I Never Said I Was Deep, Leftovers and Discosong were the three big ones for me before the album came out. I'm not entirely happy with the production and performance on I Never Said I Was Deep. I much prefer listening to the live debut of it in Shepherd's Bush last November. On the album the vocals are too quiet at the start, the backing singing is a bit dead, Jarvis' intonation is a bit too forced at times (''I dis-res-pected youuu''), the brass in the chorus makes me think of Van Morrison and the tempo just seems a wee bit slower than when played live. I still think it's a cracking song. Just seems ironic that for all of Albini's recording raison d'etre being to capture the ''live sound'', it's all the added in extras that make the song a bit too forced on record.
Leftovers is also much more of a behemoth live though the studio version at least comes close to replicating that (vocals still a bit too quiet though).
Which leaves Discosong, which to me, sounds great on the record. The two minute + fade-out is forgiven as it's the last song on the album and it is quite epic. Classic Cocker lyrics, gorgeous chorus and Mackey's bass to the fore brilliantly in the second verse jostling with the disco sample.
After those three, Hold Still comes closest. One of the three songs not to be played live before the album came out, this was most worthy of the wait. Just a great song. Tender melody, interesting rhythm and lovely harmonies on the chorus. Rather curious lyrics though.
This was very difficult! But i voted for never said i was deep, because that song is the one that have listen to the most.. at least in itunes, but "Slush" and "Discosong" are also good
But no! Here comes the closer, and it's somehow even worse, even more offensive, than everything that went before - what he's done here is, right, and you'll laugh at this, honest, it's brilliant, what he's done is make a record which sort of sounds like some Seventies disco records, because it's called "Discosong", and that's totally, like, off the wall, because the rest of the album is all MANLY ROCK and now here he's made a funny pastiche pop record, how awesome is that? Except that it isn't. Except that this man was responsible for some of the best indie-disco pop music ever made, and so there's no excuse for it sounding as though his only experience of the genre is some £2.99 compilation rescued in a Woolworths closing-down bargain bin. Except that it sounds like a cynical, half-hearted piss-take. Except that the sexy spoken-word bits cannot help but remind of the similar sexy spoken-word bits in "Street Lites" or "Seductive Barry" or especially "My Legendary Girlfriend" and you die a little bit inside. Except that it's fucking terrible.
I'm clearly in a minority though, looking at that poll!
The first song is my favourite one, followed by Hold Still and I Never Said I Was Deep, both of which I have found myself whistling (after a fashion, I can't really whistle, but never mind).
I still really don't think much of this album, but bits of it are growing on me.
It sounds cynical and half-hearted? The sexy spoken-word bits remind you of Street Lites and a couple of other Pulp tracks with deep-breathing monologues? Not sure that explains what's wrong with it.
I'd argue that none of the songs you mention have melodies nearly as strong as Discosong. Street Lites would come closest maybe. The sample, the tragi-nostalgia of the lyrics which I've not heard from Jarvis in a long time and the two-part chorus all sound quite glorious to these ears.
You're quoting what I said a little selectively there, but OK, I will elaborate. To me, it sounds like a pastiche of disco music, rather than something being played straight; I don't *think* it's a full-blown joke, though I'm not 100% sure, but I do think it's half-hearted; maybe he did put his whole heart and soul into it, but if that's the case then it was a bad idea to spend ten songs playing let-your-hair-down guitar music and then suddenly make a conscious effort to "go disco" right at the end. Further, I drew the inference, perhaps totally unfairly but it's how it strikes me, that it's being done almost as a throwaway, a knowing sort of thing, because he was mildly embarrassed doing that sort of song now and so had to dress it up in semi-tongue-in-cheek style instead of really going for it. I would cite Separations and the Gift singles as examples of brilliant indie disco music, and so any attempt to return to (or at least go back to the ballpark of) that kind of sound was probably always going to be found wanting. (By me, I mean - obviously lots of people disagree, which is what this place is all about, really).
I didn't cite those other songs for their melodies, I said they had infinitely superior spoken word bits which were called to mind by the similar, but considerably less good, bits in Discosong. I don't even think it's got that good a tune either, but this is probably more to do with me than any fault of Jarvis', as I spent much of the first couple of weeks after I bought Further Complications listening to a load of old Motown and Northern Soul records which really did have incredibly strong tunes, and it fared poorly in comparison.
But - and I'm really conscious about sounding like an arse here, having spent much text slagging off something you've just said you really like - variety is the spice of life. The last thing I want to do is ruin it for other people with my endless grousing. If you're all loving the song, and the album, more power to you, I'm insanely jealous; I just don't like it very much, but I really, really wish that I did. I think I'm just going to have to wait for the next one.
