Grown Ups.....wow not like anything they've done before!!

Well The Hymn of the North is different to how I remembered it from the Sheffield gig!! (in a good way)

seductivebarry wrote:

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Grown Ups.....wow not like anything they've done before!!

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I like it.

It's not the same song as The Night They Let Me Out Of The Home - it's just a reuse of the same phrase.

First thought that came to me after 2 listens : Steve's absence is blatant, and maybe there is too many slow tracks, but i guess that was expected because they are old. A Sunset was a very nice surprise since i didnt like the live version that much.

I'll wait a few days for a full review.

Pip wrote:

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Older, not old. Mark's only 54!

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  Well compared to even After You 2013, there's way less energy on that record. which is weird because the BBC songs are full of energy. Maybe that was intentional then. But songs like Background Noise are less energetic on the record. 

Maybe it's the energy in the recording, not the band, i dont know. It feels like something is lost between the stage and the record. I had that feeling with Got to Have Love, which is played like a 20 year old band on the BBC recording. And on the recorded version, it's a bit more older.

And it's present for the rest of the record. At least for now. But its an early listen with a weird rip, so maybe the proper release will sound a bit different. A sunset sounds crystal clear at the beggining and then loses that strengh so it must be the RIP. 

That does not mean its a bad thing though, just a feeling.  

Highlight for now: Background Noise (although i thought this one would be harsher, grittier, more hardcore, and it sounds like... a reject from further Complications), Hymn of the North of course. and Grown Ups : monster of a song. This was a reject of TIH ? It's the most productive time for the band, thinking they also rejected You are the One and Street Operator. 

Not hearing Divine Comedy on Tina by the Way Eamonn. but i hear a lot of Last Shadow Puppets in the production. But this song is growing and growing ! 

-- Edited by andy on Wednesday 4th of June 2025 01:26:08 PM

Quick impressions after two listens (not even illicit -- my copy arrived early, thanks Royal Mail), including a late-night chemically enhanced listen on headphones, lyric sheet in hand (yes, I did the forbidden thing):

- it's very very good but this is not a final verdict, we'll see how it wears with numerous listens. I suspect it's a grower.
- the lyrics are excellent for the most part, but tbh I find the jerking-off line to be a bit on the cringeworthy side
- very first impression was that it's maybe a little too slow/quiet, but oddly enough I didn't really have that impression second time around
- the album has been described as "age-appropriate" and that might just be the best possible two-word review
- Particular faves: Grown Ups, Tina, Got to Have Love

Alright, I gave into temptation. My initial thoughts:

• I really like "Grown Ups", it's quite hard to imagine that it could have ended up on "This is Hardcore", sounds very 1980s with shades of "Must I Evolve"
• I was a bit surprised at "My Sex"; the first part is fantastic ("The Professional" for a modern era, if you will) but at this point in time I am not overly keen on the chanting. Maybe it will grow on me
• Similarly, I thought that "Background Noise" would have been extended rather than slowed down. I do like it though
• "Partial Eclipse" is my favourite song from the album and one of my all time favourite Pulp songs. The lyrics to the second verse are up there with their best
• The discordant bit of "Hymn of the North" took me by surprise; for a second, I thought I was listening to a Mansun song. It works really well
• "A Sunset" is nice but does very little for me. I would have used this as a B-side to "Got to Have Love" and released a 10 track album with "Partial Eclipse" as the closer
• I disagree with the review that says the songs don't have chemistry together. They really do. This is probably the most varied Pulp album besides "Separations" but the songs work well together. It is a bit heavy on the ballads but still works well as a package. 

I'm not really a fan of numerical ratings but I'd say a solid 8/10

Realised I posted this in the wrong thread.

Some tiny thoughts and some facts :)

Not followed the leaks, but I have largely loved what I've heard from the BBC2 and BBC6 and Jools shows. Farmer's Market and Tina are fantastic, I think. Not that struck on Partial Eclipse. A Sunset I think is great, and also weirdly similar to Cohen's Death of a Ladies Man. Got To Have Love was worth waiting 25 years for. I don't believe I ever listened to the leaked instrumental- I was also saving the WLL off-cuts for future listens. Never got around to it!

As for my thoughts on the rest of the tracks, you can - bizarrely and hilariously - listen to them at 8am tomorrow on BBC Radio Sheffield, where I will be among five fans getting a 7am listen to the record, and then giving our thoughts!

Definitely one of my more random Pulp adventures. Should be a good laugh, although I've never done anything like this before in a long, long time. Been interviewed on local radio for music what I have done, but it's easier to pull that stuff off. Tune in and hear me flounder!

