I fully recognize that is my own perception speaking because I don't listen to a lot of music in this style so it's hard for my auditory mind not to compare anything like this to Stevie. Other than that, though, these folks are really, really good.
The thing I've always liked about Jamiroquai's (who, until today I thought was a single man named Jamiroquai) music was the lead singer's voice. His vocals are bright and funky, and go well with the music's similarly danceable vibe. Would've been cool to have danced to this during parties in the '90s! Standout tracks are When You Gonna Learn and Blow Your Mind.
A fun, funky party best left a little early.
Not a bad debut album.
its pretty good most of the time. Personally I think it outstays its welcome about 2/3rds of the way through the album but if this was your jam i dont see that being true for you.
Nice funky troll album. The title song is meta.
A good old fashioned funk/soul album that has some really bright moments. SOmetimes it feels and sounds a little old fashioned and dated but the music has real energy and a good amount of soul. 3.5 stars
I didn't know what to expect going into this and I was pleasantly surprised! They definitely brought the funk Albeit a little too long (both the album and some individual tracks)
3/5. A fun, albeit forgettable album of acid jazz. I would have thought this would hit all the right notes for me but just kind of drags in many parts of the album. Mostly danceable.
Loved this album in the 90's, but it's only just striking me what a Stevie Wonder rip off it is. Still fun to listen to though
Very funky, Stevie Wonder vibes on a few songs. The didgeridoo was a surprise instrument on a few tracks. Overall, funky, danceable music
funky jazzy acid band really nice sounds prefer it in 1.5x speed
funky, soulful, and straight up FUN album. crazy that is was their debut.
I didn't use to like Jamiroquai at all. I must say, this album pleasantly surprised me. However, towards the end, the songs got longer, more repetitive, until we finally reached the final track, which was plain awful.
I do like some Jamiroquai songs, but most of them are not on this album. Overall, this album just doesn't rise above 3 stars for me, even if it is very funky.
Lots of interesting little bits to enjoy. A good blend of paying homage to what came before but also being experimental. Not a big fan of the singer’s voice but musically this album is pretty interesting. Favorite track - Hooked Up Least favorite track - Revolution 1993
the best parts of this album sounds like stevie wonder and mario kart, and the worst sounds like funkier maroon 5. overall, decent.
Olaaaa surprising lots of different cadances and unique instruments quite good
Very funky. Not that engaging.
Funky funky
Not my favourite JK album, still a good listen though
I only knew of his hit Virtual Insanity and was too young at the time to really think much of it or pursue what the rest of his music was about. It is pretty good, his voice is very smooth, and it's an interesting combination of genres.
I'm didgin' out, Jerry!
Enjoyed the funkiness, but wasn't exactly blown away by this one! Fave song: If I Like It, I Do It Least fave: Revolution 1993
They have a great sound and it does take (me) a while to get into. Not sure I have really gotten into it yet. 3/5.
Meh
Sound s good. not my style.
Nice bass - shouldnt be in the 1001, but I still enjoy it..
What an outcast sound for 1993. Would have never guessed it was released that year. The album contains great moments, big basslines and tasty strings. However, it sounds a bit the same throughout, with nothing really sticking out. It was enjoyable, but not memorable.
I mean I like it a little the music is nice but some of the tracks drag 3/5.
Ehhh
Pleasant Stevie Wonder vibe. Music stronger than lyrics
Neo Jazz funk. There's a lot of aspirational Stevie Wonder leanings here and I thought I would dislike it but its pretty good as he experiments a bit. Great bass. I don't think it something I would follow up but a solid 3.3.
Decent album, some good tracks, but really drags at times.
nice!
Sommige liedjes zijn een beetje vreemd, zoals "Hooked Up", vind het moeilijk om dat te begrijpen. Verder wel nice opzich maar wel steeds heel erg hetzelfde (wat waarschijnlijk ook wel het genre is)
Jamiroquain musasta tulee kyllä aina hyvälle tuulelle ja tämäkään ei tuottanut pettymystä. Suuresti silti tuntematta ukkelin tuotantoa väittisin, että tuotannosta löytyy parempiakin levyjä?
my first thought was "is that a didgeridoo?", my second thought was "is this jazz? funk? disco? lounge?". The answers are yes and I don't know. I don't know how to categorize this but it's fun to listen to, a huge juxtaposition to the apocalyptic warnings of many of the lyrics. Some of the tracks ("Music of the Mind") veer too close to improvisational jazz for my taste but the album is nothing if not unique.
