Reviews (page 5 of 8)
it was a fun listen, glad to get 90s music and a female artist!!! Wouldnt listen again but like the voice and instrumentals 6/10
I wished I loved anything as much as this list loves PJ Harvey. IS THIS HER THIRD ALBUM ON HERE?
Got into it a little bit but found it too abrasive overall. Edges a 3 based on 50ft Queenie which is fastastic. Prefer the musicality of, say, a Fiona Apple overall.
Inconsistent but some interesting stuff towards the end.
It's good, but it feels a bit more unpolished and raw - and not always in a good way. Still, the vocals of PJ Harvey are a delight.
A raw and grungy sound with occasional odd time signatures and rythms. Plenty of emotion in the vocals. Despite that, there is that occasional song where the sound is thinner, taking the momentum out.
Almost gave this a 4. 3.5
I'm feeling less annoyed by this album. I guess this is progress in my appreciation towards PJ Harvey.
Hyvä PJ albumi
Strong
Great song to open the album with, and what follows is mostly experimental endeavours by PJ, exploring every possible genre and venue where her mind can take her. It's quite hit or miss, withca heavy leaning towards the latter. I'm still PJ Harvey fan, but maybe her later work is more suited for my taste.
I've never been a fan of PJH, but I recognize that this was some good stuff!
PJ Harvey has managed something on this album I’ve never felt before. I like is all the songs sound, Steve Albini is great as is PJ’s voice. But uh. I don’t remember any of those songs. I don’t actually like any of the songs on this album. None of them have a hook. They just sort of exist in this nice sounding cloud of anger.
I liked a lot of this album, but too much of it came across as just noise for me to want to return to it.
PEEEEJ. She just keeps getting better. I prefer the Parish era but Albini is Albini
War sehr cool, aber der mix hat mir nicht so gefallen, ich hätte es cooler gefunden, wären die krassen vocals mehr rausgekommen
fierce and aggressive. i would not want to get on her bad side.
Do not love, may never listen to again.
Not blown away but every song was good
Original but sadly I am very demanding when women vocals it is about and her voice doesn’t do it for me
Meh
Not horrible, not great
Did not need another PJH within the week… BUT 50ft Queenie and Yuri-G were quite bangers.
I liked this one better than Let England Shake. This one was way more raw and rockin. Still had a few songs that I was dying to skip but overall solid album.
Imagine a maze built tall with dense, lush conifers; exciting surprises tucked artfully behind corners that themselves seem to leap out from nowhere. A maze that teases its enigma proudly; inviting its participants to take an elevated view, to admire its complexity from on high – a maze whose architects are confident that the moment you descend from the vantage of a verdant horizon, you’ll again be scratching around, none the wiser as to how to locate the core. And now imagine that finding the treasure at the guarded centre is the least of your worries – you can’t work out how to actually get in. “Rid of me” represents a sort of musical purgatory. I was listening to this album only recently, the day after Steve Albini died – and while I enjoyed it, bristled to it, let it wash over me … I never felt myself washed away by it. And that’s flustered me; precisely because I can tell there’s so much in there for me to delight at. Whatever it is, though, I can’t grasp at it. For an album that does so much to trace the outline of a thoroughly frustrated mind … maybe that’s about right. It’s a niggle I might never rid myself of. See you next year.
I should spend more time with this, today was not that day though.
I did enjoy this.
6.5/10 Highlights: Man-Size Me-Jane Rid of Me Legs
Another “it’s fine but why are there multiple albums by this artist on the list?” (2.5/5)
I love me a bit of Polly Jean. This is late night depressive music and not my favourite. But she’s still a force to be reckoned with and completely her own thing so I’m with her!
Love me some Polly Jean but this ain't my favorite. I can start to hear her voice and style but it's still rough and raw. The best cover of Highway 61 I've ever heard!
Went hard, I enjoyed it, very artistic 90s rock
I think this album was trying to hurt my feelings, but I’m dead inside.
