Dry

I'm kinda shocked at how much i enjoyed Dry. I've never really heard much involving PJ Harvey or her music (Unless you wanna count The Boatman's Call by Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds) but oddly enough, this was the kind of music i was expecting from her. And yeah, it is some good music. It has such a rough sound with the guitars, bass and drums kinda giving it a bit of a grunge feel despite this album not really being grunge. I also think it went at the right length giving me my fill, not too much, not too little. There are some songs that feel like they don't get to the point and the ending of this album feels a little odd but aside from those two gripes, I really enjoyed this one. Best Song: Victory Worst Song: Happy And Bleeding

Dress

A not-quite-as-good Alanis Morissette. I could say more — there's some more rock vibes with more distortion on some of the instruments, but the vibe is similar without as interesting instrumentation. Maybe other albums of hers are better!

In one of those happy coincidences that this list sometimes throws up, yesterday’s album was PJ Harvey’s 2000 release Stories from the City and today’s is her debut. I’ve gone from not knowing much about her to being a fan in the space of 24 hours. This is a great album, unjustly overlooked in 1992 whilst the media at the time were obsessed with those cob nobbling bands over in Seattle for some reason. Harvey is a great musician and her songs are boldly and unapologetically feminist without falling into riot grrrl cliches. The highlight is Sheela-na-gig which takes the idea of the male gaze and shoves it right back into the face of the patriarchy. I hope that some of the critics who were snooty about this record looked that word up and were suitably surprised when they did!

It was ok. 3 star

Very good. Another artist I need to deep dive on. 4 *

3,1/5

From the first song, I loved the sound and the vibe. It was at the third song, Dress, that I thought, “There’s no way PJ Harvey didn’t influence Sleater-Kinney,” and that’s a big compliment. This is a great, heavy, emotionally rich sound for 1992. The album is no less than a 4/5. I only held back from rounding up to 5 because I would have loved more variety, an expansion of some sort. Maybe on later albums? Or maybe even on my next listen? In any case, the album begins and ends so strong. I’m in.

I really enjoyed this album. PJ Harvey gets a lot out of good old fashion rock and roll instrumentation. The heavy percussion, driving guitar, and garage feel, bring energy. Most of Harvey's vocals are subdued all things considered. But she brings a poetic punch to her rebellion with staccato like efficiency and angst. She's the kind of poet that could break up with you and afterwards, you're not sure when, why, or how it happened, but you just know she's right.

Good

Wel vet, maar niet helemaal mijn smaak

This alternative rock album burns like a bare lightbulb—its jagged guitars, sparse drums, and searing vocals exposing every raw nerve with a stark intensity that’s both captivating and uncomfortable.

It's okay.

Prior to listening to this record, the only PJ Harvey I’d listened to was from Nick Cave’s “Henry Lee”, and I think a few tracks from one of her other records. After hearing Dry, I’m kind of sad that I never sought her out more. It’s a pretty solid record; unique, forceful vocal performance, interesting instrumentation, a hint of weirdness (though I think this ramps up on later records). I like it. I’m looking forward to some of her other records, which if they don’t pop up here soon, I’ll just look up on my own. 4/5

This does not sound like it’s 30+ years old. Fresh as hell. PJ is amazing.

Raw

Dry — дебютный студийный альбом английской певицы и автора песен PJ Harvey, выпущенный 30 марта 1992 года на лейбле Too Pure. Альбом был записан в местной студии The Icehouse в Йовиле, Англия, а треки исполнялись одноименным трио Харви. Первые 5000 виниловых пластинок и первые 1000 компакт-дисков включали демоверсии треков с альбома, а Dry впоследствии был выпущен в США на Indigo Records. Обе версии вышли в 1992 году. В интервью журналу Filter в 2004 году Харви сказала о своем дебютном альбоме: «Dry был моей первой попыткой записать пластинку, и я думала, что она станет последней. Поэтому я вложила в нее все, что у меня было. Это был очень экстремальный альбом. Я была очень рада, что смогла его записать. Я никогда не думала, что у меня появится такая возможность, поэтому решила, что должна сделать всё как можно лучше, потому что это, наверное, мой единственный шанс. По этой причине я чувствовала себя на пределе». Не совсем моё, но не скучно и не блекло. Прослушивать было приятно. Гранжево.

Pretty solid

I admire the passion, determination and message behind "Dry", but it didn't really make me want to explore further. Sorry Polly.

Du rock alternatif sympa jkiffe

Nico après que kaaris a mis la lumière sur sevran. Vraiment pas convaincu au début puis c'était de mieux en mieux ! GG

PJ Harvey has never been my thing. After listening to this album I can confirm she is still not my thing. Her songs and voice sound a bit too much like noise to me.

I did not like PJ Harvey before this album, I still do not like PJ Harvey after this album. But I will say this is better than some of her other showings.

This album grabs you by the lapels and pulls you in close from the opening track. I can't believe I've never heard the whole thing before. I'm feeling a very punk\grunge albeit a melodic presentation at play and it is working very, very well.

Like a breakfast of espresso and cigarettes, this album has no interest in comforting you. PJ Harvey is here to get shit done. I prefer her later albums that balance the hard edge with a bit of beauty and longing but there’s no question that this album accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do: namely, kick your ass.

Only familiar with the track Sheela Na Gig on this one, which I had thought was from a later album, not her debut. That said, this is not my favorite PJ Harvey album, but it's still pretty good and I wouldn't think twice about putting it on again. 3.6/5

Never listened to this PJ Harvey. Actually loved it. I listened through 3 times. It's got it going on. 4.5/5

Was never a fan of PJ Harvey - Gave some of it a listen, ok - but still too chaotic for me, dare I say pretentious?!

Pretty good listen. I’d certainly listen to it again.

This album is harder than I normally enjoy, but it slaps. Her unique style ties everything together and the rhythm section is fantastic in its aggression. It all blends so well.

