This Is Hardcore

I think my biggest problem with the album is the falsetto. Not needed on the few songs it was done in. It makes the band feel... not as serious, like The Darkness-level serious. I did like most of the songs, although I still am uncertain as to why we needed two Pulp albums on the list. They sounded pretty much the same to me, and honestly that space could have been used for some other act that was not listed yet. But, Britpop seems to be heavily favored on this list, so... yeah. There's not any one song that stands out to me, unlike "Different Class," which had "Common People" on it. But I liked "Party Hard," the title track, "I'm A Man," and "Glory Days." Those were probably my favorite. "Dishes" just seemed odd lyrically. There wasn't any one song that I hated, so that's a plus. Just like the other album, I guess I would come back to it again. But I still don't see much of a difference between the two, so why have both on here?

This is Boring. Different Class was up and down but had some memorable songs. This is Hardcore is a snoozefest and it's no wonder I don't recall any of the singles. I kept waiting for the album to be over. There's nothing else to say - boring.

Menteurs

y a de l'idée mais trop long

Nee, das ist an einigen, wenigen Stellen bestenfalls mittelmäßig. Wer soll sich DAS denn über 70 Minuten anhören? Was für eine absolute Frechheit. Überschätztes Album einer maßlos überschätzten Band.

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

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

Good god this was AWFUL. WAYY too long. too boring. voice bad. music bad. NO GOOD.

I don't know...there's definitely a lot of Roxy and Bowie sound here with the vocals especially and maybe that's why I waver back and forth. It's just too featured, too hot in the mix, too detached - again it's the odd Jarvis Cocker distraction here. It always is. The lyrics and phrasing are just....they're just weird. Or unsettling in a not-cool way. Like "Dishes" - gak no. Roxy did this better. I can definitely see how ppl loved him/them, but I can never get beyond a 4 or 5 stretch of cleverly-sarcastic subtly depressive-laced dreary life tales ("Sylvia" is good, if not merely in a tasty cookie cutter mid 90s Brit ballad kinda way, but it sticks out on this otherwise almost loungey rock sound to the disc) and it really seems pointed on this album. ok it's all fine - it's fine! But I like it a bit less than Different Class and stop trying to convince me otherwise. I just don't know if it's ok enough to give a 3 here, I think I've already forgotten it an hour later. 5/10 2+ stars

Highlights: "The Day After the Revolution," "I'm a Man" If you wished you had the completely artless lyricism of New Order but also reeking of slavering midlife crisis perversion, all performed with the moaning dribble of The National, look no further. More often than not completely repugnant. The constant gamble of its nihilist candor is right twice a day with stuff like the penultimate song, and there are interesting heavy instrumental moods that are regularly ruined by the foreground. That's the nice thing to say. Incredible that anyone could recommend or praise this without dying of shame.

Why was the last track 15 minutes for no reason?

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.

Great big album

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.

this is a solid 3.5 rounded up to a 4, the main failing is that it thinks it is cleverer than it is

it most definitely is not hardcore and I was upset about it the whole time. rather boring record, small moments of intrigue here and there but it’s just not doing it for me.

It reminds me of old songs I used to listen to when I was a teenager. Maybe that's on purpose specially on songs like "Help the aged".

3/4

Music was not too bad but the vocals and the cringe lyrics ruined it for me

first impression: thought it was going to be bad a bit further in: maybe itll be good final opinion: boring

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

Er zit 'hardcore' in de titel, dus Eric zal dit wel goed vinden? Hoe dan ook, ik vind er niet veel aan. In de jaren negentig-Britpop-strijd tussen Pulp en Oasis zit ik in het Oasis-kamp, vrees ik. Die zanger van Pulp zingt niet, dit is toonloos mummelen. Die stem klinkt zo ongeïnteresseerd, waarom zou het mij dan moeten boeien? Verder is het album zo nineties dat het een 'Zet je cd-speler uit!'-track heeft. Ben je doof of zo?

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.

Another Pulp masterpiece

Better than I remember.

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.

