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steveburnhamuk

P J Harvey - Songs From The City, Stories From The Sea (2000)

Updated: Apr 15, 2023





I’d been aware of Polly Harvey since Nick Cave’s The Boatman’s Call album, and her work was recommended by people whose opinion I respect, so on seeing this one, her most successful album, in a charity shop, I decided it was time to investigate.


And for the most part, I like what I’m hearing. I think I’ve only listened to this once all through, so it’s almost a new listen. Intelligent songs, well performed, unfussy but effectIve arrangements. It’s an upbeat start for the first four songs, before the slower, darker Beautiful Feeling, but it’s back to the power with The Whores Hustle, punctuated by a trademark Harvey shriek. The Mess We’re In has Harvey duetting with Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, in a song which suits his whiny delivery.

The songs continue to rock, until the quieter end with Horses In My Dreams and We Float. But wait, what’s this? The CD bonus track, This Wicked Tongue, finishes the CD on a much louder note.

This is a very good album, which I suspect will reveal more with further listening.


4* - just. I was tempted with a creditable three, expecting it to move to four with deeper investigation, but the mere fact that I want to revisit, suggests the higher rating.

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