... But after achieving the renown he had so desperately dreamed of, Jarvis seems to wonder on "This is Hardcore" whether it was all worth it. This album expresses a vulnerability not found on "Different Class," 1994's "His 'n' Hers", or Pulp's latest, "We Love Life." Jarvis openly wonders why ... Read review
Pulp's much-anticipated follow up to Different Class seemed, at the time, to disappoint ... more
those who'd expected more of Jarvis Cocker's turbulent kitchen-sink scenarios. Instead, in This Is Hardcore the band dished up 12 tracks of introspective claustrophobia based around the fall-out of the dramas they'd previously essayed, as well as Cocker's own double-edged popularity. Most of the tracks have hints of sleazy sex - the title track and the sublime highlight "Seductive Barry" being the most overt - but the perils of being the ageing partygoer are equally realized in "Party Hard" and the opener "The Fear". Likewise, the music is suitably ominous; possibly due to guitarist Russell Senior's departure, there's plenty of dense soundtrack moments and plenty of electronic flourishes that complement the mood well. That's not to say it's all doom and gloom; the broken-hearted man about the house in "TV Movie" or the cathartic "The Day After The Revolution" are both classics. Indeed the only real mis-step is the lengthy running time. The bonus disc collects all of the excellent B-sides from the singles, most notably the essential "Ladies Man" and "The Professional", and while the unreleased demos aren't as enticing as those on the concurrent reissues, they'll certainly be well received from Pulp's ever-loyal fanbase. --Thom Allott
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...it was all worth it. This album expresses a vulnerability not found on "Different Class," 1994's "His 'n' Hers", or Pulp's latest, "We Love Life." Jarvis openly wonders why people idolize him. On "Dishes," he sings:
"I am not Jesus though I have the same initials
I am the man who stays home and does the dishes."
Part of the fear and regret expressed on this ... ...that they might not enjoy this album as much as the more cheerful "Different Class." Amidst soaring strings, he sings:
"You're gonna like it, but not a lot
And the chorus goes like this:
Oh baby, here comes the fear again
The end is near again"
Jarvis, is, of course, wrong about this, as "This is Hardcore" is one of my very favourite albums of all time.
... more
Jarvis Cocker formed Pulp in 1978 when he was a 15-year-old schoolboy in Sheffield. The band enjoyed very little success until the mid- '90s when "Different Class", featuring the massive hit singles "Common People" and "Disco 2000," thrust Jarvis and his band into the spotlight.
After years of obscurity, the sudden fame came as a shock to Cocker. Pulp's earlier songs are mainly about sex, drugs, class/revolution, and voyeurism, and Jarvis portrayed himself as a sexy (albeit creepy) heartbreaker who would sleep with your sister AND your mother. But after achieving the renown he had so desperately dreamed of, Jarvis seems to wonder on "This is Hardcore" whether it was all worth it. This album expresses a vulnerability not found on "Different Class," 1994's "His 'n' Hers", or Pulp's latest, "We Love Life." Jarvis openly wonders why people idolize him. On "Dishes," he sings:
"I am not Jesus though I have the same initials I am the man who stays home and does the dishes."
Part of the fear and regret expressed on this album stems from the fact that Jarvis recorded it at the age of 33, which is how old Jesus was when he was crucified. On "Party Hard," he wonders where years of partying has gotten him.
"I used to try hard to make friends with everyone on the planet," he says, and wonders:
"Why do we have to half kill ourselves just to prove we're alive?"
Appropriately, the album opens with a song titled "The Fear." Jarvis seems to be warning listeners that they might not enjoy this album as much as the more cheerful "Different Class." Amidst soaring strings, he sings:
"You're gonna like it, but not a lot And the chorus goes like this: Oh baby, here comes the fear again The end is near again"
Jarvis, is, of course, wrong about this, as "This is Hardcore" is one of my very favourite albums of all time.
In contrast to "Different Class" which expresses the hope that the lower classes will rise, "This is Hardcore" has a darker view. The last two tracks on the album express the frustrations of the working-classes and an ironic take on what would happen if a revolution did occur, respectively.
On "Glory Days," Jarvis asks the poignant question:
"Oh we were brought up on the Space Race, now they expect us to clean toilets When you've seen how big the world is, how can you make do with this?"
While most Pulp songs build up to a crescendo, "The Day After the Revolution," is aptly anticlimactic. It drones on near the end, and the final note echoes on for several minutes. I kept the CD running in hopes that there would be a hidden track, but there is none. Also, the final chord is the same as the one that opens "The Fear," so the album has a cyclical feeling to it.