Would not ever consider this Brit pop but apparently that’s what it is and that they were one of the better Brit pop bands. This felt longer than it was. The album had a good variation in style and sound and there were a few songs that were a bit poppy and entertaining but it starts off pretty slow and the low points are pretty rough. Overall this isn’t worth revisiting much but it is okay. 5.3/10

giood

Went in prepared to hate it. Liked this WAY more than I thought I would. Like a 90s alt Elvis Costello.

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

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

Worked really well as an album, wasn’t too repetitive and listening didn’t feel like a chore

Pulp really were fantastic. Jarvis Cocker is obviously having a lot of crises on This Is Hardcore, but the resulting music is phenomenal. The record ends the 90s a few years too early and sort of kills brit-pop along with OK Computer also dragging everything to be more art-rock-ish. 'Sylvia' is a standout track, and although there really are no fillers, a runtime of 69 (heh) minutes is really too much.

Following the success of Different Class, Jarvis Cocker pulls Pulp in an all new direction on This Is Hardcore. It’s bleaker, bolder and more daring. It’s as if we’re experiencing Cocker’s midlife crisis and the end of britpop firsthand. On “Dishes” JC (the non-Judean one) comes as close as possible to comparing himself to Jesus Christ. A move that, considering the other JC’s popularity, must have been quite huge for Jesus. I was close to handing this a 5/5. But having to sit through the droning ending, that is 1/7 of the album, never sits well with me.

3.5/5

My first listen of this album was while high and playing video games and it’s a fucking great album that has a scary bit in it. Very operatic and emotional and cheesy but also awesome. Weirdly sounds like lcd sound system but less experimental with production. Who knows what I’ll think about it tomorrow. Well I listened to it a second time today and unfortunately it didn’t fully live up to my stoned hype. A good number of songs like help the aged were still good but overall it’s more of an above average 4 instead of a 5

150 dagenssia sitten.. annettiin kyseiselle bändille viiden tähden petkutuksen.. ainoa indie albumi kerhossa...SUURIN VIRHEENI KOSKAAN.. tänään tapahtuu niin sanottu korjausliike heh... kaksi subjektiivista = objektiivinen...heh... double negative... ensimmäistä biisiä viedään ja PÄÄTÖS JO TEHTY...kymmenetttä biisiä viedään ja on aika heikkoa kyl paria humpakkia lukuun ottamatta this is hardcore

Not as good as different class.

Pretty easy to see how later bands, especially 90s and 2000s British punk bands, took influence from the music this group produced

Enjoyable.

3,7

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.

A little too long, but I enjoyed most tracks, particularly the level of grit on display.

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.

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

Klinkt een beetje als het eerste album van Muse met Bowie. Goeie hooks

🅱️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.

Meh. Didn't feel like anything special, but I didn't hate it.

No

epic, 10/10

Booooring. Strictly mid. Doesnt belong on the list. 1/5

I don't know why, but i find this album boring. I loved the one before, Different Class. Maybe this is a grower?

Riktigt bra

Not super enticing to me. I didn’t find it legitimately bad, just there was nothing particularly good about it. Instrumentals were alright but vocals kinda throws it off. 4.5/10

The last line on "Dishes" made me physically cringe, so that's why it's a 2, and not a 3

I hadn't heard of Pulp before, but finding this album led me to their previous album Different Class which is great, too. I'm excited to dig into the rest of their catalog

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

Very strong. The opener is so good

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

Good but too long

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

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.

The cover really oversold the music.

3.5

LOVED

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

The mother of all come-down albums, a completely feel bad album about fame. Perhaps not Different Class, but in the title track, Help the Aged, Dishes and Sylvia there's a fistful of memorable tracks. Elsewhere, Jarvis is never less than listenable and their sound is tougher and harder, if not quite as poptastic in the choruses. Solid four.

This album actually had some really cool instrumentals but was hard to appreciate them under that singer that sounds like a slutty Dracula

Some good tracks but far too long. Was over it by the end. Very British.

Good

Kinda generic

The most grim Britpop album ever. Brilliant.

