Pulp: 1st May 1991 - Subterrania, London (live)

Cocker of the North!

From the depths of time to the heights of present-day charisma, Pulp-once legendary for being World Famous in Sheffield - have reassessed their old position and re-entered the Pop orbit at the strangest of angles.

Crash-landing somewhere around World Of Twist / ('80s) Blue Orchids / Soft Cell / Alvin Stardust and several points between, Pulp provide another lucid, sometimes eccentric view of music, twisted and contorted to their own means. Outfront singer / satirist Jarvis Cocker sashays around the stage, part Elvis Presley, part John Travolta.

"It's a bit like playing on somebody's fireplace here," says Cocker. "I don't know if you can see, but it's all tiled around the stage. You could put a couple of horse brasses upon the walls, give it a bit of atmosphere. Until then here's another song."

Pulp have lots of good numbers now. There is a song with no name which is reminiscent of the Almond / Pitney collaboration 'Something's Gotten Hold Of My Heart', the dextrous 'Don't You Want Me Anymore' with great gesticulations of Jarvis' hands: and the schizo, stern and jerky 'Love Is Blind'.

As Elvis Cocker does his slow-foot shuffle, the violin takes on a frenzied life courtesy of a David Byrne lookalike and the bass-drums waltz off with the Farfisa organ. Pulp meanwhile continue their bizarre resurrection as oddities, just on the right side of madness.

The disco-boogie-angst of 'Countdown', the next single in June, is followed by the climactic current 45 'My Legendary Girlfriend' - complete with cock-up in the middle. It's very grand, but edgy and earnest with it. Pulp are top entertainment, with lots lurking beneath.