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.
Jarvis Won't Waste Your Time
solid effort, but not as good as PULP
