Reviews (page 6 of 8)
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.
This is my second Pulp album in two weeks and what I've gathered is that they're the horniest band on Earth. These guys LOVE singing about sticking their penis into female orifices (too often nonconsensually as well). I'm too asexual for this, sorry. I think I liked this a bit more than Different Class and I gave that a 3/5, so same for this one. Favorite track was probably "Help The Aged". [Insert Bowie comparison here] [Insert "Suede is better" here] [Insert complaint about whispering here]
I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it either. It was just...kind of there. I'll give this album a bit of credit for getting slightly better as it goes along. The first 4-5 opening tracks were pretty weak imo. Giving this an extra star for having a couple of bops. But definitely not one I'd return to over and over. Fave track: It's a Dirty World
2.5 stars
The good: Has some great tracks. Party Hard sounds like a lost Bowie song, Help The Aged has a good chorus and passionate vocals, This Is Hardcore is very theatrical and intriguing, and A Little Soul is a nice acoustic ditty. The bad: Overall its 20 minutes too long. Why does the last song feature 10 minutes of the same keyboard sounds. Half of the songs are either boring or sound similar to songs preceding it. And afterwards it feels like I gave a mental birth. To sum it up, this has some good songs but overall too boring to listen in full. Would give it 5/10 if I could.
first listen kinda just alright britpop
I like Different Class by Pulp and have listened to it in full numerous times, but I'd never really explored beyond that. I don't mind the vocals, but overall this album is just too long and doesn't have that song to bring you in like Common People.
Empiezo a pensar que 1000 discos son demasiados. En mi opinión hay mucho relleno. Por ejemplo este disco. Si a mí que me gustan Pulp no lo considero imprescindible a todos los que no les atraiga el Pop de los 90 les parecerá un churro. Están bien Party hard o This is hardcore.
It was enjoyable listening. Noting truly did stand up after the first listening.
Decent
Enjoyed
3.5 for me
Pretty interesting 90s art rock album which sounds kind of like a blend between a post glam vibe mixed with 90s punk pop, on the high side of3 stars
Interesting choice for a Pulp album. I'd probably have gone Different Class myself. Wow. Party Hard is such a relief! Some good tracks in here. I'm actually genuinely surprised to see it in the 1,001 albums list because while Pulp were clearly an incredibly influential part of the 1990s British music scene.... This is not their best work.
Britpop-rock. Ni fu ni fa.
Wow, there really is a lot of Britpop on this list. But Pulp are one of the few worthwhile bands from that scene. "Different Class", their more celebrated album, is also on the list. "This is Hardcore" has a more world-weary, less quirky style of songwriting. The sound is more "mature", but less attention-grabbing. I've always liked Jarvis Cocker's vocals and his writing. However, there is a queasy dreariness to the album, which I find in so much 1990s British pop/rock. Overall, I enjoyed revisiting this, but I wish it wasn't over an hour long, as it does end up dragging. 3.5*
Interesting
Overstayed its welcome, but pretty decent.
This band is so middle of the road and forgettable that I was like “never heard of these guys wonder if they’re any good”, and then I realized I heard an album by them from this list like less than a month ago!
"Interesting" is really all I can come up with Highlight Tracks: 1, 2, 6, 12 (minus the 6 minute final note)
Not so much Pulp as pith and vinegar
There seems to be a lot of Brit-pop on this list. I feel similarly about most of it - good, listenable, well produced, catchy, well-crafted pop songs, but not overly interesting or unique. Most of it seems to fall into the 3 star category for me, and this one is no exception.
Subdued and cynical follow-up to the rebellious and romantic Different Class, but the sweetness is still there.
Iznenadio me je album, nisam očekivao da će mi se sviditi - skoro većina. Inače mi ne sjedaju baš (naspram koliko ih dižu u nebo), ali opet ne mogu reći da su loši. "I like this one that says some pulp." - Tony Soprano
Očekivo sam bolje jer jebiga PULP, al svida mi se
I had never heard of Pulp before. It took me a while to get into this one, but I'm not really sure why. It's like a mix between Blur and U2 (and maybe a little bit of Weezer). I also heard a few flashes of Radiohead, actually - but that may be just because Kid A was just a few days back. I think part of what made it difficult to get into was I wasn't sure if they were trying to be serious or a little tongue-in-cheek. My favorite track was A Little Soul - "I could show you how to do it right I used to practice every night on my wife Now she's gone" Great line. That is still making me laugh for some reason. I'd go as high as a 4 on this, but I think that's partly influenced by hearing it for the first time. The baritone vocals and general weirdness might wear on me in subsequent listens.
