[Originally published 2/15/2010 on Skratchdisc]
The eagle-eyed, front-of-mind of you will note that JARVIS COCKER’s Further Complications came out way back in June 2009. Yes, I’m playing a little ketchup here. And that’s partly because when this came out I didn’t really give it much of a chance, just kind of assuming I’d like it because I like Pulp – JC’s band of Different Class and This Is Hardcore fame – and Cocker put on a helluva show here in Seattle in support of his first solo record, Jarvis.
Good news: I was right. I do like it. But not exactly for the reasons stated above. It turns out that Further Complications is more of a rock ’n’ roll record than Cocker’s ever done. As it says in the notes, Tim Call plays guitar in the right speaker and Martin Craft does in the left; I wouldn’t be surprised if these were the same blokes Jarvis had with him on tour, because these songs definitely have more of an edge than you’d expect. Or is it because the disc was recorded by noiseo/icon Steve Albini? I suppose that’s where these songs get their sort of dry, “just the facts, m’am” vibe.
Finally, there’s the lyrics. Also dry. For instance: ““In the beginning there was nothing/and to be honest that suited me just fine.” Or: “I met her in the Museum of Paleontology/And I make no bones about it.” Or: “I never said I was deep but I am profoundly shallow/My lack of knowledge is vast and my horizons are narrow.” Okay, sure, out of context these sound like Groucho Marx leftovers, but in the context of a Jarvis Cocker song, you’ve got some great stuff here. All in all the songs are pretty good and the arrangements are snappy. And yet, I think his first solo disc may be the better of the two… Or is that just because “Cunts Are Still Running the World”* is so great that it’s gonna be awhile before Jarvis betters it?
4/5 (Rough Trade RTRADCD 540, 2009)
[* Buried on the final track of Jarvis; also available as a download single.]
NuDisc 