Eh

7/10

dress is the best song ever btw

I feel like I was lured into this broad's basement where she handcuffed me to a radiator and made me listen to her band. By the end I was a little turned on

Not my usual jam but I feel like I could smoke a cigarette to this (I have never smoked a cigarette in my life)

It’s just, amazing. PJ’s vocals are the star of the show, but it can’t be understated that this album rocks from front to back. The only “flaw” in this record is I think they should have ended the album on Fountain. The harmony in the coda would have been an incredible way to go out.

Gear: Moondrop Variations Artwork: 🏜️👄🧷 Production: 🔊🔈🥩 Music: 😤♀️🌪️ Ratinng: 🍖🍖🍖(🍖)/5

I dunno, I liked it, I guess? Not fun or easy listening though.

Meh

Not really my music taste but it was full of raw emotion and some really nice indie rock passages. I liked Plants and Rags the most

3.25

Three stars seems a bit high but two felt a bit low. 5/10

Kind of whispery and hard to hear the vocals for a few songs. Ok but not my favourite.

idk why but i didn't realize PJ harvey was a woman. seems cool though.

Pitchfork: 9.2 Rolling Stone: n/a Best Songs

so raw. i love pj harvey’s voice.

I wasn't expecting much from this album, but I was happily surprised! This was much more exciting and engaging than other PJ Harvey projects I've listened to in the past. Best Songs: Dress, Sheela-Na-Gig Worst Songs: Happy And Bleeding

Meh. Again, not a female singer fan.

She rocks

90's alternative female singer- songwriters rock. It's a vibe that isn't replicated anymore. The PJ Harveys, Fiona Apples, Alanis Morissettes, etc all blazed a trail for women to rock in the 21st century. Big fan and big apreesh.

Best PJ Harvey album so far, I liked that it was a bit more gritty and raw. Still not all that entertaining though. 5/10

"Dress" is really fun. So far this entire album has felt like something I'd hear at a really good basement show. "Sheela-Na-Gig" is also a jam. I enjoyed the strings and vocals on "Plants and Rags". This album had a lot going on. Lots of variation in instrumentation and rawer vocals that I enjoyed. Not many of the songs grabbed my attention, but I enjoyed them all. 6/10

Solid PJ album, rawer than her later work. High 2s.

Another good one from PJ Harvey. I don't really know what I like about her music so much. Maybe the unique vocal delivery? The inventive drums? The clarity of the mixing? Whatever it is it just works.

Given how male-dominated popular music has been, especially rock or alternative, as exemplified by this list - PJ Harvey get major points just for her courage and the i spurs ruin she gave so many other female artists. Great album.

Just didn’t really care for it. I feel like the vocals didn’t match the music.

Pretty solid, not my favorite of hers though.

Ça vaut la peine de découvrir "The Demos" sortis entre 2020 et 2022. Ses albums de Dry à The Hope Six Demolition Project sont représentés en ébauches/outtakes.

Connaissais pas, j'aime le côté grungy qui m'a fait beaucoup penser à Radiohead. Après j'ai lu sur PJ Harvey, et ça l'air qu'elle est justement pas mal pote avec Thom Yorke. J'ai aussi trouvé sa persona inspirante. A réécouter et découvrir les autres albums! Je discutais récemment avec Alice de la place de la femme dans la musique. Je trouve qu'il y a eu une explosion inégalée dans les 90s (Tori Amos, Love, Bjork etc etc etc) où l'identité féminine "rock" n'était plus qu'une émule de ce qui se faisait déjà. C'est un phénomène intéressant.

Je savais deja que j’aimais PJ, étant un grand fan de To Bring You My Love et Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea, ainsi que Let England Shake. Sans compter son duet savoureux avec Nick Cave. Mais c’était ma première fois avec son debut album et wow! La madame savait rocker dès le début. J’ai dèjà hâte de réécouter.

2nd PJ album and I'm really impressed. Unique, creative, all around enjoyable listen.

PJ Harvey's debut has some great moments, Sheila Na Gig and Dress are, in particular, songs that I love. The album as a whole is a borderline five for me. Perhaps I'm being a little unfair in giving Dry a four. My knowing how good her later albums can be is causing me to mark her debut down but, the album as a whole just doesn't do quite enough for the full five.

Hmm, Chrissie Amphlett did it better.

Never had a PJ phase, but I think I like her other albums more

I absolutely hated this

Enjoyable. I know she's a really interesting songwriter but couldn't get particularly into this album in the one day with it. Grungey production choices aren't my favourite either. Good though

Very solid with some great stuff on here

Awful album cover - boring album.

Álbum mais cru só que já tem muita força. Os vocais rasgam e o contrabaixo é forte. Letshuoer D13.

Great debut album, early 90 alternate rock. Has that grunge feel.

This album was, indeed, dry.

Lots of energy. Getting to know the sound of this artist with another album on this list recently.

This sounds like a “grunge chick” band in the background of a bar scene playing a placeholder song based on a D-tier 3 chord riff. Really bad.

angsty, grungy, and raw

Liked this one a lot more than the other 2 on this list.

Дуже вайбік дуже сподобався

Day 49 Was heavier than I was expecting, some nice songs I’ve added to my dog-walking rotation list. 7/10 Highlights O Stella Dress Sheela Na Gig

Not really my speed.

Great, another PJ Harvey record.

Think this is the 3rd album by Polly I’ve been served up. So the 1001 Gods must be really into her which is no surprise. As I’ve said before I find her music a challenge but without doubt very accomplished if not immediately accessible. Never come across this album before. First impressions is that it is very brash with a lot of punk and grunge influences. So for me not as refined and easy on the ears as the albums she made later. 3/5 28/9/25

So far, I'd responded positively to Stories, and really struggled with Rid of Me. I was a bit nervous going in, as this was back to "early" PJ, but I really enjoyed it. Music has always needed women like this - unapologetic, authentic, direct. Happily, there always tend to be a few around in any generation. I liked the simple structures and arrangements, driving beats and uncompromising lyrics. A lot of emotional power is delivered, despite that low-fi production. This came up straight after Horses by Patti Smith (good lord, two women in a row) and PJH feels very much like a natural heir. And she dated Nick Cave! Not to even hint at defining her by that, but... kudos.

already heard like 20 albums sounding almost identical to this one, yet it still sticks out in some way. the passion is there, yet a bit not enough. ‘plants and rags’ is the best song

Holds something more the average indie debut but surely could have benefited from label cash. 3/ 5

Really cool

This is a good album. It’s a shame PJ Harvey didn’t get over more commercially.

