| |
Review:
|
|
About a year ago, I was looking for new music to enjoy, something
that I hadn't heard but would fit into my tastes well. A friend
recommended that I get some P. J. Harvey -- right up your alley,
he said. Sometimes when people make those recommendations, they
are way off base; at other times it's amazing how they understand
your passions. In the case of P. J. Harvey, my friend was almost
too perceptive.
What do I mean? Well, as a big Patti Smith and Lou Reed fan,
P. J. Harvey is the next logical step, especially Stories
from the City, Stories from the Sea. Even more so than
her last release, Is This Desire?, Stories
from the City, Stories from the Sea has the feel of
Reed-like spoken word, spinning tales of the dark side of New
York -- the loneliness and the seediness of the big city. On
songs like You Said Something, the music is overwhelmingly
melancholy, soft and slow with little instrumentation beyond
deep bass and guitar. But the lyrics are rich with imagery,
including lines like "I see five bridges / The Empire State
Building / And you said something / That I've never forgotten."
Unlike Reed's New York, though, the lyrics are
often esoteric, more mood-generating than storytelling. And,
there are few strong anthems to counter what is often a dirge-like
progression of slow melodies, especially on the album's second
half.
While Harvey's cityscape lyrics and theme-driven album remind
me of Lou Reed, her voice is decidedly that of a female power
rocker like Patti Smith. She seems to have lowered her vocals
almost an octave from the last release, concentrating more on
deep, raw whispers than on producing sing-song melodies. Like
Smith's Gung Ho,
Harvey seems to want the message to take center stage rather
than the vocal stylings. On a noteworthy anthem-like standout,
Big Exit, Harvey shows her ability to belt out passion
on the level of Smith; I am left wishing that there were even
more songs like that sprinkled throughout the album. Perhaps
the greatest surprise to me is Harvey's hint at another female
rocker, Melissa Etheridge. On A Place Called Home, in
particular, Harvey's gritty vocals, along with a soft driving
beat, bear a striking resemblance to Ethridge's more contemporary
sound, as opposed to the older sounds of Smith or Reed.
Most of the album, especially the second half, is beautiful
mood music. But, this strength is also the album's drawback;
I am left looking for a bit more style and passion. The artistry
is solid, and the lyrics are poignant, if not as substantial
as Reed or Smith. Perhaps because my tastes have become spoiled
by those two legends, I am left with a tinge of disappointment
in my friend's suggestion. But, Harvey is showing a maturity
on this album that bodes well for the future, and I hope her
next release continues on this track, with maybe a little more
song variety and even richer, more concrete lyrics.
|
|