Jay's Review : I think I broke my AirPods. I don't normally listen to music this loudly..

 

I listened to the Radio 2 in Concert, but not the other one, as I wanted to wait until the whole album popped up on iTunes, at Midnight, and .. Oh boy!! :D

I'm not keen on a couple of the slower tracks, but that's been my opinion since the TIH days, and Sunset isn't going to change that opinion any time soon.

Also, Background Noise..  is that the official sequel to Mark's Sonic Experiment?

-- Edited by Jayenkai on Friday 6th of June 2025 12:40:11 AM

-- Edited by Jayenkai on Friday 6th of June 2025 12:40:43 AM

I thought it was going to be a bit crap like both of Blur's comebacks were. And it's genuinely phenomenal. There isn't a weak track. This might be their best album in 30 years. Or 31.

Listening to Partial Eclipse again, you can really sense the care and freedom that went into these arrangements. This is easily the best production that a Pulp album has ever received. I can't believe the songs are so good - rocky and Sondheimy and Latin and Pulp and brilliant.

Okay, so here we have it, it's happened. "MORE" is here, 24 years later, and not only is it a worthy return: it's (of course, just my humble opinion) a superior album to "We Love Life", which makes it Pulp's fourth best album, and it makes me feel very happy.

THE BEST:

"Spike Island": not a single of WLL's songs (perhaps "Bad Cover Version" or "Birds In Your Garden" came close to being canon) was an indisputably Pulp single as this perfect opening track, a return by Pulp to their classic sound, and already a "new classic" for *Coc*ker and company.

"Tina": When I heard it recorded on the BBC, it made me think of Scott Walker, but the reference some people have made to fabulous  The Last Shadow Puppets'  debut (no coincidence) seems much more apt to me. I love it.

"Grown Ups": I was very curious after reading MOJOs review that alluded to New Orders Subculture, but the truth is that a) sonically, it has nothing to do with it, and b) contrary to expectations, its the song that reminded me most of Different Class, perhaps because of the greater prominence of the guitars.

"Background Noise": I confess I was a little afraid after reading some reviews here talking about overproduction, but as soon as that first suspended note rang out, I got goosebumps. The most This Is Hardcore song of the bunch, the peak of the album in terms of emotion, and without a doubt one of those songs that goes on my personal TOP of the best Pulp songs ever. I understand many people will prefer the energy of GTHL,  but I agree with Andy that the fact that the song's main melodic hook comes from a sample, makes it lose a bit of shine in my eyes.

THE GROWERS:

I didn't have high expectations for "Slow Jam", but the truth is, the studio version is like a "Seductive Barry" that grows with each listen. And then there's "My Sex". Wow. What a surprise: You can't judge a book by its cover. On my first listen, when I was only on the first verse and my eyebrow was raised (Seriously, Jarvis? Another song about single mothers and sex, single mothers and sex?), the chorus came in and OH MY! My prejudices were blown out of the water. When you hear "Show me yours and I'll show you mine," you want to applaud, and that ending with recited numbers is absolutely wonderful. Without a doubt, the song that has grown the most for me with each listen.

THE WORST:

I agree with many who believe that the sequence of those three ballads at the end of the album deflates the whole thing. Added to "Farmer's Market" which is undoubtedly a beautiful song but represents the album's first weak point, I think they're the ones that most highlight the absence of Russell or Steve, and their "replacement" by that bunch of new people. They're nice, but they sound more like "An Evening with... Jarvis Coc*ker. The Pulp frontman revisits his band's old hits accompanied by piano and string quartet," than PULP itself. It's as if Mark, Nick, or Candida faded away a bit in those songs. I have a (small) problem with the borrowed melody of a couple of verses from "Partial Eclipse" (...and there's nothing I can do), and I still have to get used to that weird transition in "Hymn of the North," I'm not sure I'm thrilled about it...

Happy, very happy. "More" is much more than we could have expected from Pulp in 2025.

-- Edited by srhelvetica on Friday 6th of June 2025 07:41:31 AM

-- Edited by srhelvetica on Friday 6th of June 2025 07:42:09 AM

-- Edited by srhelvetica on Friday 6th of June 2025 11:44:06 AM

2nd Listen.
I hit skip halfway through Slow Jam, then gave up halfway through Farmer's Market.
I might shuffle the track listing in a bit, later, see if I can find something that my head doesn't get bored with.

First play of the "Real" album now. Not just the leak. Sounds so so much better, and it's a grower album indeed, but cohesion is not something i would put in a review. Sounds a bit like a best of. 

