Piss Me Off

A little something about me: I can't stand change. Most of the times in my life where there has been a major change have been for the worse, whether it concerns friends, family, whatever. It's not that I particularly want to stay in the same place my whole life, I just don't want something huge to come and **** everything up.

This is an attitude I don't carry over into my music listening. Change can pretty damn good. When a band decides to rip everything up and start again the results can often be brilliant. Look at a load of the classic albums in the past, London Calling, Kid A, Sgt. Peppers, The Holy Bible, The Shape of Punk To Come, What's Going On, most of Bowie's acclaimed albums, all albums where the artist said to some degree, often quite radical, '**** this, let's do something new'. Obviously there's been times where a complete departure has led to a travesty but often when an artist I love tries something new this is something to celebrate.

So here we come to PJ Harvey and her third album, where nearly everything gets tipped out for a new sound. There's still similarities from the other albums, but for the most part this is a whole new album.
Gone is the PJ Harvey band, Steven Vaughn and Rob Ellis aren't involved, and in is Polly all to herself, accompanied by the production of Flood and a one John Parish, who you'll be hearing more of.
Gone is the dominant grungy guitar sound, in is dark electro, spanish guitar influences, tense keyboards, lush arrangements overall.
Gone is PJ's toned down, even ragged, look. In is a more vibrant look, where she often resembled the most done-up drag queen imaginable. She even referred to herself as the quote that gave this thread it's title. A full live band meant that she could come into her own as a performing singer herself, commanding the stage and perhaps maybe wearing the odd fluorescent pink jumpsuit.
Perhaps the greatest change is that there's more a feeling of melody all over, the harsh arrangements for the most part are gone and instead we have an album where the hooks aren't hiding away, they're proud to be there. This is PJ Harvey coming into her own, her abilities as a songwriter developed to full effect.

That heavy blues influence is still there though, and for the most part this album is still quite a dark affair. PJ's voice is as pained as ever, often dipping into a forced bellow and swinging back into a shattered falsetto. Dramatic is a good word for it all, she often sounds like what she's singing about could crumble at any moment, and she seems to have several personas in practice (compare the sinister growl of Meet Ze Monsta, the knowing hush of Working For The Man, the near operatic take on The Dancer). On every song PJ takes on another character and lives it out just as an actress would, singing the words with all the heart she has.

A brilliant thing about this album is that while it is a completely cohesive album in itself with just as much flow as the other albums, you can easily take out any of the songs and listen to them by itself, such is their own unique feel. All the songs belong on the album yet could still be taken out and seen as brilliant pieces of art in their own right. I could quite happily make the huge statement that on this album there is something for everyone, and I may be right.