"A revolution happened Oh, sorry. You haven't heard?" Jarvis asks ironically.
While revolution can mean change, it can also mean rotation that leads to nothing, such as the wheels on a stationary bike.
Despite the overall darkness to this album, there are some bright spots of humour and typical Jarvis sleaziness. On "Help the Aged," Jarvis encourages younger women to date older men, namely, him.
"When did you first realise It's time you took an older lover, baby"
This is one of my favourite tracks. Other lyrics reflect the fact that younger people should appreciate old people, as they are wise, and "one day, you'll be older, too." The structure of the song seems inspirational and builds up to a lofty chorus and bridge, and reminds us to "try to forget that nothing lasts forever."
The title track, is Pulp's equivalent to "Stairway to Heaven" in that this epic song has an orgasmic structure, but even more blatantly so since the song is about sex. Listening to it makes me simultaneously amused and grossed-out since it is so over-the-top seedy. "This is Hardcore" epitomizes the word brodgy* (a combination of "brilliant" and "dodgy"). Why? Because it's a song about making a home-made porno!
The song begins with the line: "You are hardcore, you make me hard" after a minute or so of lounge-esque music that sets the scene for sordidness.
At the climax (in more ways than one) of this song, Jarvis sighs: "I can't believe that it took me this long..."
During the refractory period, he sings: "This is the eye of the storm It's what men in stained raincoats pay for But in here it is pure"
And my favourite part, which always makes me laugh, is the part toward the end where he exclaims: "Oh that goes in there! Then that goes in there! Then that goes in there! Then that goes in there! And then it's over..."
On the other hand, Jarvis encourages men not to act like him and to treat women well on the self-reflexive "A Little Soul," the dramatic "I'm a Man", and the inspirational "Sylvia", on which he sings to a (battered?) woman:
"So keep believing and do what you do... You know that you deserve better"
"I'm a Man" is another one of my favorite tracks on this album, as it builds drama to a soaring chorus and reflects on the meaning of masculinity. Being a man is not so difficult, Jarvis says. "If you hang around too long, you'll" become one, he says. At the end of the song, Jarvis announces that he, too, is a man, further indication that he loathes certain aspects of himself, despite his cocky (!) attitude.
The only low-point on this album is the abysmal "Seductive Barry," which is painfully slow, and has the seediness of "This is Hardcore" without the humor. This duet with Neneh Cherry (remember "Buffalo Stance"?!?) also features an annoying, robotic voice. The song, if you can call it that, seems to be about hooking up with a celebrity whom Jarvis has lusted after "for years." It has extremely cheesy strings and lame-o lyrics like:
"If this is a dream, then I'm going to sleep for the rest of my life"
I hope that it's supposed to be a satire, but I still can't stand to listen to it.
In terms of production, "This is Hardcore" features lots of layering and intricate instrumentation and may take a few listens before you can enjoy it. I have listened to it dozens of times, and still find different nuances each time.
Tracklist: 1. The Fear 2. Dishes 3. Party Hard 4. Help The Aged 5. This Is Hardcore 6. TV Movie 7. A Little Soul 8. I'm A Man 9. Seductive Barry 10. Sylvia 11. Glory Days 12. The Day After the Revolution
* My friend Mike and I invented the word "brodgy," and we would appreciate it if you would help us bring it into the everyday lexicon. Cheers!
Advantages: Couple of good tracks, Cocker Disadvantages: Most everything else
...a fairly peculiar jib. This is a character for whom the words gangling, inelegant, ungainly and geek could have been invented, but undoubtedly the man oozes class and that magic ingredient: CHARISMA.
For one so unclassically rockist looking, Cocker is a 100% STAR, and one who ain't lost touch with his roots or his humour.
The drab Sheffield drawl, the patently unfashionable NHS specs, the lank flop of hair and the far way look in his eyes are totally ... ...glowingly real pop, but in this case they gave us The Promised Land.
Somehow, Pulp and Jarv were always there, and were always sat on the outside, resolutely popular with THOSE IN THE KNOW, yet seemingly doomed to be forever the unwelcome party guests of Popular Taste. There was a stream of unremarkable and remarkably unsuccessful albums pouring out of the Cocker muse before the band finally tiptoed onto the coat tails of marginal fame with 'His ...
dave27 25.09.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of This Is Hardcore - Pulp
...in decent music at all, this is an album that you WILL fall in love with and that WILL still sound great in twenty years time. Pulp have been around for over twenty years now, and are about to return with a new LP, but this album from 1998 will be hard to top. Without a doubt, it’s the highlight of their career so far. Jarvis Cocker has a way with both words and tunes that is hard to match nowadays. It’s delightful stuff – like ... ...is a key one, because this is like watching the greatest – and probably the seediest – movie you’ll ever see. In between the sex and gluttony comes the beautiful ‘A Little Soul’, Jarvis showing his sentimental side – ‘you look like me but please don’t turn out like me’. The last three tracks are also a stunning chain of music – singalong ‘Sylvia’, then the pacey, spacey ‘Glory ...
