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Jamiroquai – Rock Dust Light Star (review)

Nov 8, 2010 Blogging Bee, What to listen to
Posted by beebux

Rock Dust Light Star
They say good things come to those who wait. This quote takes all its meaning when a band re-emerges from the past and makes you feel like the last time you heard any of their albums was just yesterday.

“Rock Dust Light Star” is the 8th album of Jamiroquai, “home” recorded after 5 years of a needed break (Quoting Jay Kay). Its cover screamed, no genre, no category, no boundary, take the old, remix with the new and play it from your heart. The result is a groovy, funky rendez-vous with Jazz and Rock.

The music flow from track one till fifteen is an absolute bliss and a journey into many worlds. It’s a musical gem to every musician searching for complex yet simple arrangements. It’s rich in melodies, bass lines and techniques, as well as interesting dimensions yet unexplored by the band in any recording yet.

There’s a notable jazz progression in all the arrangements, much more present than the older albums to my ears. You’d tell me it’s funk, yet there’s something more to it that I have to transform into words, and I can’t figure out how. The Rock approach is, to my taste, the cherry on top of this album. It’s like we’re back to the roots of things, well balanced saturated guitars and wild wah’s. Less electro-ish-ism and more acoustic approaches might be a winner combination.

Every track explores new horizons and changes the weather around you in seconds. The funky  grooves of “All things in the hood” meets mellow “Blue Skies” and “Never gonna be another”‘s beautiful wavy feel. “Lifeline” combines Lenny Kravitz with a Chicago-Musical-Like big band, who wouldn’t want to jam over that, smiling guaranteed. Jamiroquai’s touch and feel are always here, reminding us of the good old times in “A Space Odyssey”. “White Knuckles Ride” is one of them. “Hurtin” represents exactly what I stated about the Rock part of the album, it’s a minimalistic track that will make you want to sing along and clap your hands to.

I could write million of lines on this album, but I have to keep it short and concise. Overall, this album is just a must get, a must listen to even if you’ve never listened to any Jamiroquai before. It’s a brand new and fresh bowl of beauty that will make you groove, swing and explore new worlds. You’d be missing on a lot if you don’t.

This rainy Parisian day was the best day to write this review, since sunshine warmed up the room! I invite you to do the same and do share what you think of the album.

Grab your copy of Rock Dust Light Star

Tags: Album Review, jamiroquai, rock dust light star