Search - United Future Organization :: Bon Voyage

UFO is growing up

arobulack | Whitehorse, YT Canada | 04/18/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Yes, the best album to date. There's a good amount of maturity in this album, with UFO flexing their musical over this mixological abilities. The jazz is more hefty than the dub on this album, and it plays well. One of the best tracks on the album is "Flying Saucer" with a phenomenal performance from jazz vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater. Way, way cool. But the acid jazz is pretty hefty, too, on a lot of other tracks, and very akin to past efforts from UFO. It's a great bridge album for jazz people wanting to taste acid and acid folks wanting a bit more jazz in their coffee. The tracks stand way more independently than previous releases. The most beautiful aspect of the album is that the band is showing evolution, they're not tapped into formula. They're growing. The cloth of Bon Voyage shows a finer weave than previous albums, with a more focussed approach. Only complaint is the "Happy Birthday" track. A very lame close to a great album."

The next trip with the U.F.O...enhanced for your pleasure!

C. G. | Atlanta, GA | 02/15/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Before you get to the meat and veggies of this review, here's a quick note: this review is basically the SAME review I posted for the import cd, slightly modified to cover the video and bonus mix...which managed to push the disc's rating up to a 5! Woohoo! This will hopefully save you some money when trying to decide between the import and the U.S. release. I honestly hope that the title of this album does not imply the impending collapse of the Organization. While not as encompassing an album as 3rd Perspective, Bon Voyage still manages to cover quite a bit of musical territory. It's a bit jazzier than their previous releases, specifically in the area of Latin jazz. In fact, you'd think that the group had been tuning into fellow acid-jazzer Snowboy a bit more than normal. Track two, Tres Amigos, is by far the strongest on the album, and even if you don't like this group, or the whole acid-jazz genre, you WILL dig this song. I spin it at the club every chance I get. The UFO horns really wail on that tune...here's to hoping the next album will showcase their talents even more. Standout tracks: the aforementioned Tres Amigos, #3, Flying Saucer(crazy scat, man) and #6, Pilgrims (triphop like only UFO can do it). There is apparently a remixed version of this album available as well; I'll post a review of that after I pick it up (you might also check out a group called No Se, on the Instinct label, album is Quelle Adventure! They do an incredible tribute to UFO called United Flying Objects. Also, look for Mondo Grosso, another smooth Japanese rare groove/acid jazz ensemble). This domestic release includes a great video by the band, in addition to the bonus remix. Even if you have the import, grab a copy of this, if only for the video. Now, where is that LIVE album, I wonder..."

Addictively original...

nicjaytee | London | 11/10/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Difficult to categorize and often verging on the bizarre, UFO's creative fusions of electronica & jazz justifiably established them as one of the mid 90's most original groups and "Bon Voyage" continues the plot with a heady musical mix that warps strongly melodic 60's style arrangements with drivingly adventurous acid-jazz. But is it any good? Well, like its predecessors, first time through is likely to leave you confused... are these guys serious? And then, as before, it starts to sink in and before you know where you are you're hitting the replay button because, despite the suspicion that it's all a bit too clever, it's just too good to put down.



Out on the edge and occasionally close to careering out of control, the album's stand-out track, "Good Luck Shore", sums it up... quite brilliant acoustic guitar opening, deeply funky bass, mind-etchingly odd background loops (with one sounding as though it's been lifted straight from "The Best of Roy Rogers" and the other from the outer extremes of Ornette Coleman), a repetitive "jazzy" chant, cool lead vocal and totally "off the wall" spoken clips, all mixed up into something that's not only cohesive but ridiculously addictive. And, while nothing else here quite beats it, there's a lot more to come on this distinctively unconventional roller coaster ride including the excellent club-latin jazz of "Tres Amigos", some amazing straight "scat" on "Flying Saucer" that's bent out into the left-field by its wacky lyrics and almost frantic arrangement, the wildly effective "chill-out/trip-hop meets wailing/chanting" of "Pilgrim", "Somewhere" & "Labyrinth" and the bewilderingly strange "Happy Birthday" & "Niji". Handle with care but prepare, once again, to be completely sucked into UFO's wonderfully odd-ball world.

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