This Is Hardcore

Mmm... That wasn't as cool as I remember Pulp being.

Interesting and new to me

OK pop-rock. Uninspiring. Nothing hardcore about this.

I guess 3.5

I quite liked it overall. There were some clear ups and downs and moments where I needed to skip to the next song. Especially the last song, what the fuck was that? 10 minutes out of 70 of this albums are just somebody getting stuck on a single note?

Absolutely middle of the road, nothing outstanding, nothing bad.

Another forgettable Brit rock album, it’s fine but way too long and nothing really stood out to me

Good album, not their best or the best of its moment but I guess there is something to be noted about it.

plenty of good songs but no great ones

Adjacent to Britpop bands are not my favorite. This is about as textbook 3 stars are you can get. Totally fine.

Basically the same review as Different Class. Good but not great, I don’t like the singing. Favorite song: seductive Barry, because he sings differently on that song.

3 stars

Nu har jeg hørt den 2 gange for at være sikker... Jeg troede jeg kunne lige Pulp bedre end jeg kan... Det er fint nok, men jeg det er bare ikke Disco 2000 nok.

Britpop-rock. Ni fu ni fa.

Album 622 of 1001 Pulp - This Is Hardcore (1998) Rating : 3.5 / 5 Described as Rock/Britpop/Indi, it is a challenging listen but well worth it. A bit different from their earlier work. Kind of a cinematic feel while honing in on some darker themes. It isn't pouring out the hits but overall, it is well done album.

Strong vibes of one of the many albums that are a solo project from someone more famous as a member of a band. Not my favourite, but not actively bad.

It’s a vibe for sure. Really 2.5 stars.

I was gonna purely write this off and go "I like the one that says Some Pulp" for this reviews because I'm famously not big on Pulp, but I actually really like this one! Pulp are effectively the most famous Roxy Music worship band, and while Jarvis is a much worse and more obnoxious vocalist than Bryan Ferry, it works here for the more art rock-leaning aspect of Pulp's sound. It's consistently enjoyable, something I can say a lot more for this than Different Class or His N Hers. I FINALLY understand what people get out of this band. 7/10

Quirky energetic songs tat sometimes feel a little forced. Listenable but dated

Where does Pulp get their inspiration? They go from existential crisis to having the same initial as Jesus. Overall pretty good, not bad.

Interesting, much better than Mars Volta for sure

Enjoyed this more than I expected. It has elements of 70's rock but doesn't stay stuck in the Ziggy Stardust vibe at all.

Comes across more like a novel than music. I did like some songs towards the end and also on the bonus 2nd disc.

Still sounds a bit like Bowie. They are ok, but the album is still too long.

I actually liked it more than I expected. The main song I liked was Help the Aged because the lyrics were valid and strong at the same time

Meh. Liked their other album we had on this list. His voice was mildly annoying in this album. Also it was a really long album which I wasn’t a fan of. Best song on the album was the last one everything else was okay or decent but nothing really wow. Don’t know why I NEEDED to listen to this before I died.

78% Best: The Fear; Party Hard; This Is Hardcore; Glory Days; The Day After The Revolution Must-Hear? Not quite

A bit more interesting than I would've thought but still a little generic and not sure why it would be included here.

Fine as background noise, fairly boring. Nothing to really catch my interest or imagination

Meh this was fairly average, not too exciting.

This is fine. Fairly generic sound.

I really like a bunch of Pulp's music, but this wasn't quite hitting the same highs of their other albums, so it's 3-stars from me. Disco 2000 is a great track though.

Pulp is the horniest band I've come across on this generator

Soft content that blurred from track to track to track to track

These guys are part of the same genre as Blur and Oasis, as one of the \"big three\" Britpop bands, they sure sound more musically ambitious. It's still all a bit too sanitized for me - and kind of long-winded. I like my sub-pop genres to be immediate, but this album feels like the opposite. My three favorite songs 'Sylvia', 'Glory Days' and 'Help The Aged' are the stickiest songs here - everything else leans into this "art pop" sound that was never doing anything that blew me away. Not to say any of it is bad, it's just that the layer of polish on the more ambitious cuts here like 'This Is Hardcore' and especially 'The Day After the Revolution' with its long outro makes everything a bit too artificial. I didn't really care for 'Seductive Barry' either, not until its final minutes at least where those strings come in. At times, it reminds me of Lloyd Cole the commotions' jangle-pop sounds with just how all over the place it can be. The vocals and music are still solid, I suppose.

Overall: 5/10 This was long and unimpressive. I found the songs to kind of drone on in the background of my thoughts and I kept wishing that I was just listening to David Bowie. There's obviously talent here but it isn't for me. Fav Song: A Little Soul Least Fav Song: Seductive Barry

more ok britpop

The swan song of the whole Britpop era. Solid album, though it doesn't have many remarkable songs to highlight afterwards.

Not anything I would turn off if it came on to a stream I was listening to, but also unlikely to be anything I ever seek out again.

-interesting! I haven’t heard anything else by Pulp so im not too familiar with their genre specialties or whatever, but I wasn’t expecting the Bowie-esque glam rock stuff. It did feel a little on the slow side at parts but I really liked the variety especially in the second half -Favorites are Dishes, Party Hard, and Seductive Berry

A few songs in here made me perk up and say "oh...this is kind of cool". But for the most part I found it relatively slow and just okay.

