Jarvis

cd arrived quickly in excellent condition. You shoule get a copy and have a listen.

Was always a fan of Pulp's professorial, psycho-sexual pop. Jarvis is a clever swine and his writing really shines here and the vocals aren't chopped liver either. I remember when Morrissey was this exceptional. Black Magic may just be the best thing he's ever written, even if he blatantly purloined a musical portion of an insanely popular Tommy James & the Shondells song that was frequently used in a department store commercial in the 80s. Listen and you'll know which one. He's definitely not as hard to look at or listen to as Joe Cocker. I suspect they are not related. I, too, suspect that both get by with a little help from their friends and that love lifts them up where they belong.

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

nfnn

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.

Sure, he could have delivered an album of pop singles or a Pulp album. It would have sold more, since word of mouth about Pulp has grown in the States, and he's been gone long enough in the UK for people to welcome him back. (Like Morrissey's comeback, on both counts.) But Jarvis is unhappy with the world today, with our high-tech lifestyle, with free market economics and the disregard for the poor, with the apathy of the comfortable middle class. And he's not giving himself a break either: "I'm wrong," he writes. "I know I'm so wrong." How many pop albums today will make you think? Very few.While the album is mostly low key, it is also a seductive piece of music. Its gentle melodies and witty, literate lyrics grow on you - but you have to give this album time. This is one of Jarvis's best albums. And ithas its share of radio-friendly, hummable tunes too (check out "Heavy Weather" or the laugh-out-loud funny video on youtube for "Don't Let Him Waste Your Time").

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 muchstronger on the PULP records, but I guess this is to be expected of asolo effort. The songs are good, but the emphasis is on the lyrics notnecessarily 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. Thereis 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 seenJarvis can be just that.

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 Complications and if you didn't know him in Pulp, get some of that too: Different Class His 'n' Hers

Tardó un poco en llegar, pero perfecto.

Diese Rezension ist wahrscheinlich völlig subjektiv. Egal! "Different class" steht schon seit 16 Jahren in meinem CD-Regal und wird alle paar Jahre mal wieder rausgekramt (was ich nur von ganz wenigen CD's behaupten kann). In diesem Frühjahr war es mal wieder soweit und plötzlich wollte ich wissen, was diese Gruppe noch so alles herausgebracht hat. Und dann hat dieses Internetversandhaus ziemlich viel Geld an mir verdient, weil ich mir innerhalb von drei Monaten 20 Jahre Pulp-Musikgeschichte ins Haus geholt habe, in Form von CD's, Downloads und Videos. Dass man mit 45 noch mal so zum Fan mutieren kann - erstaunlich. Und sehr unterhaltsam.Zu der CD: Schon die Scheibe selber ist anders. Herr Cocker bedankt sich darauf für's Zuhören und u.a. mit dem netten Satz:"It's not LoFi or Hifi - it's MyFi and hopefully YourFi, too." Isser nicht nett, der Herr Cocker? Das erste Stück klingt ein bißchen wie eine Bahnhofsmusik, kurz bevor der Zug kommt, vielleicht weil Herr Cocker während der Aufnahme noch in Paris am Gard du Nord wohnte. Dann kommt die Frauenversteherhymne "Don't let him waste your time", die er für Nancy Sinatra geschrieben hatte. Doch zum Glück hat er es auch selber aufgenommen und dazu ein Supervideo. Diese Taxifahrt könnte ich mir immer wieder ansehen. In einem Interview meinte Herr Cocker, er käme sich vor wie ein Doppelagent, weil er die Frauen vor den Männern (also auch vor sich) warnen würde. Um das auszugleichen, hat er dann den Song "I will kill again" geschrieben, damit alle wissen, dass er eigentlich ein ganz böser Junge ist. Doch wer ist schon immer gut? Es ist mein Lieblingsstück auf der CD (weshalb ich "Black Magic" und "Stormy weather" jetzt mal unerwähnt lasse), weil es so sanft mit einer Klavierbegleitung daher kommt, als solle es wie "Imagine" klingen. Herr Cocker beschreibt darin einen gereiften, vernünftigen Mann, der für sich und seine Familie ein Heim schafft, Kaninchen züchtet, nur noch eine halbe Flasche Wein trinkt und nur manchmal nackte Mädchen anschaut. Die Leute halten ihn für einen netten Typen, doch er versichert uns: er wird wieder töten. Ganz sanft, ganz zart, lull, lull. Großartig.Danach wieder ein Lied für Nancy Sinatra "Baby's coming back to me", bei dem ich die Vorstellung, dass Herr Cocker das Glockenspiel übernommen hat, sehr amüsant finde. Herrlich schnulzig und direkt nach "I will kill again" völlig unpassend. Klasse. Damit die Zuhörerschaft nicht einschläft wird sie danach mit "Fat children" geweckt. Dem Sänger war aufgefallen, dass es in Großbritannien mehr dicke Kinder gibt, als in Frankreich und daraus machte er dann diese schnelle Rocknummer über einen Familienvater, der von fetten Kindern überfallen und getötet wird und dann als Rächer durch die Straßen von London zieht. Auf die Idee muss man erst mal kommen. Dann ein Lied mit einer sehr eingängigen Melodie und einem sehr garstigen Text. Herr Cocker hatte gehört, dass es auch in England Internierungslager gegeben hat, weshalb er meint, It's the same "from Ausschwitz to Ipswich". Kann man so sehen, muss man nicht. Jedenfalls hat er die Provokation einkalkuliert, was er ja gerne mal macht, der Herr Cocker. Sehr gefällt mir auch "Tonite", was man wirklich gut nachts im Auto hören kann. "Oh and you cannot set the world to rights. But you could stop being wrong. Tonight." Nett. "Big Julie", eine Coming of age-Geschichte über ein dickes Mädchen, dass nachts durch die Gegend läuft und sich so seine eigenen Gedanken über das Leben macht. Musikalisch hat das Stück das Zeug zur Hymne. Fast am Ende das sphärische "Quantum theory! und dann kommt 30 Minuten lang nichts. Der Hidden Track "Cunts are still running the world" schleicht sich ganz leise ins Gehör, um den Zuhörer nicht zu erschrecken, was ich sehr nett von Herrn Cocker finde. Man meint zuerst, man hätte irgendwas im Ohr, bis man begreift, dass da noch ein Stück Musik erklingt. Schöne CD. "Further Complications" muss ich noch und ich hoffe, bald gibt es wieder ganz etwas Neues, vielleicht sogar von Pulp??????? Ich fänd's toll!

From first listening this is a truly enjoyable vinyl album, and it made me want to listen to it straight away again. a good sign.Great lyrics, meaningful, strong melodies, depth and power of vocals as you would expect from JC. Sometimes he sounds like he has touched upon Tom Petty / Traveling Wilburys melodies and some vocals touch Pink Floyd territory in terms of delicacy and meaning, and the album is the better for it. Tracks are also well balanced side 1 and 2. and they work together...it all fits.I bought it on impulse and am hugely satisfied with it musically, a great album. all tracks hit the spot...no duff tracks.From a vinyl lovers point of view, it just gets even better.....the music is so good you will never wish it was a CD so u can skip a track, all are great. The sleeve is quality gatefold, well printed lyrics, nice card and you even get an insert containg a 7" single! It feels like a 'proper' old school vinyl album, it IS a proper vinyl album! get it for your collection. Thank you Jarvis and well done!

Magnífico Jarvis, genio y figura.

What can I say - its Jarvis Cocker on form with witty and strong social commentary and good music - long live Jarvis an antidote to modern manufactured dumbed down music!!