A Funk Odyssey is the fifth studio album by English funk band Jamiroquai . The album was released on 3 September 2001 in the United Kingdom by Sony Soho Square and 11 September 2001 by Epic Records in the United States.
Combining elements of funk , disco and electronica , the release of the album represented the peak of international commercial success for Jamiroquai,[according to whom? ] [dubious – discuss ] and in the ensuing world tour the group became a household name in many countries. The sleeve art of A Funk Odyssey features lead vocalist Jay Kay posed in front of a series of lasers in the shape of the Buffalo Man logo, making it the first Jamiroquai album not to prominently feature the logo on its cover.[ 6]
In a 2001 interview with Billboard magazine, Kay said he wrote the deliberately simple first single "Little L " in 25 minutes, "It would have been so easy to overthink and overwrite that song, because it's so incredibly simple. But that would've killed it."[ 7] He described the fourth single, "Corner of the Earth ", as a "spiritual song" that "speaks for anyone who's in a place or a moment where they're happy."[ 7] For the tenth track, "Picture of My Life", Kay said, "I cried throughout the process of writing [the song]. It was an act of looking at some major personal issues and understanding their lingering effects."[ 7]
Initial critical response to A Funk Odyssey was generally mixed to positive. At Metacritic , which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has received an average score of 58, based on 13 reviews.[ 8] Q magazine gave the album 4 out of 5 stars, claiming "A certified thoroughbred. This time, there's a bankable chorus or barbed sentiment for every mirror-ball moment....demonstrating that no-one does sci-fi boogie quite as well as he does sci-fi boogie." They also listed it as one of the best 50 albums of 2001.[ 18] CMJ described the album as "The perfect mixtape to snap your fingers to on your way to another universe."[citation needed ] A.D. Amorosi of The Indianapolis Star wrote that "'Corner of the Earth ', with its swirling strings and sunlit happiness, may be Kay's finest moment, matching organic ambience with pure emotion."[ 13] Tom Moon said that the album recalls the band's interest in "the swooping strings and thumping beats" from Earth Wind & Fire and later disco music, but concludes that "Kay never merely appropriates those devices… he goes back to the future, by Juxtaposing old-school guitars against sizzling house beats."[ 16]
Title Writer(s) 1. "Feel So Good" Jay Kay , Toby Smith 5:21 2. "Little L " Kay, Smith 4:55 3. "You Give Me Something " Kay, Rob Harris, Nick Fyffe 3:23 4. "Corner of the Earth " Kay, Harris 5:40 5. "Love Foolosophy " Kay, Smith 3:45 6. "Stop Don't Panic" Kay, Harris, Fyffe 4:34 7. "Black Crow" Kay, Harris, Fyffe 4:02 8. "Main Vein" Kay 5:05 9. "Twenty Zero One" Kay 5:15 10. "Picture of My Life[ a] " Kay, Harris, Smith 6:20 Total length: 48:15
^ The song "Picture of My Life" ends at 3:45. After 30 seconds of silence (3:45 - 4:15), begins the hidden song "So Good to Feel Real".
Japanese edition bonus tracks Title Writer(s) 11. "Do It Like We Used to Do" 7:32 12. "Deeper Underground" Kay, Smith 4:44
Australian bonus disc Title 1. "Do It Like We Used to Do" 7:32 2. "Everybody's Going to the Moon" 5:22 3. "Little L" (Music video)
Australian tour edition bonus disc Title Writer(s) 1. "Space Cowboy" (Classic Club Mix) 7:52 2. "Supersonic" (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Vocal) Kay, Smith 7:00 3. "Deeper Underground" Kay, Smith 4:43 4. "Little L" (Bob Sinclair Remix) Kay, Smith 7:28 5. "You Give Me Something" (Full Intention Remix) Kay, Harris, Fyffe 3:03 6. "Main Vein" (live) Kay 5:14
Asian tour edition bonus disc Title Writer(s) 1. "Everybody's Going to the Moon" 5:22 2. "Do It Like We Used to Do" 7:32 3. "Deeper Underground" Kay, Smith 4:44 4. "Little L" (Bob Sinclair Remix) Kay, Smith 7:28 5. "You Give Me Something" (Full Intention Remix) Kay, Harris, Fyffe 3:03 6. "Main Vein" (live) Kay 5:14
