This Is Hardcore

What killed Britpop? The most common answer, Oasis' Be Here Now, has some merit: although in no way the turkey of legend, its hubristic, cocainistic bloat is obvious. Now, Oasis were the best, most important Britpop band, so a relatively weak album from them had to corrode the genre's reputation. But, of course, this is far too simplistic. Now you may not wish to admit it, but Blur were nowhere near as good as Oasis, and part of Britpop's collapse was due to them finally being rumbled. And, of course, the glut of charmless no-mark bands like Menswear, Kula Shaker and Blouse was ultimately the method of execution, a death by a thousand cuts. Also, the culture that blossomed around Britpop swiftly turned bathetic, all dodgy sideburns, four warm cans of Stella and Gail Porter flashing her spiders' legs. Finally, the fashion just inevitably changed, opening a flank for Radiohead to seize all the critical cachet with their own not-aged-too-well darling OK Computer. And then we have this, the follow-up to Pulp's era-totemic Different Class. Jarvis Cocker had founded Pulp as a teen in the late 70s and had stayed firmly lower-league for over ten years, but with Different Class, Pulp and especially Jarvis became stratospherically famous. With this, our Jarvis found that the success and the attendant women, charlie and notoriety he'd lusted after for so long didn't elate him, it emptied him. So, our Jarvis' next album developed a cynical, self-loathing edge. And that's the sticking point of this album: it doesn't want to be liked. It feels alienated by the whole world, so it seeks to alienate the whole world. This does not make the album bad; there are several good songs on it, especially the sordid, engrossing title track. But there is the occasional duffer (the almost parodic dance-infused Party Hard causes the listener to recoil), and more seriously, the whole atmosphere of the album is slightly yet wilfully hostile, as if the album just wants to be left alone. A note on the title track. One of our Jarv's fave songwriting tactics is to write a masturbation fantasy, usually but in no way exclusively in a romantic manner. Do You Remember The First Time, I contend, is written from the point of view of a lesbian wishing to resume an experimental fooling-around with a straight friend who is nowadays in a heterosexual relationship. Disco 2000 is a paean to tugging yourself off over the memory of the girl you had a crush on at school. But with This is Hardcore, the romance, the desire to connect with someone both emotionally and physically, is absent, and the song is just about wanking over porn. What development better indicates the album's coldness, compared to our Jarv's earlier work? This album is oft called not so much a cocaine album, but rather a cocaine-hangover album. Cocaine albums, such as Be Here Now, have a grim reputation for disaffecting self-indulgence, and this album still pushes the listener away, if for the perhaps nobler reason of disaffecting self-disgust. So what was Pulp's contribution to the death of Britpop? The smartest, wittiest (and perviest) band to flourish with Britpop came to hate it, and deliberately released an album that cut their own throat.

This... is not hardcore. Not at all, in fact. It's a fairly ho-hum album. Most of the songs live in that in-between tempo that's neither up-tempo or down-tempo what I like to call lazy tempo. It's unchallenging and uninspiring. After the last Pulp album that I reviewed (Different Class), I expected more from this band. Unfortunately, it sounds like a college garage band that's REALLY into Bowie. Not the best listening experience. I was disappointed.