Somewhat innocuous

I don't get the hype. Thought it was ok

Not bad, but somehow didn't seem genuine- like it was trying too hard to be sexy and cool. had some real highlights, but a lot of mediocrity as well.

Pretty good, but no Common People. We enjoyed this though.

Surprised on this one. I had never given this group a shot and although I had heard a few random songs I didnt really get into those songs so never listened to an album bit this is a very good album although I still dont love them. The song I liked the least was the single which pushed me away when this album was released. Glad I had the chance to listen now older and give it a chance and now I can judge it better.

A little too Morrissey for me...

I find nothing wrong with this. Kinda sounds like a movie soundtrack from the 70s. 3 stars

Olispa enemmän hardcore… tai ehkä pitäisi keskittyä sanoihin. Nämä ovat tarinallisia biisejä. Mutta kirjoittaisivat myös kiinnostavampia melodioita (soittimille) eikä vain pauhua laulun taustalle! Mitä nyt kitara soittaa aina parit tii-tii-tii-tiit. Oasis voittaa tän ajan pelit. Mutta jotenkin ymmärrän tätä ja tahtoisin antaa 3 tähteä… kaks puol.

Mature, heartfelt, poetic, reflective Pulp, exquisite in the little details. Love: A Little Soul, Party Hard, I’m a Man, Like A Friend Enjoyed less: Seductive Barry

Not as good as the other one.

This wasn't bad. Much better than I expected it to be!

3.4 Not too bad but not memorable

Wow surprising good

it gives a strange vibe like it "has the energy" of not being the first at anything but being a good attempt at it. like Help The Aged just sounds like we-have-Creep-at-home. is that fair? is any of that even fair? i have no idea but it's the rational-or-irrational feeling it gives me apart from that it sounds cool enough

This isn't hardcore punk, it's Britpop! Thankfully it's in a different class than Different Class. It's moodier and a bit more post-punk influenced, and that thematic and sonic diversity changes things up just enough to pull me. I do think it's missing a true stunner – though "Sylvia" does come very close – but at least it's consistent. Still too overtly pretentious and smug for me, but more complex and unsure this time around, and that's to Pulp's own benefit. I'm not head over heels for Pulp still, and won't be revisiting this much moving forward, but in the polluted sea of over-represented blah Britpop albums, I'd take This Is Hardcore over a lot of other Britpop albums on this list.

Not bad but it didn't really grab me in any way.

This is boring.

It was ok, not the best. Has its moments I guess though.

I may or may not have listen to this album. I don't think it has much to offer than there previous album, also on the list.

I was surprised by how different this was than Different Class. And I don't think the changes are in a positive direction. It's a fine album, but if I was going to listen to one Pulp album, it wouldn't be this one.

3 I felt emo listening to this

Rating: 5.5/10 Mixed bag album with plenty of very boring songs but also quite a few that were very good. Overall too long but still slightly enjoyable. Favorite songs: The Fear, I'm A Man, Sylvia, Glory Days, The Day After The Revolution, Like A Friend. Worst songs: Party Hard, This Is Hardcore.

Pretty good listen, not something I'd come back to but it scratched an itch for the day. 3.5/5

This Is Hardcore is the sixth album by Pulp, originally released in 1998. I'm vaguely familiar with Pulp, but I've never given them a listen until now. All I really know is that they were big in the mid-90s Britpop scene. This record was released in 1998, so it was pretty much after the Britpop craze had passed. This was more pop-oriented than I expected (but somehow artsy at the same time), and very pretentious. It almost reminded me of a Nick Cave record at times. It also gets a lil creepy/weird. I can see why they wanted to try something new with this record, but I don't think it all works. Overall decent record, but it has its...interesting moments.

Meh

Some Nick Cave vibes.

Ok Britpop but doesn't not essential and doesn't need to be on the list.

Meh. Nothing wrong with this but the amount of 80s/90s British music on this list is absolutely insane. I dont even have anything new to say on that topic but wow, what a narrow-minded group of listmakers.

Not as good as I was hoping.

A bit of and odd one. Not bad though. Not really sure how to classify this one, but the singer hits that Depeche Mode vibe that I don't love. The end had a nice triumphant sounding finish that reminded me of some band that I can't quite put my finger on. Ending pulled it from a low 3 to a regular 3.

Glamiest of Glam Rock. Not really my favorite genre at all but this album was pretty good at points. Some of the songs had some really cool rock aspects, others however felt like they were trying to hard to be epic songs. There was also a bit too much of seductive lyrics which kind of freaked me out at points. This one was hard to rate but I think it's landing as a low 3

Not bad but not nearly as good as Different Class.

Not as bad as I was expecting. Nothing memorable, but not bad all the same 3/5

This is Hard to judge. While Britpop is not my cuppa, I can jive with the direction this is heading. Strong rock pop blends and interesting music composure that does not confine itself to any particular formula. However, I find myself criticizing it more than I should and I land somewhere in between. The vocals ultimately drive the final nail of mediocrity.

I like his voice.

I tapped out halfway through. It's alright. Nothing amazing though.

some of the songs sound good. sometimes his voice sounds like the lead singer of the National

“This is the sound of someone losing the plot”—an early lyric that pretty much sums up the whole purpose of it. It was decent, even if I wasn’t locked in the whole time.

Listened through this a couple of times, watched the video of the title track. The vibe is right in my lane, but I have a visceral reaction to Mr Cocker, he's just not Ferry or Bowie, however hard he seems to try. Makes it difficult to love what could be a stellar album

Nothing too remarkable but a nice listen. Probably a 3.5.