South African tour edition bonus disc Title Writer(s) 1. "Main Vein" (live) 5:14 2. "Do It Like We Used to Do" 7:32 4. "You Give Me Something" (Full Intention Remix) Kay, Harris, Fyffe 3:03 5. "Little L" (Blaze Remix) Kay, Smith 5:55 6. "Love Foolosophy" (Mondo Grosso Love Acoustic Version) Kay, Smith 4:44 7. "Corner of the Earth" (Milk & Sugar Short Club Mix) Kay, Harris 4:13
French tour edition bonus disc Title Writer(s) 1. "Everybody's Going to the Moon" 5:22 2. "Do It Like We Used To Do" 7:32 3. "Main Vein" (live) Kay 5:14 4. "Titan" (Live at Telewest Arena ) 3:15 5. "Feels So Good" (Knee Deep Vocal Dub) Kay, Harris, Fyffe 7:34 6. "Love Foolosophy" (Mondo Grosso Love Acoustic Version) Kay, Smith 4:44
Original test pressing Title Writer(s) 1. "Feel So Good" (uncut) Kay, Smith 6:24 2. "Little L " (extra percussion) Kay, Smith 4:55 3. "You Give Me Something " (uncut) Kay, Harris, Fyffe 5:16 4. "interlude #1" 0:35 5. "Main Vein" (no vocal cut) Kay 4:51 6. "Corner of the Earth " (vocal variation) Kay, Harris 5:40 7. "Twenty Zero One" (uncut) Kay 8:29 8. "Black Crow" (vocal variation) Kay, Harris, Fyffe 4:02 9. "interlude #2 " 1:22 10. "Do It Like We Used To Do" (edited) 6:49 11. "Stop Don't Panic" (uncut) Kay, Harris, Fyffe 5:31 12. "interlude #3 " 0:20 13. "Picture of My Life" Kay, Harris, Smith 3:46 14. "So Good to Feel Real" Kay, Harris, Smith 2:14
Additional personnel
edit
Certifications and sales
edit
^ a b Cinquemani, Sal (31 August 2001). "Jamiroquai A Funk Odyssey" . Slant Magazine . Retrieved 27 November 2018 .
^ "ジャミロクワイ – リトル・エル(ラジオ・エディット)" [Jamiroquai – Little L (Radio Edit)] (in Japanese). Oricon . Archived from the original on 28 August 2001. Retrieved 23 August 2023 .
^ Hubner, Miriam (1 December 2001). "Airborne". Music & Media . Vol. 19, no. 49. p. 14.
^ "New Releases – For Week Starting 25 February 2002: Singles". Music Week . 23 February 2002. p. 35.
^ "New Releases – For Week Starting 8 July 2002: Singles". Music Week . 6 July 2002. p. 27.
^ "Albums turning 20 years old in 2021" . Official Charts Company. Retrieved 29 December 2020 .
^ a b c Flick, Larry (25 August 2001). Epic's Jamiroquai Steps Into '2001' . Billboard . pp. 1, 82.
^ a b "Jamiroquai:A Funk Odyssey (2001): Reviews" . Metacritic . CNET Networks, Inc. Retrieved 2 April 2009 .
^ Wilson, MacKenzie. "Jamiroquai: A Funk Odyssey > Review" at AllMusic . Retrieved 28 August 2011.
^ Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music . Omnibus Press . p. 1987. ISBN 978-0857125958 – via Google Books.
^ Weingarten, Marc (10 September 2001). "A Funk Odyssey (2001): Jamiroquai" . Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on 21 April 2009.
^ Lynskey, Dorian (31 August 2001). "Friday review: Music: Pop CD releases: Jamiroquai: A Funk Odyssey" . The Guardian – via ProQuest .
^ a b Amorosi, A.D. (30 September 2021). "A Funk Odyssey" . The Indianapolis Star . Retrieved 24 February 2021 – via ProQuest .
^ "Jamiroquai : A Funk Odyssey" . NME . 12 September 2005. Retrieved 4 December 2020 .
^ Q (9/01, p.112) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...A certified thoroughbred. This time, there's a bankable chorus or barbed sentiment for every mirror-ball moment....demonstrating that no-one does sci-fi boogie quite as well as he does sci-fi boogie..."
^ a b Moon, Tom . "Best of the week--music: Jamiroquai" . Us Weekly . Retrieved 6 August 2021 – via ProQuest.
^ Vaziri, Aidin (October 2001). "A Funk Oddysey" . Vibe : 178 – via Google Books. [permanent dead link ]
^ "The Best 50 Albums of 2001". Q . December 2001. pp. 60–65.
^ "A Funk Odyssey - Jamiroquai" . Massive Music Store . Archived from the original on 16 March 2017. Retrieved 16 March 2017 .
^ "Australiancharts.com – Jamiroquai – A Funk Odyssey" . Hung Medien.
^ "Austriancharts.at – Jamiroquai – A Funk Odyssey" (in German). Hung Medien.
