When Pulp made their highly celebrated comeback in 2023 with the ‘This Is What We Do For An Encore’ tour, there were only faint hints that it might signify the beginning of 'More'. Nearly 24 years have passed since their last album, 2001’s ‘We Love Life’, and this new release poses an intriguing question: why now? The answer appears to be twofold. First, why not? Performing is their forte and where they excel most (“I was born to perform / It’s a calling / I exist to do this / Shouting and pointing,” Jarvis Cocker humorously asserts in the anthemic lead single ‘Spike Island’). Additionally, with the absence of the late Steve Mackey—the band's original bassist to whom the album is dedicated—there's an implied reason as well: if not now, when? Thus, it seems fitting that 'More' centers around the theme of mortality—its daunting inevitability, yes, but also its incredible power to imbue even mundane experiences with profound, fragile meaning. Throughout these 11 tracks, motifs of space and celestial objects emphasize the insignificance of human existence, while reflections on aging and the passage of time dominate the lyrics. For example, ‘Grown Ups’ features a riff-driven groove that wryly notes how no one ever truly feels ready for adulthood (“One last sunset / One final blaze of glory / And I know it’s all about the journey / Not the final destination / But what if you get travel sick / Before you’ve even left the station”). Similarly insightful is ‘Background Noise’, which gently contemplates the unsettling reality that love, too, can age unexpectedly, diminishing from an initial spark to a faint ember (“I don’t remember the first time / Or the last time,” Jarvis laments, nodding to the 1994 track ‘His N Hers’).
That said, Jarvis’ flair for risqué lyrics hasn’t diminished during this long hiatus; part of Pulp’s distinct charm has always been their fascination with life's slightly sordid side, exemplified here by the cello groove in ‘Slow Jam’ and the encompassing build of ‘Tina’: “Come on, let’s have a threesome baby / You, me, and my imagination”; “Screwing in a charity shop on top of black bin bags full of donations / The smell of digestive biscuits in the air.” (There’s also the thematic outlier ‘My Sex’, where Jarvis seems to hint at a broader gender identity). However, moments of genuine romantic sincerity shine through as well, as heard in ‘Farmer’s Market’ and the disco-influenced ‘Got To Have Love’, which confidently carries on Pulp’s tradition of alternative love songs with unexpectedly poignant aphorisms (the latter even picks up on where 1995’s ‘F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E.’ ended, featuring a spelling-oriented bridge). As always, emotional depth is conveyed almost imperceptibly, with the band’s charming earnestness often hidden beneath clever wordplay, lush strings, or infectious grooves.
Listeners approaching ‘More’ in search of immediate hits reminiscent of ‘Different Class’ might find themselves initially disappointed, but these tracks, more akin to the anxious energy of ‘His N Hers’ or the darker themes of ‘This Is Hardcore’, subtly penetrate your consciousness. In contrast to some other Britpop-era bands, Pulp isn’t merely cashing in on nostalgia; they’re returning as evolved versions of their former selves—appreciative of what they have while they still have it.
Evidence that the young actor and musician is not a one-dimensional talent.
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