I was wrestling with a coat hanger, can you guess who won?

Continuing my trip forward in time through the album charts

13/06/25 : More - Pulp 

Our second visit with the Sheffield funsters - can you guess what our previous visit was? That was all a long time ago now and I'm intrigued as to what we've got here...

Yeah, I didn't mind this at all - it's pretty much in their usual vein, although there were considerably more strings involved than I was expecting. It all had quite a British Leonard Cohen feel to me. with unusual phrasing and, of course, interesting lyrics - I particularly liked "Spike Island" and "Got To Have Love" but it was all pretty listenable. Yes, it does try to be a bit too knowing at times and I’m sure plenty will roll their eyes at it, but I quite liked it - although I'm not sure I'll ever listen to it again.

We're at #1 with a new entry in the chart this week and I happen to know that Jarvis is pretty chuffed about that because he personally thanked me for making it happen (more on that in a later post). The rest of the top five are Addison Rae (a new entry), Little Simz (another one), Sabrina and Ed Sheeran - so let's take a look at them new entries, shall we?

Addison Rae (#2)
I know she's the latest hot thing, but I found it all to be sub-par Charli XCX rip-offs. It's interesting to compare this with Chappell Roan because that just has so much joie de vivre, whereas there's just nothing here to interest me.

Little Simz (#3)
And this just shows Addison Rae up even more - it's an album with a load of variety, ambition and skill throughout. SZA is probably the closest contemporary touchpoint for me but I also though of Neneh Cherry is quite a few places - it switches between playful, thoughtful, serious and angry with ease. She also uses her collaborators well - I often find Wretch 32 too much but she dials him down here and I often find Michael Kiwanuka just dull, but she makes him intriguing here. I really liked it.

Marina (#7)
And I'm obviously going to like a Marina album - but I'm not sure this quite hits the spot on first listen. She's still got a great voice, but the tracks all feel a bit too polished into blandness and so nothing stands out (except maybe "C*ntissimo", but that's for other reasons). I suspect they'll sound better live though, so if she tours it I'll make an effort to pop along and see her. It's also worth saying that #7 is a very decent effort for the lass with only three new entries, Sabrina, Ed and Fleetwood Mac ahead of her. 

Turnstile (#11)
I've never heard of this lot - I guessed either metal or folk from their name. It's fair to say I'm off the mark there but it's quite hard to describe - maybe heavy dance-pop? I actually thought it was quite well done but I've no idea what I’m supposed to do with it.

Volbeat (#24)
I thought I'd heard of this lot and then remembered I was recognising it as the name of a Pokemon (I'm SO rock and roll). I guessed they'd be heavy and they are, but it is at least listenable. It's not something I need in my life - but I’d listen to it on a sunny festival afternoon and I'd enjoy it.

Lil Wayne (#77)
I know lots of people think a lot of him (not least Lil Wayne himself) and I have to admit he’s not the worst out there and his backing tracks are actuallly quite good - but I’m absolutely fine without him in my life.

The Doobie Brothers (#92)
They’re still going? Again, this isn't something I'm drawn to but it's all well done and it works well in the sunshine. Wikipedia tells me they formed in '70 and are still touring - the album also features Mavis Staples on one track and she's 85 years old now!

We've also got a weird re-entry in the top ten this for My Chemical Romance's Three Cheers For The Sweet Revenge at #9 - I assumed an anniversary re-release was responsible and Wikipedia tells me it's 21 years old. Last week I said that Mliey would drop to #10 and I kinda got that wrong because she's at #76 - she really did scare her fans off with that album. I reckon Pulp will do better than they might otherwise have done because they're touring, but I'm still gonna go for #35. And this week's Taylor stats are one in the top forty and seven in the entire chart.

Wikipedia tells us this is their eighth studio album, their first in 24 years and the album cover is a photo Jarvis took near Kerlingarfjöll, Iceland - and that's about all it's got. Critically, it's been very well received and it's also done well commercially globally for such a British sound, getting to #5 in Austria, #6 in Ireland, #11 in Ireland and even #48 in Japan. Also, somewhat surprisingly, "Spike Island" got to #32 on the Billboard Adult Alternative Airplay chart in the US, becoming their first single to chart on any US singles chart (and they have a LOT of singles charts over there!).

discogs.com tells us you can spend a normal amount of money on a boring version or you can drop £130 on a clear vinyl version with a tote bag and a notebook - who's not gonna want that, eh?!? I thought this was OK (and could definitely have been a lot worse) - revisits feel unlikely, but you never know. It's in the running for album of the week, but (much I'd love it to have been Marina) I think that has to go to Little Simz - that feels like a proper album with a lot of skill on display.

06/06/25 - Well, it was trying at least