October 13, 2006
the other JC… no, the OTHER other one
Many of us remember Jarvis Cocker’s stage-storm in 1996 (and if you don’t, you should youtube it). Many of us placed a mental check-mark next to this incident, and subsequently many of us used the name “Jarvis” as a name for a character in one of our badly written pieces of juvenile vampire fiction because we wanted our characters to have that kind of self-assured presence (an exercise in futility). Well, ffwd ten years, and we are now getting our master’s degrees in creative writing, but the check-mark still remains. Why? Well, it would take pages and pages to answer that question, but I do think that it has something to do with pomp and circumstance.
The crooning voice, the nerdy good looks. The fact that the guy fronted one of the most self-aware-about-being-awesome-and-not-afraid-to-be-elaborate-without-sucking bands of the nineties. The fact that he was in a Harry Potter movie and probably didn’t feel bad about it. Or perhaps it has to do with the fact that we have spent countless drunken hours dancing to Pulp’s “Common People” which the deejays at our favo(u)rite trashy nightclubs sometimes had the common sense to play. Perhaps, perhaps. All anecdote aside, I was excited for Jarvis Cocker’s new album, Jarvis, which is out in the UK in November but for which I can’t find any purchase links at-all.
It begins with a piano-driven clip of thirty seconds, which then drives straight into the guitar hook of “Don’t Let Him Waste Your Time,” a song that feels like it should have a singalong vibe to it. However, although catchy, it doesn’t quite become rousing — perhaps because Jarvis never really raises his voice, no matter how much we want him to (because omg we know he can, and because it would fit so well). After this song, however, it’s the very Crimson-and-Clovery “Black Magic,” which is filled with bells and whistles and which is pure awesome in its histrionics (”black MAGIIIIIIC YEAH YEAH YEEEEAAHHH”).
After Black Magic, there’s a bit of a lull. I’ll keep listening because maybe these songs will grow on me, but meanwhile, the song that I found sticking to my head next was the album’s sixth track, “Fat Children,” punctuated with some chug-chug guitar and a peppy kick! Drum! Yeah! And featuring the inexplicable refrain (”fat children took my life,” x4). This song is relentless; I suggest you give it a listen.
The rest of the album rolls along as it were. I’ve made a few notes, such as that “Disney Time,” with its buildup of strings and wails, is hella creepy, and that the piano in “Big Julie” sounds bunches like the piano intro to the SP Mellon Collie album. I suppose I might say that Jarvis has several shining moments, but it’s not composed as entirely of them as I hoped it would be. But it’s still a good listen, kids.
Jarvis, I’m mad at you though. I’m mad at you for putting thirty minutes of silence before your marvelously sparkly secret track, which is located at the end of the sprawling “Quantum Theory” (which sprawls by itself, and not just because of the, y’know, thirty minutes of silence — it’s also got a lovely string section). The secret track itself might be worth it, anyway — “Cunts are still running the world,” indeed. I guess it’s not that secret, if you can find the song if you root around hard enough at “Jarvspace…” (Ps: you really don’t have to root that hard.) Also, it’s located & available on iTunes.
Filed under: Music, Reviews, mp3
October 23rd, 2006 at 5:37 am
I think I love you!! Thanx for the Jarv songs. x
October 29th, 2006 at 12:49 am
the industry really has done it now. big star right here. should go right along top with the Beatles eh?
October 29th, 2006 at 12:54 pm
well, we’ll have to see, but i’d put my money on jarv at least trying really, really hard.
February 18th, 2007 at 4:07 am
I super like the record. I saw him perform the songs, and they sounded real good like. So I bought it. I think it is hella good. Fat Children is clever an catchy, but the whole album is just like soooo good. Alright then.