JARV IS... (Rough Trade) LP, Album, Vinyl, 2020

The new Jarvis Cocker project is Jarv Is... It's a relief of sorts that he has his groove back. For Cocker to do his best work, he needs a great band behind him, for instance, Pulp. Here, he has a brand new group, and they are different from Pulp, but the robust electronics and violin are put in good use in the arrangements. The mixture of real instruments and 70's-era moogs gives it a vintage touch, but also a platform for Jarvis to shine. All the songs are co-written, mostly with Serafina Steer, who plays harp and keyboards. Emma Smith plays violin, and both the back up vocals of Smith and Steer add a lot to the textural quality of the songs. Jarvis mostly plays guitars here, and more used as a sound texture than anything else. A wonderful album.