OK album, nothing great but purely for the last song having 10 minutes of one chord, gets a 2

If I ever make a playlist of background music I would think really hard and maybe consider contemplating it. The music equivalent to a participation trophy, they give me vibes of taking themselves too seriously but without the talent. I can see them saying "Don't you know who I am!" as they try and get a discount on a large buttered popcorn at the local cinema.

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.

Never listened to this before but enjoyed it. Pulp are pretty much known for 2 or 3 songs but their catalogue is worth a listen

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

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

If I had to describe this, I would have a hard time. It's depressing soft rock. But it's not good or bad. It just kind of hangs there. For a really long time. This record feels LOOOOOONG.

Didnt enjoy this one

Good interesting album

Didn't know what to expect here as I'd never heard of it, or the band, before. What a gem this is! Pretty sure the run time was over an hour but that flew by without even a hint of 'Are we there yet?'. Wonderful from start to finish and a perfect example of why I look forward to my daily album from the list.

Didn't really like this one. Felt like a generic kind of britpop/rock thing.

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

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

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

Not their best album, still great though.

This is a good album

I like most of Pulp's hits, wasn't too familiar with the albums. I enjoyed this one, in an unsettling kind of way. Felt that a few of the tracks were trying to channel Bowie or The Beatles.

Beetje saai, niet verrassend. Paar vette nummers.

Pretty good to listen to, not as harsh as I was expecting from the name.

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.

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

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

Different class

Man, I totally forgot about Pulp.

Hard, enjoyable, pretty filthy at times

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

Rock. Un poco aburrido.

“I am not Jesus though I have the same initials” made me chuckle. Don’t let the sophisticated style and accent fool you, Jarvis Cocker is a degenerate. The “I guess I’m like him, I just didn’t know it then” line on Sylvia is killer.

Cool Album

Nice album, really good

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.

revisit. enjoyed the 90s sleazeball vibes

I’m a sucker for the sleazy. Always loved Pulp’s two albums that preceded this one, but never made time for This Is Hardcore. Now that I’m approaching middle age, this one hits home. There’s a lot here to dissect, so will definitely be back.

1/17/23: Not a huge fan of britpop but I thought this felt different. Heavy message with interesting production and instrumentation.

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.

Britpop

great album...sounds a little like Bowie.

I admire the glam influence but this is too post-punk for me sorry :/

Very good Britpop album. A smidge too long. Not as good as His 'n' Hers. 7-8/10

Not my cup of tea

Pretty cool album. Was a little on the fence at the start, but it really hit its stride on the back half. Favorite track: The Day After the Revolution

The music ranges from the mildly interesting to the definitely boring (the album's duration certainly doesn't help). Pulp is OK, but I can't see in what universe this album can count as an album to die for.

2.5/5. This was not good, but I guess it could have been worse. I found most of the songs on this album stale and dated.

Very 90s. I enjoyed quite a bit

Getting pretty bored wit all dis Britpop

I loved this. It was like Pulp meets Bowie meets My Chemical Romance. Much more energetic than what I'm used to from Pulp.

I stopped listening for some reason after Different Class, and let's be honest, I only listened to Different Class. Not sure why...This is like Bowie done by Pulp...and I'm fine with that...I'm sure they would say that's mildly shitty, but it's high praise, indeed.

not my vibe

I had never heard of this group previously nor did I know any of the songs. It was not that good and did not care for it. It is pretty much indie music. No songs were skipped but I do not need to revisit any of the songs. It really isn't a two but I will round up.

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.

I've always thought that Jarvis Cocker was a bit of a wanker tbh. This feels a bit self indulgent

Redelijk neutrale mening over dit album.

This is weirdly a lot like Bowie, which was my album right before this. Sort of a brooding, melodramatic, alt-rock

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.

This was hard one to get through for me. All in all it's just not a sound that i get into. No wow factor going on. The only song I listened to on repeat was Seductive Barry. A few of the song were over produced. There was nothing to sing a long to. I felt it tried too hard to be a cleve lyrical revelation.

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

Aptly following Oasis - this album is more classically up my street from the Britpop camp. Jarvis Cocker's sneer, the title track - and it being the sound of 1997 to me. It might not be as great as Different Class, but it's still a strong showing.

