Pulp had started to be noticed with their album His ‘n’ Hers, but it was Different Class that made them an overnight success. That overnight success had just taken nearly twenty years.
Different Class contained twelve tracks with four of them released as top ten singles and for a brief period they were as big as Blur and Oasis as Britpop ruled the charts and Jarvis Cocker seemed more likable than the Gallagher brothers and gave hope to men like me with no dress sense and poor hair.
Common People and Disco 2000 still sound fresh and exciting twenty-seven years on and the band became front page news with Sorted for E’s & Wizz and for Jarvis invading the stage at the Brits whilst Michael Jackson performed. He was arrested and Bob Mortimer represented him, different days.
The hits stand out, but Pencil Skirt, Underwear and Monday Morning do not miss their mark and the whole album is a band realising it’s their moment and seizing the opportunity.
Jarvis was clearly the star, but the band co-wrote all the songs. They have recently announced they will reform for some concerts which was met with positivity across the media and their fans, Different Class is the reason for that.
The best album of the Britpop era?
8/10
GIVE IT A STREAM: Common People