Jamiroquai – The Return Of The Space Cowboy

Sounds absolutely amazing. Very dynamic and all instruments step forward, especially Stu's base🤤. The last minute or so of Scam is etheral. I only found some siblance on Space Cowboy but otherwise fine.

This is the difficult second album and this is probably the last Jamiroquai album to feature long instrumental jams inside the longer songs that take the listener on a trip. Opening with Just Another Story we’re certainly in a New York ghetto in danger of being shot or mugged. It’s pretty convincing stuff all the same. Kay’s black soul ramblings and Smith’s stellar keyboard work makes the cuts here very interesting indeed, along with Zender’s fluid and virtuoso bass playing. The drums are even better than on the debut because of new stick man Derrick McKenzie’s slick jazzy chops. Stillness in Time gives us more Stevie Wonder this time fused with Sergio Mendes Brazil 70. All good musical stuff.
Half The Man finds JK down in the dumps, a place he was rumoured to be while recording the album. With Light Years we’re back on the street, but the sunny side this time while Manifest Destiny one of the highlights of the album with driving piano and restrained Earth, Wind & Fire horns, tells a tale of the Native American Indians. The opening bassline on this track is tantalising and shows exactly how much of a loss to the band Zender was after album number three.
The band catch fire on The Kids with its shuddering, stuttering drum beat (courtesy of the bands first drummer, Nick Van Gelder) and hard wah saw-like clav. This is a full blow James Brown funk out with killer horns. Mr. Moon licks of with tasty congas, solid four to the floor and tight slap bass. It’s a complex track which showcases the band’s incredible chops while Scam, not the most exciting track here, could be from 1979 but the band have certainly done their homework on the genre they love.
It’s instrumental time complete with Digeridoo on Journey To Arnhemland but it’s a little uninspired and overstays it’s welcome by a minute or two. Morning Glory is a deep, slow meandering, Latin tinged gentle piece reminiscent of Brazilian trio Azmuth then we come to the closing track Space Cowboy another fine slice of jazz/funk/soul or whatever you want to call it.
Overall it’s an ambitious album that most bands could only dream of making and while it marks the end of the long form instrumental workouts from the band, the plan was to streamline and create more commercial, short songs. They did with album three two years later and the sky was the limit.
This 2017 We Are Vinyl pressing sounds very warm and musical. All the instruments are well balanced and it’s a joy to listen to.
Original LP is 67:42 and CD is 65:44!
This pressing is the CD length!

The bands 2nd album & one their best for music and sound quality it`s acid jazz funky,soulful,vibrant,airy,detailed & very dynamic.My copy is flawless,well centered hole on both discs,flat & noise free pressed on 180g black vinyl.
This reissue beats my sought after 2000 version of "Emergency On Planet Earth" (https://discogs.descargarjuegos.org/release/588776-Jamiroquai-Emergency-On-Planet-Earth) for sound quality & is NOT far behind on musical compositions,some may even prefer "Space Cowboy"!
If you can find a brand new sealed or N/M copy pick one up as you won`t regret it - this is a Fantastic purchase in these conditions.

Music:5.0
Mastering/pressing:5.0
Cover/s:4.5 Gatefold of decent quality,printed inner sleeves replaced by mofi anti-static sleeves.

Turntable used for this review:
Rega P3:RB880 tonearm,Denon DL110 HOMC,Delrin Platter, Rega Neo, Isoacoustic Orea bronze feet(x3).
Phono Stage:
Whest Audio TWO.2 class a dual mono fully balanced phono stage, 50db/47k ohms,HOMC setting.

If you're an old geezer like me, do realize you'll have to get up 3 times to turn the record over. Although this pressing sounds very good, it might not be for you.

Dead silent pressing. Medium soundstage but with lots of detail.

No siblance if you spend a little on your set up. Sucks when folks slander good pressings because they didn't invest in something that can track a record.

Sounds phenomenal with a good tracker. No siblance and pretty phenomenal soundstage with a Microline. No We Are Vinyl hype sticker included.
The reports of it being from cd are false. Clearly extends above 25khz in spectral. No cuts. So it is at the very least sourced from a 24/96 HD source.

On my version, the the 'buffalo man' logo isn't embossed.

Stillness in time is NOT the original full length (6:13) mix BUT the 4:15 CD Mix :(

Cover Art: 8/10
Sound Quality: 8/10 (Space Cowboy and other songs has a ton of sibilance)
Packaging: 9/10 (with insert)

Total: 8.5/10, Reccomended.

Sounds amazing! Clean flat pressing. Dynamic with a nice sound stage. It has a full, warm and rich sound. This one was done right!