When Pulp released Different Class in 1995, they were far from newcomers. The band had spent over a decade moving through various phases, with only limited success. But with His ’n’ Hers in 1994, they finally found a broader audience. Different Class didn’t reinvent their sound—it built on it. What set this album apart was how confidently it pulled together everything Pulp had hinted at before: clever lyrics, sharp social observations, and a bold, theatrical style that still felt rooted in real life.

The band’s artistic goals were clear. They wanted to make pop music that was smart, honest, and a bit provocative. Jarvis Cocker, Pulp’s frontman, was especially focused on shining a light on the British class system. His songwriting often poked at the ways people behave—what they desire, what they pretend to be, and what they try to hide. A good example of this is the hit single “Common People,” which was inspired by a real conversation Cocker had with a wealthy student who romanticized working-class life. Instead of glorifying or mocking her outright, the song cleverly exposes the gap between experience and fantasy.

Sonic Exploration

The production of Different Class is both rich and deliberate. With Chris Thomas at the helm—a producer known for his work with acts like the Sex Pistols and Elton John—the album achieves a clean, dynamic sound without losing the quirks that make Pulp distinctive. Every instrument is well-placed in the mix. The drums snap, the synths shimmer, and Jarvis Cocker’s vocals always sit front and center, clear and expressive. The production avoids the rawness of lo-fi in favor of a more refined approach, which suits the album’s theatrical nature and underlines its dramatic, often satirical, tone.

This polish doesn’t dull the band’s edge. Instead, it creates space for the music’s sharp contrasts. On tracks like “Mis-Shapes,” the punchy rhythm and layered guitars add urgency to the call-to-arms message, while “F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E” stretches out into a moody, slow-burning groove, letting tension build gradually. Strings and keyboards are used sparingly but effectively throughout the album. They heighten emotional peaks without tipping into excess. The arrangement of “Something Changed,” with its gentle acoustic guitar and soft harmonies, feels particularly tender—showing Pulp could dial back the drama when needed.

Vocally, Cocker’s delivery remains one of the album’s most striking elements. He moves easily between talk-singing and crooning, often delivering lines like a narrator in a play. This adds to the album’s sense of performance, as if each track is a short story with its own mood and staging. His voice, while not traditionally powerful, is full of character and control—he knows exactly how to twist a phrase to land its meaning or irony.

Genre Elements

Genre-wise, Different Class is firmly rooted in Britpop, but it reaches beyond its boundaries. There are touches of disco, glam rock, new wave, and even cabaret in some moments. “Disco 2000” leans into retro-pop with glittering synths and a driving beat, while “I Spy” veers toward something darker, almost cinematic in scope. Rather than sticking to one style, the band weaves different textures and references throughout, keeping the sound varied without losing coherence. This genre-blending matches the album’s themes, where identity, class, and desire are all shown to be complex and layered.

If there is a flaw, it may be that some tracks—especially toward the end of the album—don’t quite match the sonic punch of the highlights. A few arrangements can feel slightly overstretched, trying to match lyrical ambition with musical weight. Still, these moments are rare, and the album as a whole maintains a strong sense of purpose and identity.

Lyrical Analysis

Lyrically, Different Class is as bold and distinctive as its sound. Jarvis Cocker’s writing cuts through with clarity, wit, and emotional punch. At its heart, the album explores themes of class identity, social performance, sexual tension, and emotional vulnerability. These ideas are not just touched on—they’re examined with sharp focus and often biting humor.

Class is the most persistent theme across the album. In the standout track “Common People,” Cocker exposes the gap between social reality and privileged fantasy with a mix of sarcasm and sadness. It’s more than just a critique—it’s a portrait of misunderstanding and condescension, where working-class life is treated like a costume by outsiders. “Mis-Shapes” builds on that frustration, calling out exclusion and celebrating the strength in being an outsider. Yet, it’s not all protest. The lyrics also reveal internal struggles: doubt, longing, regret.