Back at it and today it’s pulpppp. I just listened to different class the other day and I loved it so I’m excited. First track the fear. Ok yes and yes thank you. The eerie backround. THE CHORUS AGHHHHHHEG. OH MY GOSH. I love the yelling in the back and the feeeling in his voice wowwww. The chords. Oooh some theremin I hear??? Ugh I love it so far so good. It’s like Halloween but your depressed because you got dumped. Mmmmmm I love this chorus. The oooohs wow. This meledy is so threatening I absolutely love it. And that guitar?? Excuse me sir?? So good. Next is track two party hard. Springy boingy ooh. Lowkey sounds like 80s david bowie. This ones not too bad. It’s kinda vanilla but I like it. Like robot disco or something. Eh that one was ok. I mean it was good don’t get me wrong but like I said, kinda vanilla. Next is track three I’m a man. Hmmmm never heard that song title before. I like the beginning guitar riff. Ooh yeah that guitar is nice. Ooh ok yes. THE CHORUS. The diminished chord HAHHHh. HAKFKDBHAJ. When he said mahhahahahahan. So great I love this one wow. It’s giving me chills. I JUST TURNED ON STEREO AUDIO AND WOW TEN MILLION TIMES BETTER. HEJAKAKAKLSLSLSLLPPPPQPAPPPAPPPPAPAPP. I’m relistening to it in stereo. Heck yeah. Ok no I’m not but I will later I don’t have time rn lolz. Track four is a little soul. Some piano this time niceee. Almost sounds like an 80s prom song. The lyrics don’t match that vibe tho hehe. Ooh yes those claps in the chorus?? I swear all these songs are good but then the chorus hits and they are GOOD. This one is really good too but it’s kind of poppy. SHOOT IT WAS ON SHUFFLE XX. Ok scratch what I said about the track numbers I just went 1, 3, 8,7. Now I’m technically on 10, Sylvia. THIS ONE HITS. Wow ahhhahahhajajjajajj. Ok so far I love this album so much even though it wasn’t in order (oops). Also pulp reminds me so much of blur (one of my favorite bands) so that’s a huge plus. When he says “what it’s got” I am in love. I love the resolution at the end. OK now it’s track two actually, dishes. Starts off with some 70s sounding keyboard and piano almost like bill withers. This one is happy sounding. This one is a little cheesy but it is very pretty and I like it. Kinda lovey dovey. “I am not Jesus tho I have the same initials” wot. Ok track 4, helped the aged. I like this one so far the bass line is nicee. Sparkles? I mean ok. ELECTRIC GUITAR. Of course some good chord changes it’s expected now. The piano is pleasant. Mmmmm. I love when his voice goes all falsetto. This song is so great. Now track 5, this is hardcore. I love the beat and the trumpets (I think they’re trumpets?) ooh and that one line piano goes perfectly with it. Oh wow this really IS hardcore. Menacing. A minute and a half intro alright. But it was an interesting intro it didn’t seem long at all. THE MELODY AND THE MENACING BACKROUND. The stringsssss ugh yes. When he said “action” whoa. Like one really low not on piano it’s so good. The bassssassasshshjsjabsbjak. Please pulp if I hear one more good chord progression or just good chord modulation I WILL cry. Leave some for the rest of us smh. Now track six TV movie. Something buzzing in the back with acoustic guitar and singing. Almost like your playing guitar in space. Oh there’s the rest of the band. Melts so smooth together. This one is really chill. I can’t even explain what was going on it that song but it was fantastic. Now track 9 seductive berry. First time I’ve heard a girl sing. This one is like you’re in a forest changing for a tribe or something. I think it’s pretty obvious what the songs about based on the title. This guy is so horny. Meh this ones alright. So corny. Yeah this ones weird. It’s like 8 minutes too??? I might skip sorry... yeah I skipped on to the next one. Track 11 glory days. Not the Bryan adams one. This one could totally be used in a coming of age movie. I like it it’s fun. Danceable and fun. Yeah that’s all there really is about this song it’s fun and danceable and I like it. Now it’s track 12. AbHuhahhau. This one is amazing. Can I say something about the chords again?? Gegegv this one is so good. That’s all there is to it it’s amazing and that electric guitar wow. Wowww. This ones giving me chills too. The outro is long but besides that that songs was so good. Ok now last one, like a friend. Ooh yes. Surfy sounding guitar. Kinda sad sounding but pretty. Sparkles again?? THE BASS YES. Some congo drums alright. “Kill me while you smile like a friend.” OOP PICKING IT UP I SEE. HYPEEEEE. Heck yeahhhh. I can’t get over the bass I’m literally gonna learn this song. Ooh yeah I really like this one. Oh wow that was a great song especially to end a great album. Yes the last part is so good. Ah. Ok I definitely rate this one 8/10 because it was SO GOOD but there were like two or three songs that were kinda meh. But overall this albums was so good ugh.

I think there is a certain genius to Jarvis Cocker's sing/speak style and his lyrics. I can see how it's not everyone's cup of tea but I do enjoy the humor and his strange brand of bare it all brutal honesty and just the right amount of shock. There's an interesting balance of deep vulnerability being delivered with such posturing that it is somehow simultaneously both ironic and deeply heartfelt. All feels very autobiographical in a way that few artists let you into so intimately. He doesn't filter himself much and I'm sure he'd be a pain in the ass to hang out with and a mess in his personal life but he is able to reflect the internal dialogue of many states of mind that don't often get put into song in such a direct way. I feel like it takes repeated listens for it to really sink in. Easily my second favorite britpop group after Blur (even though I think that's a very vague and nearly useless term). "The day after the revolution" is certainly an audacious way to end an album. I really like some of the tracks on the bonus disc of the deluxe edition, perhaps even more than many tracks on the album. Tracks like "cocaine socialism", "we are the boys", and "can I have my balls back please".