Sullen, low-key and somber. This is a very tame record with obvious elements of 90s alternative rock. Screeching guitars and almost-whining vocals layered over mysterious drum rhythms. This isn’t really hitting the spot, but it’s not terrible.

I liked it, but was left a little underwhelmed. The highlights are really high on this, but I found the album as a whole quite a mixed bag. I think Pulp tend to do large, bittersweet, bangers really well, but I do think the more they experiment the less it works. Also I don't feel like album lives up to its title - it could be a lot sexier! Best Track: Like a Friend Worst Track: Seductive Barry

Didn't listen to this when it came out, despite having bought and been quite keen on Different Class. Knew a couple of singles off it. Overall, I quite like it, although in retrospect Jarvis has a fairly weak voice. Amused by the line "I am not Jesus, though I have the same initials". A strong 3.

One or two great songs but overall isn’t interesting.

Good album.

Just enough in here to give it a third star, but otherwise very derivative of Pink Floyd. Glad to be introduced to it.

Reminded me of the movie Love Actually.

OK album. I didn't really connect to this and, admittedly, didn't have a ton of time to listen properly. Solid music, but I didn't respond strongly one way or another. ***

This is almost good! The songs are well structured, but they're stuck in basic chords and melodies. The lead guitar playing is interesting, but the guitar sound is horrible. The lyrics are great and audible, but sang in a monotonous voice that I can't stand. And they don't solve most of these problems until the last song!

Sooooo Britpop!! Jarvis particularly saucy on some of these. Fav tracks: help the aged, Sylvia, glory days, like a friend

Nice to have something challenge my britpop prejudices as I ended up enjoying quite a bit of this. When the lyrics aren't desperately horny they can be quite moving. Some of the melodies are sublime, it's just not my prefered instrumental pallete

I kinda like it, save for the monotonous music in every song.

Surprisingly enjoyable

just mid whatver ok fine

Eh

Weird but good.

Fick denna precis efter en kort period där jag lyssnade på just sån här musik, men det gör det inte dåligt för det, tvärtom. Innan så hade detta varit en ”meh”, men nu var det en ”okej👍”. Några ganska bra låtar. Jag hann inte lyssna på det så mycket men det får jag göra mer någon annan gång.

Actually wasn’t so bad

Low sing/talking sounds like Lou Reed / David Bowie The Fear (Am - E - F - C) reminds me of Muse. This is Hardcore reminds me of Pink Floyd's 'The Wall'. A Little Soul could be Tom Petty

What happened here..... You ever feel like you're a bad music fan for enjoying (or not enjoying) an album? That's what Pulp makes you feel here. Different Class, which precedes this, is sophisticated but also high-spirited and spunky. One of the peaks of britpop, in my mind. It's as if the band (or what was left of it by that time) grew to detest the people who enjoyed that record, leading them to create... this. It's dark, dreary, humdrum, and it completely removes the liveliness that was present in their previous effort. There are songs that are still good, but the overall sound makes you feel let down. And then you feel a bit pissed like, I'm sorry I enjoyed it when your music was fun, screw me I guess. Admittedly about half of the record is still good - The Fear, This is Hardcore, I'm a Man, Sylvia, Glory Days, and The Day After the Revolution. It's less of a hardcore record and more of a betrayal though. Hmph!

I like the genre, so I didn't hate this album. However, there's nothing in here that sets them apart, and I didn't LOVE any of the songs enough.

- Kannte Pulp vom Namen, habe aber nie bewusst etwas von denen gehört - Den ersten Track „The Fear“ kannte ich direkt und ich weiß nicht woher (irgendeine serie??), den ich sehr mag, aber ewwwwig nicht gehört habe - Auch der zweite Song „Dishes“ hat mir mega gut gefallen - Es kommen später nochmal ein zwei Lichtblicke aber insgesamt fällt das Album leider nach den ersten beiden Songs größtenteils doch ab. - An sich nichts verkehrtes und auch irgendwie entspannt zum Hören, aber auch nichts, wo ich jetzt super excited bin Rating: 3/5

- Das Album, bei der ich die Sprachnachricht bezüglich der Mediocrity der letzten Alben gemacht habe. - Ich fands eher so mediocre - Dafür, dass dieses Album 20 Jahre nach Gründung der Band veröffentlicht wurde, finde ich es sehr unangepasst und progressiv. Stilistisch holt es mich aber einfach nicht wirklich ab. - Habe so langsam das Gefühl, dass Britpop in diesen 1001 Alben ein wesentlich größere Rolle spielt, als ich vorher gedacht habe. 3/5

2,5

B The Fear 4 Dishes 3 Party Hard 3 Help The Aged 4 This Is Hardcore 5 TV Movie 3 A Little Soul 3 I'm A Man 4 Seductive Barry 3 Sylvia 3 Glory Days 3 The Day After The Revolution 3 Good job Pulp, now stay tf away from my orange juice!

Not as accomplished as A Different Class, but still lyrically pointed and sprinkled with interesting melodic ideas. At its best when Jarvis Cocker is willing to get personal (see: A Little Soul, about his father’s abandonment).

Ok album. The first half had some good stuff in it, the second half was rather mediocre and meandering. Will give it another listen on a day that isn’t album release. 3/5.

It's mellow and also poppy. Except Party Hard and Help the Aged, which is oddly mellow in the beginning and then they decided they didn't want it to be mellow and just changed it in the middle of the song. Not really something I'm expecting to listen to too often.