It was fine

Listened quite a lot to PJ Harvey in the 90s and early 00s but did not know this album. You already hear her typical sound here although for me the sound and songs I most liked are not so prominent on this album. So this one only gets a 3 from me.

i loooove pj harvey and i looove this. she’s very cool and i love this punk rock vibe feel so lucky i saw her live

Hard album - angry album. I can see why people would love this album. It would take me too long to get into it. I know when I love an album I haven't heard before as I'll play it again on the way in to work and this morning I really wasn't feeling it.

PJ Harvey is always good. Dress is a banger. Sheela-Na-Gig is a banger.

Very rugged sounding. a great listen while doing my homework.

Has a bit of a grunge-like sound here, which I like. I like the attitude and hard edge of this. I'll probably go back and listen again. 4/5

Competent but very boring

It’s odd what artist pop up on this list multiple times. This is the second PJ Harvey album I’ve gotten so far, and while I was familiar with her previously it was mostly in name only. However, I’m not upset by this. The last was pretty good, but this album feels more consistent and cohesive. It probably doesn’t hurt that it gave me 90s era Tori Amos vibes. I do feel that it requires a couple more listens to really get into it though.

3.9/the right amount of pathetic and petty. i love it

I think this is maybe the one PJ Harvey album in this project that is not quite worthy of a 5. But it's close enough that as I'm typing this I'm second-guessing myself. What a body of work.

Para nada mi estilo. Bastante personalidad pero un sonido que escuché varias veces. Nada, un meh

Meh?! What's significant about this, it sounds kinda like the same song over and over? It's not bad, but nothing about it is good.

PJ Harvey is such a bad ass. Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea is my favorite album of hers but I do love these raw 90’s albums too. Her expressive and haunting voice coupled with her powerful and honest lyrics are exaggerated beautifully by the ”Dry” recording style on this and many of her albums. The band sounds incredible here as well, raw and full of energy they provide the perfect backdrop for Harvey’s stellar performance. 4.5

Debut album? This has a very 1992 sound on the music. Even though I have never heard this album, it oddly sounds familiar. I have to say, I think Happy and Bleeding is my new favorite PJ Harvey song. Hair, Joe, and Fountain were also killer. Great album! 4.

A true 90s sound to this. Never listened to it before, but I like the rawness of PJs voice.

I’ve always liked PJ Harvey, but this is definitely the first time I’ve listened to “Dry,” and it has all the characteristics I’ve always enjoyed about her music. I think of PJ Harvey as either the punk version of singer-songwriter music or the singer-songwriter of punk music. This album has a great use of heavy guitars that are raw and unfiltered, with a lot of gritty distortion. “Dry” stands out as a significant album, and I can see how it made an impact, considering it was her debut. The sense of rawness gives it a lot of authenticity.

Solid album from an interesting performer.

Strong debut album by Polly Jean

This was not good. Not specifically bad enough to warrant a 1- just generally unenjoyable.

this is at various points awful, forgettable, and embarrassing.

Despite knowing a decent amount about PJ Harvey as an artist I've not spent a lot of time with her music, but probably will after this. I listened to this twice through to make sure I actually liked it and was not just rating based on "importance" (which I do think it is that as well) and landed on it being pretty great. Emotional, dark, angsty, raw, feminist - I can definitely see how Patti Smith was a forerunner for this in some regards (and people like St. Vincent very much follow in PJ's footsteps), but I don't think much existed like this in 1992 quite yet. Kurt Cobain was a big fan and apparently this was a big influence on In Utero. I love the dexterity of her voice (when she goes into the sort of falsetto parts at the ends of phrases especially) and some of these lyrics hit pretty hard ("ease myself into a body bag", woof). Musically a lot of pretty crushing but simple riffs, and I really like the drumming. I actually started listening to her follow up album and feel like I'll probably like that one even more.

So I was totally prepared to hate this as soon as I heard the opening wails. I couldn’t listen while I worked — too distracting — and when I put in headphones late at night, there was a lot to like here. I particularly enjoyed the driving guitar and bass, when uptempo, to match her voice. I had a harder time when her vocals featured a bit more, although I applaud the raw effort and varying range. Never heard of her before and now I’m glad I did.

A really good album with some great songs. Another artist that I really should have taken notice of sooner!

I really liked this one, a great sound. No real standout tracks but solid all the way through.

3rd one of hers we’ve had so it doesn’t feel like there’s much more to say. I prefer her early albums, this is the earliest album, I therefore like this album. Job done.

Patty Smith would be proud

Grungy but effective. 3.5/5

I like PJ Harvey lots, this one from early on is good…but there are better to come. She’s so wonderfully raw and stripped-down.

Its ok

I like PJ Harvey, and this is probably the best of her FOUR albums on this list, but four albums? She's not that 'must listen'. 3.5/5

PJ Harvey has always been an illusive listen. I really enjoy female-fronted rock adjacent music, but never got into PJ. Listening to an entire album I get it more. I dont think I will revisit her work but I appreciate her work.

I had never listened to a whole PJ Harvey album before. It is Ok, I was expecting more. The sound is very very early 90s as expected, but I really dont see anything that stands out. I think it is mostly girl rock for men to listen to.

Blistering, incendiary rock that sits right at the forefront of indie and post-grunge, but with Polly Jean’s particular brand of female-forward lyrics and poetry. Often the earliest works from distinguished songwriters is angrier, edgier, and this is no different. Yet this is the blueprint for bands like Sleater-Kinney and singers like Fiona Apple to come, and a springboard for even more exploration by PJ Harvey herself. It’s not perfect but it’s a hell of a debut.

