I haven't heard it yet but I've heard that Cunts IS on the album.

Initial impressions is that it's fairly good.

"From A To I" sounds like the standout., with maybe "Fat Children" up there as well. Needs more listens. "Running The World" is hidden at the end of the final track with a lot of silence between them.

Also, I prefer Nancy Sinatra's version of "Don't Let Him Waste Your Time". The bouncy country with handclaps arrangement suits it better than the more rock version Jarvis does. A great song in any version, mind.

-- Edited by edwardo at 06:44, 2006-10-12

Hello everyone....my thoughts -

I got a listen to a promo version too...

I was really looking forward to this album - I guess we all are - so if you are disappointed that's not a particularly bad thing as I guess a lot of us were excited about what *kind* of album it'd be.

It's much slower than I expected. Dare I say it, possibly 'mainstream'. Not a bad thing though, it's got some great tracks on it and I'm still trying to 'discover' it. God I sound like a pretencious twat.

Anyway, my take on it:

1 & 12 - Loss Adjuster - Two similar show instrumental tracks - sound very much like the start of 'Roadkill'

2. Bouncy, and a bit more 'tougher' than the Nancy Sinatra version. Decent start to the album

3. Black Magic - bit odd this one. Quite a few effects going off on this one. Not a typical 'Jarvis' song but it's got some charm. I do wonder if this was originally going to be in Harry Potter...

4. Heavy Weather - One for Radio Two. I imagine this one will be a single from the album, quite catchy, not at all offensive and I think has the potential to do better than Pulp in recent years in chart placings.

5.I will kill again - I lovely love ballad. Starts off about an ideal, middle class way of life. 'raise rabbits on a farm...drink a half bottle of wine, dnt believe me if i claim to be your friend because given half the chance i will kill again'. Again, soft tune and melody, which makes the choice of words even funnier.

6. Baby's Coming Back To Me - I imagine the music on this one being used in the background of bank advert on TV. Happy, plinky plonky song.

7. Fat Children - Great tune. All about Jarvis being mugged and killed by some fat children. More rocked up, and could have been a Relaxed Msucle tune if a few things were changed.

8. From a to i - 'they want our way of life, well they can take mine anytime' - another 'nice' tune. Another catchy one.

9. Disney Time - All together now in your deepest voice. "Now it's disney time". A slow burner, but another one that it just great to listen to.

10. Tonite - A bit rockier again. Similar to 'Mary'

11. Big Julie - My favourite track. Like 'Fat Children' but about a woman, which Jarvis always manages to do brilliantly - lyrics are fab.

13. Quantum Theory - Slow ending to the album. Another sound that's really good to sit and listen to. Reminds me a bit of Yesterday the way the song builds up. then half an hour later 'Cunts' is on it.

Really good album. Once you get over the shock of Jarvis reinventing himself again, its great.

JohnC wrote:

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13. Quantum Theory - Slow ending to the album. Another sound that's really good to sit and listen to. Reminds me a bit of Yesterday the way the song builds up. then half an hour later 'Cunts' is on it.

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So wait, there's a 30-minute block of silence? Ugh, I hate those!

Otherwise, the album sounds pretty awesome.

Dont Let Him Waste Your Time : nice little tune full of acoustic and electric guitars well mixed, horns, drums in the front. A lot inspired by Bowie circa early 70s. Could have been sped up a little, would have helped it to make it way better.

Black Magic : Again, Bowie's legacy is really present here, with a bit of Velvet Underground. Sometimes, one can hear bells in the background. goes on for a little bit too long.

Heavy Weather : kicks off with storm sounds, then something changed style guitars with backwards reverb bits. this is Something changed from a a 40 year old to me.

I Will Kill Again : mellotron, piano, soft voice. now we're talking. Again, i hear Bowie's influence on this one. really nice tune with weird lyrics. let's say the melody would fit more to a love song, but that's fine really. one of the highlights of the album.

Baby's Coming To Me : ballad with that instrument jamaicains use a lot, dont know the word :d and soft bells sounds made by a synth, i guess. Nice take for this song, i dont know Nancy's take sounds like, but this is a great love song. Richard Hawley feature on backing vocals.

Fat Children : the UFO of this record. possibly a reworked outtake of Harry Potter. upbeat song with edgy electric guitar, and a chorus that goes "hhhaaaaaah", but dont worry, it sounds really really good. the drums and guitars are orgasmic. edgy, but dont sound heavy metal.

From A To I : another soft song, built around apergiio guitars fills. Good ballad.

Disney Time : back to the sound of Running The World, here, lots of reverb. sound a bit like Ryan Adams' Love is hell record. i dont quite get it now but i will like it for sure. it will be a fan favourite for sure, but at the mo, not for me. female choirs for the middle 8, followed by strings and then back to the verse.

Tonite : the song i like less on the record. ok song but clearly the filler of this first solo effort.

Big Julie : female talk at the beginning, then a grand piano comes in. Strings, drums, and again bells style synths help the song get more interesting.

Quantum Theory : acoustic tune that goes a bit nowhere. sound like a reworked outtake from It.

Overall : gets better with every listen. The running order is a bit weird and the end of the record (Tonite, Big julie, QT) isnt the best part of the record.

-- Edited by andy at 20:11, 2006-10-12

Thanks for the reviews, even if they are a bit of a buzz kill. I think I'll probably like the record based on the descriptions.

I'd like to get my hands on an oink account. I'm not so bothered by music theft myself, especially since most of the stuff I listen to these days never gets a propper release. As for Jarvis, I'll probably buy the bloody record whether I like it or not, after all, I own two copies of WLL and Hits, and I have both versions of the Sunrise single. Jarvis should be paying me.

hey john, i think you review completes mine, and both give a a good overall view on the record. i thought some of the points you made were spot on.

As for the divine comedy comment, i agree too. especially compared to the last one : they got a warm live sound, that's been missing a lot on record produced the last few years.

I don't know, I think "Big Julie" is my favorite on the album so far.

Have only listened to the album twice, so I'm keeping an open mind about it for a while.

Well, its opinions anyway, you'll make your own. i may not like songs other people will.

but to me, it really goes downhill after Disney Time. Its not baaad, but, ive heard better from him.

Eamonn wrote:

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What are the track-times like? I'm thinking of Jarvis' comments saying he wanted to return to writing 3 minute nuggets that say what they have to say without hanging around. Mucho piano use was also mentioned a while back wasn't it?

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All 3 to 5 mins songs, not more. And a lot of piano yeah.

aside from the barrage of swearing in Cunts and the 'skinny bitch' in hotpants in Don't Let Him Waste Your Time, i can't recall any swearing. i'm giving it a closer listen though.