Spike Island. Well, that was the obvious single, and the song that sounds most like "Old" Pulp circa 95. 8/10

Tina. Tina really does sound like an outtake from The Last Shadow Puppets 1st album, with the outro straight out of Separations era, it's uncanny. Great track, like a Bond Theme in the Separations era with Alex Turner circling around somewhere.  9/10 

Grown Ups. I mean, what can i say, it's just perfect, a classic nostalgia bittersweet track from Jarvis, sounds like his second solo album, to me it was a good choice to not include it on TIH, it would have sounded out of place, but it'd still be interested to hear what they had at the time. 10/10

Slow Jam. Well, the slap bass i need to get used to it, but it's Pulp and they are gonna get away with it. the most "Jarv Is" song on there. And it was basically a Jarv Is track right ? Another stellar production from James Ford. He kinda makes the song. 7/10. Maybe it did not fit on this record though, especially with what's to follow. I would have swapped it for a new version of After You. 

Farmers Market. This is the kinda magic song from Jarvis where you first go "hmmm, ok", then after a few listens, it clicks, and it's amazing. Kinda sounds like his solo collab with Chilly Gonzalez, and of course, i love it. How does he do that ? I dont know. Another great take on society, but with a twist. He's now old and go to where old people go. and also hipsters. 8/10 

My Sex. Well, the professional part 2 isn't it ? Maybe a bit too close, the professional also have a better production, less mainstream. it's also reminiscent of a Serge Gainsbourg song, but i can't really find which one now. Another one that maybe did not fit on the record. 6/10 

Got to Have Love. Well well well ! The song i was probably most anticipating and that since the demos leaked i dont know how many gazillion years ago. Kinda put down by the fact that the chorus is lifted from another song. So to me it shouldn't be a single. but as an album track, yes ! I guess it was either that or After You.

It's also a bit muffled compared to the rest of the record, it does not have the same power, dynamics are very tired. Weird. Is it from another session ?  Maybe the CD version will be better and its just the streaming version of the single put on the album. Let me know guys i'm a bit worried !  7/10. 

Background Noise. I was really expecting something different, maybe a bit more raw, something more like Jarvis FC album, where the voice would be on the verge of breaking and the instrument as well. But it did not, it stayed very polite. Like the little brother of I Never Said I Was Deep and Bad Cover Version - 8/10 

Partial Eclipse. This is the kinda song that needs time to click. And it did. Great "slow" song. 8/10 

Hymn of the North. My favorite from the live songs debuted a few years ago. Like Background Noise, they chose the "not overblown" route. Why ? This song needed to go directly in the wall, like This Is Hardcore, especially the weird middle 8. But it's still a great take. Crystal clear vocals, subtle strings... a gem. 8/10 

A Sunset. If no one sues for that, then they are lucky  I'd like to Teach the World to sing mixed with that Leonard Cohen song, and even Born to Cry thrown in. Nice production though since i did not really rate the live version. The production makes the song. 6/10 

Open Strings. A really good bsides that deserved a spot on the album. Somewhere. 7/10 

Overall feeling : It's a... weird tracklisting. I'm gonna swap a few and maybe ditch My Sex, which sounds too much like a Gainsbourg/Professionnal Rip off. and swap it with Open Strings which is better in my opinion. I dont know. Overall rating 8/10. There is more to come, there needs to be, this was just a teaser. A good return. But my guess is they have more and bigger in their sleeves. See you in 2027 for a new record ? Yes please... 

 

There was also room for the Cuckoo song on there somewhere ! We sure all the songs are all from the same sessions ? I have my doubt. Feels like some were recorded before. 

-- Edited by andy on Friday 6th of June 2025 01:31:00 PM

WARNING! Long post incoming but if you don't know me by now, you will never ever...

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So I replicated the debut WLL listening experience from all those years ago. Tucked-in in bed late at night as the album was released. Countdown to midnight, Separation volume control. Love Is Blind? Not how Jarvis seems to feel these days...

I had a better pair of headphones than October 2001 and was ready to go.

First impressions are important, especially when it comes to the "cheap potency" of pop music. We've all dismissed a song/artist quickly from hearing just one snatch of a chorus, even more-so these days with the availability of all the musics in the worlds a click or swipe away.

So with the caveat that in general terms, songs/albums grow on you the more you listen to them, PLUS feeling that Pulp are "our kids" and wanting them to fulfil their potential as perennially worried parents focusing on the troubling bits - it must be the grown-ups in us; here are initial thoughts that may be subject to change...


