His 'n' Hers (Deluxe Edition)

Pulp’s major label debut was released in 1994 and immediately announced the arrival of a cocky, witty and learned singer and songwriter named Jarvis Cocker. The sound was often closer to synth-pop than the tougher glam rock the band was working towards, but Cocker was still able to fire off missives into the lovelorn night. “Have You Seen Her Lately?” echoes musically with nostalgia for a lost era where people hid their emotions behind great fashion sense but with lyrics that bust out a brutally honest situation. “Babies” bounces with a kicking backbeat and keyboards that chase Cocker to the chorus and to the thrilling end where he admits going with a friend’s older sister “because she looked like you.” The “Deluxe Edition” kicks in with demos, b-sides and live tracks that show off the band’s tight trashy garage-rock roots that were cleverly fashioned into sleek, writhing animals. “Live On” shuffles with impatience. The previously unreleased gems include a quick-stepping “The Boss” and the punkish glimmer behind the sad tale of “Watching Nicky.”