Alt rock which probably means it’s a 3/5. Tho I liked six man sextet cause I love bjork and it has that energy haha
Cool and powerful but I got a bit bored unfortunately.
I can see myself coming back to this and it growing on me, but at first blush I think this is fair
Good, but not for me, everything's a bit too raw with not enough decent melodies. I did enjoy the lyrical side of the album though, it got disturbing at times but definitely kept me engaged all the way through. If I were a bigger grunge fan, I'd probably love this. 3 stars
Pretty good Not her best on the list but does the job 3
Not "my thing", but much better than anticipated given her contemporaries
Very raw album. Not many melodies.
This was interesting. Didn't set the world on fire but didn't make blood come out of my ears. Some pretty talented musicians
2.5
No es su debut (Dry), pero casi pues fue con el que se dio a conocer. Cautivó a crítica y a público, sobre todo su directo. Las comparaciones con Patti Smith parecen inevitables aunque luego ha desarrollado una carrera mucho más prolífica, influyente y de mayor calidad. No es mis disco favorito (To bring you my love / Stories from the city...) pero es una excelente muestra de poderío. Polly Jean es mucho mucho, escuchen Highway 61 Revisited y opinen. Howlin 'Wolf, Tom Waits y Pixies juntos, algo de Thalia Zedek (Come) también. Produce Albini, otro seguro. Man sized sextet, de lo mejor del álbum, es art rock intrigante. No estoy seguro de la concepción que se tendría hoy en día de este disco, sin tener la perspectiva de su excelente discografía, pero siendo un disco de ruptura, y una patada en el bajo vientre, probablemente seguiría siendo muy influyente (Amaral, sin ir más lejos, siempre han sido devotos de PJ). Justo antes de la decadencia del Grunge y la explosión Brit Rock, Rid of me supuso un exabrupto en toda regla. Otros discos del 93: Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space) de los Digable Planets. Además fue también el año de In Utero, Thirteen, Frosting on the beater, Siamese dream, Come on Feel the Lemonheads, Last splash, Gentlemen, Where You Been, los debuts de Björk, también el de la propia PJ Harvey, Liz Phair, The Cranberries, Counting Crows, Radiohead o Frank Black en solitario. Además de los últimos discos realmente buenos de algunos insignes grupos como fueron Zooropa, Songs of faith and devotion, Republic, Get a grip, dejando al margen Bat out of hell... Incluso Are you gonna go my way, Cure for pain o Dream harder, New wave, Wild wood o One time, two times, three red light...
Not the biggest PJ Harvey fan. It’s alright.
This album was alright. “Rid of Me” was cool, especially the “lick my legs, I’m on fire!” Scream at the end. “50 Foot Queenie” was not bad. The rest is just alright. 1001 album worthy: yes - 65/122
This album is really bad, but not because it’s actually bad. I find myself getting extremely irritated with every song. The musicality is outstanding and groovy. The guitar always kills it, drums hit heavy and sound really tight. Bassline has some hint of Korn distortion and pluck that grounds the music out and gives it a very punchy, grungy vibe that I very much enjoy But every. Single. Time. The vocals come in it completely throws me off. Her voice isn’t necessarily bad it’s just mixed and processed horribly. Like abysmally. If the post production and processing was fixed it would take this album from a 3 to a 4. I enjoy the lyrics and grunginess quite a bit.
Should come with a label telling you, that your speakers aren’t broken. I really struggled to find the right volume to play this at - and never actually found it. Harvey’s songwriting is strong and her raw emotions mixed with the insane production is really an experience. It’s not always pleasant - and given more listens I might appreciate it more. As for now? I will put on some Springsteen and take care of my speakers.
PJ Harvey is an icon, and this album is good. But it didn't give me anything to come back for.