Classic, definitely one of the most interesting albums to come out of Brit-pop. Certainly better than anything Oasis did. #isaidwhatisaid

Mahhh. Blahhh. British Pop Rock Blahh. Not my style at all.

Good but way too long

Ens van sorprendre a tots els que ens havíem enamorat de 'Different Class', que esperàvem una continuació en el mateix estil. Com Blur un any abans amb 'Blur', Pulp va decidir tallar d'arrel amb el brit-pop i entregar un disc fosc, depressiu, opressiu, complicat. Al seu moment, com tanta altra gent, no el vaig entendre, i va suposar el meu adéu a la banda. Però el temps l'ha situat al nivell que realment mereixia com una més que digna continuació del seu llegat discogràfic, i un disc d'art pop com pocs més aquella década

Couldn’t make it through the first song. Rolling Stone is a joke. Can we get a better curator?

I've never heard of this group before, but I enjoyed the album. Some songs are very alternative rock/pop. I can hear a Bowie/Pink Floyd influence sometimes, and some songs sound like they're cut from the same cloth as Oasis. I'm definitely interested in checking out their other albums.

This album is beautiful. I will admit that a few songs were a bit boring, but for the most part I enjoyed every song to some extent. Like A Friend was a great song to end the album with. Also, I love this music video for This Is Hardcore. Fave track(s): Help The Aged, This Is Hardcore, I'm A Man, The Day After the Revolution, Like A Friend

Ah that goes in there, and that goes in there, and that goes in there, and that goes in there, and that goes in there...and then it's over. So, my favourite Pulp album His n Hers didn't make the list, but I'm happy this did, played it continuosly on release and no every word to most of the songs. The Pulp hangover record, the first half is so relentlessly (but wonderfully so) depressive and nihilistic, thank god there was a slight uplift in the second half or I might not have made it out.

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

Oh cool another British pop punk band with the same sound and melancholy as every single other band in the 80s and 90s

iight

It's strange that the title track is not available on Apple Music.

Goede mix tussen bijna zeikerige emo en meer actieve nummers

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

Surprisingly good

Ну нормуль альтернативщина, но вообще не задело никак

Disappointing. After all the hubbub I heard about Pulp, this was ass. Not impressed at all. Boring at best.

Très typique 90s comme son, pas super mémorable

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

First pulp album I've listened to, always dismissed them a bit but this was really interesting, the hour run time went by quickly. Would like to hear this again and more pulp in general.

I had a bit of a negative view going in - I missed Pulp when they were big, but rather enjoyed the album as a whole. His singing has a certain style to it that lends itself to the melancholy numbers. The composition of the songs is overall excellent.

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".

I completely missed pulp back in the 90s. I've recently listened to different class for the first time and thought it was great. This is good too but different. Took a few listens. I can't really pick out anything in particular but there was something about it Help the aged was the only song I was familiar with but by no means the best Will be listening to this again

Not bad. I don’t know the band or songs. 2.5/5

A fun bop of an album

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.

This was utterly pretentious and mediocre. I would have given this a 3, but honestly I had expected better from Pulp (I like Different Class) so due to the disappointment it's a 2.

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

Meh

Interesting and not too bad although they’re not a band I would gravitate to. 2/3* ?

Disappointing.

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 is not hardcore, mais cest très bon pareil! Je connaissais pas le groupe, belle découverte, meme si l'album est inégal. Il commence alternatif/expérimental, mais rapidement il tombe dans du plus mainstream. Cest bon pareil!

ruhiger guter Rock, erinnert minimal an bon jovi, bisschen baladig

Leider nicht mein Ding. Es kam stellenweise gut rein aber nicht so richtig zusammen.

T3B 1. The Fear 2. This Is Hardcore 3. Seductive Barry Very interesting listen. Hard to rate. Two absolute bangers. Rest of album, ok to kinda forgettable, 2.

