PJ Harvey – To Bring You My Love LP

Description

Following the tour forRid of Me, Polly Harvey parted ways withRobert EllisandStephen Vaughn, leaving her free to expand her music from the bluesy punk that dominatedPJ Harvey‘s first two albums. It also left her free to experiment with her style of songwriting. WhereDryandRid of Meseemed brutally honest,To Bring You My Lovefeels theatrical, with each song representing a grand gesture. Relying heavily on religious metaphors and imagery borrowed from the blues, Harvey has written a set of songs that are lyrically reminiscent ofNick Cave‘s andTom Waits‘ literary excursions into the gothic American heartland. Since she was a product of post-punk, she’s nowhere near as literally bluesy asCaveorWaits, preferring to embellish her songs with shards of avant guitar, eerie keyboards, and a dense, detailed production. It’s a far cry from the primitive guitars of her first two albums, but Harvey pulls it off with style, since her songwriting is tighter and more melodic than before; the menacing “Down by the Water” has genuine hooks, as does the psycho stomp of “Meet Ze Monsta,” the wailing “Long Snake Moan,” and the stately “C’Mon Billy.” The clear production by Harvey,Flood, andJohn Parishmakes these growths evident, which in turn makesTo Bring You My Loveher most accessible album, even if the album lacks the indelible force of its predecessors. -All Music Guide