There are millions of better jamiroquai songs than these. Or at least two anyway.
Funky and groovy but found the lyrics did not stand out
Not bad, I hope other Jamiroquai albums will feature as this is far from their best
Generell guter Groove/Beat/Funk, aber es klingt alles sehr ähnlich. 3.4
Jamiroquai en general me parece agradable y ésta no es la excepción, sólo que tampoco pasa de ahí. Muchas canciones suenan igual y aunque no estorban tampoco ayudan.
I normally like funk but I didn’t really love this album.
Good acid jazz album with some funk elements. Doesn't really grasp me though
Great mix of funk and electronic. Singer has a fantastic voice, love the use of all the instruments.
I will not be tricked into a good mood! — quote from woman tricked into a good mood Not sure what the keys are trying to do during "Hooked Up", but I'm loving it Some really cool instrumentation (including record scratches and fun synths), but those strings did not need to be there and sound the way they did. The bass is really cool and fun
Okay
Funky, bit too long.
This album had a lot of funk. It was enjoyable for the most part. I didn't hate it and I didn't skip any songs.
I didn’t like this at first but the second half had me spellbound.
Eh
The day I'm so fucking sick I get this album. 2 Wait wth I thought this would suck. 3 fine
Emergency On Planet Earth was an ok listen, it was more funky and jazz-y than I anticipated from Jamiroquai, although it was filled with Jay Kay's signature voice. Having heard his later radio hits, this album is more experimental and feels like they have a freedom that isn't seen often. The didgeridoo is a nice touch that isn't often been heard, even in Australian popular music. Best: When You Gonna Learn? Worst: Revolution 1993
OK, not really my taste
Strong start but a bit pedantic towards the end
I've never heard of this one before. This album was also longer than the others I have listened to before. First side left me kind of meh. Side B absolutely slaps. 1. Revolution 1993 - Demo Version 2. Emergency Planet Earth - London Rican Mix 3. Too Young to Die
Nice laid back groovy soul all the way, although a bit anonymous here and there
Some bangers but as a whole mid range album
Fades into the background
This band has a funky acid jazz sound that is almost too consistent - difficult to differentiate songs.
I have never before heard JK sound so much like Stevie Wonder. Sometimes it is how you listen that counts. Now, let's storm the White house!
I appreciate the production and musicality, but not my jam.
Good album, don’t know if I’d listen to it multiple times. Funky though.
Unsurprisingly it's the first time I've sat down to listen to a Jamiroquai album. There's been a sprinkling of their songs throughout my play history and if I learnt one thing from this play through, it's that Jamiroquai is good in small doses. Each song is boppy enough but after a while it just gets grating.
funky
Fun and funky! The lead singer has such a distinctive voice with a great clear tone
Cool vibe! Liked the jazz undertones mixed with the very distinct 90s hip hop sound.
Pretty groovy
As far as this kind of funky genre goes, these guys in the upper tier for me. That said, I generally don't care for the genre. 2.5/5, which I'll round up to 3 because I like the hats.
The first few songs were quite enjoyable. It didn’t hold my interest until the end, but still fun to listen to. In the end, 3.5/5 rounded down
Had some good rhythms/sounds. Enjoyed it overall, though I wouldn't listen again. I love these artists that I've never heard of because I have NO idea what to expect when I hit play. Such fun!
Not everything from the '90's has aged as well as others.
Interesting
an intriguing listen! funk and jazz and soul. these genres combine beautifully, and i enjoyed listening to this album. and the lyrics, oof! "too young to die" in particular.
Bom.
Groovy background music.
Funk and jazz combined in a pretty trippy mix, with doomsayer lyrics: an recurring theme through the ages. The intro track: When You Gonna Learn is the most exciting song on the album and from there it is an alright but not thrilling listen. If it had been more trippy, maybe it would redeem or make for a more outstanding album but as it is, it is just alright.
