Ignored             Obscured              Restored

The British band Pulp, led by Jarvis Cocker, released More in 2025 — its first studio album in twenty-four years.  The record was met with widespread critical acclaim, landing on numerous year-end “best of” lists from publications such as AllMusic, The Guardian, Mojo, NME, and Rolling Stone, among others.

A standout track is the album’s opener, “Spike Island,” which has enjoyed heavy rotation on Sirius XM for months.

Critics have noted the song’s disco inflections.  In its October 2025 review, Clashmusic.com observed: “It starts with a high-pitched whistle, a cymbal count-in, then erupts into glorious, technicolour Pulp.  Accompanied by a bassline that’s just begging for a remix (no doubt on its way), the guitar lick is brand new yet instantly familiar.”

The title references the legendary 1990 concert promoted by the Stone Roses’ Phil Jones and attended by an estimated 28,000 “baggy people in bucket hats.”  Cocker’s lyrics were inspired by a story from the song’s co-writer, Jason Buckle, who had been at the show and recalled a DJ repeatedly exhorting the crowd – “Spike Island, come alive!” — a phrase that ultimately became the song’s hook.

I suppose you had to be there… or simply listen to “Spike Island.”

Enjoy… until next week.