VINYL FORMAT. Originally released in 1998, Pulp's This Is Hardcore, was at once the artistic pinnacle of 90s Brit-pop, and the genre's comedown record, marking the end of an era with its ruminations on growing old (Jarvis Cocker wrote and recorded the album at the age of 33, which may also explain the album's Jesus fixation), fearful, and bitter. Drawing influence from Bowie and Roxy Music, rather than the Stones and Beatles, Cocker crafted one of the darkest yet anthemic albums of all time. An absolute masterpiece.