Pulp's More doesn’t feel like a comeback record, though technically it is.
It doesn’t dole out nostalgia or revivalist winks. Instead it presents itself as a kind of spiritual sequel - not to a specific album, but to the long, strange trajectory that Jarvis Cocker and company have always charted: the uneasy balancing act between satire and longing. 'More' inhabits a space where the glamour of fading youth meets the disorientation of middle age, and nowhere is that dissonance more sharply rendered than on “Spike Island.”
“Spike Island” isn’t a reference, at least not directly, to the fabled Stone Roses gig, though echoes of that moment hover at the edges - idealism gone of the rails that is. The track feels like a off glance at generational memory itself. Over a warped groove, the vocals have a hint of menace, but from fatigue. The tension between personal authenticity and public persona runs deep here. The refrain lyrics "Spike Island come alive" is even invoking a desire for renewal or a return to a pivotal moment of inspiration.
“Got to Have Love,” by contrast, shuffles in wearing a worn-out disco suit - tacky, but lived-in. It leans into sentimentality in the way only Pulp can: with arched eyebrows and heartache. It was originally written around the turn of the millennium and demoed during sessions for Pulp's 2001 album 'We Love Life.' It remained unfinished until its live debut in 2024. Jarvis mentioned lyrics for the song but was "emotionally unable to sing them" at the time. The song was completed and performed live after Cocker's marriage in June 2024, suggesting a personal connection to its themes. The beat is downright saccharine, soft-edged synths swelling under a falsetto that’s less convincing than it is committed. And yet, the whole thing works - not because it believes in love, but because it understands its necessity. "The one thing that could save you, And the one thing that scares you to death, The only thing that could bring you back to life."
Taken as a whole, 'More' doesn’t aim to reclaim Pulp’s past glories or to reinvent the band.. It refines the band’s old contradictions, updating them for a new kind of malaise. There’s still that voyeuristic thrill, the clever turn of phrase, the sideways smirk. But there’s also something quieter beneath it all, a sense that maybe the real art is in sticking around long enough to mean something different. 'More' doesn’t scream for your attention. It doesn’t need to. It knows you’re listening.
Order a vinyl copy of "More" here.