PJ is one of the great artists of her (my!) generation, and she is great right out of the gate on her debut here. No duds, not even a bit of filler. Strong vocals, great songs, killer band.

#114/1001. I discovered PJ Harvey around Rid of Me and 50 ft Queenie on MTV Alternative Nation / 120 minutes somewhere around -92 or -93 I think. Then To Bring You My Love really blew me away, and I had to get her back catalogue (which by the way seem to be my most valuable vinyls nowadays since everyone around me was already bracing the cd world). Ok, it might be that the current collection contains a disc or two from my sister as she didn't want to take her vinyls overseas when she moved to the States. Anyway, for some reason Dry is the Record I have played the least, and now listening closely I don't know why. For me she is the perfect missing link between top of the pop Morrissettes and "I don't give shit" Riot grrrls, I think both of these extremes have dozens of clones, but there is only one PJH. The songwriting is clever, but mostly listener friendly, yet the sound is in no way polished or forgiving, if rhat is a fitting word here...i love the use of the strings, not to mellow out the tunes - exactly the opposite: distorted guitar sounds mellow compared to the staccatos here. Somehow the song mood changes are perfected on Bring You My Love, but they are present over here as well, making the album an exploration, a trip, which can be taken again and again, with something new revealed every time.

Surprisingly excellent- never heard before

While I'm certainly aware of this album, I'd never actually listened to it.. It's interesting, and I think I might listen listen to it again.

Funny how the album is titled Dry and finishes with a track called water. The album sounds like something that could only come out after Nirvana had released Nevermind.

I can sense the authenticity and I appreciate trying different things, it just wasn't that well executed

Not a fan.

de los mejores albums nuevos que escuché este año. wow. artistaza, una locura de álbum.

Bit samey

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this. PJ Harvey was a mainstay on 120 Minutes in my prime 120 Minutes watching years and she seemed cool but never my thing. I tend to avoid anxiety-inducing albums, but this is the best of her albums I've heard.

Love me everything I've heard by PJ Harvey, but I always forget that Rid of Me isn't her debut! I must have heard "Dress" once or twice, definite banger. The rest is completely new to me. Feels like the UKs answer to Kurt Cobain with exceptionally talented musicians (not a knock on Nirvana). God, if only Kurt had as much time to evolve as PJ has had. "Joe" is the standout track for me. Amazing drumming on that one.

Yeah its no interessant

I like a lot of the music on this, but I'm always iffy about Ms. Harvey's vocalizations. Mixed feelings.

An unexpectedly refreshing album. It's a very raw experience. Lots of electric guitar with nothing but a distortion pedal, raw vocals with very little mixing on them, and the songwriting itself is very emotional and raw. A great listening experience.

Pissed off women make some decent tunes

She has a great voice, but this is not engaging at all to me - artsy and dull pop/rock. Also third PJ album so far among the 300 and something albums I have listened to, which makes no sense at all to me.

she’s so cool

fínt rokk bara, lögin misgóð en ekkert sérstaklega eftirminnleg

Dryer

I think I like this one just a bit more than 3 stars. So Let's give it a 4.

Oof. I thought I was going to like this because I've listened to later PJ Harvey albums and dug them. But this really was just a bunch of wailing. I'm sure there's some deeper meaning buried within the lyrics, but it's pretty hard stuff to listen to.

Good album for selective listening.

jävligt rått men samtidigt tight och välskrivet. en stark fyra. Dress måste vara den bästa låten tror jag.

Not exactly my kind if music

i get pj harvey and patti smith mixed up a lot. lowkey, pj is the lesser version. but this album was ok

Last song on the album was favorite. Liked two others, can't remember which. 3 of 5 ***

This was excellent. Very pleasant surprise

I like discovering her with this album. It is a great debut album with solid rock/ pop alternative songs. I like her songwriting and the raw emotions in some of her lyrics.

I don't get it. Did my streaming service go out of tune?

Remarkably boring.

7/10

I liked this one.

The album cover mattress me feel really uncomfortable for some reason. It was alright.

Loved this. Angry, raw and powerful. Still amazed I somehow missed out on PJ in the 90s.

Not super enthused to strap in for another PJ Harvey album, to be honest. I'm also in football mode so I keep reading this as RJ Harvey. Anyway, I think I was actually into the first half of this more than anything off the last album. O Stella and Sheela-Na-Gig were good songs that felt like they were cut from the same cloth as Nirvana. The second half (from Hair to the end) was not particularly my cup of tea. I liked this slightly more than the last PJ album we had, so scoring this as a Low 3.

Much like the most recent PJ Harvey album we reviewed, I found this one to be enjoyably crusty. Often angsty, but ever varied, I liked more than I didn't. But by comparison to that most recent album (Rid of Me) I didn't find as many individual songs to grab my attention and hold it. The few that really got me were O Stella, Sheela-Na-Gig, and Plants And Rags (more for its out of placeness than anything else). Also really enjoyed the opening lyrics of the album with its slogging bass accompaniment: "Oh, my lover; Don't you know it's all right? You can love her; And you can love me at the same time." I'd say this is a high 3 for me.

Dear PJ, Please remove me from your subscriber list. Thanks, Jackson

Don't know if I needed 2 PJ Harvey albums in 5 days. This one was the ultimate sad girl album it was just so dang depressing. Definitely the worst of her 3 on here and hopefully the last

Another PJ Harvey album! Pretty sure this is the 4th we've had. These early albums definitely have a raw/dark feel to it which I enjoy to a degree. I also really liked the cleanliness of the Stories album. I don't know if it's the weather or what, but really enjoying this. Super dark and grungy feel to it. You can really feel her rage and passion which I really appreciate. Kinda like an angrier Alanis Morrisette.

Kind of reminds of Morphine.

naja, plätschert für mich so dahin und eher nichtssagend

This is PJ Harvey #4, and my third was just a few albums back. I didn't need any more convincing that she's awesome; I've been happy to sing her praises since the first album I generated. But convinced further, I am. Helluva debut.