Många beskriver den här skivan (i positiva ordalag) som ”raw”, ”filthy” och ”noisy”. Jag kanske är gammeldags, men för min del är det sällan något som jag uppskattar. Det är väl därför som jag har lite svårt för garage antar jag. Jag gillar inte oljud helt enkelt. En del låtar är dock hyfsat befriade från ovan och då är det bitvis rätt bra. Skulle kanske växa med fler genomlyssningar, vilket jag tyvärr inte hinner med, men just nu är det en svag trea.
3.4.
Good album. Dirty, heavy, some duds that dont work for me, but some great albums.
I kind of enjoyed this. Never heard of her/him, but it was pretty good.
Fine. A bit monotonous, but generally ok
I respect her passion but a little goes a long way.
Interesting, daring, but I wouldn't go back to it. Some tracks were actually very good, others were forgettable. 2.9
not my thing but like that doesn't mean it isn't good!!
A lot of 90s acts tried to pull off this sound without doing as good of a job
This is definitely chaotic, and these songs definitely rock, and she definitely has a lot to say. I think I would enjoy this a lot more live where I can just get lost in the chaos, but it was a bit jarring for me today as a home listen. That's not a bad thing though. There's just a lot to unpack here.
It's ok, but prefer To Bring You My Love
Never really got into PJ harvey. This didn't make me want to.
surprised me when a sudden volume blast
Too angry for my tastes but I can understand why it appeals to others
👌🏾 Ladies who punch 🤘🏾
3 star. I enjoyed it but not as much in the beginning.
Nothing particularly stand out here.
Something as raw and repetitive as this really can't hold my attention. I appreciate how raw and vulnerable the album is and there are a lot of cool ideas, especially rhythmically. I think I would resonate with PJ's other work so I'll be sure to check out perhaps her first and latest.
I can't deny that I enjoyed this, but I also can't deny that most of the songs blended together for me and when reflecting on it, none specifically stood out to me. The album has an industrial vibe that it nails and it plays with volumes a lot, which I thought was pretty cool from a production stand point. I'll probably add Highway '61 Revisited to my playlist, that song does some pretty wild things with tempo and time signatures and also captures PJ Harvey's vibe well.
Decent PJ, very grunge coded.
Rid of Me 3.6 Missed 3.8 Legs 3.4 Rub 'til It Bleeds 3.8 Hook 3.2 Man-Size Sextet 3 Highway 61 Revisited 3.2 50ft Queenie 3.1 Yuri-G 3.4 Man-Size 3.3 Dry 3.5 Me-Jane 3.4 Snake 3.1 Ecstasy 3.8 Score: 3.4
I heard this album first in the mid 90s when some one tried to get me into PJ Harvey and I hated it. But over the years I've heard some PJ material o really enjoyed, so I wasn't sure how it would take this. We'll, most of it I still dislike quite a bit. Considering that this was produced by Albani, I see a lot of similarities and another album he produced that year which was In Utero . Both albums have this sort of madness, chaotic sound that just doesn't work for me. It feels more like an orchestrated raw. Like pushing the limits just because you can, not necessarily because it sounds good. I still don't get this album as a whole, but there are tracks that I liked on it... most notably "Me-Jane" and "Ecstasy" towards the end of the album. But most of it was just an orchestrated mess as far as I'm concerned (5.75) ★★½
Pretty good. Just sounds a bit like noise on early listens. Probably need to spend more time with (how I felt about early listens of wolf alice remember!!) Think I may just not be lyrical (read: sophisticated or deep) enough though..
