This Is Hardcore
Studio album by
Pulp
Released30 March 1998
RecordedNovember 1996 – January 1998[1]
Studio
Genre
Length69:49
LabelIsland
ProducerChris Thomas
Pulp chronology
Countdown 1992–1983
(1996)		 This Is Hardcore
(1998)		 Freshly Squeezed... the Early Years
(1998)
Singles from This Is Hardcore
  1. "Help the Aged"
    Released: 11 November 1997
  2. "This Is Hardcore"
    Released: 16 March 1998
  3. "A Little Soul"
    Released: 8 June 1998
  4. "Party Hard"
    Released: 7 September 1998

This Is Hardcore is the sixth album by English band Pulp. Released in March 1998, it came three years after their breakthrough album, Different Class, and was eagerly anticipated.

Background and release

Friction grew in the band in the years following the massive success of Different Class, "culminating in the notable departure of guitarist and violinist Russell Senior; Cocker left for New York alone to decompress and write in isolation from the rest of the band."[5]

As with the band's previous album,This is Hardcore reached No. 1 in the UK Albums Chart, but with far fewer sales,[6] and was well received critically, earning Pulp a third successive nomination for the 1998 Mercury Prize.[7]

The cover photo was art directed by Peter Saville and the American painter John Currin who is known for his figurative paintings of exaggerated female forms. The model photographed is Ksenia Sobchak[8] and the images were further digitally manipulated by Howard Wakefield, who also designed the album.[9] Currin was also the art director for the "Help the Aged" video, based on his painting "The Never Ending Story". Advertising posters showing the album's cover that appeared on the London Underground system were defaced by graffiti artists with slogans like "This Offends Women"[10] and "This is Sexist" or "This is Demeaning".[11]

The music video for the title track was directed by Doug Nichol and was listed as the No. 47 best video of all time by NME.[12] A bonus live CD entitled "This Is Glastonbury" was added to the album later in 1998. A deluxe edition of This Is Hardcore was released on 11 September 2006. It contained a second disc of B-sides, demos and rarities.

Commercial performance

The album had first-week sales of just over 50,000, 62% fewer than Different Class first-week sales of 133,000.[13] The album was certified gold by the BPI April 1998 for sales of 100,000.[14] As of 2008, sales in the United States have exceeded 86,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.[15]

Reception and legacy

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[16]
Chicago Tribune[3]
Entertainment WeeklyA−[17]
The Guardian[18]
Los Angeles Times[19]
NME7/10[20]
Pitchfork7.8/10[21]
Q[22]
Rolling Stone[23]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[24]
Spin8/10[25]

Nick Hornby, writing in Spin, proclaimed that on the album "England's unofficial poet laureate Jarvis Cocker perfects his poetry of the prosaic".[25] Rolling Stone noted that This is Hardcore was "less bright and bouncy" than its era-defining predecessor, but praised it as being "even more daring and fully realized", noting that "it plays like a movie, a series of scenes from a life", and declared that it "is arguably the first pop album devoted entirely to the subject of the long, slow fade", which it heralded as "a bold move because it breaks one of rock's oldest songwriting taboos".[23] The review concluded, "In midlife oblivion, Pulp have found a strange kind of liberation. Desperation never sounded quite so entertaining." Other reviews in the States adopted a similar tone, with the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette all awarding three and a half stars out of four.[3][19][26] The Tribune hailed it as "a smashing album about midlife crisis" and found that "[the] music is sumptuous lounge-lizard rock augmented by strings and noisy disruptions - a clever, catchy '90s take on the Bowie/Mott/Roxy glam rock of the '70s."[3]

In a retrospective assessment of the album's impact, Matthew Horton wrote in NME that "in its sense of surrender, regret and flashes of panic, it captured the time to a tee." In an article entitled, "How Pulp's This Is Hardcore Brought Britpop To A Halt", Horton maintained that it was "a sloughing-off of fame’s skin, a rejection of the Britpop monster".[27] He concluded, "It's an end, a hard-wrought epitaph to a band's jaunt in the limelight and a suitable jump-off point for what had been a rare old few years – for us, at least." Another review found the song "A Little Soul" to be "Cocker's most disconsolately beautiful", drawing "from the musical blueprint of Smokey Robinson's 'Tracks of My Tears.'"[28]