BennyRialto 08.01.2001 (06.06.2001)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of This Is Hardcore - Pulp
Advantages: Hardcore brilliance, Many great songs Disadvantages: Some songs that are not worthy of being on a Pulp album
...though that means nothing. This album is still incredible and is wonderful in it’s own way. The Fear
========
This is the song that starts the album off. A tale that speaks of having panic attacks. I would consider this album to be quite autobiographical, as indeed I would consider most of Pulps other albums. Jarvis is singing about himself on this one and about how he felt for sometime whilst doing this album. He had felt like Different ... ...with this album he was backed into a corner somewhat. Best lyric:
“When you’re no longer searching for beauty or love, just some kind of life with the edges taken off”
This is the perfect start to the album in my opinion, a quite dark song with catchy lyrics.
Dishes
======
“I am not Jesus though I have the same initials” is the opening line from this song. Just about how someone made a comment to him upon Jarvis ...
Del_Boy 30.08.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of This Is Hardcore - Pulp
Advantages: Good variety of tracks Disadvantages: Too alternative for some.
...of Britpop, Pulp's 1998 album This Is Hardcore takes the band away from the commercialised albums of the mid 90's and into a more alternative genre, characteristic of their 80's material. Despite this, and maybe because of it, This Is Hardcore is a truely brilliant piece of work, showing off Jarvis Cocker's vocals to their true potential, whilst ensuring a wide variety of styles. It would be fair to say that this album is slightly seedy by nature, ... ...of sentiments, from the sexual This Is Hardcore, to the more sensitive A Little Soul, and everything in between. Due to the slightly more alternative styles here, this album was not as successful sales wise as their previous couple, however, this is easily the best album of their long musical career. THE TRACKS
A list of tracks follows now, with ratings out of 10.
The Fear :- An upbeat track, with a slightly dirty and subversive undertone. However, ...
pumfster 27.02.2003
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of This Is Hardcore - Pulp
Advantages: A return to original style Disadvantages: not very easy listening
...hand, you will love this new addition. The album contains varied tracks, from the carefree "Glory Days", to the menacing, but harmonious title track. The album features a bizzarre final track which lasts for what seems like 15 minutes, the last ten being filled only by a single migraine-inducing note. It's weird stuff, but entertaining all the same. I loved the menace and the bleakness of some of the tracks, particularly "The Fear". If you are an ...
comradeward 05.09.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of This Is Hardcore - Pulp
Originality
Lyrics
Quality and consistency...
How does it compare to ...
Value for Money
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Reviews which might be of interest for "This Is Hardcore - Pulp"
Advantages: Great song subjects, back to the good old Pulp Disadvantages: None its great
If you love Pulp then this album is just great. Its like their early stuff - good solid songs that will have you dancing and singing a long.
Loads of songs about experiences that everyone can relate to - plucking up the courage to have sex for the first time, losing love, finding love, finding your ex-girlfriend has an new bloke, being a loser, being hated by society and blaming the trees for your girlfriend leaving you! Lovely Pulp song themes!
After the rubbish that was "ThisisHardcore" Pulp could only learn from this and get better which they have done. They sound nice (thanks to Scott Walker) and lyrically back on form
First of Jarvis Cocker you are god, your voice is wonderful especially on "The Birds". Some future classic on this album "Weeds" is good an "Sunrise" is a great song to end an album on.
Fans will not be ...
Advantages: Some fine moments. Disadvantages: Earlier Pulp was not up to much
Before thisPulp were a bit off. The occasional good tune but mostly too obscure to appeal to anyone!
This CD is a complilation of the recordings they made on the Gift label, and as another Ciao member said, this was the turning point for one of Sheffield's finest bands. The CD comprises of three singles from 1991-1992 and their corresponding B-sides. Look out for Babies, OU, Razzmatazz and Inside Susan: A story in 3 parts.
Pulp are Jarvis Cocker's unique brand of lyrical coarseness and Candida Doyle's keyboard wizardry, along with the rest of the band.
They combine to produce a really unique sound, a pop/synthy/violins/indie sort of mix!!
I suppose I'm not too good at describing music, despite my awesome love of the stuff!