I was aware that there was one more PJ Harvey album left to be generated and assumed it would be her biggest, To Bring You My Love, or possibly Is This Desire? to bring a different, trip-hop inflected side to what the list has shown so far. I think I'd have preferred one of those to Rid Of Me, which covers a lot of the same power-trio ground as Dry (albeit rawer, louder and more downright feral, admittedly). I just think the material is a bit weaker on this one - not sure how many of these would make my top 20 PJ songs. It's still a fine old racket, mind, and no doubt very influential. 3.5
For the most part, I really enjoyed the music on this album. A great rock n roll borderline punk sounding album. I feel like I would enjoy her more in a live show setting, but this was still pretty good. There were times the song and her singing style were a little harsh sounding, but the more frustrated at work, the more I seemed to enjoy her sound. I tend to let the genre play out after the albums are over and she does have other material that sounds pretty good. A few of may favorites include Rid of Me, Rub 'Til it Bleeds and Snake. Can't say she become part of my downloads, but I wouldn't pass on her music when it pops into my listening. 3
I liked this but I'm not as much of a PJ Harvey fan as her reputation requires. Decent, but not *great*
3.2 2x
Sounds like the sort of album that would grow on me.
i liked the start but i kinda fell off by the end
An interesting project, fun to listen to, that I'd like to listen a few more times on to form an opinion on. I suspect it's a 4/5... ...but I just can't get over the fact that the highs are too high and the lows are too low, and I'm not willing to go risk going deaf. I love the uneasiness the album's throwing at me, the weirdness of it. It's weird, I feel being a bit disgusted by it, I feel my skin feeling weird. But the mixing... there's too much things you just can't hear on the standard volume. And there are other ways you could achieve that effect.
Enjoyable, particularly the back-half.
OK I guess.
When I think about it I am more inclined towards female vocalists than male. Obviously there is Joni and further back the likes of Dusty. Moving forward there is my all time favourite Kate Bush. Nowadays there is Tori, Lana and of course Taylor. Not forgetting the smooth female jazz vocalists, Melanie De Biasio and Patricia Barber in particular. The list goes on and I could name many more. I have often wanted to add Polly to this list as when a new album of hers comes out there are many rave reviews and the way she is talked about leads me to think she would be right up my alley. Thing is when I do listen to her albums I am always disappointed. There is something in her music which does not sit right with me at all. Listening to this album I think I now know what it is. I’m not a lover of grunge, industrial or garage music and this album is full of that. It’s not a total disaster as like a lot of PJ’s albums there is always a lot which is different from the mainstream, keeps my interest and at least one or two songs which I could listen to on repeat. I appreciate her strong performance, her talent and her determination to always add something new but for me it never strikes the right chord. 3/5 11/1/25
First time consciously hearing P J Harvey so I had no idea what to expect. This is more grunge-y than what I'd typically choose to listen to but I liked the raw energy and enjoyed it. This isn't a four for me but it seemed better than a three. 3.5/5
this was okay
Not connecting with this one as much as some of her other albums but still mesmerized by everything she does.
Pj Harvey has been the only musician to win multiple mercury prizes so I’m glad that for her 1st nomination (this album) she lost to the first suede album because that album is much better than this. I’m not saying this is a bad album and I have no right to judge her whole discography as I only know this and dry but this can be really difficult to listen to, it’s very raw in an uncomfortable way. Kinda like the musical equivalent of bones rattling around you. I think it’s cool but it’s not exactly my avenue and I preferred dry (the album) 3/5
PJ Harvey’s career got off to a much more aggressive start than what she would become known for later in the 90s and into the 2000s. Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea was great, and I thoroughly enjoyed her debut, Dry. Plus, she is one of the only female artists on the list that has consistently appears more than once, along with Björk and Madonna. So I like getting the opportunity to explore her music. Her debut album definitely fit in with the grunge sound of the 90s. It seems Harvey wanted to delve even further into the distorted punk aspect of that record. And who better to acquire for the job than Steve Albini himself. I don’t think this is the first time I’ve mentioned him in a review of mine. And that’s really because there may not be another person who cemented themselves into noise rock history more so than him. 1993 was possibly one of the most defining years of his career, and that’s saying a lot considering he formed Big Black in the early 80s and Shellac only a year prior, and also worked on Surfer Rosa in 1988. But being the lead producer behind the follow-ups to two very successful records would be huge for anybody. And producing for both PJ Harvey and Nirvana of all bands in the year 1993 was basically a one-way ticket to success. And in many ways, Rid of Me and In Utero have very similar sounds. This is a noisy and self-destructive sounding album, and something far more than I ever expected from her. But just like her debut, she fits very nicely into this sound with her band. Especially in the vocal area. She’s got a great voice, but man can she really deliver some wild and powerful performances. She’s also a talented guitar player for sure. But I think her parts are where my issues lie. This album feels so much more one-note, and multiple songs don’t seem to do much of anything in their runtime. I wanted to like this more, especially considering all of the elements at play here. But I think I’ve realized Harvey’s switch to a more indie based sound later on definitely elevated her career to the next level. Rating: 6/10
a dark and sexy album that showcases Harvey's composition chops and creates a dense body of work that is fairly digestible and has a number of fun cuts.