A fine brit-alt-rock album, though i don't think i'm 100% aligned with Jarvis' lyrical style... a few too many song lyrics seem like boring observations from a boring observer. Still songs like The Fear, I'm A Man and This is Hardcore are a bit more catchy and interesting.

Honestly WAY better than their earlier britpop stuff. I really like this as an epitaph to that era. The darker sound here is much more interesting to me and more varied as well. Their lyrics are a lot less trite and obnoxious too, with deeper subject matter reflecting the darker sound.

This was pretty good

This album was good, but ran too long. It is a Britpop centric album with psychedelic, post-punk, and chamber pop influences. While I did enjoy it, I found some of the lyrics to be a bit simplistic though I enjoy Jarvis Cocker’s spoken style singing. Overall, a good record that doesn’t quite meet the threshold of their earlier releases.

Smooth and enjoyable

Never heard of them. A nice, funny, near Bowie experience. I’d listen again but probably not seek it out.

I don't mind Pulp, got Jarvis' book on my "to read" list... but i expected more. If this was a vinyl I'd guess it was side B before I heard something I liked - after that it was OK.

Pulpin different classille aikoinaan vitosta annettiin ja reviewetä siteeraten tämäkin albumi "hittas".. mutta heh ei tunne tasolla... paukutusta päähän taas 1001 ja enemmän sinne mentävä..

First time hearing this band. Seems a lot more talking than singing. It's okay, not really what I would describe as 'hardcore'. Didn't skip any songs. Probably wouldn't listen again though. 3/5

I know Pulp from their song "Common People," never listened to a full album, but I'm excited for this one. Lots of really interesting production decisions on this, with heavy horns and lush strings. 3/5

I tend to love Pulp, and I had rated this album well previously, but it’s just not doing it for me today. Jarvis Cocker of Pulp is masterful though, he writes some great songs and the band plays like Bowie.

Alright 5/10

David Bowie vs. Elvis Costello. 3/5

I kind of like The Fear

Another one of those UK choices that just doesn't do much for me and leaves me shaking my head... so many bands that the author of the book missed completely that IMHO are infinitely better than this. Shriekback comes immediately to mind.

This is not hardcore. I've listened to my fair share of hardcore and this is not it. This is more David Bowie-esque rock without David Bowie.

Was ready to dismiss this pretty early on, but I enjoyed the back half of the album. Could be a 3.5 (as long as we’re on the 12 track version)

Have never listened to an entire Pulp record and I found this to be a pretty happy experience. A couple of the more jangly art-pop tracks weren't so much my vibe but there was a lot that was - give me some wine and cheese and I could really brat about to this. Three and a half. Fave track: This is Hardcore

Sounds like Bowie covers. And what the hell was the idea of the last song being so long. Annoyed the shit out of me.

Mediocre, to the edge of boring.

It’s hard to rate this one, I think it might be a real grower, so ideally I’d give it a few listens to let it sink in. A Little Soul and Sylvia are pretty immediate, but there are lines in most of the tracks that I thought were great. Predictably, I’m going to sit on the fence with a three for now.

I wanted to like this more but, meh

Decent.

Some songs, like Help the Aged, This is Hardcore and Sylvia, are really good. Somgood that even David Bowie would be proud. Some songs, like I’m A Man and Glory Days, are almost good, but a tiny bit too boring. Unfortunately some songs are also plain boring, such as Seductive Barry, Party Hard and Dishes. And why finish with an 11 minute track? So what could be a 4 star record with an acceptable playtime, becomes a 3 star album that’s at least 20 minutes too long. Yes, I’m looking at you, Seductive Barry and The Day after The Revolution!

Okay

Interessante Musik, zum nebenbei hören okay.

I don't like of Pulp's songs

Just an average album by Pulp. Couple of nice songs, including the self-titled, but otherwise just a background theme for the afternoon. Not much to say, honestly.

Wasn’t familiar with genre Britpop before 1001 and Im not a fan. It’s currently last in my genre rankings. But this was admittedly better than others I’ve heard. Dishes and I am a Man were alright

The album AFTER the big one. Clear growing pains, but not a surprise given the explosion in popularity. And can't help feeling let down by this effort. Still a fine record though.

Was okay but nothing that memorable

Surprise, surprise...another Brit-Pop album. A bit better than the others we've heard recently. Bowie-esque, by way of Boomtown Rats. This is why you don't let Doug pick all the music for a long road trip.

I suspect this album is going to grow on me, so let's say it's a 3.5 for now.

I can't add much to the review currently topping this section. It's just a *perfect* review, and it encapsulates everything I think or "feel" about this particular album (which I have on my shelves, along with a couple other Pulp albums, plus two compilations). Awesome job to whoever wrote this one. The title-track, "This Is Hardcore", is indeed a dark masterpiece, and the rest of the LP is indeed "difficult" on several levels (lyrical, musical, topical...). So only... *hardcore* fans of Pulp would have you believe this one is an "essential record". I am a huge fan of *Different Class*. But a *hardcore* fan of Pulp I am not. I just merely like this particular album for what it is, i.e. an experimental way out of the dead end that britpop had become. A quick note about the death of britpop to wrap things up: with their eponymous album, Blur had managed to find their own way out of this "style" while retaining their sense of fun and excitement. Pulp, being older than Blur, chose to embrace some sort of cynical, nihilistic posturing instead. And the results of this stance can only be alienating to large swaths of a general audience. Consciously or unconsciously, this is probably the endpoint Jarvis Cocker wanted to reach with this one. *This Is Hardcore* is therefore a success on its own terms. But those terms can't really apply to a list only comprising "essential albums", can they? 3/5 for the purposes of said list. Which translates to a 8/5 grade for assessing albums in more general terms (5+3). Number of albums left to review: 342 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 298 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 158 Albums from the list I won't include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 211 (including this one)

I enjoyed Seductive Barry and hated the last song. The rest of it was fine.