SPIKE ISLAND (7.5/10): I agree a lot with what Lipglossed said about this. The production and groove make the song and everything else sits around it. The verse lyrics are brilliant, initially I thought JC was cramming extra syllables in but they do work. A repetition, twice, of an elongated "feeeeeeeling" did grate a little for a while (maybe chuck in a rhyme like "revealing"?) but I give him a pass given feel-ing is the theme of the record really. I still think that as a comeback/trailer for a new period, this is not in the same league as Common People (obvs), Help The Aged/This Is Hardcore or even Must I Evolve. It's like a solid second single from an album. It just lacks full take-off for me - no interesting middle-eight, the chorus vocal falls shy of its anthemic leanings and gets very close to Jarvis-strain which I was worried would put casual folk off. But I'm so glad that it's found a large audience. Which is down to the power of the arrangement and groove mainly, I think.


TINA (7.5/10): I think I'm suffering from overdosing on the BBC live version of this last weekend. Must have caned it twenty times or so. This is so playful, true to their John Barry Bond-theme roots and is just tremendous fun. I feel like a Pulp song hasn't galloped like this since Rattlesnake. Initial thoughts on the album version are that Jarvis' vocals aren't pushed to the front enough (which I found to be the case with a lot of the album on first listen). Couldn't resist a second spin before sleep and it sounded better and closer to its potential shown live. What stops it from being top-notch is maybe the lack of a consistent chorus anchor in the lyrics and I can see why the whole thing could be dismissed as a 60's pastiche - vaguely spaghetti-western inspired pop song with clichéd house-band lounge strings. ("But we no better, don't we?"). Also, when he mentioned "lipstick marks on my coffee cup", I thought "No! Don't make me think of Take That!" I've never heard such a delineation from recycling someone else's line to following it up with a trademark belter of your own - "Screwing in a charity shop on top of black binbags" indeed !

At first I thought Tina was a composite character like in Wickerman or You Are The One but in one of the recent interviews, Jarvis mentioned that he would see her sporadically for years afterwards so maybe not...


GROWN UPS (7/10): The only song from the album that we hadn't heard at all in any form ahead of the album release. Quite a bit going on here and I think it will grow on me but after one listen I did feel a bit underwhelmed. Mark finally gets centre stage with guitar from the start but it's a fairly standard thick one string-riff. I think it could be overlaid with other counterpoint melodies/lead-guitar to make it more interesting. I really like the opening lyrics and I had clocked the recycling of The Night They Let Me Out Of The Home from early reviews quoting some of the lines. I get the Dexys stomp references (whom I love), I also hear a bit of Madness in the frenzied build. But the chorus to me is a little forced, trying too hard to be memorable. It is catchy but it's a bit obvious. I can kind of see why it was buried in January 1997 to be honest. Mark's least-favourite song on the album, interestingly. Then again, he hated all the good bits of Hardcore and loves the rest! The spoken section does have a strong quality and JC's vocals & wordplay sound great but overall I'm yet to be totally convinced. Come back to me on this...


SLOW JAM (8/10): I wanged-on about the live Jarv Is...version of this for a long time, I seem to be one of the few who it left a mark on! Ironically, I missed the Camden November 2021 Jarv Is... gig where this was played (only ever performed elsewhere on that specific tour before now) due to Covid. But once I saw a Youtube upload of a performance from Bristol that month, the song just stuck with me. I was going through a bad time and the pain in the song must have chimed. I even told Jarvis in Sep '23 at Foyles bookshop that it was "****ing brilliant" and not to let it go unrecorded!
Cut to the last week and eagerly awaiting to hear how it turned out, and the 6 Music session which is true to this album version. The verses have been made less to serve the song as was and more to put the titular "slow jam" to the forefront. Hence slap-bass and skittish rhythm which is... a bold choice. However the vocal melody is also not as tight as the Jarv Is... version and I was beginning to feel crest-fallen. BUT then the chorus hit and wow... it's been beefed-up with gorgeous strings, keys and that end bass-piano note that anchors the sadness in the lyrics. The three chorus/climaxes are possibly my favourite individual moments on the album and I think I'll get used to the arrangement on the rest of it. And I can stop listening to Jarv Is... playing it in Bristol in 2021...


FARMERS MARKET (7.5/10): Ballads in general are often tunes to be admired rather than be excited about and it's only special ones (see Hymn) that have me reaching for the repeat button. So it is a little with this and Partial Eclipse later on. Pleasant strings and vocal intro, neat little chorus. The bridge/post-chorus kind of makes/saves the song for me - the bit about "trying dreams on for size". The last part is beautiful, no doubt, and did make me shed a tear on the BBC performance. I'm glad it's not drawn-out too much as it appeared to be live in the US debut renditions. I still need to be in the proper mood to really want to hear this, or, ideally, in love, like...