This is hardcore. Interesting choice of title for an album so completely whiny and dreary. I’m familiar with Different Class so I was expecting this to be much more edgy and in-your-face. Unless they were trying to do some kind of ironic juxtaposed thing with this album title/imagery and the music that I’m not getting, it just doesn’t add up. Disappointing and pointless.

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

Another Meh. Just not a fan.

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

Not bad for 90s brit Pop rock.

I don't know man. This brit-pop is just not my jam. I don't know why they would call something like this "Hardcore" because it's more like a diluted and poppy version of grundge or something.

felt really mid

It was just ok

good

I think I prefer it over all over Common People but it is still overly dramatic and comes off as pretentious. 2.5 stars

Not my thing

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.

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

Not for me.

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

Pulp is a good band but it's not the kind of music I search.

awesome 90s album that sounds like the 90s

I like the hardcore punk-rock ballads. The song writing, instrumentation, and structure were fantastic. I enjoyed these songs, but they weren’t all that memorable or catchy in the long run. 4/5

How. How can an album be that long and that good. I loved it - Pulp have a really fun, nuanced and profound way with words, and it's really echoed in the music they make

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

Some interesting sounds and instrumentation, all in all a pretty unique sound. However also not really a lot of breathtaking songs... After some checking, they have some amazing songs... just not on this album, curious that this album is on the list...

very nice britpop album

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.

Between the cringy lyrics and the sex doll looking woman on the cover, this might be the ultimate incel album. Well, at least my skip button got plenty of action.

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

I had really high expectations for this album after hearing the title track on an indie radio a year ago and giving Different Class a perfect score. I do think it's another great entry with a darker, more mature sound, but the songs don't hit me as they did with Different Class. There are a lot of ideas that miss the mark here. "Seductive Barry" is a 9-minute epic that repeats itself, and although I quite fancy the dreamlike sound, there isn't enough variation for repeated listens, and most people just end up skipping it. I understandably hardly see much appreciation for it online. The other songs are not much better at this, with 11 songs over a 69 minute album, over half the tracks go on for 5+ minutes. And with its moderate energy and lack of personality, it leaves you a bit dissatisfied and wanting more. Different Class had incredible songwriting and naughty lyrics, and although the writing is fantastic in some songs like "Dishes", I found most of them here to be quite tame. But at the end of the day, I do think this is a collection of really good songs. "Fear" is a haunting opener that reminds me of Arcade Fire. "Dishes" is a beautiful entry with interesting instrumentation (has strings, a vibraphone, and a bit of a jazz touch) and emotional lyrics. "Party Hard" sounds like something off Bowie's Berlin Trilogy, as I really dig the high energy and distortion. "Help the Aged" is the most accessible song, sounding like it came off Different Class, with cool synths and trip hop effects, but otherwise my least favorite off the first side. "This is Hardcore" gives me goosebumps and is definitely one of their best songs. "TV Movie" is a bit underwhelming but I like the folk vibes. "A Little Soul" has nice psychedelic instrumentation but doesn't fit with the energy of the vocals and piano which almost feels like a generic pop hit. "I'm a Man" is the most Britpop track on here, and I like it but pretty forgettable. I already talked about "Seductive Barry", which I enjoy, and sounds like a song by The Verve. "Sylvia" is alright, and I do like the busy instrumentation but not much else. Not a big fan of the closer "Glory Days" but it's alright and I'd vibe to it as a standalone piece. I had to describe all the songs to help me determine whether to give this 3 or 4 stars, and I think I'm inching toward the 4 stars. In the end, I could comment on something unique about each of them, which is enough reason for me to revisit the whole record and see my appreciation grow with repeated listens.

very heavily inspired by mid career bowie not very hardcore lol

Another band I never had the inclination to explore and I'm here listening to this before Different Class which is not a good idea according to the reviews. 1/ yes it does sound like Bowie. 2/ yes it does sound jade and burnt out.......I like that. 3/ Is it neither good nor bad? To be honest 'average' Pulp is still better than a lot of bands. The lyrics are engaging and the music varied and interesting. So yes I guess I'm converted.

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.

Expected and needed more.