3 Mehs..
Average
10. This is Hardcore - Pulp. 12 Tracks. Quite an enjoyable listen. There was a nice flow to this and I'm not actually a Pulp fan. It was... soothing and melodic which is not at all what I think of when I think of Pulp. Well worth a listen. 3/5
I liked it, but it dragged on a bit
Liked it a lot more than I thought I would as I imagined it as a Punk-ier album. Really nice atmosphere/vibe on the longer tracks, even the extended outro
9/16 3.5/5. Another beautifully produced album from Pulp, the second half after the title track started to lose me but there were hardly any dull moments throughout this project. Standout Tracks: Dishes, Help the Aged, This Is Hardcore
Jo men ändå bra. Nära en fyra men kändes spontant som om det saknas något som tar det över gränsen.
Hadn’t heard the song ‘Help the Aged’ since about 2000 when Ali G freestyled over the top of Jarvis. Very funny, he was a childish supporter of the band. Didn’t mind it. The outro is still going as a write
3/5
buen disco
An interesting album, very different to the excellent Different Class. More Bowie-esque. Worth listening to a few times. A bit long. Currently I'm giving it 3.5, but this might increase with familiarity.
Nothing on here standing out at all, even on a second listening. Inoffensive enough though
The sex album.
De track 'this is hardcore' is dan wel echt geweldig, maar dat neemt niet weg dat de rest mij toch niet echt helemaal kan overtuigen.
Net als het vorige album, ben ik niet overwegend enthousiast. Ook niet slecht.
The 90s vibe is there and sprinkles of experimental arrangements or use of instruments but it just didn't catch me.
Knew of Different Class (and especially "Common People"), but this album was an introduction for me. Surprised by how much I'm enjoying the Dickens out of it. Not sure why a 14 minute closing song was necessary.
There’s a weird Nick Cave/Tom Waits/even Chris Isaak quality to this but I’m not sure I like it. I think I will have to roll it again to figure it out. But I also kinda don’t want to, first impressions being what they are. Dunno. An enigma. Or an off day for me. Note to self: try it again someday.
Cool. Jeff did a cover of "Dishes"
Rating: 6/10 Best songs: Seductive Barry, Sylvia, Fear
As always first and foremost, I listen to the music first. Lyrics don't really resonate with me very regularly. Cockers' lyrics are clean and clear and easy to understand but it was the music that caught me with this album. Yet another 90s Alt-Rock win to the Poms.
Enjoyable in places.
From the first song, I felt like I was listening to a different version or sequel to the Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Bootleg Radiohead.
Alright weirdo rock
I thought this album was intersting. I enjoyed the song "The Fear", but I didn't enjoy the rest of the album as much. Each song is quite neat though.
Not nearly as hardcore as I was expecting, though I'm glad.
Only really listened to one song
Ganske lett å glemme, husker ikke så mye dagen derpå. Føler det var ganske standard rock. Eneste sangen jeg husker er den derre vaske sangen, merkelig å skrive sang om å vaske...
Banda inglesa de rock pero no el disco más conocido de ellos. No lo había escuchado concienzudamente y me ha gustado más de lo que esperaba.
Minor Threat is hardcore. This was okay. Love Jarvis Cocker’s voice but wasn’t as much energy here as I’d hoped.
This really feels like a record I should enjoy more. The production is lush, but dark and Jarvis Cocker has some really cutting lyrics throughout. But, a lot of it blended together for me, so it's a bit of a confusing listen for me. Fav Tracks: TV Movie and The Fear.
Pulp is leagues ahead of Oasis and Blur in my internal Britpop rankings, but I don't think this is their strongest album. Some excellent tracks, but it doesn't quite hit with as much urgency as Different Class or His N' Hers. Rating: 3.5/5 Favourite song: The Fear
Slow at first
There’s moments I liked (last song!) but it just sounds so pretentious, energy is low, and it was way too long. 5
6. Some interesting songs, but too fucking long
Ok
Hearing this in the shower I thought I was listening to Diamond Dog out takes. Lots of Bowie & Roxy influences. I prefer the drawn out, dirge-ier, pieces like Seductive Barry & the title track.