If you like this then I would recommend any Pulp release after this date (1992) especially ...
Advantages: Sunrise and Wickerman, Jarvis Disadvantages: There are better Pulp albums
Pulp follow up their 'ThisIsHardcore' with 'We Love Live', eventually. A album that has been delayed, scrapped and rerecorded with different producers. What hope for a project continually beset by problems?
Ever since the departure of Russell Senior after the 'Different Class' album (writer, vocalist and general strings) there has been a steady decline in overall quality of Pulp albums. Whether this decline is due to Pulp being around so long, or to loss of the tension between the two driving forces of band we will never know.
But what about the songs? The Trees sounds like half a Pulp song, but half a Pulp song is a marginally better than a lot that is around. Weeds is Misshapes (from Different Class) part 2, just a different take on the same subject. Bad Cover Version has Jarvis back at his cutting best. The Night That Minnie ...
Product Information for "This Is Hardcore - Pulp" »
Product details
Title
This Is Hardcore
Performer
Pulp
Genre
Rock & Pop
Sub Genre
Brit Pop
Release Date
30/03/1998
Recomended Retail Price
8.99 GBP
Original Release Year
1998
Label / Distributor
Island / Universal Music
Engineer
Pete Lewis
Producer
Chris Thomas
Pieces in Set
1
Studio / Live
Studio
Stereo
Stereo
Format
Performer
EAN
731452448620
Catalogue Number
CID 8066
Additional notes
Album Notes
Pulp: Jarvis Cocker, Nick Banks, Candida Doyle, Steve Mackey, Mark Webber. Additional personnel: Anne Dudley, Chris Thomas (piano); Olle Romo, Matthew Vaughan, Magnus Fiennes, Mark Haley (programming); Mandy Bell, Carol Kenyon, Jackie Rawe (background vocals); Neneh Cherry. Recorded at The Townhouse, Olympic Studios, CTS Studios, London, England. "I'm not Jesus, though I've got the same initials," croons Jarvis Cocker in Pulp's folllowup to 1996's gleefully hateful DIFFERENT CLASS. As this line illustrates, THIS IS HARDCORE takes Pulp further over the top in every sense--shamelessly dramatic structures telegraph every crescendo, and tense verse arrangements give way to sweeping sing-along choruses. Cocker's venomous, confessional lyrics are best evidenced in his trademark spoken sections--murmured tales of obsession punctuate the band's call to arms for the pasty, skinny dispossessed youth of the world. THIS IS HARDCORE boasts a fantastic palette of sonic textures, from the thick T. Rex-influenced grooves to spacey chimes, E-bows, and storms of feedback. Analog synths buzz and sputter, held aloft by rich string arrangements. As the title implies, sexual themes abound, notably on the cool rush of "Party Hard" and the slow throb of the title track. "Help The Aged" features elegant instrumentation and a lyric which manages to be poetic where lesser misanthropes would yield to the temptation to be comedic. The anthemic closer "The Day After The Revolution" carries on the proud Pulp tradition of nihilism, assuring us that, thankfully, that huge chip on Cocker's finely coutured shoulder isn't going anywhere.
Album Reviews
The Wire (1/99, p.27) - Included in Wire's "50 Records Of The Year [1998]" Spin (5/98, p.133) - 8 (out of 10) - "...On THIS IS HARDCORE, Pulp makes it clear they have outgrown Britpop and belong right up there with Ray Davies and Costello and Morrissey, those who look at England with a satirist's eye and a balladeer's heart..." NME (3/21/98, p.48) - 7 (out of 10) - "...THIS IS HARDCORE is a Pulp LP as you know one only in as much as it's a concept LP about life and the weirdness of everything. It is Pulp: The Sequel..." CMJ (2/25/99, p.9) - "...[Cocker's] sweeping songs are laced with snarling cynicism and harsh, verbal shots of reality -- the perfect vehicle for his snide, tounge-in-cheek delivery..." Entertainment Weekly (4/17/98, pp.70-71) - "...Compared with the unimaginative language that fill up far too many current pop or rock discs, Cocker's lyrics--brought to life by his dry, jaundiced-dandy voice--are miniature literay salons unto themselves....an oasis of musicality..." - Rating: A-
Titles on disc 1
1.
Fear
2.
Dishes
3.
Party Hard
4.
Help The Aged
5.
This Is Hardcore
6.
TV Movie
7.
Little Soul
8.
I'm A Man
9.
Seductive Barry
10.
Sylvia
11.
Glory Days
12.
Day After The Revolution
Ciao
Listed on Ciao since
18/07/2000
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