Name: We Love Life
Brand: Pulp

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

4785290

Colour

Black

Colour details

Discogs ID

[r8667146]

Format multiplier

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format detail

Format Music GB

Limited edition

Release date

2023-04-07

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier GB

Universal

Tax rate GB

Standard:20

UPC / Barcode

0602547852908

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Total Cap

Black LP

Artist

Pulp

Genre GB

Alternative / Modern

Label GB

Pulp is a British indie rock/Britpop band that was founded in 1978 in Sheffield. The sole constant member, Jarvis Cocker, formed the band while at school and led them through various stylistic changes and numerous lineup changes until they found success and stability in the early 90s. After splitting in 2002, Pulp reunited for a series of concerts in 2011 before going on hiatus again in 2013. In 2022, it was announced that Pulp would reunite once more for shows in 2023.

Throughout their history, Pulp has had an ever-evolving lineup with notable members including Peter Dalton, David 'Fungus' Lockwood, Mark Swift, Jamie Pinchbeck, Jimmy Sellars, Wayne Furniss, David Hinkler, Simon Hinkler, Tim Allcard, Michael Paramore, Saskia Cocker Russell Senior,Candida Doyle,Pete Mansell,Captain Sleep ,Steven Havenhand,Antony Genn ,Steve Mackey,Nick Banks ,Mark Webber,and Andrew McKinney .

Their music spans several albums including "Different Class," "This Is Hardcore," and "We Love Life." Known for their distinctive sound and lyrics that explore themes of love,society,culture,and everyday life,Pulp has left a lasting impact on the indie rock genre.

UMC, short for Universal Music Catalogue, is a prominent label under the UK branch of Universal Music. Established around 2016, UMC has been dedicated to preserving and promoting an extensive collection of music from various genres and eras. With its rich catalogue, UMC offers music enthusiasts a diverse range of timeless classics and hidden gems.

In 2023, UMC underwent a rebranding process and emerged as Universal Music Recordings. This new identity further solidifies their position as a leading force in the music industry. As Universal Music Recordings, they continue to curate and release exceptional music that resonates with audiences worldwide.

Whether you're seeking iconic hits or discovering lesser-known treasures, UMC (now known as Universal Music Recordings) ensures that the power of music remains accessible to all who appreciate its magic.

Check out our latest restocks of vinyl records, CDs, books and merchandise at Rough Trade. Dive into rare finds, classic albums and add something special to your collection.

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It was clear that This Is Hardcore was a difficult, turbulent experience for Pulp - it was such a troubled-sounding record that it was hard to tell where they would go next. Apparently that was as true for the band as it was for the listeners, since Pulp spent over three years preparing an album, cutting nearly a full record with longtime producer Chris Thomas before scrapping it all and entering the studio with cult hero (and Jarvis Cocker inspiration) Scott Walker.

The pairing was intriguing but problematic, since Walker is not known as a producer and his recent recordings, such as Tilt and Pola X, were as inscrutable as Cocker was lucidly literate. Miraculously, the pairing resulted in the vibrant, reaffirming reinvention of We Love Life, an album that hints at music from Pulp's distant past (it's much closer to It than anything they've done since, though it has elements of the epics scattered through His 'n' Hers) while finding a new voice for the band and Jarvis as a lyricist. It's easy to see that this is a mature album, but that suggests a studied self-consciousness and safe, coffee-table artiness.

This is maturation in a different sense -- Cocker has lived through dark times, as was evident in This Is Hardcore, and still sees difficulty in the present and past (the haunting center-piece of "Wickerman"), but here he embraces life, even seeing his place in the grand scheme of things. Previously, Pulp's sleek music had been as darkly romantic as a drunken late night in a metropolis, and Cocker's lyrics were wittily urbane, embracing and mocking the idiosyncrasies of contemporary life, but here the music is considerably more organic - Candida Doyle's synth, a former signature, can barely be heard - and Cocker's elaborately detailed lyrics are trim and focused, filled with nature imagery.

This is hardly a pastoral album, though, even with the occasional string section and acoustic guitars, nor does this sound like Pulp's version of a Scott Walker album. Instead, this is an emotional and musical breakthrough, finding the band leaping beyond the claustrophobic Hardcore and consolidating their previous obsessions, creating a textured, reflective record that in its own measured way is as impassioned as Different Class - it's just that Jarvis is railing against the impulses within himself, and he winds up finding a way out. As such, We Love Life is warm and embracing, even when it delves into darkness, never nearly as despairing as Hardcore, and nearly as affirming as Different Class. And if that record was the mis-shaped misfit finally letting the world know that he was special, this is that same misfit turning inward, realising that the world itself is special. Not the kind of thing that results in a massive hit, but it's tremendously rewarding all the same.

We Love Life

Music GB