I think I said this the last time I had PJ Harvey but the singing and music sound like they are for two different songs. She clashes against the music constantly to the point where it annoying. 2/10

Great use of simple syncopation. Great lyrics.

What an awesome surprise. This was fantastic

Dry – PJ Harvey (1992) | Alternative Rock / Punk Blues | Avg: 6.0 | Favorite Song: “Dress” Dry is raw, unfiltered, and full of intention, but it doesn’t always translate into something I want to revisit. “Dress” was easily the standout for me: it’s sharp, tense, and truly delivers on the album’s ferocity. That track feels like PJ Harvey at her best: emotionally direct, dynamically arranged, and completely captivating. But much of the rest of the record feels stuck in first gear—spirited, yet often repetitive and lacking nuance. From a reviewer’s perspective, I understand the appeal. There’s a kind of righteous anger and stripped-down intensity that was clearly making room for something different in early-’90s rock. But overall, Dry feels more like a blueprint than a breakthrough. The energy is there, but the songwriting doesn’t always hit with the same accuracy or emotional depth. It’s a bold debut, no doubt, but it seems more important than essential.

Never heard this. Loved it

More dull slow British rock. Eh. You Said Something was nice, and a few of the songs have nice music. But most of the album is just meh. A few of the songs are way too repetitive as well. Best song: Sheela-na-gig

PJ Harvey was never on my radar during high school as her sound just didn't do it for me when I was seeking out hard rock and grunge at that time. This was enjoyable, and significantly better than the last PJ Harvey album we had. The longer the album played, the more I enjoyed it - a solid 3.5/5.

This album is steeped in that 90's sound. It was just fine to listen too, with the back half being better than the front.

I appreciate what she’s doing here but I don’t enjoy it

Fun listen, probably won’t return though

Didn’t really like this at all. Would probably sound much better live

Not the biggest PJ Harvey fan but this one was pretty good!

I liked this enough to look up her wiki and, lo and behold, she had a relationship with Nick Cave and cites Shane MacGowan as having been a lyrical influence. Don't know if I should embrace this or run away, but I will definitely listen to it again.

I was 21 when this album came out first album I played in my car. Solid 5 stars

2/10 note I listened to the demos version as the original wasn't available on spotify or youtube music. Did not enjoy, all the songs are the same and just meld into one sameyness. Very boring and didn't find the artist's voice anything special

As fate would have it, PJ Harvey’s debut album will wind up being my final album of hers to review. Heading into this project, I had only listened to Let England Shake, and her other three albums were first-time listens for me. Rid of Me really blew me away, earning five stars from me, and her other two albums earned four stars each. I’m expecting to enjoy this album as well. Dry will wind up being my least favorite PJ Harvey album that I’ve reviewed, but it was still pretty good. On all of her albums, I love PJ Harvey’s vocals and her guitar playing. Her sound is raw, and I love that the tone and emotions of her lyrics match that raw sound really well. The thing that I find most impressive about that raw sound is that it’s not achieved through crummy production, or a lack of technical finesse, but through vivid and often shocking imagery. I didn’t find any of this album to be unenjoyable, but it just didn’t create the reaction from me that PJ’s other albums did. Most of the songs were just fine in my opinion, although there were some songs that stood out to me: -“Happy and Bleeding” was really good. The harmonium in particular was really great. I thought this was the most unique song on the album, and even with a more eastern influence in the sound, it still had that raw sound that fit in well with the album as a whole. -I loved the guitar and strings on “Dress.” The rhythms on this song were really great, and I loved the different pace of the chorus and the verse. The violin had a screeching sound to it that I really loved, and it sounded great with the twang of the guitar. -The distorted guitar and pulsing drums sounded great together on “Joe.” I loved how the song started off a bit softer, before those drums started, and the heavily distorted guitar added some depth to the sound that I really loved. Even though this was my least favorite PJ Harvey album, I’ve really come to appreciate her as an artist, and I can’t see myself passing up an opportunity to listen to her music again in the future.

...I'm gonna be real, I have barely anything I wanna say about this album. I mean, from all of the ingredients I should be into it — the loud guitars, the raw energy, the feminist lyrics... And yet, actually trying to take in the final project, it really just kinda bounced off of me. To the point where I'm not even able to articulate exactly why it did. And believe me, I've given this album more of a chance than I have some other albums that I clicked with way more; I've given this thing 1.5 plays, for goodness sake! But even on my second play of side one, where I felt like I was getting into it slightly more... Pfffh, I'unno. I still wound up with nothing I really wanna say. Maybe my problem is just that I'm not too much into this exact brand of 90's alt. chick rock? I mean, I don't recall being too much into that Sheryl Crow album my group got, or Liz Phair's 'Exile In Guyville'. And, like, dang, if you're not 'Exile In Guyville', I feel like you ain't gonna have much luck with any of these. And I know I like music from women in the 90's; I was pretty into that Skunk Anansie album my group got pretty recently, and, hell, I really dig the Spice Girls — if that's worth anything, putting their name next to PJ Harvey and Liz Phair. I guess maybe the Lilith Fair crowd just wouldn't have been my scene. I'unno. I think I'm just babbling to try and fill space because I legit have nothing I wanna say about this album. I mean, it's not even a bad record at all; it just... The impact it left on me is so nonexistent, I'm surprised I was even able to get **this far**. Y'know, whatever I was able to get out of that later album of hers, 'Songs From The City' or whatever... It just ain't here, I guess. Shame, but wha'cha gonna do? Fingers crossed I can get something out of the other two albums of hers on this list, I guess.

My group has had PJ before, so it's nice to see she came out of the gate running with her debut record. 4.5 bumped up to 5.

