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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
After fumbling around with hardcore iconoclast producer Steve Albini on Rid of Me (1993) and signing with U2 manager Paul McGuinness, Polly Jean Harvey is ready to live up to her lethal early promise at last. With its growling bass tones, "Meet Ze Monsta" sets the stage early on as Harvey explores her feminine psyche with an intensity and raw power unheard since Patti Smith's heyday. Unlike the terminally inconsistent Smith, however, Harvey plots a brilliant course through slippery laments ("Working For The Man"), corrosive testifying ("Long Snake Moan") and fuzz-toned menace ("Down By The Water"). Sceptics who think Harvey can't outgrow her art-punk base are advised to cue up the flamenco-inflected, string-caressed "Send His Love to Me". --Jeff Bateman
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Even though I've had this album for over six years, I had to take this opportunity to try to express how amazing it is. It would be easy to dismiss this album as 'angry chick rock,' but what a mistake that would be! Yes, this album is about relationships with men... about passion and longing and desire and pain and obsession, in almost every context, expressed in so many different ways, from the sublime to the down-and-dirty. The genius of the album lies in its cohesiveness. It is one of those rare works that must be listened to from beginning to end. Rather than a collection of songs, it is an experience that must be heard to be believed.
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I can count on the fingers of one hand the albums I own (some 2000) where I like every single track. This is one of them. Polly Harvey's finest hour as a musician / performer and a deeply intense and disturbing listen, shot through with a wonderfully black humour.
The sheer sonic rush of the three-piece Dry and Rid of Me is banished in favour of a much more eclectic mixture of styles, blending some meanacing organs with flamenco and acoustic blues guitars, upon which Polly could weave her vocal magic. And how. She growls, howls, hisses, moans, shrieks, thunders and begs her way through this collection, alternating from lost, crushed girl to potential killer to seductive predator to banshee, frequently within the same song. Like most of Polly's work, it borders on being a concept album, and is all the better for it.
High quality musicianship is evidenced throughout. The greatest compliment you can provide is to say there is nothing to complain about; you don't notice anything wrong, ero, it's excellent. Doesn't happen often that. Production is generally good, though there's some compression. Nothing too bad though, and it's clearly been mixed for a slightly 'dark' sound. There are no stand out tracks, given that they all belong in place, but it contains some of her most famous pieces; Down by the Water, Send His Love to Me, Long Snake Moan and C'mon Billy are all there and ready to suck you in. You can practically see Polly's wry smile in many places; she's a gifted wordsmith, and deliberately ambivalent with her stories.
Enjoy.
The sheer sonic rush of the three-piece Dry and Rid of Me is banished in favour of a much more eclectic mixture of styles, blending some meanacing organs with flamenco and acoustic blues guitars, upon which Polly could weave her vocal magic. And how. She growls, howls, hisses, moans, shrieks, thunders and begs her way through this collection, alternating from lost, crushed girl to potential killer to seductive predator to banshee, frequently within the same song. Like most of Polly's work, it borders on being a concept album, and is all the better for it.
High quality musicianship is evidenced throughout. The greatest compliment you can provide is to say there is nothing to complain about; you don't notice anything wrong, ero, it's excellent. Doesn't happen often that. Production is generally good, though there's some compression. Nothing too bad though, and it's clearly been mixed for a slightly 'dark' sound. There are no stand out tracks, given that they all belong in place, but it contains some of her most famous pieces; Down by the Water, Send His Love to Me, Long Snake Moan and C'mon Billy are all there and ready to suck you in. You can practically see Polly's wry smile in many places; she's a gifted wordsmith, and deliberately ambivalent with her stories.
Enjoy.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
With this album P J Harvey came into her own. An album so sexy, dark and chilling, the first listen feels like being pounded around the head and yet loving it. This is arguably the best angry bluesy WOMAN album ever written. It kicks off with wierd low down dirty blues in 'To Bring you My Love' and 'Meet Ze Monsta'. There is snister ambiance in 'Working for the Man'and 'I Think I'm a Mother'. A chilling tale of madness and death follows in 'Down by the Water'. Then there are fabulous guitar songs, 'C'mon Billy', 'Send his Love to me' and 'The Dancer'. If you have any taste at all, just buy it.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Polly Jean's Best?
Polly Jean Harvey's 1995 album To Bring You My Love remains my favourite album by this most eclectic of all female music artists. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Keith M
Sublime
So different from the previous 2 albums but such great music. Polly loves to ring the changes for each album and does not let us down here.
Published 4 months ago by Jason M. Webber
Brilliant.
Highly recommended. Very unique. One of her earliest CDs, but it could be a new release it is that good!!
Published 5 months ago by David Alan Walker
PJ Harvey Genius
A genius album that all should own. There are 8 great albums in my lifetime and Polly created them all.
Published 8 months ago by Martin Mullins
Great PJ Harvey Album!!
This is a great PJ Harvey Album, it is definitely up their with the best of them, however my favourite album of hers is "Stories from the City, Storys from the Sea, besides this... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Mr. Joel S. Greenhalgh
PJ at her peak
I didn't buy this when it came out over 10 years ago, and now I have it, feel the need to slap myself for not getting it sooner. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Janice Dawson
My first encounter and the sweetest
One more set of words recommending this album to the casual browser or PJ neophyte. For my part, this was the first PJ Harvey album I bought and it remains my favourite. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Philoctetes
Send his love to me
P J adds a little embellishment to her first couple of albums and none the worse for it. There's a little more colour even a touch of the Spaghetti Western about the title track... Read more
Published on 1 Jan 2010 by A. Willard
Harveylicious
I'm bored, so I'm pleased to present the tersest review on this album imaginable.
The opening (and title) track is rootsy blues re-imagined by Chrissie Hynde. Read more
The opening (and title) track is rootsy blues re-imagined by Chrissie Hynde. Read more
Published on 2 July 2009 by Mark J. Nicholls
£2.97 is ridiculous
You aren't even taking a chance at this price. The growly, deep deep deep bass blues take around 2-3 listens to get used to but after that, this record soars. Read more
Published on 5 Oct 2007 by Martin Pierce
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