BY EVENTSEEKER STAFF
If we can pull some truth from the somewhat tired observation that musical trends recycle themselves every so many years, then 2012 seems to be the year of Britpop’s reemergence. As the Gallagher Brothers continue to squabble with one another while toiling away on individual projects (High Flying Birds, Beady Eye) and Blur prepares for its performance at the closing ceremony of the Summer Olympics, Coachella’s 2012 lineup announcement brought about a pleasant surprise on the Britpop front: the reunion of Pulp.
Though the band technically reformed in 2010, its performances have been scarce (at best), and Coachella–and the supporting dates around it–will mark the group’s first stateside appearance since it originally disbanded in 2002.
ESSENTIAL LISTENING
“Common People”
“Babies”
WHY YOU SHOULD CARE
Reunions are a tricky thing that should justifiably be met with some natural skepticism. But if recent examples by the likes of Pavement, Guided by Voices and The Pixies have assured us of anything, it’s that these things can be executed tastefully and with dignity intact. Pulp seems poised to join this camp, as accounts of the group’s shows abroad last year yielded overwhelmingly positive reviews.
Throughout the 1990s, on classic albums such as His ‘n’ Hers and Different Class, the band coasted along on the sexually-charged swagger, hedonistic lyrics and natural charisma of its front man, Jarvis Cocker. Now pushing 50, it’s going to be fascinating to see how Cocker treads the line between the romanticized idealism and sleazy tales of Pulp’s celebrated catalog, and his now unofficial standing as one of Britpop’s elder statesmen. Regardless of how the years off have treated the band’s individual members, however, Pulp’s art rock and electropop-infused take on the genre speaks for itself, and longtime fans will no doubt be ready to go nuts upon hearing the first notes of hits like “Common People,” “Disco 2000” and “Lipgloss.”
IF YOU CAN
Good news for all you Pulp fans who won’t be making it to Coachella this year. The band will be playing a handful of shows leading up to and immediately following its dates at the Indio-based festival, including stops in New York City (one on April 10th, one on April 11th), San Francisco, Pomona and Mexico City. Tickets are likely long sold out for all of these, but do whatever you’ve gotta do to get your hands on some, as a return appearance likely won’t be happening anytime soon.
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