MY SEX (8.5): YES, thank you - highpoint of the album to this point. Delivers on the live potential. Loving Mark's guitar sound - he's so good at that moody, muscular but not over-stated tone. A reminder of his signature playing coming to the fore on the Hardcore material post-Russell. There have been comparisons with The Professional from that era too and you can hear it in the tone and vocal delivery but I think this is a level above. Just really sharp observations, some outrageous word-play ("hand-reared", "a lover stiff"). The only thing, on my maiden listen, that lets it down are those female BVs. I don't know what they're saying and the high-pitch is a little jarring. The section at the end... are they reciting random numbers? I don't know if it's a nod to AI/"automated" sexuality but the track could do without them. Might grow on me. Overall, the track is an absolute triumph though.


GOT TO HAVE LOVE (7.5/10): Years ago, I would have been gutted to discover that a Pulp/Jarvis song was based around a sample from something else. (There's an embarrassing post on this forum from back in 2009 of my despair at finding out You're In My Eyes/Discosong was cribbed from someone else!) But this time round? Nah, it's fine. They've built a mini-epic around those 70s female backing-vocals and it all works really well.

I'm still unsure about the extended spoken-word section. I get that it's probably the key part, not just to this song but of the entire album, and Jarvis hilariously reigns-in the triteness by calling himself a ponce. And it worked to good effect live at the BBC. I also smile at the Sheffield coming out in Jarv on the line "Do you even know how to spell i' " as his voice really sounds like his 31 year-old self in Catcliffe Shakedown ("I dunno, label's come off") Again, though, as with Spike, I can't quite shake the feeling that a memorable sung middle-eight section would elevate this more. Also a note on Mark and Nick's contributions here. At times the drums on this record are under-used or even missing (ironically they had both a Banks and a Betts ready to bash-out whatever was needed in the studio!). Here though, you can't help but smile at Nick being given the chance to bash the fcuk out of those cymbals going into the last chorus while Mark's lead-lines are not the most subtle but they are effective. It could be Emma playing too, I think the Elysians gave her a nod when the single was released.


BACKGROUND NOISE (8/10): Oh Pulp, you give so much and then you taketh... for me this is clearly the strongest pop chorus on this album and I'm so glad that my whole "Yeah but I liked the live version better" shtick is rendered redundant here. I haven't heard Jarvis sound so good in a soaring chorus since... I'm not sure when... but everything just works here. The 60s heavy beat on the one by Nick, before he fully lets loose in that chorus, Mark's keening guitar, the strings getting out of the way of Jarvis crooning but still offering a lovely harmony (or is counter-melody?).

The only slight criticism is that it feels like the verses have been slowed-down a little. That first live version from Mexico all those months ago when we really thought that something must be happening, was so exciting but it felt like the song was a bit short and missing a middle section. Mark told Giles Acrylic in that great interview he did for his book that the band had gone through various iterations of this song. When I clocked that the track-time was about half a minute longer than live, I felt confident that a missing section had since been found.

So it is a little disappointing that they second-guessed themselves and reverted to the original version but the chorus is so good and totally deserving of the doubling-up (and second time round there is variation in the arrangement in fairness) that I forgive them. I hope Pulp do release another single - not that singles matter anymore, but I want to see the band in a fun video and I want radio to fall in love with this song. I think taste-makers would find this an easier sell than the two singles to date. Three and a half minutes and the choruses are instant ear-candy.


PARTIAL ECLIPSE (7.5/10): I kind of feel similar to Farmers Market that I do about this one. Violin and vocals straight in, pleasant and short chorus, clever lyrics. Neither song plods which I feared they would, the mid-pace suits the song and it doesn't drag. The vocals probably help with that as they are strong and witty. There are strong similarities to the end of the chorus and Bowie's Space Oddity ("And there's nothing I can do"). Also, is anyone hearing Head Over Heel by Tears For Fears in the verse vocal melody?!

I'm not quite sure I get the last part about the homeless fella (an eclipse, just like a sunset, is free for everyone but then reality beckons?) but it's a welcome section in the song. The long celestial outro is presumably there to serve the lyrical theme. I like this song but if the album was subject to brutal edits, I think one of this and Farmers Market could possibly go.


