Jarvis Cocker’s last full-fledged solo album Further Complications came out almost a full nine years ago. An uncharacteristically raw outing for the Britpop legend, it was a caustic and lascivious document that came across like Cocker’s divorce album. Of course, Cocker’s always still around, frequently guesting on other people’s songs (like Feist’s), teaming with Iggy Pop to cover Nick Cave, or pursuing idiosyncratic whims like Room 29, his sorta spoken word concept record collab with Chilly Gonzales about the a particular suite at Hollywood’s legendary Château Marmont.

Still, none of that adds up to another new album from Cocker, one of the most gifted songwriters of his generation. Nine years is a long time for anyone to go without releasing music, but it especially stings when it’s someone like Cocker, whose solo material was steadily rewarding and who you just know still has things to write about. Now, maybe that’s finally about to change.

After sharing a cryptic “Jarv Is … ” teaser on his Instagram, Cocker returned this morning with a similar post, with a series of attributes filled in after the ellipses. (Sample: “Jarv Is … ancient and modern at the same time.”) It concludes with “It’s probably best if you come along and see for yourself,” before listing out some new UK tour dates.

It’s a short home country run, but — as Brooklyn Vegan points out — it comes with the promise that “most of the songs are new but some will be familiar.” So, hopefully this little jaunt is a harbinger of bigger things to come, particularly a long-awaited new Cocker solo album. Check out Cocker’s posts and the tour dates below.

Now it can be told… www.jarv.eu A post shared by @ jarvisbransoncocker on Mar 13, 2018 at 4:24am PDT

UK TOUR DATES:

03/26 – Brighton @ Patterns

03/27 – London @ Moth Club

03/28 – Ramsgate @ Ramsgate Music Hall

04/03 – Manchester @ Deaf Institute

04/04 – Liverpool @ Williamson’s Tunnels

04/06 – Castleton @ Peak Cavern

04/07 – Castleton @ Peak Cavern