This is Hardcore was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.[29] In 2013, NME ranked it at number 166 in its list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.[30] In 2014, US LGBT magazine Metro Weekly placed the album at number 46 in its list of the "50 Best Alternative Albums of the '90s".[2] In 2017, Pitchfork ranked it seventh in "The 50 Best Britpop Albums".[31]

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Jarvis Cocker; all music is composed by Cocker, Nick Banks, Candida Doyle, Steve Mackey and Mark Webber, except where noted

No.TitleMusicLength
1."The Fear" 5:35
2."Dishes" 3:30
3."Party Hard" 4:00
4."Help the Aged" 4:28
5."This Is Hardcore" (includes a sample of "Bolero on the Moon Rocks" written by Peter Thomas, recorded by The Peter Thomas Sound Orchestra)
  • Cocker
  • Banks
  • Doyle
  • Mackey
  • Webber
  • Thomas
6:25
6."TV Movie" 3:25
7."A Little Soul" 3:19
8."I'm a Man" 4:59
9."Seductive Barry" 8:31
10."Sylvia" 5:44
11."Glory Days"
4:55
12."The Day After the Revolution" (edited to 5:52 on bonus track releases) 14:56
Double LP bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
13."Tomorrow Never Lies" 4:53
14."Laughing Boy" 3:50
15."The Professional" 5:09
16."This is Hardcore" (End of the Line mix)
  • Cocker
  • Banks
  • Doyle
  • Mackey
  • Webber
  • Thomas
3:02
International CD bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
13."Like a Friend" (B-side to "A Little Soul", bonus track on North American and Japanese releases)4:32
14."Tomorrow Never Lies" (B-side to "Help the Aged", bonus track on Japanese release)4:53
This Is Glastonbury bonus disc
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Fear" 7:49
2."Live Bed Show"
4:33
3."TV Movie" 3:55
4."A Little Soul" 4:36
5."Party Hard" 4:29
6."Help the Aged" 5:33
7."Seductive Barry" 9:57
8."This Is Hardcore" (Bonus track on Japanese release)
  • Cocker
  • Banks
  • Doyle
  • Mackey
  • Webber
  • Thomas
7:16
9."Glory People: Glory Days / Common People" (Bonus track on Japanese release)
  • Cocker
  • Banks
  • Doyle
  • Mackey
  • Senior
  • Webber
  • Genn
11:13
2006 Deluxe edition bonus disc
No.TitleWriter(s)OriginLength
1."Cocaine Socialism" (proper version) Previously unavailable5:14
2."It's a Dirty World" (recording session outtake)
  • Cocker
  • Banks
  • Doyle
  • Mackey
  • Senior
Previously unavailable5:13
3."Like a Friend" "A Little Soul" single4:32
4."The Professional" "This Is Hardcore" single5:09
5."Ladies' Man" "This Is Hardcore" single4:44
6."Laughing Boy" "Help the Aged" single3:50
7."We Are the Boyz" "Party Hard" single3:15
8."Tomorrow Never Dies" (rough mix) Previously unavailable4:53
9."Can I Have My Balls Back, Please?" (demo)
  • Cocker
  • Banks
  • Doyle
  • Mackey
  • Senior
Previously unavailable4:16
10."Modern Marriage" (demo)
  • Cocker
  • Banks
  • Doyle
  • Mackey
Previously unavailable4:54
11."My Erection" (demo)
  • Cocker
  • Banks
  • Doyle
  • Mackey
Previously unavailable4:22
12."You Are the One" (demo)
  • Cocker
  • Banks
  • Doyle
  • Mackey
Previously unavailable4:28
13."Street Operator" (demo)
  • Cocker
  • Banks
  • Doyle
  • Mackey
Previously unavailable3:52
14."This Is Hardcore" (End of the Line mix)
  • Cocker
  • Banks
  • Doyle
  • Mackey
  • Webber
  • Thomas
"This Is Hardcore" single2:06