THE HYMN OF THE NORTH (9/10): A wonderful, beautiful song that I've had in my head since hearing it at Sheff two years ago. I held my breath that they would do it justice in the studio but it sounds like they have. Some little vocal-melody revisions here and there that actually improve the song and the strings get their full day in the sun. But I was so happy to hear Nick crash in on the drums for the final section. In an album that might be slightly ballad-heavy, this is how to do it, going all-out. Strong theme, multiple vocal hooks, challenging but satisfying (and short) mid-section with the abrasive strings which is inspired really as it helps the song from venturing too close to cloying. If they perform this at the Mercury Prize in October and the judges decide the winner after all the artists have each played a song, this will win Pulp their second award. Outstanding!


A SUNSET (8/10):

It clearly is a "me" problem where I get so used to an early live iteration that when the recorded version is missing quirks or adding in over-production on other elements, it can be hard to readjust. But this seems to be the MO that JC is comfortable with - try-out new material live, gain confidence, record it in the studio with a smattering of other new songs not performed live.

I'm so relieved that the record generally enhances what we've heard before and no more so than this song. I had kind of dismissed it as Hawley-troubadour fodder of the type he could write in his sleep but the way the arrangement here has filled-in all the gaps is great and the sing-along nature of the chorus works really well. As might have been noted by now, I'm a sucker for a winning middle-eight and I'm glad the album ends on two of them (see Hymn before). The "like to teach the world to sing" part slots-in really well and the song ends a little abruptly which is a bit of a surprise as Jarvis is prone to the long fade-out.


*

So, overall, the album feels like a winner. A more than solid 8/10,four stars, I can only see that increasing after 61 plays (why 61? It could just as easily be 610...niche reference for you there... ). It's an easier record to get on with than Hardcore and We Love Life were.

Ford, the Elysians and the Jarv Is... crew have clearly stamped their mark on this. Nick, Candida and Mark dont feel as prominent as on other records but they are undoubtedly present and I'm relieved about that because this still feels more like Pulp than any record Jarvis has done since 2001.

There are strong melodies on practically every song and the production is sumptuous throughout. For these reasons, the absence of one or two "rockers" or more up-tempo songs are probably not felt as much as they could have been. If I was to be harsh, maybe Jarvis could have had a go at finishing the "angry, loud" song that was left as an instrumental and that could have displaced a slower song. But it may have disturbed the theme of the album too much. This is Pulp grown-up, very much in late mid-life. Mark Webber promised us "mature, frothy pop" and thats what we've gratefully received. I hope the love that they are being shown at the moment will convince them that there is more gas left in the tank. An angry (but catchy) record might be yet in them and between both, the Pulp story will have a far more satisfying ending than the fizzling-out of We Love Life and Miner's Strike.

-- Edited by Eamonn on Friday 6th of June 2025 12:35:02 PM

'Grown Ups' reminded me of Souvlaki Space Station by Slowdive. Just that guitar bit at the start. 'Tina' is very Go Betweens. 'My Sex' reminds me a bit of The Professional in its content. Maybe its older more wrinkly uncle. The Hymn of the North - that swell when it kicks in with the orchestra - thats probably my fav bit so far out of many.

Yall are very eloquent. Im over here like album good. Songs good. But really I agree with the sentiment that theres not a bad song on the whole album. Background noise is, upon first listen, my favorite, but theres not one song I dislike.

Noticed there is no "Please don't read the words while listening to the recordings" on the lyrics sheet. Is this the first time?

Wish Id asked JC to write to not to listen to the music when reading the words when I got a copy of his Lyrics signed. I bottled it because I thought that was a lot to write and the queue was long.

Hey, weve lived with the Pulp canon for so very long. Its fascinating feeling my mental furniture move around to accommodate the new songs, the links between them and what they mean for my image of this band.

Glory days! At this moment the are Pulp songs we are all actually deciding if we like or not, and learning the words! Its weiiiiird!

-- Edited by superchob on Friday 6th of June 2025 02:55:18 PM

Heres my quick take-

Musically this is a very grown up album, its quite sophisticated- there are elements from different eras of Pulp that creep through, which make me giddy. A couple of songs sound like Jarvis solo work and theres the odd track where I can hear other Pulp/ Jarvis songs eg- I can hear Big Julie in Farmers Market- but maybe thats just me.. Anyway- I think the album is great- It took me a few plays to digest it properly and theres some excellent stand out tracks- the singles obviously, Grown Ups, Slow Jam and My Sex are top notch and I prefer the studio version if the Hymn of the North by a long shot- I wasnt keen on this when I first heard it, but I'm really into this version.. also Background Noise, what an absolute gem! Heartbreakingly brilliant, one of my favourites on the album.