I hadn't heard of this band. When I saw "THIS IS HARDCORE" I thought, oh lord, not hardcore music. It's a little weird to say, but I sure am glad they were referring to the other type of hardcore. Fuck the roses and doves, nothing says Happy  Valentines Day like a bit of Hardcore! 

Controversially I prefer this to its older more popular sibling Different Class. Dark and introverted…. The Britpop hangover started here!

I like this. It is too long but my type of music. Weirdly nothing standout, no particular song is great. But the whole thing I can happily listen to.

Best Bowie album not by Bowie.

This is a good one. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that I like Pulp best of all Brit-pop bands. Now I’ll admit that as an American, I don’t know if that particular opinion means a damn thing, but from what I’ve heard, these guys are my favorite. The title track on this is just so far beyond good. The atmosphere it creates is sleazy as hell, yet strangely compelling in its payoff. This album will get 5 stars. Different Class is now officially 5.5

Just when I thought that I was going to be listening to boomer rock for three literal years, I come across this banger of an album. It feels like the album covers different genres from song to song, but the line that threads all of them together is a creative tour de force.

Probably my favourite undiscovered artist

“This Is Hardcore”’s sales pitch offers exhaustion: over an hour of post-Britpop malaise. What I found was a hang out, a place I happily spent much of a busy day in. Cocker’s heavily in hock to Bowie here, but his personality never completely disappears under the Dave-face, and the regret on display is of the decadent kind, which I always find more appealing. The diversity of sounds plays well to this theme, a woozily over-boozed box of liqueur chocolates. The band rock hard, which is not what I would usually turn to Pulp for, and while it has no absolute bangers, the songs have depth and I didn’t want to skip any of them on later playthroughs, though some could be shorter. Decadence is a pose against mortality. Good luck to us all tomorrow x

The Fear is quite catchy, Dishes lyrics are not convincing. Help the Aged also good. TIH buildup too long, Like a Friend has a great instrumentals. Overall not my thing, its mostly a watered down combination of Bowie and an above average rock-project. 5/10

the track this is hardcore deserves 5 stars all on its own. i'm glad it wasn't accepted as the bond theme as its so much better being about mucky stuff than it is about a secret agent man.

Hard, enjoyable, pretty filthy at times

Wow, Different Class yesterday, the follow up today! His and Hers better be on here too! Better than both of these... Would need a sixth star. This was the difficult, dark follow up after game hit. And yet, it's actually gloriously poppy! This is Hardcore is a sprawling epic, A Little Soul is heartbreaking, Help The Aged sweet. Only Party Hard is a little dull.

I love pulp… The album opens with one of pulps best songs the fear it’s a warning shot that things are gonna be darker compared to his n hers and different class! Cocker’s not Jesus ( but he has the same initials) that’s the message of dishes ( well there is more but that’s the most memorable bit) still though another amazing song. Party hard is one of the heaviest songs if cocker wasn’t singing in that monotone voice for the song it would be way too in your face but it’s still good. Help the aged is an amazing single and one of my favourites off the album! I love the chorus and how it works next to… This is hardcore is a 6 minute grandiose yet sleazy epic nothing bad about this song! TV movie though is a let down 😢 worst song on the album. A little soul pocks up on the quality from before great single I especially love the guitars at the start and the lyrics are cool ( especially the chorus as it’s fairly catchy). I’am a man is one of those “underrated” songs on this is hardcore it’s an amazing rocker with another catchy chorus what a banger! NO I DON’T KNOW NO NO NO, NO I DON’T KNOW is like the most memorable bit in 8 minute epic seductive barry it’s still a good song but would’ve been better as a 2-4 minute interlude-y song. Sylvia is a good acoustic piece of storytelling not necessarily one of my favourites but it’s still great, Glory days is good but when you hear cocaine socialism ( a b side with the same instrumental but different lyrics) this song drops in quality a little. The day after the revolution is good for the first 4 or 5 minutes then the last 10 is just a dumb way to fill up the rest of cd time. Anyway it’s still one of my favourites off the album! There are die hard grunge, jazz and hip hop loyalists that would probably hate on the album by saying something like “uuuugh another Britpop album” but no this isn’t that this is the signal of the end of Britpop a very different album from blur, oasis and suede’s classic albums like how they are all different from each other this ( and other britpop albums) need to start being seen as entities of their own that are as good as the “classic” albums of the 60’s-80’s. Anyway sorry for the rant I just get annoyed that people just moan when Britpop stuff gets generated for them. Oh yeah this is a 5/5.