I’m at a 5. Not too much to say, really. Once this album’s momentum gets rolling (either from the literal first guitar hit on “Oh My Lover” or the cool, abrupt ending / transition from “O Stella” into “Dress”), it just refuses to stop. This is a grunge album to my ears, and it’s a pretty damn good one at that. Incredibly feminist, with some *great* lyrics across the board that exude confidence whilst showing some vulnerability & honesty. PJ Harvey’s voice matches the mood on these lyrics on pretty much every track, and the instrumentation rocks the fuck out alongside her. All of these tracks bring something to the table, whether it’s the desperate tone of “Oh My Lover” (enhanced by the production choice to have her farther from the mic), the anti-Cinderella tone of “Dress” (desperate to impress a man & failing), the essence of love poured into “Victory” (“Angel at my table, God in my car” is a *great* line), the absurd disses of “Sheela-Na-Gig” (“Put money in your idle hole” is a CRAZY line), or the biblical parallels of the last 5 tracks combined with the harder rock instrumentation, the whole album just flows. The only real minor nitpicks I have are that “O Stella” feels a little broad & “Fountain” feels a little off as a closing track, but they’re minor. It’s an album where the music speaks for itself, and more specifically, where PJ Harvey gets to let loose. I wish she had kept this style more for “Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea” (or that we had gotten this first), but I might need to go relisten to that one to see if my original thoughts hold up. Regardless, for a debut album, I fuck with this heavy – it’s much more aligned to something like “Exile in Guyville” by Liz Phair or “Horses” by Patti Smith, while integrating some Pearl Jam-esque grunge to really hit the mark. I liked it a lot, and I think it’s a pretty damn good (and pretty recommended) 5.

Rock, Punk, 1992 -> 2

Meh. This didn't do too much for me. 3/5 Highlights: Dress

Cette chère PJ :) À réécouté.

B-)

not my favorite PJ Harvey album tbh, but it was still a nice listen !

Badass Fav song: Fountain or Oh My Lover or Plants and Rags or Water

Actually, a real solid album, but what really struck me is how quiet it was. Like seriously this album played at like 10db less than everything else I normally play, when it should have come out of the gate at like 10db more and punched you in the face.

respect the awards it won, but not my jam

kinda grungey, Kinda riot girl, not bad

shes good aint she

Meh

ahh the 90s...

wy tu po prostu nie widzicie wizji ale na to nie ma rady

Listened Before? N Powerful album. Hard hitting and lyrically very solid. Some of it sounds like Tori Amos, some of it sounds like Nirvana with better lyrics. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Sheela-Na-Gig

I like the vocals a lot but the music feels very alternative, almost grunge at times, which I can struggle with. Trying to stay impartial though - Dress is quite good. Victory begins with a fuzzy bassline which drives the whole track. It's energetic and there's bluesy guitars, it all works well together. Liking the drumming on the next song too. Sheela-Na-Gig was the biggest hit on the record but it's unfortunately a bit of a miss for me, maybe too much of that angsty 90s alt-rock I was afraid of. Joe finally has some much needed quicker riffing and Water is fine as a closer. I listened to the album twice. Plants And Rags is a song I didn't get into on the first pass, but features cello to great effect. Overall, I want to like this more but it's not as good as Stories From The City (which I already had pop up on the list). There is art here though, if you are willing to tease it out.

Great album but not really anything that stands out tbh

Great record.

I like PJ Harvey

It’s aight. Nothing I can’t live without or to write home about. 1001 album worthy: nah - 101/187

I saw her live once at a festival. Picked up and left after a few songs. Wish I could have done the same with this album. At no point did I find it engaging or enjoyable. My first 1 star album.

High three. Really hit on a hot humid cloudy day

So this is why there was so much buzz about PJ Harvey! The first album I heard by her was To Give You My Love, and aside from “Down By the Water”, it failed to move me, so I didn’t explore any further. But this album just kicks - I see direct lineage to Lady Lamb, with the raw rock and groove elements just driving the sound forward. Now I get it

First time listening to this one and, again....why did it take so long? Great, dark, grungy songs and stellar playing and singing. Sometimes I wonder why I didn't listen and what kept me from hearing an album like this when it came out. Oh well, glad to he hearing it now.

PJ Harvey is one of those artists where, I recognise her influence over a generation of artists and appreciate her, but the music has never clicked. Had only heard Sheela Na Gig before and what a tune, any song that deftly references Carrie and obscure Irish paganism is great in my book. But overall to me this is a good, not great album. Ends strong with Water, but a lot of this I wouldn't necessarily seek out again.

Love the punky, aggressive bass - it's easily the best/most interesting part of the album. There's also a lot of creativity in the musical ideas here. Unfortunately, each song consists of only one half-formed idea that runs its course after thirty seconds, and PJ's vocals are still incredibly annoying (although lyrically she's very good). Still, the rawness of the whole album is enjoyable. 3.0/5.0: Good

wow i enjoyed this significantly more than the last album we had from her. after hearing this one i can understand the hype.

Not much variety, but good overall with some standout lyrics.

Very interesting rock album. Nice sound, catchy riffs and lyrics. And message is good too.

I neither like it, get it or understand it. This means it's just not for me. It doesn't mean it's not good, but for real it's bad.

Definitely early PJ Harvey over her later works. This is a raw, energetic album that I may go back to and give more time to

3.5 better than expected

Yo me escuché el de los demos u la verdad me encantó, me dijeron que el oficial de YouTube está mejor pero me encanta esta mina, excelente disco

REINAAAAH

No me disgustó

Me enteré con esto que el disco existia. Solo conocí la versión de demos pero pensé que salieron mucho después Tremendo que esté haya sido el primer disco, arrancó con todo y fue puliendo otras cositas más adelante Que hembra

Great debut album. PJ Harvey's raw energy reminds me of The Stooges.

So much PJ Harvey in my life the last year. Too much. I feel like this one best explains her significance but it’s still not for me. I appreciate she’s a woman rocker, but I don’t think it’s particularly interesting and I don’t like listening to it.

Get the fuck out of my face PJ Harvey

A sheela na gig is a figurative carving of a naked woman displaying an exaggerated vulva. These carvings, from the Middle Ages, are architectural grotesques found throughout most of Europe on cathedrals, castles, and other buildings. Well then... That clears that right up. - Some good cuts on this. Finally in the spot to say, "I think PJ Harvey is aight". The album runs a really fast 40 mins. I heard a bit of nirvana like angst (released in 91' and she'd be right around 22 years old). Guitar lines are all really simple and punky, but they're effective. Some variation of sound to keep you guessing (Fountain was really dark).

