"Dragging my knuckles, listening to Frankie Knuckles" My daily commute from home to work is made bearable only thanks to a pocket-sized DAB radio and the musical delights played daily by the wonderful Lauren Laverne; her breakfast-time BBC6Music show soundtracks the walk-train-walk-bus-walk ordeal that takes me from door to desk. It's a heady mix of tunes and informed chat that, most days, feature something new and shiny getting a spin, an aural delight that perhaps might pop into my brain and take an easy residence there. One such tune, that has easily made a home in the dusty pathways of my noggin, is living legend Jarvis Cocker's latest release, Must I Evolve? This is the first release from his new ensemble JARV IS, a collection of musicians plucked from variousbands and previous collaborative endeavours, and an absolute beast of a song it is too.
The song opens gently, with Jarvis' queries replied to by a Greek chorus, leading into a gorgeous near spoken word section, before handclaps give way to a thundering rollercoaster of groovy organ and blistering guitars. If Aphrodite's Childever supplied the soundtrack for an existential Westernthis is what it would sound like, all that's missing is a Mariachitrumpet solo at the end.
It's only at the end, when the dust settles around you and the other commuters on the bus are giving you some very odd looks, when you realise that was nearly seven minutes of absolute exhilaration. Gorgeous.
Being primarily a live concern it should come as no surprise to learn that eager punters can only obtain a hard copy of the single at one of JARV IS' gigs (and having checked their forthcoming live dates I rather think I'll be out of luck in getting my grubby mitts on one). Are musicians idiosyncratic? Yes yes yes yes...
UPDATE:24/05 - There's a remix too, which is nice...
Portsmouth still has, despite the best efforts of the Luftwaffe and keen property developers,a large number of public houses for a city its size, offering refreshing alcoholic beverages and, in some cases live music, to a discerning clientèle. The oldest of Pompey's many hostelries is located in the city's old quarter, just a short distance from the historic Square Tower, opposite the Cathedral, and has been serving ales to legions of eager punters since 1716 (or thereabouts). Whilst The Dolphin certainly boasts longevity, and successfully managed to survive the Blitz better than some of its neighbours, there have been periods of late when its future has been in question; changes of management alienated some of its regulars, as did refurbishment and a move toward a more food orientated business plan, all of which led inexorably to an abrupt closure. Thankfully, after a lick of paint and another change of management, the pub reopened and appears to be going from strength to strength. Long known for hosting live comedy The Dolphin has been hosting a limited season of live music each Friday evenings, with these Acoustic Sessions set to run through to mid-June. Following sets from Si Hitchenson and Andy Muscat the next act to perform are, according to the blurb on their Facebook page, "born out of bands long gone, both forged in an age when Play-Doh smelled good enough to eat". They are, of course, JunkStar-Baby.
The awesome twosome of Steve Arnott (no, not that one) and Maria Ede-Weaving are no strangers to the Portsmouth music scene, with both separately performing in various local bands over the years (including The Chosen, whose debut single can still be procured on ebay) before joining forces to become the most mellifluous JunkStar-Baby. Steve & Maria will be performing original songs, a choice cover or three and, if gently persuaded, some of The Chosen's back catalogue, this coming Friday, 24th May. The duo are playing two sets, the first starting at 2015 and, after a short break, the second starting at 2130. Entry is free and, if you are so inclined, the pub is also hosting a beer festival this weekend. Well, it is a Bank Holiday after all.
