BRIDGET'S SPY SONG PLAYLIST

 PULP- I SPY

I get a little uncomfortable when reminded of the Britpop era of the early nineties. Grunge was not for me, neither was Acid House or gangsta rap or Garth Brooks, which was pretty much all that was on offer at the time. So when the British music media started trumpeting an exciting new movement of homegrown bands with repertoires packed with instant classics that packed a punch but were still recognizably pop, I was absolutely on board. Maybe a little too much on board.

I can't imagine listening to Blur now. Or Suede. Or Elastica. Or Sleeper, Echobelly, Supergrass or any other mono-monkered nineties outfit I was a overly enthusiastic about at the time. (Honorable mention: Oasis. Those first two albums, and a few songs from the reviled third one still resonate).

But there's one Britpop act I have no shame about over-liking. The big thing about Pulp was, they were REALLY LATE bloomers. They'd been scraping around since the late 1970s. It was a combination of resilence, talent and timing that swept them to prominence along with much fresher-faced acts. Their age, their experience, the lengthily-marinating persona of frontman Jarvis Cocker combined to make Pulp a much, darker, more cynical propsition than their Britpop peers.

Their signature song Common People is the defining moment from their big hit Different Class album. This song, I Spy, is creepy and claustrophic. It's more representative of the road they'd take in subsequent albums.  Pulp's popularity dwindled swiftly after Different Class, but their brief belated burst of fame almost justifies the existance of Britpop. Almost.