Beautiful vocals and melodies! Britpop at its finest. The only song I didn't love was the one where not-Jesus did the dishes.

more like 4.5, but I love this album and pulp

This is really good - I totally forgot about how good it is, and definitely almost on par with Different Class. There is a touch of Bowie in the songs, which I really like

Listen to this one again, I didn’t get enough time with it the first trip through.

It’s a little bit David Bowie, and a little bit Bryan Ferry. It’s probably too long, but it’s still mostly very good. It’s stylish and lush in sound but behind the shiny veneer there’s an album full of uncomfortable truths about fame, success, and addiction. The moral of the story: be careful what you wish for because it might just come true.

It's going to be a bit difficult for me to review this record impartially. I was around when it came out and I pretty much accepted it as a masterpiece along with the rest of the world at the time, but here goes. ...And the Gods Made Love starts out the album with some primitive slowed down speech, flanging, stereo effects and the like, but even here, a high level of artistry and imagination is apparent. The first proper song, Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland) blends rock, soul, and psychedelia seamlessly, with a flowing melody and changes which are as surprising as the seem inevitable. Cross Town Traffic gives us a jolt of pure pop. The low tech and inspired use of a comb and a piece of cellophane provides the vocal effects. Hendrix and Stevie Winwood (on organ) provide a master class in electrifying the blues on Voodoo Child that hasn't been approached, much less equalled since. I'm also amazed by how the musicians, seemingly communicating telepathically, improvise much of the music, building and building the drama and intensity throughout the 15 minute run time, without a wasted second. Hendrix's phrasing and tone are phenomenal on this live in the studio track, and Winwood comes close to matching him. Finally, with Little Miss Strange, we get a tune which is merely very good. Noel Redding's lead vocals are a little wimpy here, but it's a charming tune nonetheless. With Long Hot Summer Night, Hendrix is back to combining soul and rock in his unique way. Don't let the ease with which it goes down blind you to the complexity and taste of the composition and arrangement. Come On (Let The Good Times Roll) is a straightforward blues tune, good but nothing special. Hey, they can't all be great! Gipsey Eyes and Burning of the Midnight Lamp are accessible but wholly original, a neat trick. Midnight Lamp features Hendrix's mastery of the wah-wah pedal. The next suite, which took up a whole album side in the days of vinyl, gives us a demonstration of Hendrix's studio wizardry. It's been a long time since I've listened to this album. I've forgotten how effortless and soulful Hendrix was as a singer, composer and guitarist. Rainy Day, Dream Away gives us a stoned paean to rainy days, which drifts into the groove of the lyrics on 1983...(A Mermaid I Should Turn Out To Be). It meanders with a purpose, if that makes sense. It's blissed out meditation, pure music. I could go on, but I think y'all get the point. I haven't even talked about the incredible tango psychedelic rock hybrid House Burning Down or the definitive version of Dylan's All Along the Watchtower, the album's big hit yet. I don't know what drugs Hendrix was taking, but I want some! He does more with a primitive studio, standard rock trio instrumentation, and an occasional sax or organ than almost anyone has since, and this without the benefit of anyone blazing his path for him! The studio trickery, his approach to the guitar, his arrangements, all of it is unique to him! And he reached these heights in a scant few years! Electric Ladyland is more flat out astonishing with the benefit of 50 years of hindsight than it was at the time and that is saying something. 5 out of 5.

Underwhelming at the time, still enjoyed a few tracks today today but its welcome wore out long before the extended non-events towards the end. Try not to have a midlife crisis on record, it never works out well for the listener

I listened to the basic 65 minute version on Apple Music. I hear a bit of David Bowie, Elvis Costello, Nick Cave, the Cure(?) on this, but still overall kind of mediocre to me. For some reason the singer wants you to know his initials are the same as Jesus'. I looked it up and it's true - Jarvis Cocker - a name that would certainly get you a few playground beatings. A low 3/5.

could i write poetry to this? probably

Ok. Always thought Pulp were overrated TBH, which is a bit controversial when you live in Sheffield but they only had a couple of good tracks really. The rest got on my nerves a bit. Average.

Not great not terrible

Enjoyed most of the songs but jesus 70 minutes, come on Jarvis!