Unfortunately I just cant get into Tina! Theres a lot of positive comments on this track, so im just going to have to see how I feel as time goes on.

In an alternate universe, where Pulp never released After You, I think a 2025 Pulp studio version of this track would have sat nicely on the album

But overall, over the moon with it, its a very nice album.

Welcome back

andy wrote:

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Pye wrote:

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Heres my quick take-

Musically this is a very grown up album, its quite sophisticated- there are elements from different eras of Pulp that creep through, which make me giddy. A couple of songs sound like Jarvis solo work and theres the odd track where I can hear other Pulp/ Jarvis songs eg- I can hear Big Julie in Farmers Market- but maybe thats just me.. Anyway- I think the album is great- It took me a few plays to digest it properly and theres some excellent stand out tracks- the singles obviously, Grown Ups, Slow Jam and My Sex are top notch and I prefer the studio version if the Hymn of the North by a long shot- I wasnt keen on this when I first heard it, but I'm really into this version.. also Background Noise, what an absolute gem! Heartbreakingly brilliant, one of my favourites on the album.

Unfortunately I just cant get into Tina! Theres a lot of positive comments on this track, so im just going to have to see how I feel as time goes on.

In an alternate universe, where Pulp never released After You, I think a 2025 Pulp studio version of this track would have sat nicely on the album

But overall, over the moon with it, its a very nice album.

Welcome back

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I was really not into Tina when i first heard it on the BBC gig. Like what the f is that s... Now i love it ! Its because the melody is really, really weird. 

As for After You, just stick it on the tracklisting, it fits quite well like that. But i would have loved to hear a James Ford version. Maybe they did and we'll get an extra later ?  I doubt they only recorded 12 songs. 

-- Edited by andy on Friday 6th of June 2025 05:27:31 PM

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Maybe one day it will hit me Ill keep listening! 

Andy, they did only record 12 songs sadly! And one instrumental that Jarvis couldn't think of words for.

I kind of agree that After You would have made a good addition to the record.

I had a tsunami of work these last few days and didn't have space to give this the attention it demands. Sitting down now to listen for the first time. No comments until after third or fourth listen.

Really impressed by the production and the lyrics so far.

I haven't had a chance to buy a CD today, meaning I'll have to pick one up on Sunday. Shame, I was hoping to buy the album on its release day, like fans did all those years ago... damn broken washing machine!

lipglossed wrote:

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I haven't had a chance to buy a CD today, meaning I'll have to pick one up on Sunday. Shame, I was hoping to buy the album on its release day, like fans did all those years ago... damn broken washing machine!

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 If it makes you feel any better I haven't managed to pick up a physical copy yet, though I did check the supermarket earlier... I don't know why...

In Hymn of the North when the somewhat discordant part starts and theres the lines trust and believe/ in you and me it sounds like theres some horrible modulating vocal effect. I havent heard anyone else mention it so is it just my ears? Its the only bit of the album I dislike.

jarvcore wrote:

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In Hymn of the North when the somewhat discordant part starts and theres the lines trust and believe/ in you and me it sounds like theres some horrible modulating vocal effect. I havent heard anyone else mention it so is it just my ears? Its the only bit of the album I dislike.

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It's a bit weird yes, maybe a bad cut ? This is the bit i loved live, thought it really made the song, it was "catastrophic", like a big storm coming down after the sweet melody if you see what i mean. A plot twist if you will. But i dont think they managed to get it on the record. It falls a bit flat. it needed a bit more "grand" brass, strings and overall orchestra. 

Player of the Match for the album = Jarvis because I think, as a whole, these are his best lyrics. No standout talky-one like Last Summer or Wickerman but I'd buy the album just as a book of poems. The phrases he comes up with are remarkable.

But also, am I the only one who's sensing a lot of Mark influence on the album? It's covered in his signature flashes of sound and melodic touches. You have both the Different Class-style solos, and the atmospherics he added to the Hardcore era. For example, he really spices up the outro of My Sex, there's the drone of Background Noise, the tone of Grown Ups. It's all excellent.

Somehow, you can imagine Seductive Barry, Birds in Your Garden, Monday Morning, Acrylic Afternoons, whatever, ALL fitting on this album and working. That shouldn't be possible, but it is.

The autotune did throw me. But could you ever imagine we'd get a Pulp album recent enough to get autotune on it??

It's really doing my head in: is it just apple music or is it like that on CD : Got to Have Love has a really bad sounds. Compared to other tracks, there is no dynamics, its so flat and vocals are so low in the mix.

Guys ? Someone who has the CD or vinyl ?