Felt quite generic to me, but get they are big (I just do not enjoy them)

Found a new band I dig. Experienced in Oasis and Blur, and I liked this a bit more. Going to explore the rest or their discography. Very much influenced by Robert Smith, Bowie, The Smiths... Cool stuff.

Really cool sound. Kinda Bowie-ish, with great stylish vocals.

I like Pulp in general, some great tracks on this album but overall kinda just solid above-average listening, not too much to grab on to after the title track. Cool dark bitter Bowie vibes. Opener "The Fear" is a standout. 3 - will probably listen again

It was alright, not groundbreaking for me or anything.

Strong start and finish. Rating 3.

Known before: Standouts: 8. I'm A Man 10. Sylvia Rating: 6.0

Known before: / Standouts: / Rating: 5.0

Muse meets Tim Burton meets turning the volume way down. Really had to turn up the volume to hear this album, and in there i didn't find much. Some anthemic crooning britpop songs, no major standouts. Would have been much better if they snuck in Party Hard by Andrew WK (the original, not a cover) into the album. Otherwise a terrible song by that name.

Not entirely sure how to rate this? Can take it or leave it musically, a pretty standard "parts I liked, parts I didn't" thing. But to be honest the lyrics and story told by them makes me want to give it either a 1 or 5 and I can't tell which. The stages of realization of what's actually happening made my jaw drop better than any show or movie have in a long time.

It was better than I thought. It was not something I’d listen to again that easily but it was an enjoyable listen. His voice grates.

Some songs really resonated with me, but many others just didn’t hit. I enjoyed the diversity, but overall I feel like the package was a bit weak.

Wasn't mad about the first track, 'The fear'. Nevertheless a few good songs like "This is hardcore" got my attention. Really liked it. A few not so good tracks - e.g. 'Help the aged'. A fair 3 out of 5

Nice listen

Better than most Britpop I've come across.

3.5 if I could. Its an easy listen and one that I would say that I like but not much that I would add to a playlist or come back to over and over again.

It's OK

Brit pop! Not actually hardcore. 3.2

I've warmed to Pulp over the years but I have to say this wasn't my most favourite of them. I enjoyed a couple of them but some of the rest I wasn't overly keen on - definitely not the hits that we all know and love!

I was previously unaware of Pulp. My first impression: Jarvis Cocker seems like an average guy with a rare ability to succinctly and honestly describe his everyday experience. I hear My Chemical Romance, David Bowie, Pink Floyd, U2, Blue October, perhaps influenced by or influenced. I appreciated the sober takes in "Help the Aged," "A Little Soul," "Glory Days," and "The Day After the Revolution," and the style of "Seductive Barry." These lines stood out on my first listen: "...I'm not worried that I'll never touch the stars 'Cause stars belong up in heaven And the earth is where we are Oh yeah." Adding "This Is Hardcore" to my "check out further" list.

Enjoyed much of it. Familiar sound. But never heard of them before this.

7/10 pretty solid

Another one that is ok. Didn’t hate it, but not very interesting.

Schöner sanfter Rock, zwischen melancholisch und Singer-Songwriter.

Good, but not many bangers on here. Just good.

I liked it, but didn’t love it.

First time listening to Pulp and will listen again.

never heard this album in full before quite enjoyed it not sure i will revisit it though some highlights

Not Different class levens of good but still alright

Enjoyed

This was hardcore, but nice! Good Sunday vibes:))

With ears formed in the 2010s and Pulp thoughts fully-formed in my brain, the shared lineage with recent Arctic Monkeys is clear even if the comparison is carefully non-sonic. The elder crew, that is, navigates their record with more emotional range. More stylistic range, too, but that makes This Is Hardcore less cutting as it strives. Real grown-up stuff, in a weird formal zone maybe or just a 90s birth.

I'm pretty sure I've heard the band's name before but I don't recall hearing any of their music. The vocalist reminds me of a few other singers -- sorry, blanking on names -- but not in a bad way. The performances by the musicians are excellent. Some very skilled players on all instruments, and the compositions and arrangements are done very well, too. Overall, I found this to be enjoyable rock-pop with an interesting sound to it.

First time I listened to this one, after hearing the brilliant Different Class album hundreds of time. First impression: some great songs like Sylvia, some for Pulp standards less appealing, let's give it 3 stars and try it a few times more, it might grow on me.

Good stuff

Didn’t particularly like it, there were some good tracks but overall not my thing. 2.5/5

3 britpop bores me

Needed more sleeze

Gotta say I’m more of a greatest hits fan when it comes to this band. But if you’re a Pulp fan you’ll love it. Not sure what people who have never heard their music will think 🤔

Not Hardcore but angst-ridden and a teensy bit self-indulgent, self-flagellating, woe is me and my career! Don’t get me wrong! I love Pulp - but I loved the raw, humorous, observational energy of their earlier records more. This has entered the realms of derivative and bemoaning of life. I wonder if this was because at the height of their fame, and pursued by paparazzi, it was all too much for JC. I still think he’s a great songwriter, but I would say this was hitting a downward trend.

