PJ Harvey

[Franck]

oh well, to be honest, I discovered her with her very first single in 1991, which was Dress. Been hooked since then.
Been deceived only by one album : Stories from the city stories from the sea, some good songs, but some very lame...

Love all other albums, so different from each other, and so rich...
maybe my favorite is Is this desire ? for several reasons : twas released the year I met my gf (who also loves PJ and sings some of her songs), the production is huge, the songs are great...

I'm surprised nobody mentioned the fabulous Dance hall at louse point with John Parish...

Saw her live twice, the first time in 93 at Lyon (Transbordeur), where she played no more than 50 minutes, encore included... deception... the 2nd time during her last tour in 2004 at Fourvière Roman's theater (Lyon), and it was really awesome.

[aftersea]

i see many of us eagerly like "is this desire"! even though i'm not a huge
pj fan anymore, this album is, out of her entire discography, the only one i would save! as frank said, the songs are tremendous, plus the lyrics are highly inspiring, and the booklet, just one of the most beautiful i've ever seen!

but it seems that this record is somewhat not much liked by many hardcore pj fans, it's really odd in a way! and in general, all the albums post "to bring you my love"...

i also strongerly heart the first pj album!

[d.a.walker]

If I were to rate the PJ albums in order it would be:

01. To Bring You My Love
02. Rid Of Me
03. Dry
04. Is This Desire?
05. Stories From...
06. Uh Huh Her

I'm not gonna include Dancehall or 4track as then it just gets complex hehe

I suppose I love the early PJ stuff more than her later stuff, it had a raw, narcotic quality that seems less evident on the later albums. But another way to look at it is that, as with a lot of artists, when they are going through their most damaging times their work is fascinating and brilliant. Stories I love as she sounds so happy, but I listen to it for enjoyment, I listen to To Bring You My Love as it takes you beyond, to pain and emotions that nobody could channel for any length of time without self destructing.

For me TBYML is the ultimate PJ album, it holds so much in memory, and that is what makes a truly great album. Something that brings you back to a place and time. I can put that album on and still recall how it made me feel the very first time I heard it.

Guess I'm a sucker for raw emotions

[xxxxglosoli]

But another way to look at it is that, as with a lot of artists, when they are going through their most damaging times their work is fascinating and brilliant.

see: Tori Amos - Boys For Pele (broke up with bf, who went for a "hotter" girl)
see: Bjork - Homogenic(the interview issue and the bomb)
see: Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral (well...trent was on heroin 24/7)
see: The Cure - Pornography (they used "findings/lsd/etc" cause robert smith wanted to die)
see: Joy Division - Closer (before its release Ian Curtis hangs himself)
see: Siouxsie And The Banshees - Juju (more drugs)
see: Dead Can Dance - The Serpent's Egg (lisa and brendan were losing their relationship)
see: Portishead - Portishead (they are just that way )

so yeah those are just a few examples...

[blue]

see: Tori Amos - Boys For Pele (broke up with bf, who went for a "hotter" girl)

Really? I've never heard that before ... the rumours were that Eric Rosse broke up with Tori because she cheated on him, not the other way round. Who knows, though.

Definitely made for a great album.

[blue]

Don't know if this is the final cover, but I love it:




I've heard some of the new songs in recent live performances on youtube ... not sure what to make of them, initially. She's singing in a very high voice for much of them, plus her piano playing is not all that. I'm sure the record will have much more to it though, of course.

[aermancer]

her piano playing and howling is better than Tori's nowadays anyway

[blue]

Her piano playing seems to consist, on recent evidence, of variations on 'Chopsticks', so um, no.

The vocals on some of these new tracks sound pretty ropey live, but I'm sure the studio versions will be fine. Must be difficult to sustain that sort of out-of-your-natural-range singing in a live context, and the fact that the songs are so exposed doesn't help matters.

We'll see when the album comes, I guess, but at least she's trying something different (for her).

[xxxxglosoli]

tori still pwns in the piano, that's her main instrument.

but the howling is starting to go to pj's way for me.

[blue]

It's funny how PJ's voice is going higher as T's is going lower. I'm beginning to suspect some consultation going on between these two.

[Franck]

lovely cover indeed.

hope I won't be deceived.
She's not Shannon Wright, at ease with both piano and guitar.
Well, we'll see.

[d.a.walker]

I'm deliberately not listening to anything new by her until the albums release. I've been let down by too many artists this year to be even tempted to peak early!! [angel]

But I love the cover, she looks like Carrie White's mother

[witchy]

Oh my beloved Polly, I have all her stuff and I will keep buying her, she still makes me feel damn proud for being so peculiar. Can't wait to put my hands on the new record!!!!
Franckie, glad to see you love Shannon too

[Franck]

AH, Shannon is the master !

well, heard also 3 new songs live (might be the same as Elisabeth mentioned), and it's really weird, alone at the piano, and high voice... wait and see...

[aermancer]

It's funny how PJ's voice is going higher as T's is going lower. I'm beginning to suspect some consultation going on between these two.

What the fuck is PJ telling Tori??