Recurring motifs of disconnection, voyeurism, and unfulfilled desire run throughout the album. Tracks like “Pencil Skirt” and “I Spy” dig into obsession and power games with a raw, almost unsettling intimacy. These aren’t love songs in the traditional sense—they’re closer to monologues, exposing messy relationships and private fantasies. Even gentler tracks like “Something Changed” play with fate and the weight of small choices, offering a pause in the otherwise chaotic emotional landscape.

Lyrical Depth

In terms of style, the lyrics lean toward the narrative. Cocker often sets the scene with clear details—names, places, clothing—and then reveals deeper emotions through observation. His writing is rarely abstract. Instead, it feels lived-in and specific, which adds to its impact. There’s poetry in his phrasing, but it’s grounded in real language and everyday moments. He doesn’t hide behind metaphor; he uses it sparingly and with purpose.

This storytelling approach makes the lyrics emotionally engaging. They feel like overheard confessions, or stories told over a drink. You don’t have to be British, or working-class, to connect with the frustrations, yearnings, and contradictions they explore. There’s humor, too—dark, dry, and perfectly timed—which keeps the tone from becoming too heavy.

If there’s a drawback, it might be that some listeners could find the tone a bit too knowing or cynical at times. Cocker’s voice is often laced with irony, and while that’s part of the charm, it can occasionally create distance. Still, this is part of the album’s honesty—it doesn’t pretend to have all the answers.

Cohesion and Flow

Different Class is a carefully sequenced album that feels more like a curated journey than a loose collection of songs. From the first track to the last, there is a sense of momentum, both musically and emotionally. The album opens with “Mis-Shapes,” a rallying cry for outsiders, and immediately sets the tone for what follows: sharp, socially aware, and confidently odd. This energy is carried forward through a mix of high-tempo tracks and slower, more introspective pieces, creating a natural rhythm to the listening experience.

The flow between songs is well-managed. There’s a thoughtful contrast between louder, swaggering tracks and quieter, reflective moments. “Common People” lands early in the tracklist, anchoring the album with its emotional and thematic weight, while songs like “I Spy” and “Live Bed Show” shift into darker, more intimate territory without disrupting the overall pace. These transitions feel intentional, giving the album a dynamic shape rather than a flat trajectory.

While there’s no strict narrative in the traditional sense, there is a clear emotional arc. The album begins with confrontation and confidence, then gradually moves into more vulnerable territory. By the time we reach “Something Changed” and “Bar Italia,” there’s a softness and even a touch of melancholy that wasn’t present in the early tracks. This gives the album a sense of growth or at least reflection, suggesting that beneath the irony and posturing, there’s a deeper emotional core.

Thematic consistency is one of the album’s greatest strengths. Across different musical moods and tempos, the themes of class, identity, sex, and insecurity are revisited from multiple angles. Even when the genre shifts slightly—from glam-pop to slow ballad—the emotional tone remains grounded in a similar worldview. The characters and stories might change, but the perspective is unmistakably Pulp’s.

Standout Tracks and Moments

Several tracks on Different Class stand out not only for their musical quality but for how clearly they capture the album’s voice and vision.

Common People

Chief among them is “Common People.” More than just a hit single, it’s the album’s emotional and thematic centerpiece. The song builds steadily from a simple melody into a powerful anthem, with Jarvis Cocker’s vocals growing more urgent as the story unfolds. What sets it apart is its balance—there’s anger in the lyrics, but also wit, and the song never feels heavy-handed. The repeated chorus, bursting with sarcasm and heartbreak, remains one of the most memorable moments in ’90s British pop.

Disco 2000

“Disco 2000” is another highlight, showcasing Pulp’s ability to blend nostalgia with irresistible pop hooks. The track’s glittering guitars and fast-paced rhythm create a euphoric feel, while the lyrics look back on adolescent longing with both humor and sadness. It’s a masterclass in writing about the past without slipping into sentimentality.

