Pulp/Jarvis Cocker

Sheffield has produced more than its fair share of great rock bands, but for those who prefer to look sideways at the world, the city's act of choice is Pulp, fronted by foppish Jarvis Cocker. With Pulp, ordinary life becomes epic: Follow them through a landscape of torrid affairs, dunder-headed raves, and homes for the elderly.

Veering delightfully between the laconic and the histrionic, Jarvis Cocker weaves his narratives from the feelings and characters of modern Britain in a way that aligns him with national portraitists like the Kinks. His rich 2006 solo album was produced after a spell living in France: the distance from Blighty has only sharpened his powers.

When Pulp hit big in 1995 during the heyday of Britpop, their success followed a lengthy gestation: formed in 1978, they snagged a Peel Session in '80, and spent the next 15 years experimenting with lineup and sound. Ultimately, time produced spectacular results. Among these Pulp Essentials you'll find their greatest songs, as well as some of Jarvis Cocker's diverting side-projects, including his tribute to Serge Gainsbourg ("I Just Came to Tell You That I'm Going" performed with Kid Loco) and his suitably bassy cover of Leonard Cohen's "I Can't Forget".