Just noticed that I'm almost at the 100-review mark - whew!
You might have come across me (as ...
Just noticed that I'm almost at the 100-review mark - whew!
You might have come across me (as cswann) on dooyoo
Member since:12.10.2000
Reviews:100
Members who trust:12
"Rid of me" was PJ Harvey's second album, and like the first, it's a pretty demanding listen. I hardly ever play "Rid Of Me" all the way through, usually picking out a few songs. It's not that I don't like any of them, it's just that the entire album can be too much of an onslaught, emotionally as well as in terms of the noise. Occasionally I feel strong enough to listen to it all, but I feel drained afterwards.
Like the first album "Dry", it starts softly, forcing you to crank up the volume in order to hear the start of the song. But if you do, after about 2 and a half minutes, you're going to be deafened by the line "Don't you wish you…" If you're wearing headphones, you'll definitely wish you weren't. The final lyrics, "Lick my legs, I'm on fire", are, I think, strangely erotic, but they are scary as well - sounding like the soundtrack to a seriously deep horror story.
I think there are some people (I'm talking about women) who like, or think they should like, PJ Harvey, as they see her as a "feminist", but when they actual here a full album of hers, they discover they don't like her music. Lyrically, there are some feminist touches, but musically? Well, Patti Smith is a definite influence, but otherwise it owes more to Led Zeppelin. "Rub Til It Bleeds", for example, is an extremely powerful song, largely due to heavy drums (very like John Bonham's) and guitar, and Polly's soaring vocals, similar in style to Robert Plant's. "50 ft Queenie" is another song that owes more than a little to Led Zeppelin.
There's plenty about PJ Harvey that sounds new and innovative though, whether it's the discordant riffs (like on "Legs"), or the very disturbing vocal style.
As the title suggests, "Man-Size Sextet" has a classical influence, played with classical instruments, which sound incongruous for many reasons (quite genteel in comparison to the rest of the album, and also in contrast to the subject matter) - though it is performed spookily, and puts me in mind of a movie like "Psycho". The song, and its themes return on "Man Size", later on in the album. On both "Man Size" and "50ft Queenie", there's the undisputable subject matter of size, whether its height, or bigness - usually a male preserve, where song lyrics are concerned.
Highway 61 Revisited bears very little resemblance to the song I know as performed by Bob Dylan, except maybe a slight bluesy feel, very loosely speaking, but it works pretty well, as long as you're not precious about the way Dylan songs are interpreted.
Some of my favourite tracks are towards the end of the album: "Yuri-G", which has the nearest that the album gets to a chorus that you can sing along to, and "Dry" sounding tuneful and almost joyous compared to what's gone before, with slide guitar that fits in perfectly. On "Ecstacy" the guitar is so out there that it brings to mind Jimi Hendrix.
It's a brutal and extreme album in many ways, lyrically and musically, and hard to listen to, but, if you're in the mood, it's very rewarding.
I see PJ Harvey as taking over where Patti Smith and The Breeders left off - if that appeals to you, give this album a try. You may not love it on first listen, but it's worth the effort.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
HI,
Like the op...but it doesn't tellme if this is an easy album to buy or where from or exactly how long it is...all detail I would like to know....if you included a few more of these datails I would be glad to re-rate it....unfortunately though I enjoyed it I could only give it a fairly helpful..but would love to give it more as you have a nice way of approaching the subject...let me know if you do..
thanks
jane
Clove 16.07.2001 21:54
Excellent review, Rid Of Me is probably the most raw and pure albums anyone could purchase! Watch out for my review on this album :)
PJ Harvey's second and most ferocious album finds her claiming images of sexuality, ... more
whether they're of a "hysterical" female (the obsessive title track and the indelible accusation "you leave me dry") or male "dominance" ("Man-Size", which also appears...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
PJ Harvey's second and most ferocious album finds her claiming images of sexuality, ... more
whether they're of a "hysterical" female (the obsessive title track and the indelible accusation "you leave me dry") or male "dominance" ("Man-Size", which also appears...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Jun 7th, 2001
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