Jay Kay's Hat Game Can't Save Jamiroquai from Lack of Substance
The 90s acid jazz scene is still celebrated today, but it seems the original crowd-pleasers aren't quite as fluffy and oversized as they used to be. Jay Kay, the sole founding member of Jamiroquai, drew a crowd eager for three decades of his music in Glasgow last night. But despite his impressive hat collection – he wore four different headpieces during the performance – the live show couldn't compensate for a lack of substance in the setlist.
The band's reliance on flashy production often gets lost when translated to a live setting, with sweeping strings and beats from tracks like "Little L" and "Canned Heat" getting drowned out by the mix. However, there are some bright spots – Jay Kay's impressive vocal range is still intact after 30 years, as showcased in early single "Too Young to Die." The more laid-back arrangements of "Seven Days in Sunny June" and the live instrumentation added a bit of vitality to these tracks.
Unfortunately, the overall polish of the performance can't make up for the absence of depth in many of the songs. Tracks like "Cloud 9," which aims for gospel vibes but falls flat, and "Tallulah," with its funk elements but lack of sensuality, feel more like facsimiles than genuine experiences. The band's tribute to disco also feels half-hearted, lacking the transcendence that made the genre so iconic in the first place.
Despite this, Jay Kay and his band will likely continue to play these songs competently for their devoted fanbase, who won't need conversion. But for anyone hoping for a truly immersive live experience, Jamiroquai's legacy act status is a reminder that sometimes polish isn't enough – substance matters.
The 90s acid jazz scene is still celebrated today, but it seems the original crowd-pleasers aren't quite as fluffy and oversized as they used to be. Jay Kay, the sole founding member of Jamiroquai, drew a crowd eager for three decades of his music in Glasgow last night. But despite his impressive hat collection – he wore four different headpieces during the performance – the live show couldn't compensate for a lack of substance in the setlist.
The band's reliance on flashy production often gets lost when translated to a live setting, with sweeping strings and beats from tracks like "Little L" and "Canned Heat" getting drowned out by the mix. However, there are some bright spots – Jay Kay's impressive vocal range is still intact after 30 years, as showcased in early single "Too Young to Die." The more laid-back arrangements of "Seven Days in Sunny June" and the live instrumentation added a bit of vitality to these tracks.
Unfortunately, the overall polish of the performance can't make up for the absence of depth in many of the songs. Tracks like "Cloud 9," which aims for gospel vibes but falls flat, and "Tallulah," with its funk elements but lack of sensuality, feel more like facsimiles than genuine experiences. The band's tribute to disco also feels half-hearted, lacking the transcendence that made the genre so iconic in the first place.
Despite this, Jay Kay and his band will likely continue to play these songs competently for their devoted fanbase, who won't need conversion. But for anyone hoping for a truly immersive live experience, Jamiroquai's legacy act status is a reminder that sometimes polish isn't enough – substance matters.