Jarvis [Enhanced]

Jarvis Cocker | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 3, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced
• Label: Rough Trade
• ASIN: B000NVHWIO
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #147,586 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Don't Let Him Waste Your Time

2. Black Magic

3. Heavy Weather

4. I Will Kill Again

5. Baby's Coming Back to Me

6. Fat Children

7. From Auschwitz to Ipswich

8. Disney Time

9. Tonite

10. Big Julie

11. Quantum Theory

Editorial Reviews

Review

[H]is finest batch of songs since THIS IS HARDCORE. The songs are languid Eurotrash ballads, strung out on New Wave highs while hitting a post-punk low; his voice is a sultry whisper of bemused adult lust. --Rolling Stone

Courting trouble with wicked glee...Cocker plays a genteel psychopath, dissects the collapse of Western civilization, and mocks mindless escapism. --Spin

[W]ith originality, unlikely uplift and tunes you can sing along to....A lot to re-connect with. --Mojo --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Product Description

Issued in the U.K. during late 2006, Jarvis Cocker's solo debut finds the ex-Pulp frontman returning to the well-honed Britpop sound of his lauded former band after a brief stint heading up the Relaxed Muscle techno project. While JARVIS lacks the cinematic expanse of Pulp's swansong, WE LOVE LIFE, and the darkly brooding atmosphere of THIS IS HARDCORE, it hews fairly closely to the pop-savvy rock sound of HIS 'N' HERS and DIFFERENT CLASS. Cocker's deep croon and witty social observations are fully on display here, whether he's singing about an inappropriate lover ( "Don't Let Him Waste Your Time"), not so subtly alluding to murder (the deceptively gentle "I Will Kill Again"), or being assaulted by portly kids (the punked-up "Fat Children"). Joining Cocker are Pulp alum Mark Webber (guitar) and Steve Mackey (bass), along with six-stringer (and revered singer-songwriter) Richard Hawley. Although JARVIS may not eclipse past Pulp glories, it certainly honors their roguish spirit, and serves as an excellent showcase for Cocker's cheeky charm. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jarvis Won't Waste Your Time, April 18, 2007

By 

Charles "Charles" (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Jarvis (Audio CD)

I'm probably one of the few people around who thought Pulp's '98 album This Is Hardcore was Jarvis Cocker's crowning achievement. Yes, Different Class is a masterpiece in it's own right, however, the brooding, intense Hardcore had an emotional pull that still haunts me whenever I hear it. I remember buying Hardcore upon its release and being so overwhelmed by the maturity of the material. I honestly thought it would be an even bigger hit than Class. Sadly, this did not happen. It would go down as a critical darling but didn't have the Pop appeal to snag the casual fans who purchased Class in droves (in England and Europe at least). Their subsequent album We Love Life ended up being a bit of a reactionary album to regain momentum they had lost with the public at large. Although a great album it lacked the hunger of Class and the realism of Hardcore. It didn't suprise me one bit that they went on (possibly permanent) haitus after its release. All this is my opinion of course, only the band members themselves know what their motivations were.

Which brings us to Jarvis. Mr. Cocker's first full album of material since the days of Pulp. I wasn't hesitant to buy it as soon as it became available domestically in the States simply because of the amount of time I was sure he had put into it. My only wish was that he would be an artist of 43 and put out an album that reflects his age and songcraft up to this point yet not try to recapture the the mood or tempo of Class in some sad attempt to please a mass market. I wasn't disappointed at all. Quite simply put, this is a disc that any artist could release one day then get hit by a train the next with the knowledge that his or her vision and talents had been fully realized. Not only does Jarvis have the intelligence, wit and playful sarcasm of Class but it also has the emotional depth that made Hardcore so great. I was in no way prepared for how brilliantly he has been able to pour his entire career in music into one cd.

It's hard to pick one or two favorite tracks because they all have a feel of their own. Not every song will grab you on first take but once you let the album simmer a bit you'll be hard pressed to pass any up. Cocker has always been a brilliant lyricist and in many cases the lyrics drive the melody of the song. Whether its lamenting the plight of a teenage girl in Big Julie [She's by herself again\in the quiet secret night\Below the neighbour's window\Hands in pockets\head on one side] or pondering society's fate in From Auschwitz To Ipswich [Evil comes\I know from not where\But if you look inside yourself\maybe you'll find some in there] Cocker has a way of being totally descriptive while still leaving a bit of interpretation up to the listener. This record may be his best effort yet with regards to lyrics.

Sonically the album sounds amazing. It was recorded at multiple studios and was produced by Graham Sutton, Sam Lockwood, John Watson and Jarvis himself. With so many hands in the pot and recording locations one might assume the album to be inconsistent with regards to sound, however, this is not the case. The album feels organic and direct with instrumentation that is never out of place. Let's hope this is only the start of Cocker's musical output in the coming years because though c**ts are still running the world, with Jarvis around to kick them in the rear it makes everything a little more bearable.

Note: If you buy the pre-packaged album instead of downloading you will find that Running The World is a hidden track that pops up after Quantum Theory with a 28 minute gap in between. It's a bit irritating so be prepared.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This is something to live with., April 5, 2007

By 

latejazzlover (San Francisco , CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jarvis (Audio CD)

On first hearing, the album is a downer, but this is something to live with and be sucked in by.

Originally written for Nancy Sinatra, "Don't Let Him Waste Your Time" is terrific, borrowing its tremendous, brassy riff from an obscure Phil Spector production.

There are ageless twangings and dramatic chord changes throughout, which elevate the soul, but with an all-eclipsing undertow of worry about age and death.

The funereal "Disney Time" equates the portrayal of family life in kids' movies with pornography. "I Will Kill Again", with terrifying ambivalence, seems to be written from the point of view of a genuine murderer.
"Fat Children" is un-PC, unreasonable, unfathomable.

Jarvis is not the stuff of pop comebacks. Its maker transparently revels in the idea of standing apart from the times, floating off in a self-created bubble as did Scott Walker at the end of the '60s.

As such, it's something of a dark masterpiece.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jarvis is back and sharper than ever, May 18, 2007

By 

B. shields-farrelly (NY, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Jarvis (Audio CD)

Love it! With maturity and age, so many social critics become more resigned to accepting things as they are, more inclined toward polite disagreement. Not Jarvis Cocker. He's been away for a while watching, sharpening his pen, and perfecting the art of the musical withering sneer. Every song on this release combines an underlying world-weary heartache with intelligent moral outrage and thought-provoking juxtapositions. Who else can get away with referencing Auschwitz and Frigidaires in a pop song to which you can't help singing along? It's unfortunate, though, that the song that most succinctly sums up the state of things ("Running the World")is the hidden bonus track on the US release.