I always enjoy reading your reviews, it's why I started posting on here years ago after being so impressed by the song critiques on the original Bar Italia site. (Speaking of which, I guess now that you've done your bar exams, full-time work awaits, meaning less time to sort out the no-doubt time-consuming stuff it will take to get pulp.gb up and running in its full glory again). So, no worries on the being a kill-joy front. If you don't like something, you're always able to express it interestingly. I just wasn't too sure of your reasoning initially.
I agree that there is the sense of him setting himself up for a fall by recreating a similar style to the disco sound successfully mined on various songs on Seperations-Intro-HnH. But maybe we're reading too much into it. I've no reason to doubt his sincerity in the execution of the song. To me he seems quite proud of it, closing with it at all of his recent shows, giving it its own 7'' on the lp á la Running The World. In fact, the curveball of ending the album with something pretty non-consistant with what's gone before is not a new thing, I don't think. Running The World was a hidden track at the end of the first lp as it clearly didn't fit with the rest of the album, but Sunrise was also quite removed from the 10 songs that preceded it on We Love Life.
I think the inclusion of Girls Like It Too (and kicking out FuckingSong and possibly Caucasian Blues) might have helped You're In My Eyes make a bit more sense in the context of the album. Possibly Apparently, one of the other as-yet unreleased songs, aswell. (I only vaguely remember that song from hearing it live six months ago so couldn't say for sure)
Anyroad, it's a shame you're not keen on the album. I love half the songs, and enjoy the throwaway ones. I keep meaning to do a full review but my posts are generally long enough. Like this one, which has interrupted my viewing of Our Friends In The North on youtube. The joys of enjoying your last week of not working...
So the most hated songs are "Angela" (what a surprise), "Plichard" and "Fuckingsong". Doesn't look good for slush either...sadly. Discosong is fine but Leftovers, come on!
-- Edited by Perfect on Saturday 27th of June 2009 09:20:45 AM
I think Further Complications is splendid. I find it a tad troubling that it wasn't the single. I heard a single, as opposed to Angela. I'm somewhat comforted to know Wes Anderson agrees with me on this one.
Why put Pilchard on the album when you've got Girls Like It Too? I don't want a taste, I want the whole thing, Jarvis! I think it sounds good, but in the end I'm maddened by it.
I love the honesty, and vulnerability in his voice, on Leftovers and I Never Said I Was Deep. The lyrics are very maudlin, but solid overall. I love how Jarvis conveys his frustrations in these songs. From one time to another I think everyone can relate to the feeling of not understanding why you want something, or if you should.
I bet Homewrecker is pretty great live. I perked right up when I heard this song. It's really gritty, and by gritty I mean fast & dirty. Gotta love that sax....and the devastating man behind it!
Hold Still doesn't really keep my interest for too long, but it's touching. The story behind this song is more interesting than the song itself.
Fuckingsong: where to start. It sustains my unwavering crush, and I appreciated his sentiment as well *blush* Just as Jarvis is surprised by...err...the sap rising, I had to remind myself that this wasn't the cheeky 32 yr old Jarvis singing. He is sort of ageless to me. Not aged.
Slush is gorgeous. I voted for it. Most surprised by it. Henceforth, I shall equate this feeling called love to melting into slush.
And finally....Death Goes To The Disco! Rather surprised Discosong came out on top here. I can't get past the 2 minute mark. I would go as far as to say that it's a tad boring, which is a word I never thought I'd use in refrence to Jarvis. How is it live? Same length? I shutter to think how I would dance awkwardly just to get through it.
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"I like the idea of being a Sheffield Wu-Tang. Especially if I can be Ol' Dirty Bastard."- Jarvis Cocker
Thanks. I was afraid it was long winded and I was too harsh on Discosong. It's not great but I guess I can't deny that I enjoy Jarvis' breahty voice on it. Just too bloody long.
I seem to have glossed over Caucasian Blues. I like the thought behind it, and how he elaborated on the annoying term 'credit crunch'.
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"I like the idea of being a Sheffield Wu-Tang. Especially if I can be Ol' Dirty Bastard."- Jarvis Cocker
Here's a fun exercise: Listen to this album right after Nick Cave' s Grinderman album. They're very similar thematically, but especially songs like "Pilchard" and "Homewrecker!" Maybe even "Angela." But "Leftovers" and "I Never Said I Was Deep" don't fit in quite as well.
Maybe a compare-contrast between the two albums would be worth undertaking, if there are enough people here who have heard both.