So the Meltdown Festival kicks off this weekend in London. Curated by Jarvis Cocker of Pulp fame, artists scheduled to perform include Motorhead, the Jesus & Mary Chain, Devo, Sunn 0))), Cornershop and other mismatched weirdness. But there will also be a few special events, which Jarvis alludes to in this enticing elucidation:

He’s a cheeky one, that Jarvis. What he's hinting at is a special event on Sunday called the “Forest of No Return”. The surreal description:

Luckily someone over at Pitchfork has done the legwork for us and unearthed the guest list. Scheduled to appear are: Nick Cave, Pete Doherty (performing “Chim Chim Cher-ee”), folktronica chanteuse Beth Orton, Bryan Ferry of Roxy Music, Shane MacGowan of the Pogues, and Senegalese pop singer Baaba Maal. The score will be arranged by Beach Boys / Joanna Newsom collaborator Van Dyke Parks.

I hope this creepy classic makes the cut:

Part 2 of this week's "Recommended Viewing"...

1. Arctic Monkeys, "Brianstorm" video
The Monkeys are back! This time with booty dancers! That's right, Arctic Monkeys released the video for the first single from their forthcoming Favourite Worst Nightmare LP this week. It's a lightshow extravaganza with choreographed dancing by girls in short-shorts while the the band mimes the frenetic track, "Brianstorm". Not at all what we expected, but it definately works!


2. Bell Orchestre, "Throw It On the Fire" video
Nearly two years after the release of its debut album, Recording a Tape the Colour of the Light, Bell Orchestre have released a video for the album's stand-out track "Throw It On The Fire." The band's violinist Sarah Neufeld and bassist Richard Parry are also full-time members of the now wildly popular Arcade Fire, which might explain the delay for this creepy yet gorgeous clip.


3. Ben Kweller, "Penny on the Train Track" video
Most likely vying for OK GO/TRL-type buzz, singer/songwriter Ben Kweller has released this video of his Grandmother boogieing down to his new single, "Penny on the Train Track." It's cute enough to leave us wondering if we'll see Kweller performing "Penny" on this year's VMA's with Grandma "Bubbie" in-tow.


4. Amy Winehouse, "Rehab (Live at the Brit Awards 2007)"
We posted Winehouse's performance of "Rehab" at SXSW in this week's part 1, but we just had to share this performance clip from this year's Brit Awards, as well. Winehouse is in all her lopsided-beehive-glory here.


This Week's YouTube Gold:
This week's top pick.

5. Jarvis Cocker and Beth Ditto, "Temptation (Live at NME Awards 2007)"
Had we not been on hiatus last week, we would have posted this outstanding performance from this month's NME Awards. Jarvis Cocker was joined by The Gossip's Beth Ditto for a cover of "Temptation" by his fellow Sheffielders Heaven 17. A definite "wish we were there" moment.

The mid-90s are slowly creeping back, as several new efforts by members of Britpop Hey-Day artists such as Blur, Pulp, and Suede and a new collection by Oasis, all hit the streets.

Oasis & Pulp's Jarvis Cocker are first out of the gate. Oasis, though swearing they never would, just released a greatest hits collection, entitled Stop The Clocks. The compilation features 18 tracks culled from Oasis' entire career and seven studio albums. Cocker released his solo debut, simply titled Jarvis, this month in the UK featuring a style not dissimilar to his former band, likely due to his collaboration with former Pulp band mate Steve Mackey on the record's 14 tracks. Cocker is set to release the first "official" single from the album, "Don't Let Him Waste Your Time" on January 8th. The track was originally penned for Nancy Sinatra, which she recorded for her 2004 comeback album on Morrissey's Attack label. The album and single were preceded by a digital-only release of the song "Running The World," which is also featured on the album as a hidden bonus track.

Following the gigantor success of his lifestyle-band Gorillaz, Blur frontman Damon Albarn is back with a new project called The Good, The Bad, and The Queen, which also features Paul Simonon (The Clash), Simon Tong (The Verve) and Tony Allen, a member of the late Nigerian musician Fela Kuti's band. The band released a single, "Herculean", earlier this fall and is following it up with a new one entitled "Kingdom Come" on January 15th. The band's debut LP will follow on January 23rd. Albarn seems too busy as there have recently been rumours of a Blur reunion, as well, including estranged guitarist Graham Coxon.

Suede frontman, Brett Anderson serves up his first solo platter in January, as well—coming on the heels of what seems to have been a failed reunion with Suede guitarist Bernard Butler. The pair released an album in the summer of 2005 as The Tears, but Butler soon announced his plans to go solo. Anderson's solo album is said to be heavily orchestrated and, just like Cocker's set, is self-titled.

