1 - Tina
2 - Got to Have Love
3 - Slow Jam
4 - Grown Ups
5 - The Hymn of the North
6 - My Sex
7 - Background Noise
8 - Partial Eclipse
9 - Farmers' Market
10 - Spike Island
11 - A Sunset
Yeah, i need to get used to the chanting in My Sex - is it "X" and "Y" as in chromosomes?
Maybe im wrong, but for me all is based in the verses:
"I haven't got an agenda I haven't ven got a gender"
For me those voices saying "X" and "Y" and numbers are PRECISELY that: the chromosomes that makes us men or women, and the phone numbers we add to our agendas with mating purposes. Maybe it's just my theory, far from Jarvis original intentions, but.. doesn't make all the sense in the world? (And to be honest, I absolutely LOVE the way the songs ends with those voices)
-- Edited by srhelvetica on Friday 6th of June 2025 08:09:17 PM
1 - The Hymn of the North
2 - Spike Island
3 - My Sex
4 - Got to Have Love
5 - Tina
6 - Slow Jam
7 - A Sunset
8 - Background Noise
9 - Farmers' Market
10 - Grown Ups
11 - Partial Eclipse
I'm letting My Sex off the chanting becasue the rest of it is ace. Slow Jam slaps (I'm sorry).
I just listened to the record again while in Sainsbury's and cried to Hymn so that seals its place.
Easy - it has to be Hymn of the North. The chanting is part of the reason I love My Sex. Absolutely love the backing vocals on it. Otherwise, it's s very reminiscent of The Professional, isn't it? Which is always good. I keep hearing Separations and Don't You Want Me Anymore in one of the songs and Love is Blind talky bit in another. Need to listen again to remind myself which songs
-- Edited by Jean on Friday 6th of June 2025 09:01:14 PM
I can't help but feel My Sex is getting in on the current social renegotiation of things like gender. Midway through the song, the chanting's only 'X' and 'Y', but in the outro, there's other letters like 'A' and 'C', as well as numbers too! The 'binary' of 'X' and 'Y' has been drowned out; the lyrics seem to be tipping a sly wink, in a way that'll resonate with certain people. Of course, having said that, I'm not personally sure I care for the chanting all that much, but I agree with Violin Thing - the rest of it is so ace (and so is Slow Jam).
It kind of is a theme of the album to be fair - the idea of needing more options and choice in life is the final theme that the album ends on.
Easy - it has to be Hymn of the North. The chanting is part of the reason I love My Sex. Absolutely love the backing vocals on it. Otherwise, it's s very reminiscent of The Professional, isn't it? Which is always good. I keep hearing Separations and Don't You Want Me Anymore in one of the songs and Love is Blind talky bit in another. Need to listen again to remind myself which songs
-- Edited by Jean on Friday 6th of June 2025 09:01:14 PM
The outro of Slow Jam contains a very appealing prominent keyboard line which is very Someone Like the Moon.
The distortion on Background Noise reminds me of Seductive Barry and The Day After the Revolution.
I love More. There's a musical continuity and they're blending all of their previous albums together with even more developed, sophisticated ideas. It genuinely feels like the PERFECT Pulp evolution.
You're right, lipglossed. I hear the Someone Like the Moon bit too. There's a bit in one of the songs that is very reminiscent of a part of The Wickerman as well. It's almost like there's some sort of vocal effect and it called to mind that song for me. I need to listen again to remind myself which song is which! I also heard Seductive Barry and Day After in there. Must be the same song you hear it on.
This is getting a bit like when Bowie brought out The Next Day and I kept hearing bits of other eras in there. I could hear Earthling on If You Can See Me, Scary Monsters on How Does the Grass Grow, Ziggy on Valentines Day, Lodger on TND, Outside on Heat etc! Love it.
I'm still just listening online as, unbelievably, the shop didn't have it! I'll be looking forward to getting the CD to hear the songs properly. Sounded great on vinyl at the listening party.
1. Spike Island
2. Grown Ups
3. My Sex
4. Slow Jam
5. Tina
6. Hymn of the North
7. Background Noise
8. Farmer's Market
9. Got to Have Love
10. A Sunset
11. Partial Eclipse
Interesting to see how our opinions differ! For me:
1. Spike Island
2. Slow Jam
3. Farmers Market
4. Partial Eclipse
5. Tina
6. Grown Ups
7. Got to Have Love
8. Background Noise
9. A Sunset
10. Hymn of the North
11, My Sex
This is Pulp though, so even the lowest ranked songs are decent - I would happily listen to the album in full as I would with all the others.
1. Background Noise
2. Spike Island
3. Partial Eclipse
4. A Sunset
5. Grown Ups
6. Tina
7. GTHL
8. My Sex
9. Hymn Of The North
10. Slow Jam
11. Farmers Market
Surprised Hymn Of The North is so popular, there's so many more exciting songs on the album to me.
I also had a very emotional response to the big moment in Hymn of the North - the entire song really is special. Also really digging background noise - i might be in the minority but i think it sounds better slowed down
3:13-ish of The Hymn of the North - when the horns and the orchestra hit.... Listening to it again now and its made me a bit teary.
-- Edited by cutcopy on Saturday 7th of June 2025 01:32:53 AM
Ouch. I wish I could love The Hymn Of the North as much as most of you do, but I have a serious problem with those six seconds (3:11 to 3:17) that get me completely OUT of the song, out of Pulp, out of whatever I'm doing. I'm stucked there. After that point, song is MAGICAL, but that confusing moment In the song has become an obstacle for me to enjoy the whole pack. Guess it's my "The Night That Minnie Timperley Died " moment, 2025 version. On the other hand, "My Sex" grows with every listen, and I'd say now it's one of my Top 3, with Spike Island and Background Noise
-- Edited by srhelvetica on Saturday 7th of June 2025 08:13:49 AM
My list, which surprised me, because i didn't really enjoy Grown Ups and Tina first, but now they are among my favs.
Biggest disappointment is Got to Have Love. It was bound to happen. How can a 20 years anticipation be met ? But they could have made it better, it's a bit too safe. Now i hope they release a complete demo of it from 99. Seems like the song was completed back then even...
Farmers Market should be some kind of closer i think. I'll do my alternate tracklisting later.
1. Grown Ups 2. Background Noise 3. Hymn Of The North 4. Tina 5. Farmers Market 6. Spike Island 7. A Sunset 8. GTHL 9. Partial Eclipse 10. Slow Jam 11. My Sex
-- Edited by andy on Saturday 7th of June 2025 08:40:42 AM
1 - Tina
2. Got to Have Love
3. Grown Ups
4. My Sex
5. Spike Island
6. Slow Jam
7. A Sunset
8. Hymn of the North
9. Background Noise
10. Partial Eclipse
11. Farmers Market
1. Grown Ups
2. Slow Jam
3. Background Noise
4. Got to Have Love
5. Spike Island
6. Partial Eclipse
7. My Sex
8. The Hymn of the North
9. Farmers Market
10. A Sunset
11. Tina