Hi: The Fear, Help The Aged Lo: Seductive Barry I went in to this one because I truly enjoyed A Different Class, however This is Hardcore starts off strong, but somehow devolves into just standard brit-pop. The Fear is introspective and invades your space (in a good way), Help The Aged is pleading because old folks were once just like you... but then Seductive Barry comes off as sultry, but ends up just being long and meandering, The Day After the Revolution suffers about the same fate. Like A Friend starts off meandering and ends up stronger and brighter, but isn't enough to save the B-side of this overall less-than-stellar album by Pulp. Still good, and if songs from this album appeared in my British Invasion station, I probably wouldn't skip them, but I also wouldn't seek them out.
Buenas canciones de pop-rock con un cierto toque en ocasiones, pesimista, pero así con una buena colección de temas. Tiene personalidad, aunque no he terminado de enganchar con ellos.
There is no reason for some of these songs to be so long. 5
Hit and miss but when it hits, it really hits. Leaning towards a 3.5.
The album starts off very slow, but the second half picks up nicely and I found myself enjoying it at that point. While I am not crazy about the sound, I am intrigued and would like to check out more Pulp music.
Very much like Radiohead.
Maybe some songs in the album, Like The Fear, are so great that makes the other songs look less good than they are.
Hab ich noch nie gehört, nice Ist auch eher softerer Rock aber gut! Einen Song gespeichert. Turns out mein soft rock heißt eigentlich Alternative :D
It's got some good songs - not my particular jam, but I can see why this is a respected album. Wouldn't go out of my way to listen to it, but a great sound
i'm going to have to look up the meaning of the titl, because by my current understanding, there is no definition of hardcore that this actually is. that said, it was fun enough to hang out with, for sure.
Meh. Not impressed. Lyrics were still witty af.
Ok album. Lots of whispering singing. Some interesting lyrics ("the professional") the instrumentals are good.
Quite hard, but not too hardcore
Strong start instrumental. I know a few Pulp songs (Common People, Disco 2000) and those are pretty good. First track is pretty good. I like that background vocal ahhh-ohhh. The e-bowed/sustained guitar that sounds synth-y is nice. First track reminds me of early Muse actually, mostly the falsetto and electric guitar. Nice outro too. One thing I like is watching Pulp video, cause the singer is quite an expressive performer, although some of it is likely cause he is so damn British, if he were American I'd probably be annoyed. I'm switching over to the deluxe version now cause I'm curious. Well, that was maybe not the best decision. After the first song the album has fallen off for me, shame. Not a single other song does anything for me.
Not my usual sound, but definitely has some bangers!
I didn’t hate it
5
Not bad. A little boring not a whole lot of catchy or mind blowing stuff, nothing that bad either
Not all that interesting
Started kinda crap but slowly get better.
Gleichförmiger Britpop.
Meh... it's not totally awful but feels really pretentious. Much of this sounds like Bowie glam-era worship. When it's not trying to do that it just kinda stinks in a boring way. I'm not hearing much I'd consider Britpop at all. It's mostly listenable, but doesn't bring anything new to the table so I'd just rather put on some Bowie if I was in the mood for this.
Pulp strikes me as a fitting band name here - I also would have accepted Crap Artist. Mainly due to Cocker‘s atrocious vocal performance of all things pretentious and douchey.
heel medium, david bowie achtig maarja dat vind ik ook niet heel geweldig
Fel pulpskiva, och helvete va lång den både var och kändes
I'll say 2.5 - round down because having a 15 minute song where most of it is the same over and over and over is not necessary.
This was not hardcore.
In a previous review of a Blur album I wrote: "Never got into the whole Britpop craze - the closest I came was enjoying the Oasis albums. Or maybe loving the Trainspotting soundtrack - yeah, that's probably it." The first track did not sound like the standard Britpop I was expecting, but I also didn't really like it. I can hear what the Apple Music description is talking about when it says this album is "darker" than previous Pulp music. This just isn't for me. I don't hate it, but I don't really like it. My favorite parts of this album were the times when Jarvis Cocker's voice reminded me that this band did "Common People" and I enjoy that video, so that song was playing in my head. Not exactly a ringing endorsement... I will say THIS for it, however: most of the Britpop I have listened to (including the Blur album my quote above was about) has been OK at first but got on my nerves the longer I listened, whereas THIS album I didn't like at first but the more I listened the more it grew on me.
From Wikipedia : “In November 1985, Cocker fell out of a window while trying to impress a girl with a Spider-Man impression and ended up in the hospital, temporarily requiring the use of a wheelchair". That's how hardcore this muppet is.
Klinkt teveel 'middle of the road' en ik kan het eigenlijk gewoon niet zo boeiend vinden...