Noel Gallagher of Oasis recently tried to refuel old fires when commenting on his early-90s peers to BBC6.

Oasis and Blur had a famous feud when both bands released singles the same week vying for the number one spot on the charts. The feud culminated with Gallagher telling The Observer he wished Damon Albarn would,

What a charmer.

Further Perusal:
Brett Anderson performing a song from his forthcoming solo album.


An awesome1994 performance of "The Two Of Us" from Suede's Dog Man Star


The Good, The Bad, and The Queen performing "Green Fields, reworked from a song originally written for Marianne Faithfull, and appears on her 2004 album Before The Poison


An early mid-90s performance of the Blur classic "Parklife"


Your new favorite Jarvis Cocker song


The still very funny "tribute" version of Pulp's "Bad Cover Version" from their swansong album We Love Life


And here's one with the Gallagher Brothers waxing, er, poetic.

Jarvis Cocker's solo debut Jarvis is streaming online at his myspace space. The record which will be released on Rough Trade Records November 13th, has the following track list:

As reported previously, the Pulp frontman recruited school chums Sam Lockwood and John Watson to handle production duties. The new album finds Jarvis in fine form. "Black Magic" is my favorite, which seems kinda reminiscent of Tommy James and Shondells' "Crimson and Clover," to me.

There are two dates left on Jarvis' very mini tour. Hopefully a full supporting tour is in the works.

coming out of hiding

As Jarvis Cocker made his way back into the press lately, he struck on the idea of becoming the press. In his most recent blog submission, Jarvis revealed that he helmed the forthcoming issue of the UK's Observer Music Monthly.

I'm not sure, as I've never held a paper copy of an OMM in my hands, but its possible the online content mirrors the hardcopy, and would be available here.

The latest issue of Jarvis's storytelling is also available through Jarvcast - do a Podcast search for Jarvcast. This fairytale is entitled "The Mouse, The Bird, and The Sausage," an excerpt from a collection called Grim Household Tales.

NME is reporting that Jarvis Cocker, formerly of PULP, is set to release his solo debut this year.

The album is titled simply Jarvis and has a November 13th release date. The album is said to have been produced with school friends Sam Lockwood and John Watson whom he met from his days at Central St. Martins. Sam and John have reportedly contributed lyrics to several songs on the album as well.

NME did not report the tracklist, but mention that "Running the World," the song about political cunts, which has been circulating the internet all summer, is conspicuously absent.

A brief tour is already scheduled for October and November, with more dates possible to follow.

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Jarvis Cocker has added another Icelandic fairy tale to his myspace page. If you never grew too old for bedtime stories, Jarvis can pick up where your parents left off. The second in the series is titled Bokkala and the Boy. It tells the tale of a boy and his cow Bokkala. A pissed off ogress takes chase of the duo, and a cataclysmic battle betwixt good and evil ensues.

If you subscribe to the Jarvis' podcast by entering a search for Jarvcast, you can load Jarvis into your iPod and take him camping.

Another advantage to subscribing is you can download them as they are read, not as they are uploaded to myspace. The Jarvcast is on its third story titled Time Square in Montana. It is a short story by Richard Brautigan, who Jarvis tells us, killed himself. The story is a very sad adventure about a man and his battle with darkness.

If you have trouble sleeping, there's really only one person you want reading you a bedtime story... Jarvis Cocker.

It seems fatherhood has brought the story teller out of Jarvis. On his myspace page, Jarvis is currently streaming an Icelandic folktale called "The Wizards of the Westman Islands." Honestly, it is very nice to knod off to Jarvis' voice. Now I understand his luck with the ladies. That and the whole fame, and ridiculous cool thing he has going on.

A message on the myspace page promises more storytimes in the future:

To subscribe to these podcasts using your iTunes media player perform a search for Jarvcast.

Probably the best story told at Jarvis Cocker's new myspace page is the one concerning the completion of his album. After this admission, Jarvis quickly changes the subject.

Gather round children.

Jarvis Cocker is definitely sticking his toe in the news pool these days. From co-writing for Charlotte Gainsbourg, to lending vocal stylings to French band Air, and casually tossing some solo material on myspace, Jarvis looks like he's putting out a few mental reminders to signal a grander entrance back into the rock-star glam game.

The latest news reported was Pulp Reissues of His 'n Hers, Different Class, and This Is Hardcore. With a UK release date just around the corner (Aug. 12), a complete tracklist was announced by Pitchfork yesterday. They mentioned it might all be lies, but what are ya gonna do?

His 'N Hers:

Different Class:

and This is Hardcore:

Making Summer Cooler.
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