Really boring and not at all what i thought when I read "this is hardcore". No songs stand out and the whole album just wasn't my style

Same initials as Jesus Christ, but cannot make water into wine. Pulp may not be able to make boring music exciting either. It is not entirely unacceptable that songs as poetry exist, but subpar music is. Pulp puts a lot of words to song and while one can appreciate the amount of creativity and talent it takes to be wordy and musical, Pulp falls short in keeping it interesting. It is understood that there are a lot of people who put value in the lyrics over the music, and that is fine and perhaps this is an album they will enjoy immensely. Pulp's wordy descriptions and near witticisms tell elaborate tales, the title track being exceptionally well told. However, songs have an expectation that poetry does not, and that is the music that accompanies it. Songs create a thesis in their chorus, details in their verses, supporting material in the bridges, with driven repetition. Poetry tends to progress and advance a narrative, and be a good read. In reading the lyrics to this, it was found to be a good read. It however was not so great a listen.

I've never heard any music from this band Am familiar with the name. But this is completely blind for me. The first song's lyrics really makes me think I am going to hate this band: "a monkeys built a house on your back. You can't get anyone to come in the sack." The second song leads me to believe thwt I'm still going to hate this band: "I'm not Jesus... But we have the same initials." Song 3 continues to add to awful lyrics: "I was having a whale of a time until your uncle. Your uncle psychosis arrived" Song 4's lyrics are bad but nothing shines through as God awful. It's not just the lyrics, it's how he sings them. It's brutal. It makes me think of a man in his 40s writing like he is an angsty preteen. Annnnd we are back on to song 5: "you are hardcore. You make me hard" - it's clear this dude is wanting to make hardcore porn with whomever. He comes off as a predator: "I want it bad. I want it now. Oh can't you see I'm ready now? I've seen all the pictures. I studied them forever. I wanna make a movie, so let's star in it together, oh. Don't make a move 'til I say action" - the cover of this album is definitely about this song. It also is the title track. What a shitty song. Wow. There isn't anything good about it. The music is e en generic as Fuck. Sure it has some string instruments that arguably aren't of the norm but it's just boring. Uninspiring. It's honestly akin to a daytime soap opera. I have to add this fucking awful bridge, if you will... Remember the theme is fucking: "Oh, that goes in there. Then that goes in there. Then that goes in there. And then it's over." I'm starting to laugh at how awful this is. Moving on. Next song. Hahaha. Fuck. A song about missing someone and not being able to have sex. And a pathetic plea for someone to stay! This album surprises me. Each song gets worse and worse. How is this album on this list? I can see some people liking aspects of it. Some music is well written and interesting. But it is in no way in a tier of 1001 albums you must listen to. The next song is a song about telling someone not to be like them. Treat your woman right. I have no soul. I'm a piece of shit. He should've added "I can't write good lyrics." Because the next song is entitled 'I'm a Man' - I read the lyrics first. And I actually didn't hate them. Nothing too embarrassing. So... I hit play. And the way he sings this song just wrecks it. I get this weird Bowie meets gothic rock vibe that the singer is going for. And he is doing a horrible job at it. And it come off very whiney and paired with the lyrics, very pathetic. I don't understand why this dude is hypersexual? Why are his lyrics geared to seduction? It's not even remotely performed. If you've ever seen the movie Mandy, with Nicholas Cage. I don't know what the lead singer looks like, but he reminds me of The antagonist cult leader... This next song follow suits with the shit this writer comes up with: "when I close my eyes I can see you lowering yourself to my level. I don't know where you got those clothes. But you can take them off if it makes you feel better" Followed by rapey forceful lyrics: "now here's an exclusive. I've wanted you for years I only needed the balls to admit it. When the unbelievable object meets the unstoppable force. There's nothing you can do about it. Fuck I wish that was the last song. Next song is straight forward. Cookie cutter. At least the lyrics aren't horrible. This should've been the last long of the record as it has a grandiose ending. But wait.. there's more. The final two songs are kind of a departure for the album. They're not overly awful. I feel like if I hadn't listened to shit from the songs prior I would probably score them worse. But by contrast it's better. To me, the lead singer does everything I hate in music. Especially with his writing: lyrics and melodies. The ending to the last song is absolutely pointless. It's just the same synth noise for like 10 minutes. Why? Why keep me here? And then a random "Buh, bye!"? Hahaha. This can't be a serious album. It just can't. How? I feel like I wasted my time with this record. But I promised to not skip anything so I at least tried to have fun with writing a reivew of it. It still wasn't fun. Analyzing the lyrics made me hate this even more. If I could go less than a 1 star, I would. It's a zero. I big fat zero. Fuck. I'm glad it is over. Never in my wildest dreams would I return to this band. I don't care if they wrote the best album ever written. Because of this album, I refuse to look further. If they're on this list again, I will have to get really high or drunk to get through it.

