Pulp's We Love Life album was a long time in the making. With semi-official new member Richard Hawley on board and Scott Walker peering out at daylight for the first time in ages for production duties, Jarvis and co. finally managed to complete what was a resolutely un-glitzy pop record. In so doing they rekindled much of what fans loved about their seminal albums His'n'Hers and Different Class.
The ponderous nature of their release schedule means that despite the album emerging in autumn last year, Bad Cover Version is only the second single to be taken from it. The hype's over and everyone's moved on to the next Pop Idol competition, but Pulp are still plugging away, more of an underground operation than anything else signed to a major label.
Jarvis directs a video of doppelgangers in which he plays a bad cover version of Brian May - and Nick Cave's bad cover version of the hit Disco 2000 (remixed to Disco 2002) is almost as curious as his collaboration with Shane MacGowan. The music shows that where incisive lyrics, intelligent songwriting and lush string arrangements are required, Pulp are ready to dish them up still. Single of the week, even if it isn't a hit.
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