Pretty good. better than expected
Some decent tracks but over all, it's not really an album I would put on for myself.
Perfectly serviceable psych-fuck. Sly stone would either be proud, or pissed that the brits are rehashing his sound.
Decent album. Sometimes a little poppy. Sometimes a bit jazzy. Feel like mixing it up worked or better instead of getting bored of one style. The singers voice is smooth and consistent. Felt like it was trying to do a modern take on Stevie wonder. Overall pretty decent. 6.0/10
Mine and many's first experience with this fella was in Napoleon Dynamite for the final epic talent scene. Very fun and quirky album. Even for 1993, these beats feel very fresh and almost every song could be danced to.
Every person's life is divided into two segments: the time before and after discovering that Jamiroquai's lead singer is not only a man but white. Anyway, they make great music; I don't know which would be their "best" album since I don't know them that well but I always enjoy what I hear, and this album is no exception. I will take slight points off for the frantic beat on Revolution 1993 that was so stressful I had to skip the track. Other than that, I dig it! Favorite tracks: Hooked Up, When You Gonna Learn, Blow Your Mind, Emergency on Planet Earth. Album art: Extremely basic, just the silhouette of the guy with horns. That's their logo though, I respect that. But this feels super lazy. 3.5/5
Sounds exactly like jamiroquai
Je comprends que c’est l’album qui a tout lancé pour Jamiroquai, mais Travelling Without Moving est le meilleur album.
Not a bad album but there is no outright awesome song. Gives me a Bruno Mars vibe.
This one was pretty good. I thought it was going to be amazing based on all the people who kept popping up everywhere saying that Jamiroquai was way more than just that one song and that people would be surprised if they listened to the whole album. I liked it, sure, but nothing was really as good as their major hit.
It becomes background music after a while. He has a better album. Cover art 4/5
I generally like funk; this is not the best that’s out there. I like the didgeridoo though.
goes on for a bit too long but nice album
solid
Best Ska album I’ve ever heard
Too extroverted for me. Eases up towards the end. These guys sure are having a good time though. I liked Blow your mind and Music of the Mind. Ha, they should not sing at all maybe? Solid 2.5. Flipping coin.
Stevie Wonder wannabe, 3 stars for funky grooves
Sympa mais pas trop mon truc
J'aime bien le style, mais redondant sur l'album entier.
This was a fine funk album from a white dude from London but nothing really stood out for me. The comparison to Stevie Wonder is not a surprise and I wish that he would mix up his singing style some more because all the songs basically sound very similar to each other.
2022.01.20
2.5/5 The album started good but at the end I lost my interest in it. All together it’s okay. Favourite songs: - Too young to die - Music of the mind
Jamiroquai se uvijek slušao u kući i ima posebno mjesto u mom srcu. Ali iskreno ovaj album mu i nije bas nesto. Dosta zaboravan
Ono što sam čuo - instrumentalno funky podmazano, nisam očekivao da ima takav glas, da može pjevati. Nemam ništa loše za reći, nekakav feel good dance album, nije moj đir iskreno, a i ne paše mi sada baš, međutim ne znači da je album loš. Prolazi, dobar.
Guter Pop-Funk, der aber irgendwann bisschen langweilt.
Lots of funky sounds. An artist I've never heard of before.
Great bass
Pretty fun album from someone who i only know about because of a cool video and a song that some nerd made a dance routine to. This album has neither of those songs but its good.
1993. When You Gonna Learn?, Music Of The Mind
What if Stevie Wonder but young, hip and playing didgeridoo? I have an inkling that this isn't even Jamiroquai's best album but it seems like these albums are all about what was most influential. So along comes this UK band doing something very cool with a sound that was previously what your uncle and his mates with the funny cigarettes grooved to. And there's a didgeridoo, which somehow legitimised it for every busking backpacker trying to get beer money.
I've heard singles from Jamiroquai but never an entire album. The vibe is definitely similar throughout though. The unique instrumental flourishes like the didgeridoo really add to it.