JARVISSSS

Class

i’m gonna give this a 5 solely because i can’t stop listening to it

liked this one alot.

Loved it from start to finish.

I really liked this, other than the fact that roughly the last seventh of the album is just the last chord of the last song held out for 10 minutes. That was stupid but I still really liked this

Obviously a decline from their 2 previous albums and the title track is very cringe. However, there are some great songs on here and Jarvis hits form when needed. Bring back the 1990s

Sounds kind of like a punk David Bowie

a beautifully crafted and volatile british rock album, with plenty of raunchy and rough sounding songs about humanity's turmoils and random turns. partying, exhaustion, love, anxiety. the almost sinister and gothic atmosphere is perfect for those who like their alt rock and gloomy new wave. i love that the material is never too scary, but rather refined in nature. it's a classy emotional, and uniting rock album.

This is a great album by a band that might still be underrated. Jarvis Cocker shines as one of the best lyricist of his generation: funny (I'm not Jesus, though I have the same initials), touching, clever. His descriptions of middle class english life, the boredom, the ridiculousness, the yearning for excitement and normalcy, the oddness, are just perfect. And the band is tight and unassumingly inventive: using samples for the first time ("this is hardcore"), with crisp guitars and bouncing watery bass and slapping drums. Sometimes reminiscent of Scary Monster-era Bowie (Party Hard). It lives in the cracks: somber / fun, lush / dry, melancholic yet danceable, hopeless yet optimistic and full of life. Brilliant work.

the lyrics are bad at times, but overall I’m drawn to the dry humor and grandiose instrumentation of indie rock.

I don't know if it is the fact that I've not been able to properly listen to music in a while or if Pulp is just growing on me as I get older but I really thoroughly enjoyed this album.

Great Pulp album. His N Hers and Different Class are 10/10. This Is Hardcore is 9/10 (both in 1998 and in 2024).

I'm not a huge fan of Brit pop, but for some reason that I haven't been able to figure out yet, I really liked this album. I probably should revisit Different Class now, which I only gave three stars.

Ive only ever known Pulp for Common People, a funny rock song that also goes kind of hard. This album also carries that humor and tone. Jarvis Cocker is a clever, tongue in cheek artist. And the music sounds good too. I like this sound from a decsde that is typically pretty grumpy. My favorites are Help the Aged, Seductive Barry, and I'm a Man.

I was not expecting a second album from Pulp to blow me away… and I stand here windblown and corrected. Holy smokes this is an incredible album. I’ve listened to it four times today and keep finding new delights in the music and the lyrics. Party Hard is an incredible party anthem! Seductive Barry was the most seductive thing this side of a Barry White album. The comparison of post-breakup life to a TV Movie is sheer genius. “You are the last drink I never should have drunk. You are the body hidden in the trunk.” Wow! An absolutely unexpected slam dunk for me today!

I had Pulp's Different Class on this list now almost 3 years ago. And where that album was upbeat, clever, but sneering, this album is a completely different beast. In opener 'The Fear' Jarvis Cocker warns: "This is the sound of someone losing the plot Making out that they’re okay when they’re not You’re gonna like it but not a lot" This album has been one of the slowest growth albums in my collection. I disliked it when it came out. It was too slow, too dark. I didn't know where to go with this. It sounded completely different than the last three Pulp albums. Over the years this album has become much more than that. It's a musical version of a Film Noir, it's heartbreaking. Musically it's not always tight, it sometimes even feels a bit chaotic, and that might have to do with the departure of guitarist Russell Senior. The lyrics are incredible and painful, and the music helps to enhance that feeling. Looking back, we're listening to the swan song of Brit-pop. "The sound of loneliness turned up to ten"

Well, they are my favorite so I am biased and of course this is perfect. What an amazing follow-up to another perfect album (Different Class). I don’t mind skipping ‘Seductive Barry’ though, and I infinitely prefer the version of ‘Like A Friend’ that’s on the soundtrack to A Life Less Ordinary, but that’s just a minor gripe.

On Pulp's arguably most mature release they move a little away from in-your-face catchiness for a more cerebral, sensual, sweaty play. There is some distinctly nasty tone to everything and that makes it all just oh so much more voluptuous.