Was not exactly floored by this. Feels like an extremely average album. The singer sounds like Elvis Costello, which didn't help the situation. As if that wasn't enough, it didn't feel hardcore at all, contrary to how it's advertised. 'Seductive Berry' was a cool song (but too long), the rest were a shrug.
I do have to give them props for doing Britpop after the disaster that was Be Here Now. 2/5
Pretty good blend of electronic sounds and guitar based Rock, but about 2/3 of each album were songs that I just found too slow to get into
Mediocre. The singer's voice was just inadequate to me. On top of that, every time a song seemed to be moving in the right direction, it took a turn in the wrong one instead. Not a great band, but not so bad that they deserve a 1. Just don't know why this is on here. 2 stars.
dadslop in disguise as something mildly hip and cool
Not my cup of tea
Sounds like a 1990s Roxy Music. It's not for me.
This is most certainly not hardcore. 2.4/5
Well, if you're looking for the next Disco 2000 or Common People this isn't the place. Dour, self-indulgent and sloppy. And whatever that last track is should never be allowed again.
Ще одна спроба послухати палп з таким само результатом як завжди. Щиро не розумію чому цей гурт став популярним. Але однойменна пісня більш-менш ок, тому поставлю 2.
Hardcore meh. I'll never seek this one out again.
I can understand the Pulp enjoyment but it's not my thing.
another person naked, yay... One song in: It gave me MUSE vibes Three songs in: Nevermind... Update: Help the Aged??? this is not helping my alleged daddy issues. Five songs in: Now it's giving Deaftones vibes... (not that I listen to Deaftones lmao) This Is Hardcore is not bad... Okay, I'm about to listen to the second to last song (I kinda skipped some because I was getting sleppy). BYEEEEEE wdym the last track is almost FIFTEEN MINUTES??? I'm gonna put that one while I shower lmaooooo
Ne znam zašto, ali sam očekivala više. Nije mi ništa napravio album nažalost. 2/5, 3/10
Didn't do it for me.
Lyrics were awful
mid
If someone wanted to listen to a poppy, melodramatic David Bowie rip off this is it. Not an interesting album, outside if a few songs. 2/5
#952. This is not hardcore. This is the very antithesis of hardcore. The nand name is accurate though, this is about as interesting as clump of wet paper. 2/5: why does this exist?
Nothing really special but I listened all the way through, so take that for what it's worth.
Random thoughts: * I think the lead singer, Jarvis Cocker, is alright. I even saw him for a minute at Pitchfork Music Fest in the aughts. * However, I've cracked one of the weak links of 1001. Dude has a thing for male crooners. Pulp/Jarvis, Leonard Cohen, Nick Cave, others that I can't remember their names now. But this list is way too heavy on male crooners. * I thought this is hard core meant music. But after listening to the song he's talking about porn. Oh my! * Anyway, there is no Common People hit track to carry this album. We did not need two Pulp albums on this list. * Skip this one and listen to Common People if you need some Pulp. Unless crooner guys are your thing, then feast away.
+1 for putting effort into lyrics but overall ick
Not bad. Spotify was being weird, not showing ANY Pulp, so I watched/ listened on YouTube. Then I try Spotify again, and there it is! (This way I can see the lyrics). Anyway - it was okay for a while, but I think they tried to put too much on the album, and it became ... boring? IDK, too much.
Yeah they were doin something, alright.
why is this on here?
I didn't get anything out from this album. To me, it feels like an album that tries to be artsy, intimate and deep but ends up being very standard. Maybe standard is not the best word to use, as there are some elements that make the album a bit particular. Is just that I don't find anything here to be truly interesting. The deep voice, while kind of unique, can be a bit grating in some instances, and the instrumentation is diverse, with horns, orchestration and anything that can be found in britpop band from that time; but doesn't do anything particularly remarkable. The pace of this album is also very static, There is nothing really energetic nor anything super slow and touching. It sits in a very moody mid tempo that gets a bit dragging, except for occasional tempo changes in the choruses that also don't really elevate the spirit of the songs that much. I'm probably describing it as a really bad experience, but is not. If I heard the songs individually, I wouldn't mind them, but hearing them all together for 1 hour is too much for me.
Mixed genius and some mid
Meh.
Started out ok, went downhill from there. 2 stars
After listening to Different Class some time ago, I was ready to enjoy this, but actually it just washed over me. It's recognisably Pulp, but there was just nothing for me to get my teeth into. A bit disappointing.
He is sleaze in human skin and no matter how good his records might be, I just can't. To top it off it sounds like a sex starved rip off of Bowie.
