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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pulp's real debut., July 19, 1999
While the older Pulp albums are okay in their own little way, "His 'n' Hers" is where Pulp's music really solidified. While the earlier albums are dark and grey (indicative of the "Dark Period" the band was going through), this one is much more solid and upbeat. Jarvis Cocker's vocals on "Acrylic Afternoons" and "Happy Endings" have a way of getting under your skin, good stories coming from a good storyteller. The best moments on the album come curtosey of "Babies", "Do You Remember The First Time?" and "She's A Lady", which are both energetic and inspiring. All the Pulp albums come with the liner note "NB. Please do not read the lyrics whilst listening to the recording", a plea you'll inevitably break when you go rushing for the lyric book half way through the first song. Fans who were exposed to Pulp through "Different Class" might need a little time to let this album fully sink in (it takes about 4 or 5 listenings). But there is no excuse for owning "Different Class" and not this.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Jarvis'n'Others, August 15, 2002
It's light, frothy and pop, but it has a tremendous amount of soul. Much of HIS'N'HERS sounds as if it could have been recorded using equipment purchased second-hand from a High School. There are a lot of synthesizers and electrical effects that combine to give the album a cheap feel. But the flashiness and fluff work extremely well in this setting. They sound throwaway and insubstantial, but they're quite musically sound, and you won't mind having them stuck in your head for days at a time. The music has an edge to it; it's rough around the corners. On the surface it's silly and fun, but underneath, there's some disturbing stuff going on.Jarvis Cocker's voice bounces between a whisper and a croon. He whispers and moans and howls. Like a skinny and angular Barry White, Jarvis' voice hovers moodily over the album. His lyrics are an absolute blast. Sexual frustration and longing mingles with a wistful feeling and some wickedly naughty turns of phrase. Some of his wordings will have you reaching for the rewind button exclaiming, "Did he really say that?" (He did, and whilst one might wish to consult the lyric sheet to check, the notes expressly forbid reading them while listening to the recording. You may find this a difficult request to comply with.) The mixture of such solid glam material and Jarvis' unique lyrical sense make HIS'N'HERS a must-own album for anyone. It's glitzy and glittery, but when you dig beneath the surface, you may be surprised at the depth. Desire, isolation, and an unsettling streak of voyeurism all run though this album, making it so much more than just another fluffy glam record. (Funniest part in the liner notes: In addition to the drums and other percussion instruments that Nick Banks is credited with, he also gets a mention for his talents playing the fire extinguisher. No mention is made whether the result managed to get on the album, or merely on Jarvis.)
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best from Pulp..., December 24, 2001
In my opinion this album was released during Pulp's most creative period. There is a really nice 'lo-fi' feel to it that seems to have dissapeared since the release of Common People.I first came across Pulp after seeing them perform live on a UK late night music show in the very early 90's and they were performing tracks from this album as well as some of the 'b-sides' of Babies & Do you remember the first time singles. I was captivated straight away by Jarvis's performance and by fact that of the honesty of the lyrics and gimmicky electronica content. I bought His n Hers the very next day and it remains one of my favourite ablums to this day. It has managed to stay fresh and somehow seems to throw up new emotions each time I listen to it. Joyriders (the opening track) was never a favourite on the album, I have always thought it seemed out of place on the record. It seems like it belongs on an album that has never been released... Strange really! Every track after Joyriders is superb, the obvious highlights are Babies and Do you remember the first time for first timers, but I bet, like me, they won't be your favourite tracks after a few listens... The way David's last summer builds and builds like an autumn storm until it reaches it's climax still sends little shivers down my spine to this day! For me, Acrylic Afternoons is another superb track that just seems to take your imagination for a ride each time you hear it, it's difficult to put into words,but I know that some people out there will know exactly what I mean. The best advice I can give you would be to go out and buy this album, it is an absolute classic and along with the 'Pulp - Intro' album it will become intwined into your life. I just wish Pulp could re-discover that element that made them so great at the time of the release of His n Hers. They are still a great band, but they used to be fantastic. BUY IT... But don't read the lyrics whilst listening to the music!!
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