Zack: I had Pulp filed under post-punk, since their
career starts in the 80s and that really just seems like a safe assumption to
make. But it turns out that Pulp is one of those rare bands that needs a decade
and a half to really find success. So apparently they were a post-punk/new wave
band early into their career with little success, and then transitioned into
alternative rock in the '90s and produced a few good albums, including two on
the list. This is outstanding news. I haven’t exactly hid my disdain for a lot
of the post-punk we’ve come across, seeing as it all sounds identical. In all,
it seems like the '80s have routinely been my least favorite decade. But the '90s? The '90s are awesome. And so was This is Hardcore. I was really not
expecting to like this album, but it really blew me away. I wouldn’t say that
there was anything novel about it, just that it was a really good example of
what the alternative rock genre has to offer. A few songs stood out, but the
album overall was really cohesive and everything seemed to just work.
Favorite Tracks: Glory Days; This is Hardcore; The Fear
Emily: Sometimes we get an album that really illustrates just how UK-centric this list is, and This is Hardcore is a prime example. Pulp's breakthrough album, three years prior to This is Hardcore, reached #1 on the UK charts and only charted in the US on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. This follow-up was eagerly anticipated by British audiences, and Pulp reached #1 yet again. How far did they get in the US? According to Wikipedia, they made it to #114 - barely a blip on the collective radar of American popular music. When this happens, I usually understand why the album wasn't a big hit here, and am more confused as to why the UK loved it so much. Here, though, I feel the opposite. I really enjoyed This is Hardcore. Although I agree with Zack that it's not anything new and different, I thought This is Hardcore was a great, interesting example of '90s alternative rock. Perhaps we were too enamored with boy bands, but America just didn't get it right back in '98.
Favorite Tracks: This is Hardcore; Help the Aged; Sylvia
No comments:
Post a Comment