Blast from the Past: Pulp – This Is Hardcore (1998)
It’s a cold, dark and rainy afternoon in Copenhagen. Can’t say it’s one of the most inspiring days in the city, you can’t go anywhere, do anything besides stay inside. I turned to the music and caught up with my old favorites, Pulp. I’ve been a fan since my brother introduced His n Hers in the early nineties. I’m on my third run with This Is Hardcore today, and it’s still amazing!. It’s actually a bit scary that it’s been 12 years since the release, feels like yesterday! Anyway:
This is Hardcore is the post-success, druggie, dark Pulp record, released in 1998 as the follow-up to Common People. From the first line of the claustrophobic The Fear, Jarvis Cocker lyrics is so intense, vice, dark and filled with disappointment. Jarvis Cocker stated the albums the about the disappointment and fear, by realization that what you dreamed of may not be what you really wanted. Guess fame, drugs and the dark side of it was too much for Jarvis Cocker, but the music it turned out pretty good. This is Hardcore don’t have the catchy singles like Babies, Common People or Disco 2000. But it’s got really powerful songs, interesting lyrics and works incredibly good as a cohesive record.
Oh baby,
here comes the fear again.
The end is near again.
A monkey’s built a house on your back.
You can’t get anyone to come in the sack
and here comes another panic attack
Oh here we go again.
- Chorus from The Fear
Personally, my favorite tracks on the record are the brilliant first single This is Hardcore, Dishes with lyrics like I am not Jesus though I have the same initials, I am the man who stays home and does the dishes. & how was your day? , Help the Aged, and the intro song The Fear are definitely among the highlights of This Is Hardcore. The record from start to end is a bloody good date on a rainy afternoon. Check the videos and live performances from The Jools Holland Show – Jarvis looks cooked 
This is Hardcore
Dishes
The Fear
Help The Aged
[...] if not for a tinge of 90’s groove that I can’t get enough of lately (try Pavement and Pulp). Without putting too many of my thoughts in your head, the title track sounds like what the [...]