я недавно поняла что Палп мне активно не нравится. но этот альбом лучше чем тот с коммон пипл

Menteurs

y a de l'idée mais trop long

It’s fine. It’s not a bad listen, but I’m not sure where the “1001 albums” appeal is.

I know everyone is in love with this glossy high-end oeuvre but I have to water down this judgement. I love Pulp very much and it seems to me that their most successful album is just the outcome of a great career and the high expectations after the supernova that was Different Class, a few years earlier. So kinda an album for Not-Pulp-Fans. Sorry.

Just decent and nothing special imo

At first, I thought this was pretty mediocre. Nothing grabbed me. (But sometimes that's okay.) I listened to this in two parts. The first sitting, I was ready to give it a 2 or 3. The second sitting, I guess I was in a different mood, or maybe I had been acclimated; either way, I'd give it a 3.5 or 4. Pretty good, but not great. 3 1/2 stars, rounding down.

3/4

PAs ce à quoi je me'attendais mais j'aime quand même bien le style. C'est plus recherché que ce que je pensais mais quand meme j'ai un petit souvenirs... 3.25

De titeltrack is kenmerkend voor dit album. Een nummer met een best aardige opzet, maar zo'n typerende Britse zeikstem. Eerlijk is eerlijk. Er wordt best sterk gevarieerd met de zang. Maar de Britpop klank blijft vaak doorschemeren. Soms doet het me sterk aan andere artiesten denken. Party Hard heeft bijvoorbeeld iets U2 achtigs. Maar dan nét niet. Dat zou voor mij ook de samenvatting zijn van een groot deel van dit album: nét niet. Maar soms wordt je tussendoor verrast met een volle klank, waarbij die nare stem net iets beter past. Zoals bij The Day after the Revolution. Die momenten zorgen voor een halve ster extra. Kom ik op 2,5.

Wikipedia zegt qua genre: art-rock, glamrock, Britpop. En eigenlijk somt dat redelijk op wat het is. Er zitten elementen in van glamrock: de stem van Jarvis Cocker doet vaak genoeg denken aan de grondlegger van glam David Bowie. Diezelfde stem is ook typerend Britpop, de nasale zeikstem die continu net vals zingt. En het is artsy fartsy, Pulp is zo'n standaard festivalband, die waarschijnlijk niet zoveel kostte, dus kon je ze makkelijk erbij programmeren. Ik sloeg dit soort bands altijd over. Te vaak gaat zo'n zanger dan met zijn ogen dicht een langzaam nummer nog langzamer ten gehore brengen, met extra lange stiltes en nog aanstellerige uithalen. Dat allemaal gezegd hebbende, zitten er ook best een paar prima nummers bij, waarbij een grungy 90s sausje over bovengenoemde genres is gegoten. De nummers met distortion zijn over het algemeen de beste.

Very decent.

A really solid album, but lacking in any major stand out tracks

Pushing a 4 but not quite

It’s good but I like the early records better.

Es una banda normal a la que se le ven los hilos: quieren hacer música rara y no son raros. Sorry, Pulp.

Enjoyable.

Just like their previous album, this was very hot-or-miss. However, this time around, when it hit, it hit goooooood. Not enough to raise it a star above it, but there were some jams here.

Es un rock copado del que nos gusta. Tiene temas copados. Es más que un 3 pero menos que un 4, acá no se escatima.

🅱️ul🅱️

i like pulp

I like this

I had this one while working and I get the feeling I didn't focus enough on the lyrics. I think that could have changed my opinion of the album. Still pretty decent.

You know, every time I've encountered the cover of this album over the years, something about it seemed off to me, and I never really put my finger on it until today. It's supposed to be a little twisted and unsettling, in an expectations vs. reality kind of way. That's the central conceit of this whole album. Musically, the album is stylish and well-crafted. Thematically it's a bit of a bummer. It's full of dark and jaded vignettes about aging, sex, loneliness and disillusionment. It's an excellent album, but has this built-in sense of emptiness that makes it a less than fun listen. Fave Songs: I'm a Man, Glory Days, TV Movie, Sylvia, Help the Aged

Vaikea kuvailla. Poppia, ihan hyvää sellaista. The Fear paras.

Good but too long

Interesting album - my first time listening to Pulp and I can absolutely hear the "Big 4" 90's brit pop sound. Not really my jam, but decent.

It started out with like AFI meets Maynard James Keenan vibes. Then some singing turned whisper speak. It's all over the place. And sometimes it feels borderline red hot chili peppers.

3.5

Very dark and atmospheric, this really feels like an anti-Britpop album. I like what it’s going for, and the opening track is fantastic, but there are quite a few low moments throughout the record and the drone at the end of the closer is way too self indulgent

Hadnt noticed before that pulp sound a fair bit like echo and the bunny men. I liked it but was also trying to get work done and this is terrible music for working to.

It was fune

Yeah I actually didn't mind this much! I have a bit of a love hate relationship with Pulp as I find Jarvis a bit much sometimes but once you accept he's like that it gets more enjoyable. Lots of his vocals are very Bowie-esque, and once I had recognised that I don't mind that style in other contexts it made it a sweeter pill to swallow. Liked the instrumentation throughout the album and it was an interesting listen. Didn't give me the strong emotional reaction necessary for higher scores but I vibed with most of it so an honourable mention.

