Affirmation (We Love Life - Pulp)

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Product:	We Love Life - Pulp
Date:	24/11/01 (3 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Everything, Not commercial

Disadvantages: REALLY have to listen to it at first, Not commercial

I bought this CD with a great sense of trepidation. Having waited for what seemed like an ice age together with the prospect of the Scott Walker collaboration, I was positively salivating and this outing certainly does provide food for thought.

For those of you who are wondering who the hell Scott Walker is, to be honest I’m not all that sure, but I will just say that I got into the Walker Brothers in 1997, after Jarvis mentioned them on Jools Holland. Yes, very tragic on my part, I know, but I rushed out and bought The Best Of The Walker Brothers that very week.. For reference it has excellent renditions of ‘The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore’ and ‘Jackie’ of Mark Almond ‘fame’.

Walker’s influence is unmistakable on this CD, with PULP reaching new heights of downright laconic charm.

TRACKS:

1. Weeds
2. Weeds 2: Origin of the species
3. The Night That Minnie Timperley Died
4. The Trees
5. Wickerman
6. I Love Life
7. The Birds In Your Garden
8. Bob Lind (the only way is down)
9. Bad Cover
10. Roadkill
11. Sunrise

Track 1: 6/10

This is a bit of a departure from the previous PULP of commercial success. It is very reminiscent of earlier less known material with the guitar reclaiming the central position to the band’s sound. It at first seems a very ecofriendly, harmless enough ditty, but on closer inspection, the ambiguous use of the word ‘weeds’ could imply a political statement. Or this could be where the misshapes finally grow up. ‘ Care for some weed?’ Nice one geezer and that’s as far as the conversation went…

Track 2: 7/10

Yes, once again, Jarvis plays on the old environmental theme, but this track is far funkier than it’s predecessor. In fact it is a very ripe little number, suitable for consumption at most social; gatherings, ‘ do your funky
little dance’ to it.

PULP have brought in a number of musical collaborators for We Love Life and this track is a patchwork quilt made of these influences.

Track 3: 9/10

Ah blessed Jarvis et al. Minnie Timperley, what a fantastic moniker. Here PULP get back to basics….’ It’s such a beautiful world and you’re such a beautiful girl, So much that you want to try, The whole world wants to sleep with you tonight.’

They narrate a tale of loss with sadness and charm (as also seen in classics such as ‘ Joyriders’ and ‘Razzmatazz’ I am perhaps a little biased to say the least as I fell in love with this from the first time I heard it. Catchy chorus, energetic melancholy, perhaps the high point of the CD to some.

Track 4: 8/10

This is not lyrically brilliant ‘ I might as well go and tell it to the trees’, in fact it isn’t as sharp as it could have been , but hang on, hang on, the strings will whirl around your head for absolute eons. You will find yourself looking at trees in a whole different light and you most certainly won’t want to hug one

Track 5: 9/10

Fantastically made tragic-comedy epic that has an almost colossus persona once you’ve seen it live. As in ‘David’s Last Summer’ Jarvis half sings, half talks through this eclectic monster of a song charting the progress of the river that flows underneath Sheffield;
‘ Yeah the river flows on beneath podgy fifteen year olds addicted to coffee whitener.’
It also stands as a testament to how PULP have musically progressed throughout the years.

Track 6: 9/10

‘Its all mine. All mine. As long as I don’t forget to breathe in. Breathe out.’ Jarvis apologizes for this being a corny song, but I think it is a revelation. Just thinking that Jarvis has lyrically traveled from ‘ The Fear’ to t
his emphatic statement is remarkable. Raw, guitar based with Nick banks giving his all on the drums. This song hums, positively vibrates with energy… in fact I think it could power an entire city.

Track 7: 8/10

This in my eyes (or should that be ears?) is a slow song very much in the ‘Something Changed’ mode. But this is once again testimony to Cocker’s poetic soul… au contraire… Just as I start to get sentimental in comes the lines ‘ Come on and give it to her’ Naughtiness indeed, but still touchingly sweet. Lucky Chloe.


Track 8: 10/10
‘ And it’s oh so fine getting out of your mind as long as you can find your way back in’

This is without a doubt one of my favourite PULP songs ever. Forgive me if I gush. You know you want to… Not only is the guitar funky, but also the chorus is as deadly as anthrax, with a little seventies chord. I can’t explain. Just listen to it. Over and over. It’s like the Divine Comedy meets PULP as the harpsichord and the strings add a certain something, Touching lyrics. Funny witticisms. Catchy chorus. Na Na Na Na

Track 9 : 9/10

‘ Like an own brand box of cornflakes, he’s going to let you down my friend.’

Wry. Funny. Possibly the track with the most crowd-pleasing potential. Anyone who can put Tom and Jerry and a box of cornflakes into a song and make it a poignant observation is a star. The kitchness and drama of this song is so very Scott Walker. Once again the excellent swingler sisters provide velvet backing vocals. Fantastic.

Track 10: 6/10

This is perhaps my least favourite baby in the whole nursery. It moans too much. Minimalist, fraught with emotion, Yes. Depressing, certainly. Personal, highly.
Acoustic guitar based ode of lament. Not seen such bare emotions since ‘ Separations’ but you start thinking can Jarvis actually sing? <
br><br>‘All these things I can’t forget, ‘cos I see them tho’ I don’t see you anymore’.

Track 11: 10/10


Sunrise is an inspirational song. Can’t I just leave it at that? No? OK. For anyone who has doubted their very existence Sunrise might hold a few clues. I don’t care if that sounds arrogant. That is how this song makes me feel. Notably, this is also collaboration with ex PULP member Peter Mansell (for all you PULP anoraks, myself included this was interesting news.)

This may not seem like a fantastic track when you first hear it, but let the clever use of sounds wash over you and you will be conveyed to a place of rebirth and hope. Absolutely amazing. ‘ I used to hate the sun because it shone on everything I’d done’


To just close this opinion, I would like to say that I have submerged myself in this CD for the past month and I feel a better person for it.

We Love Life is perhaps the best response to all the doubt and darkness that surrounded the band after the mixed response to This is Hardcore.

This CD is experimental, highly personal and mature. I am glad that PULP has not included a single rabble-rouser in this delicious treat. Call me greedy, but the loss of the masses is my gain if PULP are going to continue to produce material as diverse and accomplished as this. PULP are showing that they are much more than a band who happen to accompany Mr. J B Cocker.

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