I listened to this once, mostly while driving, didn't get it, hated it. Then I admit I cheated and read Chad's review - the Nirvana influence/comparison opened this up for me alot on the second time through. Heaphones at my desk, completely different experience. The build up in Happy and Bleeding finally caught my ear, to the point where I was like, okay I need to start from the top of the album. Oh My Lover starts super sparse too, just vocals and distorted bass, and builds in layers from there. What a cool opening track. Other highlights: Dress (the driving beat, that little twangy guitar lick with the cello/violin - super cool), Victory, Plants and Rags. I still think PJ Harvey is quite overrepresented in this list, but I'm really coming around on this one, album is excellent. Interesting intersection: Cobain included Dry on his list of 20 favorite albums. Might need to go back to In Utero this weekend.

ye alright

This was very solid. Angst and amazingly feminist. You could feel every emotion she put into each song. A great album!

4/5

PJ MY QUEEN, all of her albums are incredible imo. Hope to see To Bring You My Love or Rid of Me on here 🙏 Highlights: Dress, Happy and Bleeding, Sheela-na-gig

Very nearly a perfect album

Really enjoyed this! Full of angst and the vocals are so raw Fav songs: Fountains, Dress

This album was meh. PJ Harvey gives female Kurt Cobain a bit.

Nice female vocalist. Good sound and voice.

Polly Jean and I go way back.

Pues si le di cuatro estrellas a Broken English y otras cuatro a Horses, este álbum prometía ya desde antes de escucharlo. Post-punk crudo, sincero, feminista, con letras un poco abstractas pero muy poderosas. Una actitud empoderante y descarada que sorprende especialmente al tratarse de un álbum de debut. Por su parte, la instrumentación va totalmente conmigo: punk de pocos instrumentos, rápido pero pulido, más cercano al grunge o al rock alternativo de los 90 en general. Nada demasiado especial, pero que dota al álbum de la energía precisa. En algún momento hay algo más de experimentación, con cuerdas y otros instrumentos, pero nada disonante. Un enorme descubrimiento que ha cumplido las expectativas con creces.

Rockin!

90s PJ Harvey rules

Did nothing for me , bit I appreciate she has her own thing.

Nope

PJ Harvey's "grunge album". Solid debut, but her more original work was still yet to come.

Not much to say. Solid nice album

I swear I haven’t heard this in 30 years, my mate had it at school. I probably like it more now than I did then. I guess it was too bluesy at the time for me. My favourite track remains: I always thought Dress was brilliant

Repetitive raw first album

My second PJ Harry album. It had some moments, but I'm still not impressed.

Good

2,5

raw, human and interesting. I need a few more listens for it to breathe.

I do like women of indie rock.

Unsettling cover (dry lips are the worst) but great music. Maybe I’m just biased because I seem to really like grunge but PJ Harvey does it so well. For a debut aswell this is great, vocals are on point and the guitars are nicely distorted and there were really great riffs throughout. The acoustic song (plants and rags) was also so good and really changed the pace of the album towards the end. I do think the album ended strangely though, it should have been plants and rags to end it off with fountain before, water maybe just leave out (it wasn’t great).Favourites: oh my lover, O Stella, Dress, Victory, Joe and Plants and rags. Overall, 7.5/10.

Raw and gritty but really well put together for a debut album. New artist to me but I’m a big fan, favorite track was ‘Victory’ but I easily listened through a couple times. 4.5/5

Only one song I liked, a little sloppy and the volume is all over the place.

Regular

Not much substance and not for me. Some songs were load and some were barely audible, I didn't like any of them

It was ok, but not my favorite

Finally clicked with a PJ Harvey album. I much preferred the first half of this album (the second half got a bit too sludgy for me) but the first half is awesome.

somehow I always had some pop music in mind when reading the name PJ Harvey, but luckily it's not pop gargabe. dunno why Happy and Bleeding is greyed out on spotify though

Denna var ny för mig, men är väldigt imponerad. Väldigt rått sound varvat med sofistikerat låtskrivande resulterar i ett genomgående jäkligt intressant album. Toppen!

Lite skränigt, nosar på oljud ibland.

I think I’m one of the few people who prefers her later output to her earlier catalogue, hence the 3 here

lady incubus. but realer. succubus. very good.

Had some interesting moments, but ultimately not for me

Absolutely rips

Really compelling grungy pop rock. I liked a lot of the riffs and vocal performances by Harvey. Only issue was that there wasn’t a whole lot that stuck in my memory from the album, but maybe the lack of a catchy tune is not so much a bad thing.

PJ's voice compliments the hard guitars well. Not much else to say, an overall enjoyable listen.

There was a great legal battle around this album. Len Houmous released his solo album (My Ladies Are Rarely) Dry - PJ Harvey tried to sue him, even though he released his album first! Bit of a crazy few months that was fortunately settled out of court 4.1 6/11 Sheela-na-gig

Straight out the gate with a raw beast of a rock album

Proof that PJ Harvey has always been knocking it out of the park. Incredible debut from an incredible artist.

Incredible debut from PJ Harvey. Clear vision from the get-go and the ability to make it work.

Amazing album. Raw and powerful.

Interesting, but not really my thing.

Soo good. So feminist icon coded. So man-hating. Loved it. 4 stars because not my favorite style of music but still good

pretty good

After having two previous albums by PJ Harvey, in which I rated one a 2, and the other a 4, this album reflects my opinion on PJ Harvey so well. This one is right there at a 3 out of 5. Ever since my teens PJ Harvey would have a song I liked, then a song I didn’t. This album is pretty much that exactly, as my opinion from song to song kept dipping and rising.

Classic debut .The start of an amazing career.