It's fine, but it doesn't really strike me as essential.
I get the love for Common People, but this one was kind of a drag.
I hear a lot of David Bowie inspiration 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’, but to paraphrase a better band he doesn’t look a thing like Jesus and he certainly doesn’t talk like a gentleman. Finding out fame isn’t all it’s cracked up to be isn’t new - lyrics seemed hollow and trite to me. 2.5+⭐️
The most hardcore boring horny pulp album that’s slow but still better than Oasis even tho not one single banger on this bland bunch of Bowie-esque music stands out.
This was boring and long (over an hour). I didn’t know any songs. It wasn’t the worst thing I’ve heard, but it shouldn’t have been included on this list.
Forgettable drama-core
I believe this was my first Pulp album listen from this website and I’m not sure if it is for me personally. I don’t always enjoy sing talking which I feel like the lead singer does a lot on this album and when he sings he is like off pitch which is offputting to me. Some of these songs have like a weirdly horny vibe to them and the lyrics can be a bit strange. I can see why some people would like this album but personally I wasn’t vibing with it. Maybe I need to give it another chance someday!
I love Pulp, but their output can be hit and miss. There are more misses than hits on here.
some awesome instrumentals but man those vocals... too much
could not stand this dudes voice
Did not enjoy this album. The singer’s style turned me off. Made me think of someone trying to be Tom Waits but not having the unique voice or writing capability to pull it off.
Kinda neat to see others in the community pick up on the Bowie wannabe vibe. This is like the WWE version of EWC hardcore. It's milquetoast. Terry Funk hot poker it is not.
i don't think i needed to hear more than one pulp album
Decidedly NOT hardcore. I mean, good stuff, but does Pulp REALLY need to be on this list twice? No. 2+
Literally nothing was hardcore. Very misleading, and worse, incredibly dull.
NO. No, it's not. This is as far from hardcore as you could possibly get. This is the hardcore that someone produces when they're trying not to offend their lovely third grade teacher, Mrs. Silas. She always said you were a good boy with so much potential. This is hardcore made for proper polite British people. Even the song that is titled "This Is Hardcore", about hardcore sex, is as hardcore as a nursery rhyme. It's not offensive music, it's music afraid of being offensive. This is the musical equivalence of walking into a clothing store, finding an awesome leather jacket, finding that it fits perfectly and you look GOOD in it. Stylish. Rakish. Dangerous. Then you hand it back to the salesgirl, apologize, and slink out of the store embarassed because you have NO BUSINESS wearing a cool leather jacket. This isn't an album about someone trying to be dark and hardcore. This is an album about someone pretending to be hardcore while being afraid that someone will think poorly of him. And that dodgy crap with "The Day After The Revolution" where it just goes on and on with the pseudo-digital static? What the hell was up with that? If you're going to "hide" a track, just do it like other people and put dead silence in there. Come on, do better. My rating: 2/5
This album does not deserve that cover or that name. But it’s better than Mariah Carey.
This album is actually pretty good, and it has this weird way of slowly making you attach to it even when you don’t expect to. While listening I felt a mix of longing, attachment, and that heavy retrospective kind of love — like looking back at something that hurt but you still can’t let go of. There’s a lot of neediness in the lyrics, and some lines feel like they were written just to fit the melody rather than coming from the heart. The mid-tier lyrics hold it back a bit for me. Jarvis and the band are clearly trying to channel that dramatic, theatrical Bowie/Roxy Music glam vibe with the big strings, cinematic production, and swaggering delivery, but it doesn’t always feel natural — sometimes it comes off a little forced or overdone. Still, by the end of the record you start to see a bit of light, some hope and courage peeking through the darkness, and that shift actually works well. It’s not their brightest or catchiest work, but once it clicks, the whole thing sticks with you. Solid album that rewards a few listens.
Meh nothing really here for me
Gosh, compared to albums Ive been listening to recently, this is deathly dull. Dont think it's terrible per se, just boring white boy/dad music.
I didn’t like the sound or lyrics
In only knew Help The Aged before coming into this album and I’ve always disliked it. Turns out that the best song on the album and the rest are bland. The awful lyrics ics aren’t as endearing as they were with Different class.
