During her career, Polly Jean Harvey has had as many incarnations as she has albums. She's gone from the Yeovil art student of her debut Dry, to Rid of Me's punk poetess to To Bring You My Love and Is This Desire?'s postmodern siren; on Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea -- inspired by her stay in New York City and life in the English countryside -- she's changed again. The album cover's stylish, subtly sexy image suggests what its songs confirm: PJ Harvey has grown up. Direct, vulnerable lyrics replace the allegories and metaphors of her previous work, and the album's production polishes the songs instead of obscuring them in noise or studio tricks. On the album's best tracks, such as "Kamikaze" and "This Is Love," a sexy, shouty blues-punk number that features the memorable refrain "I can't believe life is so complex/When I just want to sit here and watch you undress," Harvey sounds sensual and revitalized. The New York influences surface on the glamorous punk rock of "Big Exit" and "Good Fortune," on which Harvey channels both Chrissie Hynde's sexy tough girl and Patti Smith's ferocious yelp. Ballads like the sweetly urgent, piano and marimba-driven "One Line" and the Thom Yorke duet "This Mess We're In" avoid the painful depths of Harvey's darkest songs; "Horses in My Dreams" also reflects Harvey's new emotional balance: "I have pulled myself clear," she sighs, and we believe her. However, "We Float"'s glossy choruses veer close to Lillith Fair territory, and longtime fans can't help but miss the visceral impact of her early work, but Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea doesn't compromise her essential passion. Hopefully, this album's happier, more direct PJ Harvey is a persona she'll keep around for a while.
Speak to me of universal lawsThe whores hustle and the hustlers whoreAll around me people bleedSpeak to me your song of greedSpeak to me of your inner charmOf how you'll keep me safe from harmI don't think so, I don't seeSpeak to me of your inner peaceLittle people at the amusement parkCity people in the darkSpeak to us, send us a signTell us something to keep us tryingThe whores hustle and the...
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I love this song so much. The best parts of Life are made up of moments like the ones she is singing about. You know, the conversations that you have late, late at night with somebody special, be it a friend or significant other ...and one phrase or one compliment or one piece of advice sticks with you.I have an entire 'file' in my mind of the amazing things that the amazing people in my life h...
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"We lean against railings describing the colors and the smells of our homelands acting like lovers How did we get here to this point of living I held my breath you said something"Have you ever noticed the immense power of words? How something can be said, even a few syllables, in person, in a letter, typed, written, whispered, bled, and everything can just change. Or, everything can stay the sa...
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This week is in need of PJ Harvey! One of my all time fav artists, for discovery check her out @ http://www.pjharvey.net Enjoy!Do you remember the first kiss?Stars shooting across the skyTo come to such a place as thisYou never left my mindI'm watching from the wallAs in the streets we fightThis world all gone to warAll I need is you tonightAnd I draw a lineTo your heart todayTo your heart from...
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Speak to me of universal lawsThe whores hustle and the hustlers whoreAll around me people bleedSpeak to me your song of greedSpeak to me of your inner charmOf how you'll keep me safe from harmI don't think so, I don't seeSpeak to me of your inner peaceLittle people at the amusement parkCity people in the darkSpeak to us, send us a signTell us something to keep us tryingThe whores hustle and the...
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| Title | Lyrics | Buy |
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| 1 Big Exit |
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| 2 Good Fortune |
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| 3 A Place Called Home |
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| 4 One Line |
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| 5 Beautiful Feeling |
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| 6 The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore |
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| 7 This Mess We're In |
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| 8 You Said Something |
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| 9 Kamikaze |
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| 10 This Is Love |
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| 11 Horses in My Dreams |
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| 12 We Float |
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Click to purchase…
© 2006-2009 Mog Inc. All Rights Reserved
 "Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea")
