PJ Harvey - Man-Size Sextet
Happy 100th International Women’s Day, y’all!
PJ Harvey - One Line
I wasn’t going to post another Polly song yet, but in discussing the album “Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea” with other fans on a forum today, Jed dropped this little gem:
one line is fucking EPIC! like, epic beyond pj harvey, like an epic love song of modern civilization, period
This track has always been my favourite from this LP, and is indeed a fixture in my Top 10 PJ Harvey tracks. I’ve never been able to describe why I like it so much, but Jed nailed it for me right there. It’s an epic love song of modern civilisation. Period.
PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
Is it too early to call LP of the year? No?
PJ Harvey - Fountain (iTunes Originals Version)
Some more Polly, since she’s pretty much all I’ve been listening to for the past few days. I mentioned the poll we were running on a forum I’m part of. This song, “Fountain”, was third to get voted off the ‘Dry’ island, after “Joe” and “Happy & Bleeding”. I’m still at a loss why. This track is one of my top ten PJ songs overall. It’s great! How is it not better than “O Stella” or…okay perhaps objectively it’s one of the less immediate or exciting tracks on the album in terms of both critical and popular opinion, but come on, this track is freaking great. It’s a bitter breakup song with biblical allusions - from a forum of people initially brought together because of a love of Tori Amos I had expected better. And just listen to that opening bass line! And the drums! The impassioned vocal! The drums! Hand in hand, he’s my big man! On my hill I wait for wind! This track is the shit, y’all!
PJ Harvey - Plants & Rags (Demonstration)
A web forum of which I’m a part is currently running a series of PJ Harvey “survivor” polls, where we vote off the tracks on each album to narrow down a favourite from each and then pit them against each other. It’s always a lot of fun, and I always find myself being forced to explore albums and songs I perhaps hadn’t otherwise given the time of day, and I love debating the merits of one song up against another.
We’re doing Polly’s debut, ‘Dry’, at the moment, so I’ve been relistening to it and thought I’d post my favourite. I wasn’t sure whether to post the album version or the demo version, but ended up going with the demo. Firstly because it was a little obscure so could be a bit more fun to put out there. Also because it’s a little jauntier, which I like. I’ve found that most of the demos have a lighter feel to them, and become more wryly witty without the heavier production of the final album versions which increase the urgency and darker feel of the tracks. It’s nice to have the comparison and ability to flick between the two without the demo versions feeling, as they so often can, like the lite version up against the full cream richness of the final product.
This track, as well as being my favourite from ‘Dry’, is in my list of top ten PJ Harvey tracks. I’ve loved it from the first time I heard it, and when she brought it out at her 2004 Hordern Pavilion show I was beyond thrilled. Everyone should experience their favourite songs live, its an incomparable feeling.
PJ Harvey - Dress
This whole album, “Dry”, is definitely going to be my soundtrack for the weekend. If I need to explain this album to you, then just…where have you been? Listen, and then go and buy it. There’s a record store in Sydney which has the original LP release with the bonus LP of demo recordings for only $200 if anyone’s interested. I’d have bought it myself but it has a bit of ringwear. I’m fussy about my collectibles.