I have an interesting dilemma with this album. The first album I was given here for PJ Harvey was Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea. I really enjoyed it and was excited for what else would lie in store for me from PJ. Then here comes this album. Debuts are weird, since they are usually made before an artist molds into their sound. There are rare exceptions, but mostly debuts tend to be the more forgettable part of the discography. I wasn’t sure how Dry would end up and felt that it would follow that trend. However, it ended up being pretty good and made me wonder which album from PJ I liked better. It seems PJ leaned more hardly onto the alternative rock side of her music than the more subdued sound from Stories. Much like Stories, PJ’s vocals are wonderful. I’d actually say that they sound better here with the harsh guitar riffs. I know the term “raw sound” feels overused for indie rock, but it’s kind of the best way to describe this. How I have never listened to PJ Harvey before alongside Nirvana and Stone Temple Pilots is a mystery to me. My only complaint is that I think it slightly fizzled at the end. The last few tracks don’t really have the same oomp. Besides that, this album makes me wonder how PJ sound evolved to get to what it was on Stories. Other than that, Dry thankfully was a lot more than forgettable, which is all I can ask for a debut. Favorite track: Sheela-Na-Gig Other hits: Dress, O Stella, Hair, Happy and Bleeding, Oh My Lover

This was unexpected and really good. I had heard of PJ Harvey but I would be hard-pressed to say I had ever heard PJ Harvey. This was some really good 90's Female-fronted Alternative Rock. Harvey should've been bigger.

General enjoyment. I was sanding and painting, so maybe the repetitive nature was soothing. But also, some of the positive opinions are based off of her collab with Thom Yorke on the song THIS MESS WE'RE IN.

They really had the mouth of sauron pose for the album cover

Never liked pj until this album

ehh not my fave

"I'm gonna make it so dry for you" - PJ

This was good, I do prefer their sophomore album better though.

Definite piece the music topographical puzzle

Great grunge sound, even dig her voice but.... These songs are horrible, geez how to kill great music with awful lyrics.

Das Debütalbum „Dry“ von PJ Harvey erschien im März 1992 und wurde im Icehouse Studio in Yeovil, England, aufgenommen. Harvey, eine britische Musikerin, arbeitete dabei mit ihrem gleichnamigen Trio zusammen, bestehend aus Steve Vaughan am Bass und Rob Ellis am Schlagzeug. Die Produktion übernahmen Harvey selbst, Ellis und der Produzent Head. Musikalisch bewegt sich „Dry“ im Spannungsfeld von Alternative Rock, Indie Rock, Blues Rock und Post-Punk. Das Album zeichnet sich durch eine reduzierte Instrumentierung aus, bei der Gitarre, Bass und Schlagzeug im Vordergrund stehen. Harveys Stimme variiert zwischen zurückhaltendem Gesang und expressiven Ausbrüchen, was den Songs eine besondere Dynamik verleiht. Zu den markantesten Titeln zählen „Sheela-Na-Gig“, das sich mit Geschlechterrollen auseinandersetzt, und „Dress“, das Themen wie Selbstwahrnehmung und gesellschaftliche Erwartungen behandelt. Weitere hervorzuhebende Stücke sind „Oh My Lover“, das als Opener des Albums fungiert, sowie „O Stella“ und „Happy and Bleeding“, die Harveys Vielseitigkeit unterstreichen. „Dry“ wurde von der Kritik positiv aufgenommen und erreichte Platz 11 der britischen Albumcharts. Obwohl es kommerziell nicht sofort ein großer Erfolg war, wurde es später mit einer Silbernen Schallplatte für 60.000 verkaufte Einheiten im Vereinigten Königreich ausgezeichnet. Das Album gilt als bedeutender Beitrag zur britischen Rockmusik der frühen 1990er Jahre.

No complaints from me

79/100. A great debut record. Dark, raw, and emotionally charged. It showcases her striking vocal delivery & gritty guitar work, and a sense of unfiltered intensity that sets the tone for her career.

Not much into it.

Cool sound and overall attitude, a little lacking in the song writing department. Tracks 1, 8 and 10 being welcome exceptions

Pretty cool

I must say listening to this album kind of disappointed me. I found it boring.

Very cool to listen to rock with female vocals, first so far in this list. Sounded good, nice change of pace 3

That album art is creepy and why is her voice so quiet? Otherwise, not bad

I enjoyed it, its nice to hear a womens take on a male dominated field and it feels fresh

There is a lot of PJ Harvey in this book. I did enjoy the album I had listened to prior to this one. I think I enjoyed that one more than this, as Dry is very raw and I'm not sure I enjoy her sound as less refined. I could be in the minority on that. I enjoyed the album but I can't say I would revisit the album. I'm intrigued to see if I enjoy PJ Harvey's other two albums on this list.

Weird, raw, gritty, not always connecting during the first listen but makes we want to seek out more of her... Far from perfect, but maybe that's a good thing... 4.5

This is another “have I been living under a rock for 41 years?” album. It’s great. It’s grungy, gritty, deep and introspective, and emotional in the just the right way. I can only hope the rest of her stuff is this damn good.

Great vocals, interesting songs on another solid album. She's one of those artists that's consistently good and her music is well worth a listen.

Some classic hits from thw ol pjer tgis i feel was her sensible stage.

Glad to have been reminded how good this album is, I really don't listen to it often enough

An absolute belter of an album: Raw and honest, catchy and witty.

Yet again, I really want to like PJ Harvey, and yet again, I'm getting annoyed by her music. I'm disappointed in myself more than anything else. To be fair, I did like this album more than the other 2 we've had on the 1001 list so far, so a bonus point for that.

- sometimes i wonder if I’m a misogynist (not sure I love her voice) - nvm this is awesome I love the guitar in stella - if a man had made this i would care so much less - feels like a very Cool album - familiar with sheela na gig, like that one and plants and rags

It's an ok album. Nothing really jumped out at me.

I initially thought PJ Harvey was the flag pole sitta guy but I was way off. I’m a sucker for a sultry indie rock songstress and PJ is right in that wheelhouse. Can definitely see what Nick Cave saw in her