Yip.

This was a sexy album, believe it or not! But also a very practical one. I'd never heard of Pulp before, but they apparently ended up on quite a few "Best of 90's Rock' compilations. Very lyric heavy with a lead singer who clearly has a lot of feelings about the songs he's singing, and has a very distinctive voice. 'Help the Aged' and 'The Fear' sound the most unique to me, while still being distinctly 90's, but the whole album was pretty solid. Simple straightforward guitar riffs, pared down sound, and story focused lyrics make this a solid win for me. Favorite track: Sylvia

Good interesting album

Was OK but not as good as His ‘n’ Hers and Different Class

Alright, but they are off the boil by this point.

This is a good album

3/5. A pretty good album with not bad songs but not amazing songs. Don’t mind if this was on, unique songwriting keeps it interesting.

Rock. Un poco aburrido.

Cool Album

Went in ready to hate on this one for no good reason, but found the tracks all pretty enjoyable. Good, dramatic guitar fuzz all around.

I've heard at least one song from Pulp before, but This Is Hardcore was all new music to me. Much of the music gets 4 stars from me. The music fits somewhere between BritPop and Alternative, and I would be interested in hearing more fromt he band. Pulp is clever with their callbacks to David Bowie and other influences, but making music that sounds like it belongs to this band. There are a few tracks that the content of the lyrics feels greasy and anchors this album down to no more than 3 stars.

way too long boring britpop with some good tunes. lots of themes of angst and sexual frustration melded in some fairly vapid tunes. 2.75/5

Average Brit pop. Not bad but nothing in particular stood out

I like The Fear, Glory Days and, strangely, the title track. The rest of this album, however, doesn't reach the same heights. It's not bad by any means but rather ... bland. The record seems to have been made to alienate much of Pulp's prior fanbase, without offering an alternative to pull in new listeners. 2.5/5

- I didn’t make any notes. Ambivalent

It's alright, nothing amazing and I wasn't always a huge fan of the vocals, but the instrumental sections were great. Some of the songs were really longer than they needed to be and started to feel like they were dragging on. Best tracks: Dishes, Help the Aged, TV Movie, and Like a Friend.

Redelijk neutrale mening over dit album.

First song was good and felt like it was building then it went into a song about doing dishes and feeling alive. Next song is ok but had a weird line about loads and party frocks. 4th song is about old people in care homes and how people should shag them. 5th song is about making a sex tape with what has to be the old person in the previous song. The albums next song appears to be a breakup song which means the previous sextape with the old person can't have gone well. A little soul seems to be the next step in the grieving process where he offers unsolicited advice to his son. At least I hope it's his son. It could be the old ladies son which is a Pandora's box. Next, we have an existential crisis about what it means to be a man and a good humble brag about getting his car up to 110 mph. It's pretty catchy though. Then Barry seduces the listener. Songs got a bit of a tonal change from the rest of the album. I did not like this song. The husky lyrical singing felt very right said Fred. Was far too long. We now find out the name of the geriatric lover is Sylvia. It's got a good catchy refrain. This might be the best song on the album. Possibly lamenting past heroin use on glory days? Space race/toilets line is good. In the last song is the revolution the end of a rave/night out? The outro is crazy long but there is at least one. Bye bye in there, which is kind of hilarious. The music seems pretty genre crossing. Got a little Radiohead feel going on but more fancy? Weird overly long husky voice tracks to catchy emotional rock. Really like the start slow and then build up into something larger method, but some of the songs were pretty hit or miss. Their previous album, different class, seems to have all their big hits like common people.

Good but way too long

Bryr mig inte riktigt. Skulle inte kalla det dåligt men misslyckades med att dra mig in.

iight

Never heard of this band, but I didn't hate it.

Surprisingly good

Ну нормуль альтернативщина, но вообще не задело никак

Très typique 90s comme son, pas super mémorable

The more I listened the more it grew on me. Might get a higher rating with a few more listens. Highlights were "This is Hardcore" and "I'm A Man".

Sounds like a lot of other bands. Not bad, just not unique, really.

Definitely not as good as Different Class. I thought the first few tracks were quite good. Then, like so many albums, it just seemed to drag on forever.

Helt kiva, tyckte om Sylvia

Fine

For being their grand statement on fame it’s not very grand. But maybe that’s the ultimate statement to make

I thought this was an engaging album. The production is really excellent, for a start. The lyrics present a rather bleak picture of the world, but for all the cynicism there is a sort of dark humor that makes the darkness palatable. The singer broods in an almost whisper most of the time, but the band lies in wait, ready to take the plaintive songs to anthemic heights at any moment, which they do frequently. Somewhat reminiscent of Roger Waters’ work, but done with a sparkly, orchestral sound.

This was some good Britpop. I could hear Jarvis channelling some Bowie and Roger Waters

Another Meh. Just not a fan.

Not bad for 90s brit Pop rock.

It was just ok

I get what the album is going for, the dirty hangover vibe that follows the fun and upbeat previous album, but I'm just not a big fan. It drags itself around in a haze, and I just want it to end. Sylvia and the title track are my favourites, the former basically eschewing the sound of the album, and the latter doing the rest of the songs better, making them obsolete. Maybe it's just too cool for me.

Not for me.

It had moments. Some of it was very listenable but Jarvis Cockers voice can be a little grating IMO.

C'è qualcosa di buono, ma non mi colpisce a pieno.

