Pulp - Freaks

The fly by night Pulp fans,attracted by the pop heights of Different Class were duly scared off by what was deemed Pulp's 'dark' album, 'This is Hardcore'. What they didn't realise was that there has always been a darker edge to Pulp, as illustrated brilliantly on 'Freaks'. Released during a particularly grim period of the 80's it has a bleak but brilliantly experimental style, with hints of Eastern European folk and 60's balladeering. The second Pulp album, 1986's FREAKS sees several changes from the band's debut of three years prior. The overall mood is much more sinister and aggressive (the album's subtitle is "Ten Songs about Power, Claustrophobia, Suffocation, and Holding Hands".), alternately recalling such early Smiths tracks as "Suffer Little Children" and some of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds' "The Carny". FREAKS also finds main lyricistJarvis Cocker handing over the vocal reins to guitarist Russell Senior on two particularly creepy songs. The first, "Fairground", opens the album with a swirling tale of a freak show, while the second, "Anorexic Beauty", is an ode to a distressingly thin woman ("Brittle hands and thin cigarettes, so hard to tell apart"). Elsewhere, "Being Followed Home" presents a story of stalking set against a carnival-esque musical backing. The music builds in intensity, playing over and over as the narrator's fear upon hearing the footsteps of a stranger increases. FREAKS is an altogether disquieting album.

Tracks : 1. Fairground, 2. I Want You, 3. Being Followed Home, 4. Master of the Universe, 5. Life Must Be So Wonderful, 6. There's No Emotion, 7. Anorexic Beauty, 8. The Never Ending Story, 9. Don't You Know, 10. They Suffocate At Night

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