The last knockings of Brit Pop and it shows. This lacks the dynamism and excitement of what went before, and sounds a bit sad and rambling. Perhaps that was what was intended
My admiration for Jarvis Cocker is rooted mainly in his preparedness to bear his arse in the face of Michael Jackson's hubris. Not for his music. So you could have knocked me down with a feather when I realised he had 2 (count them) albums on the 1001. And having listened to this album twice, just to be sure, I'm still none the wiser why. Without the banging singles of Different Class to anchor it, This is Hardcore slowly disintegrates into a soup of art school artifice. I get some people will like it, but it's not for me. 2*
It's like if Robbie Williams, Radiohead, and Joy Division had a child
Too much drama too much oozing out the lyrics, too much. It reminded me of the Twilight series (plus he sounds like a vampire). In the beginning it was fine, it was a little emo over the top but fine, by the end I had hear them drone on and one overly dramactic like and I just wanted to scream "Just be done already, bite her!" That is how I felt, just be done already
below avg
A bit underwelmed
This isn’t my kind of music
First song was alright which got me excited, but then nothing special after
Quite melodramatic and very 80s
Sheesh, more 90s britpop….**jerkoff motion**
I can't decide whether I find that Seductive Barry song hilarious or horrifying.
I'm checking out at track 5. I have already listened to another Pulp album, which I rated poorly. This is worse. Awful, in fact. I can't believe there's two by this band on the list ⭐.75
Not horrible, but I guess I wasn’t clearly finding the line between humor and/sarcasm and just plain old lyrics. Maybe thats the point? The music wasnt that great
For an album advertised as hardcore much of this album is very corny.
I've been avoiding this album since I joined this group, and now that I've finally listened to my avoidance was justified. Clearly these guys are great musicians but whatever they are trying to sell here (smarminess?), sorry I'm just not buying.
I tried but just couldn't locate any interest in this album. I heard it....it was there...I didn't care for the guy's voice. Having a little trouble believing this is a top 1000 album. It was fine.
ой не
I did not enjoy this album
Another 90’s band with a pretty good sound but a terrible singer. This one really rubbed me the wrong way.
Every Pulp album we've done is rubbish, this is rubbish and it also goes on forever. Please fuck off
I listened to the entirety of the last song and now I know where the electric vehicle reverse sound came from. Being over halfway through the list, I’ve found some things I generally don’t enjoy about an album. This one had a few of those things.
I was surprised to find that this wasn't quite as awful as I was expecting. I mean it was appalling, but not abysmal I guess. Talentless meanderings by a long past their sell by date band. Two stars.
This is the second of Pulp's albums that I've had out of 250 generated. Probably 50 of them I would qualify as being a british band from the 90's that didn't need to be dredged up again. I cringe over the lyrics and vocal delivery, it's like the opposite of ASMR. The tracks don't do anything special that warrants being on this list.
This could almost be a three, as I enjoyed a few of the tracks. But there were also a few I disliked and one I skipped entirely because I couldn't wait for it to be over.
This guy definitely wanks to his own farts. Who needs innuendos when you can just straight up jork it during the song. The music is boring, droll and tasteless. 3/10
Medicore.
I didn't find this viscerally irritating like their other album but I need this man to understand that he is not sexy and he is not David Bowie, no matter how much he insists otherwise
Man, I don't like it. I tried, but I just don't like it. There are a couple songs that are a approaching something approximating catchy, but I just don't...you get the point.
Same thing, two stars. Maybe I wasn’t there at the right time, but it’s not my vibe either.
Ik ben hier niet zo kapot van. Het komt uit 1998 maar klinkt minimaal 10 jaar ouder over het algemeen. Plus een regelmatig wat aanstellerige zanger, wat CKV gedoe. Af en toe is er een soort algemene sound waardoor ik gefopt word en ga denken dat ik dit wel leuk zou moeten vinden, maar dat is slechts sporadisch. Over het algemeen was dit niet zo aan mij besteed. Ik ram enigszins teleurgesteld op de 2.
"Different Class" earned a 3 from me. This album started pretty bad, with tough-to-listen-to vocals and bass that was overpowering (for me, had to EQ to boost mids/treble). "Help the Aged" was ok, but I think I just wasn't in the mood for the vocals today. Skipped a lot.
It was alright. Not fully my cup of tea
..
No bangers on this one. Self indulgent in places. But I like the band's music, including the fuzz guitar on this album, and jarvis can be quite funny. But overall a bit disappointing
Pulp, indeed.
nah.
The album art and title definitely don't reflect the music.
Why do the songs sound the same in the second half of the album
Very much hear some Bowie in this album.
This okay I guess, not sure about hardcore
Didn’t find this to be that interesting, I guess it’s not for me. 2/5 Won’t listen again