Jarvis Cocker, Further Complications

By Ann Clarke

I’m rather surprised Jarvis Cocker has already released another album since his self-titled one really wasn’t out that long ago. He must be on a creative spurt lately, since he’s been all over like the place like horseshit during a parade! Check out his five-day stint at a Parisian art gallery. He and his band exhibited themselves playing music under many different guises.

Thankfully his latest musical efforts are better than his cover of Heaven 17’s “Temptation” at the 2007 NME Awards. . . but I must say, Jarvis really wasn’t to blame there, he was on the mark. . . it was Beth Ditto’s sloppy delivery that really made me cringe.

Basically, this new Jarvis album came out of nowhere, and just as quickly as his beard grew in. I love Jarv, but I was skeptical at first. Namely because of that fucking beard! If a man is blessed with a face as pretty as his, then for fuck’s sake, don’t cover that shit up! I forgive the clearly unwashed mop of hair Jarvis has been walking around with for years, but a beard. . . that’s just gross! Just because he can grow one, doesn’t mean he should.

Anyhow, my other skepticism. . . is that the album was produced by Steve Albini. Albini does some fantastic work with some people, and absolute shit with others, and I didn’t think he and Jarvis would be particularly magical together.

Thankfully, I was wrong with my skepticism!

Further Complications has rocked my lame ass. It’s simple, but. . . it’s straight-up rock and roll, but with a spin on it. . . and that being Jarvis Cocker’s fucking hilarious lyrics! One thing I will say about Jarv, the boy can write some of the most amusing but trivial tales in music, but even when they’re depressing, they’re still funny. Jarvis is golden when it comes to writing repulsively honest shit, and this album even takes it up a notch in many ways.

For me, the album’s highlights are the latest single (and video) “Angela” which is pretty much a tale about a stripper (and how her life is pretty godawful), but also how Jarv seems to admire her, ahem. . . career. I also quite like “Leftovers,” “Caucasian Blues,” and “Fuckingsong.” All of those are definitely standouts, but the crowning achievement on this record is definitely “I Never Said I was Deep.” Holy shit! It’s probably one of the slowest songs on the album, but it still rocks. It has that corny 70s rock ballad extravagance to it, but the lyrics are by far the best part! Honestly, if you can’t laugh at (as well as like) the lyrics to this song, then you have no sense of humor whatsoever! Another song worth mentioning is “Homewrecker!”. . . which definitely has some personal bitterness bleeding into the story and may or may not have anything to do with Jarv’s recent split from his wife since only he truly knows.

The final song “You’re in My Eyes (Discosong)” just might be one of the best disco songs ever! Its more reminiscent of Italo-Disco than Village People or any shit like that. I won’t give everything away in this review, as I’m sure anyone interested can form their own opinion, but. . . overall, I dig this more than Jarvis and that’s saying a lot, since I thought Jarvis was great!

If you are one of the lucky motherfuckers out there (of which I am not), you can catch the Jarvman himself on tour this summer. And while you’re at it, go to his awesome website.

Jarvis plays next at the Berlin Festival on August 8. You can also keep up with tour dates and other appearances via his MySpace page.