Pulp - 'Different Class' (Island) Released 11/09/06

There’s little doubting the monumental impact ‘Different Class’ had when it was first released 11 years ago. Avenues that were explored on Pulp’s previous long-player ‘His ‘N Hers’ were finely honed – the tunes perfectly realised, the lyrics human, culturally relevant and damn funny. It’s the album that spawned the iconic image of Jarvis Cocker being pushed in that shopping trolley by Sadie Frost, the risqué hedonistic abandon of ‘Sorted for E’s and Whizz’ and the sheer pop glory of ‘Disco 2000’ – possibly the finest song referencing woodchip ever made. Away from the inane media circus of Blur vs. Oasis, Pulp arguably made the landmark album of the Britpop years for the bespectacled, non-leery generation at least.

After a decade of relatively muted recording activity, ‘Different Class’ was hastily written immediately after the explosion of ‘Common People’ in May 1995. Yet, despite this it’s possibly Pulp’s most perfectly realised work. The opening ‘Mis-Shapes’ is a glorious headrush, a celebration of youth, positivity and looking to the future “Brothers sisters can’t you see? The future’s owned by you and me. ” An ethos that’s carried out elsewhere on the album. Importantly, amidst the chart-conquering hits, there’s plenty of substance throughout to make the album a wholly cohesive work. ‘I Spy’ is full of sinister undercurrents, the dark balladeering of ‘Live Bed Show’, and the epic finale of ‘Bar Italia’ just some of the highlights. Bubbling with zeitgeist defining songs and lyrics (“Is this the way the future’s meant to feel or just 20,000 people standing in a field?”), ‘Different Class’ will continue to carry weight and relevance for decades to come.       

In the obligatory bonus disc for this package, there’s plenty to get excited about. The defining appearance at Glastonbury 2005 opens, before b-side and stalwart of the Trainspotting soundtrack ‘Mile End’ gets a welcome outing. The tuneful ‘PTA’, carries all the archetypal geeky Jarvis Cocker wordplay (“I’ve never had a woman before”) – a track that truly would have been at home on ‘Different Class’ itself. Elsewhere, the quit frankly tacky ‘Catcliffe Shakedown’ is strangely beguiling, ‘We Can Dance Again’ s pure pop perfection, while Thin Lizzy’s ‘Whiskey In the Jar’ gets a unique makeover. Once again a fine package that should be purchased by the uninitiated and Pulp aficionados alike.