Could only somewhat get through the first three songs b/c I just don’t like the vocals. The instrumentals were actually quite good but the vocals were not imo.

Interesting. Stand out song: I'm a Man

pretty good!

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

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.

silly. melodramatic. kinda boring. not breaking any new ground. it did get better as the album went on but still, how did this make this list?

Not really my thing. Too talkey.

not my jam

Overall enjoyed it, except for a couple of tracks. The three track run at the end are the best songs on the album for sure.

This album is what David Bowie would sound like if he was too lazy to make good music. It's fine for what it is, but it's also another britpop album that doesn't seem particularly suited for a list like this. It's an album from the tail end of the 90s that doesn't sound all that much different from a lot of other albums that came out in the 90s. The harmonies are good, but most of the music and the lyrics unimpressive. On the other hand, I'm really excited for this album to be over soon 2/5

I only really heard the 2 previous fan fave albums (Diff Class, and His'n'Hers) which both have hits have a glib humour about them. This is much darker and at times is brooding and gorgeous. Will play again. 4

It's a step down from their best

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

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

👎👍 maso

Not my taste

amazing. not what i, or anyone else, expected after different class, but really really good. probably suffered at the time from how good their last few albums had been. My favourite song is 'a little soul'; 'help the aged' & the title track stand out too, but every song has something interesting 4 🌟

Ah, UK again. This sounds like Britpop getting fucked by pub rock. Oh, it's Jarvis cocker. That explains it. 2/5.

In 1998, I was graduating from college. I was 21 and the world was full of promise. This album was barely a blip on my radar at the time and failed to rise above the many other outstanding albums that were coming out. I was deep into downloading and accumulated much of the incredible library I now enjoy. Still not doing it for me.

Great album art, but the music inside is rather flaccid and weak. This is Not Hardcore is more LIMPcore if 'core at all. I'd rather liken this to eating dinner on the couch in a dark flat while watching reruns of Benny Hill - whereas 'dinner' consists of McVitie's Chocolate Digestives, Jaffa Cakes and Kool-Aid. That is, I would rather listen to much anything Morrissey has to say about animal rights and gender identity than replay this drivel again. Hmm, actually that's too harsh, I'm sorry, Pulp, I take that back. But my point is that this album is really sad, and despite the cover art, disappointingly uninspired.

Further proof that Pulp is entirely overrated and Jarvis Cocker in particular is an overrated lyricist. His lousy lyrics are only rivaled by his annoying voice. Jarvis, we know you’re not Jesus - you don’t need to tell us. “This is Hardcore” is not hardcore at all, and seals the deal on orange juice-related band names. Cranberry juice never has pulp. And The Cranberries are more than deserving of at least one of the three spots taken up by Pulp and Orange Juice. The Cranberries “No Need To Argue” stood out amongst a 1994 filled with amazing albums, and filled a unique spot in mid-90s alternative rock. In a year of terrific music, “Zombie” is one of the most iconic, impactful, and long-lasting hits. Strain out the ⭐️ Pulp and replace it with the ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Cranberries.

“You are hardcore, you make me hard.” There is nothing sexy or seductive about Barry or this album.

The album is 65 minutes of utterly, irredeemable shite! And 5 minutes of somewhat interesting guitar work (Glory Days) ruined by terrible vocals. This is yet another less than mediocre band with a singer that can’t sing who tries to sing and miserably failed. To be consistent with other rankings I should give this a 2 based on not being overly offended by the music. But I am overly annoyed. Music is boring. Vocals are awful. And it drags on for 70 minutes! -1 star for the extra suffering. NME ranked this the 166th greatest album of all time. Holy fuck that’s offensive. Finery put in the 1001 list. Bollocks! Is everyone fucking insane?

