- By Fred Spanner
Pulp: More ⭐⭐⭐⭐
An incredible return.
The fact that this is the first Pulp album for almost a quarter of a century is one thing. But when you consider how far they are from their humble beginnings, it’s a serious achievement. They burst onto the mainstream scene in the 90s thanks to a leg-up from the Britpop wave, but what many don’t realise is that they were already more than fifteen years into their music careers by then.
With a back catalogue that most performers would give their right arm for, the release of another album at this stage of their career is always going to be a gamble.
The good news is, it's paid off.
Songs of youthful innocence and nativity have been replaced by a reflection on where the time has gone, and navigating the pitfalls of being older (“Grown Ups”), yet still the same person inside. “I am not ageing. No, I am just ripening.”
On “My Sex,” for example, it’s the same old fumbling, but with more urgency as time is of the essence. “A Hymn of the North” is as Scott Walker-esque as Cocker has ever performed. “Got To Have Love” is a joyous effort, reflecting on Cocker’s inability to mention the word ‘Love’ in his younger years. “Spike Island,’ the lead single from the album, is likely to be a real crowd pleaser on tour. It’s like all of the best bits of Pulp, mashed into a…well…pulp.
It feels like an album that was made specifically for their fans, rather than to win any new admirers. A way of saying “Thanks for the memories.” Let’s hope there’s plenty more on the way.