Customer Reviews

Jarvis

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

Loving it, in particular, though not only: tracks 6 & 7, the Disney track and the hidden track at the very end (though wish it didn't run on with nothing before getting to that track...). Full of Jarvis humour, and a whole lot of fun. Can't go wrong with this to be honest. Check it out. Then check out this one:
Further Complicationsand if you didn't know him in Pulp, get some of that too:
Different Class
His 'n' Hers

Jarvis Cocker is one of the great rock'n'roll performers of the 1990s (if you don't believe me, just check out those live Pulp DVDs). But his entertainment value goes way beyond a stage persona -- and on this album he delivers a full JARVIS package. Confident voice. Cunning lyrics. Menacing musical arrangements. He's not always happy with the people running the world, but let's hope he's right that "everything is gonna be all right."

Standout tracks: "Fat Children," "Disney Time," "Big Julie" and "Baby's Coming Back."

Jarvis being Jarvis Cocker's 2006 release and his debut album and included such hits as "Don't Let Him Waste Your Time" and "Fat Children". The booklet is really nice with many fine photographs and the lyrics are easy to read. For each track we also get a list of whom played what. 4/5.

This is a good pop record with some decent social commentary. It does not compare to a PULP record such as "We Love Life". The music is much
stronger on the PULP records, but I guess this is to be expected of a
solo effort. The songs are good, but the emphasis is on the lyrics not
necessarily the arrangements. Jarvis has a lot to say and he says it well, but I will always prefer the full band dynamic. I do like the
"instructions" Jarvis gives for listening to the record -hilarious. There
is a hidden track about 30 minutes after the end of the final listed song.
Its a bold protest song that is unlike anything I have heard in long time.
I would recommend this disc, but its not spectacular and we have seen
Jarvis can be just that.

I just had to have an album titled "Jarvis". Just disappointed that it did not contain the cut "evidently chicken town".

I bought this album not knowing what to expect... and I completely love it. Well, I didn't 'completely love it' at first. Some of the slower songs took a while to grow on me... but I didn't give up =) I can't stop listening to it.

For anyone who was expecting it to be an extension to Pulp's discography, you're kidding yourself. Don't get this expecting that. But for music lovers, I highly recommend it.

i, like many folks, really, really, REALLY, miss pulp. pulp was style AND substance, pomp and grandeur, literate and accessible, melodic and challenging, and jarvis cocker was its ringleader. after back-to-back-to-back-to-back (his 'n hers, different class, this is hardcore, we love life), pulp just kind of disappeared without any real fanfare and we, the fans, have been clamoring for new pulp stuff ever since (i still hold secret hopes we will one day get a new pulp album).

so, in lieu of a proper pulp album, we are lucky enough to get a jarvis cocker solo album, which, truth be told, isn't that far from a proper pulp album. if i had 'jarvis' without the benefit of knowing it was a solo album, i would've sworn it was a new pulp album. this is both a blessing and a curse. a blessing because it reiterates how blindingly good jarvis cocker is as a songerwriter, performer, and frontman. he's second to no one in lyrical ability. really, dood's tremendous. he touches those subjects no one will walk within a mile of. he's not afraid to skewer anyone and everyone. but he's also not above making himself vulnerable and speak to matters of the heart. it's a curse (though not in the purest sense of the word) too, because as good as 'jarvis' is, i get the feeling jarvis is much better served when he's standing in front the sizable musical talents of candida doyle, mark webber, nick mackey, and nick banks. i get the impression jarvis works best in the band setting--when he has people to lead, to guide, and to provide the backdrop for his scathing, witty, humorous, and aticulate lyrics. the songs are great, but they drama and tension inherent to so many of pulp's best songs. could it be age has mellowed jarvis cocker, even just a bit? maybe. probably. i don't know.

on its own terms, which is how it should be judged, it's a great album (i know it's really unfair to reference pulp in a jarvis solo album review. i realize it and readily admit it). even if you've never listened to pulp, 'jarvis' still comes highly recommended. 'black magic,' 'fat children,' 'big julie,' and 'don't let him waste your time' are all terrific pop songs. jarvis has lost none of his insight and cleverness.

hopefully this is a welcomed (and worthy) stop-gap between 'we love life' and the new pulp album. i can hope, can't i? and if not, the hopefully jarvis will see fit to bless the world with another solo record.