You imagine Jarvis Cocker enjoys conversing not just with trees, an activity he affectionately describes on Pulp's sweet comeback single, but with most things which can't talk back: cars, lamp posts, rivers, frogs. You name it, he's probably spent a good five minutes relating to it the intricacies of Scott Walker's production methods. Perhaps because Cocker is one of pop's more interesting, and interested, characters, you can't help but be underwhelmed by 'The Trees', a pleasant if weedy effort which suggests Pulp are resigned to the fact they'll never replicate the majestic euphoria of 'Common People', on record or in sales. 'Sunrise' is wonderful though - a progressive wig-out in which Jarvis details the thought debris scattered about one's fractured mind as the post-rave sun slowly but surely dons his Sunday morning hat.
Piers Martin
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