^ "Ultratop.be – Jamiroquai – A Funk Odyssey" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
^ "Ultratop.be – Jamiroquai – A Funk Odyssey" (in French). Hung Medien.
^ "Jamiroquai Chart History (Canadian Albums)" . Billboard .
^ "Danishcharts.dk – Jamiroquai – A Funk Odyssey" . Hung Medien.
^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Jamiroquai – A Funk Odyssey" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
^ "finnishcharts.com Jamiroquai - A Funk Odyssey " (ASP) . Retrieved 2 February 2014 .
^ "Lescharts.com – Jamiroquai – A Funk Odyssey" . Hung Medien.
^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Jamiroquai – A Funk Odyssey" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts . Retrieved 23 August 2024.
^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Jamiroquai" . Hung Medien.
^ "Italiancharts.com – Jamiroquai – A Funk Odyssey" . Hung Medien.
^ "ジャミロクワイ-リリース-ORICON STYLE-ミュージック" [Highest position and charting weeks of A Funk Odyssey by Jamiroquai]. oricon.co.jp (in Japanese). Oricon Style . Retrieved 13 January 2014 .
^ "Charts.nz – Jamiroquai – A Funk Odyssey" . Hung Medien.
^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Jamiroquai – A Funk Odyssey" . Hung Medien.
^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100" . Official Charts Company . Retrieved 23 August 2024.
^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2 .
^ "Swedishcharts.com – Jamiroquai – A Funk Odyssey" . Hung Medien.
^ "Swisscharts.com – Jamiroquai – A Funk Odyssey" . Hung Medien.
^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100" . Official Charts Company . Retrieved 23 August 2024.
^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40" . Official Charts Company . Retrieved 23 August 2024.
^ "Jamiroquai Chart History (Billboard 200)" . Billboard .
^ "ARIA Charts - End of Year Charts - Top 100 Albums 2001" . aria.com.au . Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 31 January 2014 .
^ "Jaaroverzichten 2001" . Ultratop (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 January 2014 .
^ "Rapports annuels 2001" . Ultratop (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 February 2014 .
^ "Top 200 Albums of 2001 (based on sales)" . Jam! . Archived from the original on 6 November 2003. Retrieved 26 March 2022 .
^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 2001" (ASP) (in German). Retrieved 1 February 2014 .
^ "Classement Albums - année 2001" . Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (in French). Archived from the original on 25 January 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2014 .
^ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" . offiziellecharts.de (in German). GfK Entertainment . Retrieved 9 October 2021 .
^ "Hit Parade Italia - Gli album più venduti del 2001" (in Italian). hitparadeitalia.it. Retrieved 31 January 2014 .
^ "2001年 アルバム年間TOP100" (in Japanese). Retrieved 31 January 2014 .
^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2001" . hitparade.ch . Retrieved 9 October 2021 .
^ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2001" . Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 October 2021 .
^ "Top 50 Global Best Selling Albums for 2001" (PDF) . IFPI . Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 November 2008. Retrieved 1 February 2023 .
^ "ARIA Charts - End of Year Charts - Top 100 Albums 2002" . aria.com.au . Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 31 January 2014 .
^ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2002" . Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 October 2021 .
^ "2009 ARIA End of Decade Albums Chart" . ARIA. January 2010. Retrieved 16 January 2020 .
^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2002 Albums" (PDF) . Australian Recording Industry Association .
^ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 2001" . Ultratop . Hung Medien.
^ "French album certifications – Jamiroquai – A Funk Odyssey" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique .
^ "Musica: Disco di platino per Jamiroquai" . Adnkronos (in Italian). 10 September 2001. Archived from the original on 26 December 2013. Retrieved 10 July 2012 .
^ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 . Roppongi , Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9 .
^ "Japanese album certifications – ジャミロクワイ – ファンク・オデッセイ" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan . Retrieved 15 September 2013 . Select 2001年8月 on the drop-down menu
^ "Dutch album certifications – Jamiroquai – A Funk Odyssey" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers . Enter A Funk Odyssey in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 2001 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen" .
^ Solo Exitos 1959–2002 Ano A Ano: Certificados > 2000–2003 . Iberautor Promociones Culturales. 2005. ISBN 84-8048-639-2 .
^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (' A Funk Odyssey' )" . IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
^ "Albums turning 20 years old in 2021" . Official Charts Company . 29 December 2020. Retrieved 22 September 2023 .
^ "British album certifications – Jamiroquai – A Funk Odyssey" . British Phonographic Industry .
^ Newman, Melinda (5 September 2005). "Jamiroquai Back with a Bang" . Billboard . Retrieved 29 August 2018 .
^ "IFPI Platinum Europe Awards – 2001" . International Federation of the Phonographic Industry .