Pulp snuggle up to Nick Cave under the covers
Gordon Grehan | 04/05/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Intelligent, unafraid to be arty and armed with a deliciously quirky sense of humour - you've got to love Pulp. In the video for "Bad Cover Version" the self-importance and vapid blandness of celebrity charity records (Live Aid et al) are satirically skewered by a host of celebrity look and sound-a-likes gathered to sing a "bad" cover version. This is irony to be savoured and more fun is to be had by spotting all the "celebrities" involved. The first track on this single is the video mix of "Bad Cover Version" and Bjork, Mick Jagger and David Bowie imitators can all be discerned. Though obviously something of a novelty, it does bear up to repeated listenings quite well, thanks to Jarvis Cocker's clever and oh-so-English lyrics. Pulp's original "Bad Cover Version" is a lovely song and can be found on their splendid, Scott Walker assisted album, "We Love Life".The true gem of this single is a cover version (do you see a theme developing?) of Pulp's "Disco 2000" by Nick Cave. One of Pulp's most upbeat and poptastic singles is given a solemn, gravel-voiced make-over by everyone's favourite Australian duke of darkness. It's such a great song that in Mr. Cave's hands it evolves into something almost hymn-like, full of longing yet uplifting. It's great and not least because of how radically different it is to the original. (Apparently a "punk" version of this track was also recorded, which Cave prefers.) Finally, Roisin Murphy of Moloko fame reinterpretes "Sorted For Es And Wizz" and calls it, simply, "Sorted?". This is a delicate slice of Italian house tinged disco, with nice swirling bits and pretty twinkling effects (always good). The line "Is this the way they say the future's meant to feel?" is repeated in Roisin's honeyed tones and the vocal is sometimes treated and roughed up a little. Fabien Antonio (a name I am unfamiliar with) produced this insistent, stylish little number.By the way, the single's cover is also a cover version of sorts - it's a photo of a very young Jarvis posing as Bowie on the cover of Ziggy Stardust. Overall a fun single, with a great contribution from Nick Cave and further proof that Pulp are ironic, artistic purveyors of class tunes and cleverness."
Track Listings (3) - Disc #1