I like this energy and these lyrics. "The Fear" is a strong start to this album. "Dishes" follows up by somehow being both silly and serious. Love the title track too! Surprised by how much I liked this album.

Bowie/costello/weezer/new wave vibe

i loved this!!!

Solid outing and a great sound.

Pulp is a still low key gem, they never became huge but they sure are great

BRILLIANT

I love Pulp, they are great. I love the lyrics, they are so simple and to the point usually. Jarvis' voice is so iconic and the general theme is excellent throughout. I prefer Different Class to This is Hardcore but it's still a banger

I came to Pulp quite late, about uni time, they are now probably in one of my top 3 bands, Jarvis's lyrics and voice are just amazing, I love the storytelling in his songs. This album I haven't listened to as much as His 'n' Hers and Different Class but still love it. TV Movie is so sad, listened to that one a few times. The last track Like A Friend is v good as well, makes me think of a lot of past interactions

Good album i think almost as good as Different class

10/10 damn, I loved the other Pulp stuff I’ve heard, but this is peak

Pulp's "In Utero." Dour and uncertain after a cult classic. What it lacks in Nirvana's vitriol it makes up for in cinematic grace, especially on the title track.

Instant obsession

only could find this one song. liked the songc

I think I can count Pulp pas the band I'm most glad I discovered as part of this exercise. I was teetering on 4/5 for this, but as I'm about to go back and listen to this and Different Class again, right now, it's got to get the 5 for stoking my interest.

A Lovely followup to their "breakthrough" album this is just strange enough to want me to listen over and over again!

Another Pulp masterpiece

Loved it. Not sure what to day. It was idiosyncratic, dynamic, had a bunch of nuance. And the long held chord outro on the final track? Chef's kiss.

A bit of good old brit pop, the fears gotta be one of the best songs ive heard.

oh how i love pulp!!! enormement...

epic, 10/10

Pulp’s masterpiece. Beautifully constructed pop songs with a surprising undercurrent of paranoia and, well, The Fear. The darkness seems to come from Cocker actually achieving his dream of music stardom and critical acclaim only to be hit by - what next? What was that ambition otherwise hiding from me, lurking in the shadow? What did I think that would fix? And here the answer - or the response - on record. The arrangements and orchestrations are sublime and the band’s performances are truly excellent. A great work of art, with a band progressing from observation on Different Class to introspection on This is Hardcore. Magnificent and a worthy come down album to the highs of BritPop. RIP Steve Mackey.

The most grim Britpop album ever. Brilliant.

Really enjoyed that - opened my ears up to Pulp. Quite melodic in place and shows there's more to them than 'Common People' which still seems to get overplayed all these years on....

1998. The bloom of Britpop has faded. The main characters are either in hiding or falling apart. Princess Diana is dead. Cool Britannia is officially on ice. Jarvis Cocker is aware of this. At one point, Pulp were one of biggest bands in Britain after years of being under the radar. His N' Hers and Different Class had propped and pushed them into stardom. Yet this is different. This is altogether new. This is exhilarating. This is suffocating. This is sleazy. This is uneasy. This is offensive. This is hardcore. Pulp's highest of highs were complimented by the lowest of lows. Long sojourns towards the deepest depths of despair and debauchery were allowed. The lonely and sexually frustrated housewives were replaced by distant fathers, forgotten lovers and memories of a golden age. Pulp were no longer playing things safe (and never did, to be honest), they had gone off the deep end. And it was for the best, for their penultimate album is perhaps the best statement they have made. What exactly would we do for an encore? It's best that we shall not know.

Here's comes Billy Boy with his head like a cement mixer and horror movie smile. Look at him performing backflips for the crowd outside of the back of Tesco. He makes me feel sick to my stomach. His propeller mouth and his bulging belly hanging out over his tight jean shorts. A short-sighted lager swigger, with flame hair, drooling at the sight of the penguins dancing in the blizzard.

4.6 + Bold and full of intrigue! "The Fear", "This is Hardcore" and "Seductive Barry" paint vast cinematic soundscapes filled with lush strings. Cocker explores sexual deviance, desires that builds to self-loathing climax followed by guilty aftershock. We see "stagnant waterbeds" and "what men in stained raincoats pay for." Along the way, we also hear about the ravages of time ("Help the Aged") and existential ennui ("Dishes"). But, for me, the true stunner is "Sylvia" - such an extravagantly sincere ballad complete with a hooky chorus, scintillating guitar solo, and massive coda.