Personnel

Charts

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[14] Gold 100,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ↑ Sturdy, Mark (15 December 2009). Truth and Beauty: The Story of Pulp. Omnibus Press. ISBN 9780857121035.
  2. 1 2 Gerard, Chris (4 April 2014). "50 Best Alternative Albums of the '90s". Metro Weekly. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Kot, Greg (3 April 1998). "Pulp: This Is Hardcore (Island)". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 3 June 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  4. ↑ Laws, Mike (11 December 2014). "The 10 Best Britpop Albums of All Time (or At Least Since 1993 or So)". The Village Voice. Suzan Gursoy. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  5. ↑ Merline, Micheal (23 June 2014). "Revisit: Pulp: This is Hardcore". Spectrum Culture. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  6. ↑ "Pulp full official chart". officialcharts.com. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
  7. ↑ "Mercury Prize Shortlist". mercuryprize.com. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
  8. ↑ VH1, www.vh1.com 15 July 2015
  9. ↑ Cocker, Jarvis 'They're not grotesque – they're beautiful' Retrieved 11 December 2007.
  10. ↑ Anon 'PULP – ACRYLIC AFTERNOONS – This Is Hardcore Retrieved 8 July 2008.
  11. ↑ Kelly, Amanda; Clay, Alistair (19 April 1998). "'Sexist' Pulp ads attacked; Anything goes, say advertisers. Not so, say angry women with spraycans". The Independent. London.
  12. ↑ "100 Greatest Music Videos". NME. Retrieved 7 January 2013.
  13. ↑ Jones, Alan (11 April 1998). "The Official UK Charts: Albums - 11 April 1998". Music Week: 18.
  14. 1 2 "British album certifications – Pulp – This Is Hardcore". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 25 June 2020. Select albums in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type This Is Hardcore in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  15. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (18 April 2008). "Keith answers readers' questions on Bette Midler, Radiohead, Celine Dion and more!". Billboard. Archived from the original on 12 September 2014. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  16. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "This Is Hardcore – Pulp". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
  17. ↑ Browne, David (13 April 1998). "This Is Hardcore". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 18 January 2017. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
  18. ↑ Sullivan, Caroline (27 March 1998). "Confessions of a pop group". The Guardian.
  19. 1 2 Hochman, Steve (5 April 1998). "Pulp 'This Is Hardcore' Island". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 28 August 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  20. ↑ Patterson, Sylvia (21 March 1998). "Pulp – This Is Hardcore". NME. Archived from the original on 2 October 2000. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  21. ↑ DiCrescenzo, Brent. "Pulp: This Is Hardcore". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 10 February 2008. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
  22. ↑ Yates, Robert (May 1998). "Velvet Overground". Q (140).
  23. 1 2 Kot, Greg (23 March 1998). "Pulp: This Is Hardcore". Rolling Stone. No. 784. Archived from the original on 3 June 2008. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
  24. ↑ Harris, Keith (2004). "Pulp". The Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 665. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  25. 1 2 Hornby, Nick (May 1998). "People's Poet". Spin. 14 (5): 133. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  26. ↑ Masley, Ed (22 May 1998). "For the Record". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
  27. ↑ Horton, Matthew (11 April 2013). "How Pulp's 'This Is Hardcore' Brought Britpop To A Halt". NME.
  28. ↑ Pearson, Paul (30 March 2018). "Pulp's This Is Hardcore is still a shattering piece of work after 20 years". Treble. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  29. ↑ Dimery, Robert; Lydon, Michael (23 March 2010). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition. Universe. ISBN 978-0-7893-2074-2.
  30. ↑ Barker, Emily (25 October 2013). "The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time: 200-101". NME. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  31. ↑ "The 50 Best Britpop Albums". Pitchfork. 29 March 2017. p. 5. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  32. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Pulp – This Is Hardcore". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  33. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Pulp – This Is Hardcore" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  34. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Pulp – This Is Hardcore" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  35. ↑ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 3530". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  36. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Pulp – This Is Hardcore" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  37. ↑ "Pulp: This Is Hardcore" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  38. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Pulp – This Is Hardcore". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  39. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Pulp – This Is Hardcore" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
  40. ↑ "Charts.nz – Pulp – This Is Hardcore". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  41. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Pulp – This Is Hardcore". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  42. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  43. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Pulp – This Is Hardcore". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  44. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Pulp – This Is Hardcore". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  45. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  46. ↑ "Pulp Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  47. ↑ "Pulp Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  48. ↑ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 1998". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
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