And still the feeling that the songs lacks cohesion, i dont know. Really feels like a greatest hits. All the songs are pretty good but it's a bit all over the place. 

-- Edited by andy on Saturday 7th of June 2025 01:32:50 PM

My understanding is that Pulp remains the original 4, and the others are just extra help (the aged). Don't believe streaming platforms they usually get things wrong.

Hm, are we part of the Earth or do we just live here?

Eamonn wrote:

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The Earth is credited for A Sunset - does that include us? Finally, we've written a Pulp song!

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Brian Eno thing, it seems (Dunno if you didn't know, or were just messing about, but it's a nice touch!)

Ah yeah, was only messin'.

I always loved and admired the equal split of the writing credit, but it must be fearsomely difficult to credit now. 'A Sunset' is Hawley's, 'Slow Jam' is essentially a JARV IS song co-written by C*cker / Steer, yet the 'with' clause implies they are all by 'Pulp'. Seems like opinion (and press coverage) is that Pulp is Banks / C*cker / Doyle / Webber, with everyone else as guests... but surely they're all Pulp now? Maybe they'll all be Pulp on the next album, which hopefully they'll have out summer 2026.

2027

1995 DC / 2025 More
1997 TIH / 2027 Even More
2001 WLL / 2031 Less is More

I think Pulp's always been so many people and incarnations. So I see them all as Pulp - all nine of them are full Pulp to me.

lipglossed wrote:

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I think Pulp's always been so many people and incarnations. So I see them all as Pulp - all nine of them are full Pulp to me.

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I dont know, most (not all) promo pics features only 4 "original" members. I guess they worked out the legal side of songwriting and performing, but i doubt any of the "new" ones are officially Pulp. They are in Pulp recording and touring band though. As special guests. 

I have just noticed that the lyrics are spread out rather than being in one big paragraph which has been the case for previous Pulp albums.

andy wrote:

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lipglossed wrote:

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I think Pulp's always been so many people and incarnations. So I see them all as Pulp - all nine of them are full Pulp to me.

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I dont know, most (not all) promo pics features only 4 "original" members. I guess they worked out the legal side of songwriting and performing, but i doubt any of the "new" ones are officially Pulp. They are in Pulp recording and touring band though. As special guests. 

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It's not unusual for bands to have 'unofficial' members e.g. Genesis were the same five piece on tour for decades but always a three piece on record. I guess the waters are a bit muddied by the fact that several of the others have songwriting credits, especially Andrew & Emma. But so has Richard Hawley, and I don't think anyone sees him as a serious member of Pulp.

Personally I don't deny them all their place as Pulp people, cos it's fair to say the new songs simply wouldn't have happened without them.

Anyone hear some Nick Cave in Farmers Market? Could fit right into the Lyre of Orpheus if you ask me.

andy wrote:

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lipglossed wrote:

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I think Pulp's always been so many people and incarnations. So I see them all as Pulp - all nine of them are full Pulp to me.

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I dont know, most (not all) promo pics features only 4 "original" members. I guess they worked out the legal side of songwriting and performing, but i doubt any of the "new" ones are officially Pulp. They are in Pulp recording and touring band though. As special guests. 

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 I mean, I said that was in my view, not formally officially or anything.

I don't remember
being a Pulp member
but I do remember
I was in love with a girl
Yeah
a girl called Amber

I'm still not digging Grown Ups. I'm hoping that it will "come alive" live.

Also, forgot to say in my Got To Have Love review but Jarvis is really channelling Martin Fry from Pulp's Sheffield big brothers - ABC and The Look of Love, isn't he?! Of course Jarvis used "Martin" in another song too...

See:

And though my friends just might ask me
They say, "Martin, maybe one day you'll find true love"
I say, "Maybe, there must be a solution
To the one thing, the one thing we can't find

and

From the one thing, the one thing that could save you
The one thing that scares you to death
...It goes "L-O-V-E"

So now that Pulp have dug Got to Have Love and Grown Ups from the past. What are the chances we get Street operator, You are the One, or Quiet Revolution on the next album ?

Street Operator is single material, the other could really work as album track. Why not, on a "lighter" themed album ? Let's go !

I think the tracklisting is great how it is to be honest. It flows really nicely for me. The second half of the album already has several 'slow ones' so I think adding 'Farmers Market' to it just makes the record unbalanced.

(I also don't see why they'd need to bring back/redo 'After You', a single from 12 years ago! It's not one of the More songs, and if people don't like the official version can't they just listen to the demo?)

-- Edited by lipglossed on Tuesday 10th of June 2025 12:50:00 PM