Jarvis Cocker confirms why major vocal change was made after Different Class

Legendary frontman Jarvis Cocker has confirmed why he made a vocal change between Pulp albums Different Class and This is Hardcore.

The songwriter has suggested an inability to “reach the higher notes” is one of the main reasons he decided to change up how he was singing following the release of their 1995 masterpiece. Cocker, who reformed Pulp in 2023 for a second reunion tour, confirmed the changes in an interview with The Art of Noise author, Daniel Rachel. He suggested he “always had a problem” with the We Love Life song, Bad Cover Version. Pulp will release their first album in twenty-four years next month, with More to be released on June 6, a day before the band embarks on a world tour.

Cocker told Rachel: “Generally speaking, as you get older you get less able to reach the higher notes. We moved Help The Aged down two notes because that was always too high (sings): funny how it all falls away—super hard to do. Party Hard, we moved up two notes. The Trees we had a go moving up. Bad Cover Version, I always had a problem there.

“I really liked that song and really like the chorus, but the first verse doesn’t really grab you, so I found myself singing the first couple of lines up an octave. You’re singing the same words and it’s got the same chords behind it, but I think for the voice to grab you and for it to feel involving you should be making an effort.

“Not too much, not painful effort, but just feel like it’s … because then it’s like unconsciously you think, ‘Oh yeah, that person actually is bothered about what they’re singing, because they’re actually busting a gut to get there and sing that note.'”

It comes as Cocker also confirmed he had a “few gems” recorded on a series of cassette tapes which the world may never hear. The Pulp frontman confirmed there were possible hits recorded on a series of tapes which he simply did not have the time to sift through.

Pulp’s upcoming album, More, features songs which were leftover from the We Love Life sessions, as well as a piece from Cocker’s other group, Jarv Is. Slow Jam featured in live performances from the band though appears to have been refitted into the upcoming Pulp album along with We Love Life demo, Got To Have Love.

A statement released at the time of the album’s announcement reads: “This is the first Pulp album since We Love Life in 2001. Yes. The first Pulp album in twenty-four years. How did that happen? Well, when we started touring again in 2023 we practiced a new song called Hymn of the North during soundcheck and eventually played it at the end of our second night at Hammersmith Odeon. This seemed to open the floodgates. We came up with the rest of the songs on this album during the first half of 2024.

“A couple are revivals of ideas from last century. The music for one song was written by Richard Hawley. The music for another was written by Jason Buckle. The Eno family sing backing vocals on a song. There are string arrangements written by Richard Jones and played by the Elysian Collective.

“The album was recorded over three weeks by James Ford in Walthamstow, London, starting on November 18, 2024. This is the shortest amount of time a Pulp album has ever taken to record. It was obviously ready to happen. These are the facts.

“We hope you enjoy the music. It was written and performed by four human beings from the North of England, aided and abetted by five other human beings from various locations in the British Isles. No A.I. was involved during the process. This album is dedicated to Steve Mackey. This is the best that we can do. Thanks for listening.”