This Is Hardcore. Arguably Pulp’s magnum opus and the album that marked the end of Britpop itself as well as ushering in the start of the hangover of the 90s. For those unfamiliar, Bloomsbury’s 33 1/3 series offers sometimes-academic insight into iconic records ranging from the Manics’ The Holy Bible to Pink Floyd’s The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn and over 100 more at the time of writing.
The series itself is worth checking out but what’s great about this particular release is that its written by someone who was there – Pulp’s PR agent Jane Savidge, head of the PR company Savage & Best. Alongside Savidge’s own insights into the record, including recollections of arguments with London Underground over the album’s adverts and her reaction upon hearing the title track for the first time, Savidge has picked apart each song on the record in meticulous detail with insights from Cocker et al taken from contemporaneous interviews and more.
Something that’s great too is that Savidge doesn’t just stop there with insights into the writing, recording, and release of the album itself but also B-sides and outtakes such as Cocaine Socialism, It’s A Dirty World, and Like A Friend all have a light shone on them. It’s hard not to feel more appreciation for this magnificent record after reading this, particularly for the mammoth Seductive Barry and the love-song-but-not-a-love-song Sylvia.
33 1/3: This Is Hardcore, Jane Savidge (Bloomsbury Academic)
Price: £9.99/£8.99 Ebook. Info: here
words JOSHUA WILLIAMS