Was pretty meh…couldn’t get into much of the songs

3.5/5

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

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

Having been a britpop powerhouse for the past few years, Pulp was ready to move on to more ambitious music. Different Class was a big album for Pulp, examining the modern English culture on a backdrop of catchy rock tunes for the masses. The truth is that Pulp loves to reflect everyday people and their everyday lives. Party Hard, for example, would show us English nightlife a whole decade before Arctic Monkeys could put pen to paper for their debut album, and do it way better. There's a certain Bowie influence in the sophisticated vocals, and sexual undertones. Goddamn is Pulp sexual. I've yet to see a band so committed to being horny. It's not erotic or good either, it's aesthetically creepy. But the overall product is so well executed, it's hard not to enjoy this monolith of an art rock piece.

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

Kinda dope. Voice turns me off

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.

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

Enjoyed this. Had a bit of a Bowie-esque sound to it.

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.

This is Hardcore, this is actually a little dark. It's definitely over produced. This worked well on previous Pulp Britpop bangers, not so for the comedown album. It was also around 20 minutes too long. There's a few hidden gems such as A Little Soul and Sylvia. But definitely a difficult album for everyone.

The name of this album is misleading, there is nothing hardcore about this album. This is the soundtrack of being trapped in a bad 90's teen movie. I feel like I'm stuck at some open campus high school in Southern California, desperately trying to exit the campus but am met with a barrage of kids wearing leather jackets over flannel shirts. This is not good. It fails at being angsty or hardcore. Please get me out.

Slightly above average . I like the sound

Didn't do much for me

Big Bowie vibes. I really enjoyed this album and it's a band I've never heard of so that's awesome. Great diversity in the songs.

Tbh I liked Different Class more, but this album also stand on his own. Pulp represents a lot the 90's britpop, it's like a fusion of Roxy Music and Bowie, so ofc my ears will be happy. 7/10 Favorite songs: The Fear, TV Movie,

3.5/5 Britpop rock album. Fairly pleasant melodic instrumentals. Vocals a bit boring and longwinded. Nothing standout, it's fine in the background.

It was fine, pretty chill, but nothing crazy

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

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

thought it sounded pretty good but i got sick of it two thirds of the way through the album too fucking long and idk man i listened to too much radiohead already that's all the british i need thanks

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.

This album was alright. Not really my taste and didn’t really blow me away. There are a couple of good songs that really standout for me: Slyvia, This is Hardcore, and Like a Friend

Darker and less poppy than earlier releases, this was a very enjoyable listen with some witty lyrics

Never heard of this band but apparently they’re big! Pretty good album, no big complaints besides I guess the bias towards the sort of crooning male singer that this list has.

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.

No thanks. Not just one starring racy covers, either.

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.

Cet album nous a présenté le dur combat du chanteur Pulp face a l'âme de Elvis Costello. En effet, le chanteur en question arbore à son coup un des objets du Millenium, à savoir le puzzle, qui renferme en son sein l'âme d'Elvis Costello. Dans la plupart des instants de vie du chanteur, rien n'est à signaler, comme notamment sur le premier son, où ce dernier nous offre une très belle performance. Seulement, par moments, Elvis Costello tente de prendre le contrôle, ce qui peut être facilemetn identifié sur certains refrains de l'albums, où la voix du chanteur déraille totalement. Cela n'empiète heureusement pas trop sur la qualité de cet album, auquel j'accorde la note de 4/5.

Rätt nice!

This list really loves Brit-Pop!

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.

More British indie rock. No thanks.

Wasn't feeling the singers voice at first but this really grew on me. I suspect there are better pulp albums out there.

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.

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

3.5

Unbelievable beauty

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

Looked forward to listening to this when it came up. I like all of their hits etc. However I never engaged with it. Maybe it needed more time or maybe it’s not that good. Cover art. 3/5

Jarvis H. Tapdancing Cocker

Day 8: Didn't really enjoy this one, kind of felt mediocre the whole way through, the slow and quiet lyrics were getting drowned out by the instruments in the background most of the time. I can understand why some people might like this album, but I just don't have the time or desire to re-listen to it again, just so I can focus on the slow and quiet lyrics rather than trying to enjoy the music. Best Track: Sylvia

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.

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

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

Pretty cool. Still I don’t think I’ve come to appreciate pulp fully but I’m getting there. The end of “the day after the revolution” also sounds just like the beginning of “Mr Roboto” by Styx- is this just me or????

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