This is the second album by this band. They aren’t that good. I’m detecting bias in the generator

Nothing on this album really grabs me but I don't hate any of it either. Will probably come back to it at another time when I'm looking for something different than my every day stuff.

Not a super fan of the way Jarvis cocker's voice sounds, but still good music.

very heavily inspired by mid career bowie not very hardcore lol

I think a lot of Bowie was listened to before making this album.

I'm a massive fan of Different Class and Pulp's early singles. This album I remember being quite disappointing back in '98, and though there is the odd flash of brilliance that's largely how I still feel today.

Interesting. Stand out song: I'm a Man

First time hearing Pulp, and I was pleasantly surprised. The first half of the album had a couple of skips, but the second half slowed down and brought things home.

It's a step down from their best

Some interesting songs, not really my preference, but not bad at all.

3.5/5

Nothing really good or bad about this. Perfectly middle of the road.

escuché el primer lado (dura 2hs) y me gustó

Aside from a few bangers (incidentally not on this album), Pulp was never my favourite band of the Brit Pop era. This was ok to listen to but I can’t see my self going back bar 1 or 2 songs.

There were parts that caught my attention, but not enough to be more than a 3. It’s also quiiiiite long.

I prefer the lighter Pulp sets circa Disco 2000. But Help The Aged gave me a good chuckle. I don’t feel that either the songs or the feel of this album show the band at their best, but it’s still Pulp and Jarvis. A little too dark for my mood perhaps? Good, but not their best.

Slightly above average . I like the sound

Didn't do much for me

I'm A Man stood out to me during my listen but the rest didn't really. Maybe in the late 90's this was hardcore, but not today. Reminded me of a couple of the other british pop/rock bands we have heard on here but nothing to write home about.

I like this a bit more than the previous Pulp album. Not sure why we need more than one album from a group like this....do they have some kind of masterpiece somewhere? This one at least was pleasant throughout. Only two standout tracks for me, but the vibe was consistent and I can't say I minded listening to it. I don't think I'd call it hardcore though, it was just fine. Favorite tracks: Dishes, I'm a Man. Album art: Oooh la la. A nude woman with a blank, thousand yard stare aimed toward a couch cushion. Is it hardcore? Maybe. No idea what this is supposed to say about this music, I didn't find much on here as exciting. 3/5

kan bli for mykje pulp

This one impressed me more than I expected. I was big into the music scene in the 90s and knew of and liked Pulp, but didn't actively seek them out. This album is indicative of the British Pop impression of the US's grunge pop. 3.5/5.

A bit dull at times, still a pretty good little album from this band. 3.5/5

It’s hard to listen to seriously, it’s full of sarcastic wit and comedic observations of society. I’m not a huge pulp fan but get their appeal.

I can imagine myself getting into this at a certain point in my life. These days I find the individual neurosis less interesting. At times it would start to win me over but just too sad-sack portentous, and the Bowie-esque weird lyrical elements seemed a little pasted on. The instrumental elements were better than the lyrical for me.

Ce qui est hardcore avec le groupe Pulp, c'est que le chanteur Jarvis Cocker est depuis sa plus tendre enfance possédé par l'âme d'Elvis Costello, et que cette dernière va tenter de prendre le dessus tout au long de l'album. Fort heureusement, Cocker saura la plupart du temps la maîtriser.

Ágætis 90s.

First time listener for Pulp and was always interested how this album would sound. There's nothing hardcore about it, but it's a dynamic record and for the most part, enjoyed it. I've been starting to re-discover more Brit-pop as I ignored it first time around, so I'm sure I'll slowly appreciate it more. The cover is more disappointing than the music, which is a good thing.

Not sure what to think of this one, a bit unusual. The title track is great

Like the singles A Little Soul and Help the Aged. Not overly fussed by the rest of it, though some of the melodies are good. Though quite like I'm a Man.

this is hardcore? more like this is a guy who really likes david bowie

I really liked some tracks on this album. Solid dark tinged music.

3.5

Being a total normie, I've only listened to Different Class before, so I was expecting something that developed on that kind of base. Hardcore does retain the Pulp feeling but it's overall a lot less frenetic and poppy in its sound. Probably a matter of taste but I think it's a change for the worse - not bad, per se, but I listened through twice and none of the songs really stuck with me.

On one hand, I enjoy a lot of the lyrics and think a lot of the songwriting is top-notch. That being said, there are certain points where this album drags pretty hard. Most of the songs are lengthy when they don't really need to be. Still, I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, especially after my lukewarm feelings on "Common People". Favorite tracks: "Like A Friend", "Seductive Barry", "The Fear"

Altough this is not hardcore, I liked it. It's steal too indie to be great, but it's nice

I suppose "This is mediocre smarmy Britpop" was rejected by the marketing department. Best track: TV Movie

Sounds like a david bowie rock opera. Great pop music. Some lyrics worthy of eye rolls though. I fuckin hate that cover, it's trash. Great britpop. This book was clearly a British undertaking all these kinda okay britpop are too heavily represented.

first time i've listened to any other Pulp besides Common People. IDK why I haven't listened to more of them. Maybe I'll dig deeper

Eh- felt like they would be great live and something didn’t translate

Stylish. But inconsistent.

It’s an alright album. The singing reminds me of Kirin J Callinan with the humor swapped out for sensualness. Some fun tracks but then certainly some duds as well. 5/10

I didn't like this one as much as Different Class, but it had some good songs. A lot of it felt like filler though.