I don’t think anyone expected to get a new album from Pulp in 2025, let alone a Tiny Desk Set. But the much-beloved group, fronted by the singular voice of Jarvis Cocker, returned this spring with “More”, its first full-length in nearly a quarter century. A couple of months later, the group celebrated with a visit to our D.C. offices for a career-spanning set. Just before making the short walk from our makeshift green room (a converted office) to the Tiny Desk down the hall, the band members held hands and sang, “This will be the very best Tiny Desk.”
It’s the kind of deadpan humour long found in the band’s music, but also in their performance, as Cocker crooned, cooed and danced his way through four tracks. The oldest they played, “Acrylic Afternoons,” dates back to the 1994 album “His ‘n’ Hers”. But they also performed the jangly “Something Changed,” from 1995’s “Different Class“, along with one of Pulp’s career-defining and fan-favourite songs, “This Is Hardcore,” originally released in 1998. They rounded out the set with the bittersweet “A Sunset” from “More”.
SET LIST: “This Is Hardcore” “Something Changed” “A Sunset” “Acrylic Afternoons”
MUSICIANS Jarvis Cocker: vocals, guitar Candida Doyle: keys Mark Webber: guitar, piano Nick Banks: cajón Emma Smith: violin, background vocals Richard Jones: viola, background vocals Andrew McKinney: bass Adam Betts: percussion, background vocals Jason Buckle: guitar
The Fat Angel Sings 
Always a class act. I’ve spun More a few times this year. I can’t warm to it as Proper Pulp but maybe that’s because I never really kept playing them after the 90’s. I love them though and love that they are there.