Nice album, really good

I LOVE love love this. How have I not listened to Pulp before?

A 90’s gem. Reminded me how sad I am I missed out on tickets for their new tour. I don’t think anyone tells a story in a song like Jarvis Cocker, and when he cranks up the emotion it’s like a punch in the stomach. It’s long, but I never got bored or wished it was shorter. A brave change too following Different Class, and definitely a more refined sound than almost all other bands of that Britpop era. They reckon this album finished Britpop. Good. It’s been a long time since I properly listened to this and even then there’s a good few songs I didn’t recognise. Sounds fresh. Sounds class.

“What exactly do you do for an encore? Cause this is hardcore” Accurate statement.

My 2nd or 3rd album on this thing was The Verve’s Urban Hymns. My review was something like, I only like slow Brit pop if it’s Pulp. This is the album I was referring to.

Enjoyed this a lot. Great combination of varied alt rock songs with interesting lyrics.

So, I have heard like, one Pulp song before in my life, and while I didn't mind it or anything, I had no particular hopes for this album. But I really liked this! Don't know if it's quite a true 5, but relative to what I expected, I'm happy to round up. Some slight Bowie-ish vibes that I really enjoyed.

I’m going to be a bit generous, but here we go. 4.5 / 5

I like this. One of the most unique brit-pop I have listened to and I very much enjoy the theatrics. I wish it really was hardcore though.

Unbelievable beauty

Jarvis H. Tapdancing Cocker

So much better than I remember. At the time I thought This is Hardcore was luck lustre compared to Pulp's previous albums. It is just different and in many ways better. It is like a concept album focusing on a very British brand of sleaziness. I can almost smell the stale cigarettes, disinfectant, and vaseline as I listen to this album. Where I doubt I could listen to Common People again on a regular basis, I have now found a new Mellow album to wind down to in This Is Hardcore

Now that's a fucking album. Another band I have heard of but never listened to. I've been missing out. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Loved this one! Possibly the best brit-pop album and one of the best British new wave albums I've heard. The music doesn't stand out all that much by itself and there were no real standout tracks. But it was just excellent as a whole. All of the elements really come together to turn elements that could be drawbacks into strengths - it's sleazy, but just the right kind of sleazy, it has an air or self-importance, but is convincing enough to pull it off, the vocals are frequently off-key, but the singer is skilled enough to make clear that it's on purpose. Count me a fan.

nakon šta san poslušala Different class, ništa manje nisan ni očekivala! iznenadilo me šta mi je čak nekoliko pisama poznato otprije, ali ovako slušajući cili album, ostavljaju upotpunjen dojam. Posebno me obradovala This is hardcore jer, za razliku od drugih pisama, ima istaknut klavir umisto gitare šta je neobično za ovaj đir glazbe. 4.5/5

Ovaj challenge mi je otkrio Pulp. Hvala na još jednom albumu!

Wow. This was suprisingly fantastic. I did not expect it to be. Silly me :)

I love this album.

Fun album. Good voice, spectacular lyrics.

It´s hard to match the quality of a milestone like "Different Class". And this album definetly didn´t. It shows a quite different Pulp and I needed a few runs to get used to it, but I miss all the anthems and banger on it. Nontheless really solid britpop although some tracks got a little long. Not an easy decision between three and four stars for me. favourite: "Fear", "Help The Aged", "Glory Days", "Party Hard"

This is quite a mood-shift from some of their earlier stuff. Pulp were nothing if not interesting. The Fear is such a great opener. It's got so much atmosphere to it, with so many interesting bits thrown in, from the ominous strings, to the backing vocals. I like how melodramatic parts of this album are, and I like some of the darker textures and soundscapes in there. Help the Aged is excellent, and I love it when that goes big. Plenty of other great tracks in here, but the overall quality isn't as good as something like 'Different Class'.

December 10, 2024 HL: “The Fear”, title track, “A Little Soul”, “Sylvia”, “The Day After the Revolution” The last Pulp was quite a while ago, but I still get songs like “Disco 2000” stuck in my head from time to time. This is Hardcore, while less immediate and catchy, still has enough charisma n’ style to be a worthy successor. It IS more morose, which probably will turn off some casual listeners.

Guess I’m an outlier on this one. Really enjoyed. Far more than most of the other Britpop I’ve encountered on the list so far. Liked the memories, and the attitude, and the whole production. Will definitely listen again. 4/5