Funky, not really a thing I'd listen to on a day to day basis, need to be on a specific mood
Astronaut looking at earth with gun to his head meme. It was jamiroquai all along. Jamiroquai were pretty much the first band I got in to when I was about 11 or some other pre pubescent meaningless age. So in all this time asking who is going to ease me into jazz I had already worked that one out before my balls had dropped. All sounds extremely noncey this write up. Maybe that's the influence of Jay Kay.
Jay Kay and his silly big hats, eh? What a wild time 1993 was.
Underwhelming
okay
6/10
Hadn't heard this in years. A decent album, but went on a bit.
Take the piss but this is a great white-guy-does-Stevie jam if you let it play.
I like Jamiroquai, I just like his other albums more
Surprisingly fluid and muscular, very slick and polished. Owes a lot to 80s Brit funk of course. I enjoyed this more than I thought.
Buenas canciones con un toque perfecto de Jazz en ellas.
fine
Funky, yes. I liked their 1997 album better.
Cool, clever and mediocre Stevie Wonder impersonator who reintroduces 70s soul and funk with a touch of cabaret theatrics on the album. Good rhythms and creative arrangements (especially when using horns). (6/10) Favourtie Tracks: When You Gonna Learn?, Blow Your Mind, Whatever It Is, I Can't Stop
Jazz Fusion pop
27th September 2021 Uaed my new headphones to listen to this while working. Jamiroquai's a funny one, I don't know anyone during the 90s who was doing what he was doing. He kept funk and soul relevant.
Really expansive and interesting. jK phoned it in later in his career but this period sounds fresh.
Some fun sounds on this album, I wasn’t familiar with it but the artist name sounded familiar for some reason.
A very impressive debut album that wears its influences on its sleeve. Felt it was very consistent but repetitive at the same time and enjoyed it while realizing it's not totally for me. 3.5 rounded down Saved: When You Gonna Learn?, Too Young to Die*, If I Like It I Do It, Emergency on Planet Earth
There’s some nice tracks on here (Blow Your Mind is a highlight) and a decent example of acid jazz. Is this one for the ages, though? Are there better examples of the genre out there. Yes. Is there a lot of filler in this album - yes. Are you going to enjoy hearing this on a sunny day outside with you friend as it plays in the background? Sure, why not?
Ik vind het niet zo leuk om naar te luisteren
I hope I don't offend anyone when I say that I was dumbfounded when I looked up Jamiroquai and found out the main vocalist is not a black woman. In any case, Jay's voice fits well with a sexy sounding and forward-thinking piece of funky jazz, though the quality greatly differs between tracks. Standouts are Emergency on Planet Earth and Blow Your Mind. 3/5.
A me piacciono i Jamiroquai. Li ho anche visti dal vivo (Sziget 2008), bravissimi, e Jay Kay ha uno stile inconfondibile. L'unica cosa è che non sono mai stati in grado di fare breccia nel mio cuore completamente. Di quest'album non ci sono canzoni degne di nota o che mi hanno colpito particolarmente, che rimane solo un piacevole ascolto.
Non penso di aver mai ascoltato un disco dei Jamiroquai dall'inizio alla fine prima di questo. Davvero sfizioso, c'ha un groove fantastico e il batterista c'ha un tocco davvero invidiabile (tipo su Revolution 1993) ma un po' tutti sembrano musicisti con le palle. I pezzi sono un po' influenzati dal genere e rischiano di passare un po' in sottofondo certe volte però quando parte l'incastro fatto bene fa partire il fomento. Diciamo che per me è un 3.5 che non mi sento di promuovere a 4 solo perché artisticamente forse i contenuti sono un po' pochi anche se è un disco che risentirei volentieri.
Bass lines were the highlights, I guess this counts as Disco?
Singles great but some filler in there
got boring pretty quick. I liked the vocals. ok. would have to be in the mood to listen again - maybe more back ground music vibes ?
Good listen. Great energy. Funky and jazzy. Didn't really get into any of the lyrics, primarily political? I was digging Revolution but then it drug in way too long. Several songs were just too long. But not bad.
solid 3, this was a fun listen. Nice to hear something from him other than the big video hit.
Very Jazzy