I Spy

“I Spy” offers something different—a theatrical, slow-burning track that blends menace with seduction. The creeping arrangement and whispered vocals build tension throughout, creating a mood that feels almost cinematic. It’s a bold piece that shows Pulp weren’t afraid to take risks, and it adds a darker tone that deepens the album’s range.

Something Changed

“Something Changed” provides a moment of emotional clarity and simplicity. It’s less ironic than many of the other tracks, and its stripped-back arrangement allows the sincerity of the lyrics to shine. The song feels like a pause for reflection, asking quiet questions about fate and choice, and it’s one of the album’s most affecting moments.

Artistic Contribution and Innovation

Within the Britpop movement of the mid-1990s, Different Class stands as one of the most defining and distinct albums. While bands like Blur and Oasis dominated headlines with their stylistic rivalry and stadium-ready anthems, Pulp carved out a separate lane—one rooted more in storytelling, social critique, and theatrical flair. Rather than simply riding the wave of Britpop, Different Class helped broaden its scope, showing that the genre could be intellectual, biting, and emotionally layered without losing its mass appeal.

Where many contemporaries leaned on romanticized notions of British identity, Pulp looked beneath the surface. Different Class pushed past nostalgia and instead confronted the present with sharp-eyed honesty. The album doesn’t glamorize working-class life or city culture—it examines them with irony, affection, and discomfort. This thematic complexity marked a shift in how mainstream pop albums could talk about class, sex, and alienation. In doing so, Pulp brought a literary edge to Britpop, proving that pop music could be clever without being pretentious.

Innovation

From an innovation standpoint, the album’s greatest strength lies in its fusion of styles and tones. Musically, it draws from glam rock, disco, and new wave, blending these influences into a sound that feels both familiar and forward-thinking. The production doesn’t chase trends—it enhances the drama and detail of the songs. Tracks like “I Spy” and “F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E” stand out for their atmospheric tension, using space and restraint as effectively as melody. It was uncommon at the time for pop albums to feature such emotionally complex arrangements alongside radio-friendly singles, and Pulp handled that balance with precision.

Lyrically, Cocker’s voice—both literal and artistic—is a key innovation in itself. He brought the perspective of a narrator more than a traditional frontman, and his writing blurred the lines between personal and political, observation and performance. His ability to write songs that are simultaneously catchy and unsettling gave the album a depth rarely found in mainstream music of the era.

While Different Class doesn’t reinvent the wheel sonically, its innovations lie in how it combines elements. It’s not experimental for the sake of being different—it’s thoughtful, purposeful, and grounded in storytelling. The album uses the familiar language of pop to explore unfamiliar emotional and social spaces, which is what gives it lasting relevance.

Closing Thoughts

Different Class is an album that manages to be both of its time and ahead of it. Its greatest strength lies in its ability to balance sharp social commentary with genuine emotional depth. Jarvis Cocker’s lyrics cut through with precision, offering a portrait of British life that is at once theatrical, uncomfortable, funny, and deeply human. Musically, the album is diverse yet focused, moving effortlessly from dancefloor-ready tracks to slow-burning introspections without ever losing its voice.

Its weaknesses are few and mostly minor. Some tracks toward the latter half of the album don’t quite match the immediacy of the opening run, and the ever-present irony may feel distancing to some listeners. Yet, these moments never derail the album’s overall cohesion or impact. In fact, they add nuance to a record that is already rich in character and contradiction.

What makes Different Class truly special is how it takes familiar genres and themes and reshapes them into something fresh. It’s pop music with purpose—intelligent without being academic, catchy without being shallow. Pulp didn’t just craft an album of great songs; they created a cultural statement that still resonates today.

As a milestone in Pulp’s career, it represents the peak of their creative and commercial success. It’s the album where everything aligned—the ideas, the execution, and the timing. For listeners, it remains a gateway into a world where pop music can be artful, political, and personal all at once.

Official Rating: 10/10

This score reflects not just the album’s technical quality, but its lasting influence and emotional weight. Different Class doesn’t aim for perfection in the traditional sense—it aims for truth, style, and resonance. And in that, it absolutely succeeds.