The album opener, To Bring You My Love, doesn't have any of the distorted bang of the previous openers, instead it prefers to slip into your conscience and have just a full effect quietly. It's a hushed opener, with the guitar line slowly coming into play fit to set a lonely desert scene. PJ comes in and her lyrics are cutting, some of her most desperate love lyrics. She also sounds like a complete badass. “I've laid with the devil, cursed God above, forsaken heaven, to bring you my love....” Her voice fits the lyrics perfectly, as dark and ragged as a the edge of a saw, how she managed that grating sound I have no idea. The song is topped off with some gorgeous keyboard background and the most sinister chords you'll ever hear, and this is an incredible start.
Meet Ze Monsta follows, and what a monster of a track it is. The tone of the guitar and drums make it sound industrial, and I can't think of another time PJ has had as much strut to her music as she has here. The heavy bassline comes in and it's pretty hard not to stomp your foot in agreement. PJ's sinister, sexual voice is only ever interrupted by the occasional screams she throws in. These first two tracks are a brilliant indicator of the all new independent PJ that has arose, who isn't afraid to throw her weight around.
The tone settles down a little for Working For The Man, featuring the first of the prominent basslines on the album. It's quite a minimal song, powered mainly by that throbbing mainline and PJ's vocals. The vocals are the real winner here, none of the near-manly growl of the previous tracks, instead this is replaced by hushed whispers that are surprisingly effective in holding your attention. Another track that indicates just the powerful amount of cool PJ has.
C'mon Billy is the first of the more obvious pop tracks. The main hook being provided by a spanish-flavoured acoustic guitar, PJ returns to a more traditional vocal style. Compare this to the singles of the last albums and its great to see the departures she took. And I do like her lyrics when she lusts over boys. Some lovely string arrangements top off a great single, quite subtle but effective in getting stuck in your head.
Teclo is the title track's sister in a way, both are quite similar in that they both depend on the same kind of rusty guitar lines and in both PJ sounds like she's close to dying a painful death. Actually the song could quite easily be an angsty Patti Smith song, the distorted guitar lines that pop in remind me a lot of an Easter-style track. There's actually some sweet moments, like the chorus (“Let me ride on his grace for a while”, PJ's lament could is as soft as butter) but for the most part this is PJ at her grinding best.
Long Snake Moan, blimey, THIS is how you open a second half. PJ has never really rocked like this before, there's so many layers to this song it's hard to pinpoint what is happening. Again it's the bass that does it for me, really making the song drive forward. This could well be a highlight of the album, it's just such a completely unpredictable blast away from you'd expect its hard for it not to be.
Down By The Water is the other single from the album and is still a frequent song played in the live show. Yet again, bass bass bass. The attitude PJ has on this track is great, choosing to deliver the chorus as just another whisper. A definite pop moment on the album, and more catchy than you'd think, considering it's about drowning children. That bassline, aghh.
I Think I'm A Mother is a song that's been getting a fair few plays from me lately. It's a song that for most of the time i've sort of ignored, i've never really payed much attention to it as it never really stuck out for me, kind of a background song. The more i've listened to it though the more i've warmed to it, PJ sounding like a Tom Waits relative. The song is quiet but it still thumps along, a surprise grower in the album.
Send His Love To Me is another more poppy moment on the album quite similar to C'mon Billy with the acoustic guitar. It's too similar really, even the lyrics are pretty much the same stuff. A good song but C'mon Billy is better and after listening to that and then this i'm left thinking whether the latter needs to be there.
A brilliant closer comes in the shape of The Dancer, quite a low-profile ballad with keyboards providing the main instrument. It sort of plays along like a waltz. I adore PJ's vocals here, pulling different pitches off to brilliant dramatic effect. I like the lyrics, if only because she puts such an emphasis on the words, it all flows brilliantly. It does end abruptly though, it doesn't slip away in the same way the opener slips in. Still a great closer though.

Comercially the album was a big success, sold lots and lots and was Rolling Stones album of the year (bless 'em). Even on this scale PJ taking a risk seemed to have gone for the better. She made a semi-legendary appearance at Glastonbury and overall fans and critics were won over. May well have all been good but at this point PJ Harvey entered a bad patch resulting in going back to her hometown of Yeovil and hiding herself away. More on that later, but with highs there appeared to be lows too.

The album she created here though was a major success though, and one of the true great ecclectic albums i've got in my collection. She balanced between her dark-blues best and bassy hooks brilliantly, while revealing herself to be quite experimental for the first, and not the last, time.

Verdict: A risk but a highly brilliant risk, which resulted in one of her best albums. Chances of it being mentioned with the same classic albums I referred to earlier are low, but for me personally it'll always be up there.

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Piss Me Off

Not a review but here's a session she did around the time of Uh Huh Her for BBC 4 which i missed first time round.

BBC iPlayer - BBC Four Sessions: P J Harvey

Setlist:

Meet Ze Monsta
Dress
The Letter
Who The Fuck?
Evol
Shame
A Perfect Day Elise
Victory
The Life & Death Of Mr Badmouth
The Whore's Hustle & The Hustler's Whore
It's You
Taut
The Darker Days Of Me And Him
Uh Huh Her
Big Exit

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4ZZZ

To Bring You My Love is one of only 2 albums that I have by PJ. I am unable to compare to her previous releases so consequently your reviews have me very curious. I rate To Bring You My Love very highly indeed. Damn good record.

As an aside Giant Sand cover The Desperate Kingdom of Love on their new album. A fine song indeed and having not heard the original I should check it out.

jackhammer

I got all excited for a review then too.

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My music collection.cough cough enjoy.

Ha Ha charade you are.



My dvd collection.

Piss Me Off

I'll try and get one done this week, after there'll probs be a big gap due to Uni starting. I'm glad someone's paying attention!

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