“Homewrecker!” positively drives its compulsive path towards a gorgeous love song that is “Hold Still”. “F**kingsong” sees him realizing that he is destined never to touch the object of his lust. He decides to get into her mind instead with a song, ‘it’s the best that I can do, it’s the closest I can get, so let it penetrate your consciousness’.
“Slush” is a real gem displaying a little nod towards Scott Walker along its path. The near nine minute “You’re In My Eyes (Discosong)” brings the album to a close with Jarvis sadly observing, ‘I don’t want this song to ever end because I know if it does you would disappear again’.
There lies the reason why I was just not ready to really hear this album first time round. It’s the honest self analysis, and sometimes ruthless self deprecation that lies deeply within many of the lyrics that makes it an uncomfortable listening experience for men of a similar age. He doesn’t just touch a raw nerve in places he positively drills into it.
My mental block had also, in part, been caused by the contrasting styles that lay within the album. Let’s face it, it would be way too heavy without a little, shall we say, relief.
Even though the most relevant lyricist of the Britpop era is brave enough to say it, it begs the question, am I brave enough to face up to it. Or is a song, as he says earlier in the album, just a “F**kingsong”? As I struggle to work it out Jarvis sits drinking his coffee and stroking his beard.
You can catch up with Jarvis on his official website or his MySpace page.
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