Jarv Is – Beyond the Pale (2020)
Since Pulp’s last album, We Love Life in 2001, band leader Jarvis Cocker has released four albums under various names. His latest as Jarv Is features tracks recorded at various gigs along with studio material. With no crowd noise, it is indecipherable to figure out which is live and which is not. In the Pale is another album indebted to Leonard Cohen but unlike last year’s Robert Forster release, Jarv Is shows that even in old age one can still get down, live in the shadows, and stay out all night.
Jarvis’ lyrics flash back to the old rave days on first single “Must I Evolve” before exclaiming, “I’m so glad we made it”. Those same ravers are recalled on the loungy “Swanky Modes” where “some still scoring cocaine/some laid up with back pain”. The chorus on “Children of the Echo” has a memorable vocal effect and opener “Save The Whale” gets expansive for a moment when Jarvis tells us to “mooove”. The album unfolds across 7 songs in 41 minutes. A mature album with several solid moments.
7.5/10
RIP Eddie Van Halen
Simon & Garfunkel – Live from New York City, 1967 (2002)
Simon & Garfunkel: The Complete Albums Collection released in 2014 contains all the albums, the duo’s greatest hits, plus four live albums. The live albums were all released after the duo broke up in 1970 so in the box, they appear all in a row. One of the last Simon & Garfunkel official releases was one of the earliest, the Live from New York City, 1967 album.
This album was recorded at New York’s Philharmonic Hall at Lincoln Center on January 22, 1967 but was not released until July 2002. The album starts with a fine version of “He Was My Brother” from the duo’s debut album before turning in an excellent rendition of “Leaves That Are Green”. “Homeward Bound” is the first hit song to appear and receives enthusiastic applause from the audience.
Art Garfunkel describes “The Dangling Conversation” as one of their favourites before edgy versions of “Richard Cory” and “Hazy Shade of Winter” that would later appear on the Bookends album. A long and amusing recounting of their photography session for first album Wednesday Morning 3 A.M. precedes “A Poem on the Subway Wall”. Towards the end of the album, Simon & Garfunkel show their skills on three of their most beloved tracks – a less defiant than the album version of “I Am a Rock”, their breakthrough hit “The Sound of Silence” and a stunning Garfunkel vocal on “For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her”.
The recording of the concert is impeccable as it sounds like the duo are singing right into your ear. Simon’s guitar playing is the only instrument heard is wonderfully rendered with several intricate passages. While missing a few popular songs, most notably “Scarborough Fair/Canticle”, Live 1967 acts as a greatest hits of their first three albums. At the end of the concert, the crowd is more vocal and can be heard shouting for more, showing the duo’s popularity and performing prowess. Live from New York City, 1967 is a fine document of where the duo were at in that stage of their career with several very good takes on many of their better early tracks.
8.5/10
Taylor Swift – folklore (2020)
During the last few months when the world was in lockdown, people like Ryan Holiday spoke of alive vs dead time. What can you do during these downtimes to make a difference in your life moving forward. Whether it be working out, reading books, going for walks, working on relationships or various other projects. For Taylor Swift, that meant using the time that was meant for touring her Lover album and instead working with longtime collaborator Jack Antonoff as well a new working relationship with The National’s Aaron Dessner.
Swift’s eighth album, folklore appeared virtually out of nowhere on July 24th and was quickly followed by first single “Cardigan”, the first in a three song story about a teenage love triangle. The second in that cycle, “August”, co-written with Antonoff who called it the best thing they have ever done together. Here, it sounds like a track with other Anotonoff favourite Lana Del Rey with an earworm chorus. “Betty” takes on the point of view of a relationship from the male’s point of view as he tries to apologize for being a crap partner on his girlfriend’s doorstep.
On “Exile”, Bon Iver takes on the lead role of male in a song about a love falling apart. The piano takes centre stage with strings in the background, the production on the voices in the chorus is staggering. “The Last Great American Dynasty” sees Swift singing about Rebekah Harkness who previously owned a house that Swift bought and was constantly in the town’s gossip while she lived there. Swift turns the lyric on it’s head in the last chorus – “There goes the loudest woman this town has ever seen/I had a marvelous time ruining everything”.
“Mirrorball” sees Swift sing the type of song that soft indie pop singers would kill for. “You’ll find me on my tallest tiptoes/Spinning in my highest heels, love” “This is Me Trying” is a heartbreaking song where Swift’s voice hits an emotional high point as she pleads “I just wanted you to know that this is me trying/(at least I’m trying)” Her vocal inflections put in a good turn on “Invisible String” while “Mad Woman” tells of the men who drive the lady to madness behind the scenes.
Last year, the “Lover” duet remix with Shawn Mendes was a standout track. A warm and touching song that Swift duplicates here many times over. On folklore, she makes it sound so effortless to hit so many high points on various styles and emotions. Working with great producers certainly helps but she is the spark that lights the fire. This is a wonderful and story driven album that shows what Taylor Swift did during her alive time.
9/10
The Light Appears 