It was fine
Having grown up in this era, but never really seeking out PJ Harvey over the last 30+ years, one still has a preconceived, educated notion of what she's all about. This record proves that whole heartedly
Aikas kiva. Mielenkiintonen soundi ja mielenkiintosta tekstiä. Tykkäsin erilaisuudesta tuntu jotenkin likaselta mutta freshiltä sit kuitenki.
• 3/5 • An album full of good tracks but none that hooked me • Love her sound - the punk/indie/grunge aesthetic married with her excellent vocals. You can hear Steve Albini’s engineering at work
Not my favorite of hers but pretty much any PJ is good.
Too...much...PJ Harvey...in...this...collection. But at least there's only one more to go now, so that's nice. As with the other albums I've heard already ("Dry" and "Stories from the city, stories from the sea"), the tracks are just too flat and spare to do much for me, unfortunately, although this album is at least not nearly as dry as "Dry", likely thanks to Steve Albini's role as a producer. (I was also glad *not* to read any quotes from Albini about PJ Harvey or the album, given how Albini unfairly eviscerated the Pixies when he produced "Surfer Rosa". And it's interesting how there's a Pixies-like feel to this album, likely due to Albini's recording style.) I'm not sure any of the tracks really spoke to me, although both "50ft Queenie" and "Man-size" had a little more life than many of them (unfortunately the videos were both strangely *un*-entertaining). And it's always nice to hear a Bob Dylan cover, part of my quest to find the best Dylan covers out there (although her "Highway 61 revisited" doesn't quite make the cut, it's definitely a creative version). Neither of those things, though, offset the lengthy dirge quality of the remainder of the album.
I preferred Stories From the City over this PJ album. This one was fine I guess, a bit...I don't know, experimental?
While I didn't love it, I can certainly appreciate this album. PJ has a wholely individual vibe.
Not for me sadly. Didn't really enjoy this but I think it's a me problem. Yuri-G was my favourite. 3
What's with all the leg references?! Overall, artsy and a tad pretentious maybe. Not unlistenable, but challenging for sure. You kind of know that it's PJ Harvey when you hear it. An inspiration for many no doubt. Some of the tracks, like 50th Queenie and Yuri-G is straight up punk rock and quite nice. But some of the other tracks, like Man-sized sextet, is really hard to listen to.
Better produced and noisier than the last album. B
Couldn’t really get into it, not sure why but I struggle with the genre, too much “noise” and not a huge fan of the vocal styling on some of the songs. Hit or miss.
Another really good album from PJ Harvey, deserves to be on the list, but I think it just gets a bit weird in the middle for me to listen to this again vs her other albums
I can see why some people really like it. I regular liked it.
Despite not having much exposure to PJ Harvey prior to this, I sort of already knew what to expect coming in. Harvey sounds like she's on the verge of exploding at all times. That's raw, unadulterated emotion pouring out of every verse. Unfortunately, and this may sound like a nitpick, Harvey's voice tends to be drowned out by the instrumentals at times throughout the album. Not sure if that was an intentional choice to match the frenetic and moody nature of the album. Outside of that, a pretty unique experience and a window into the era of female-driven rock acts of the 90's.
I always feel I should like PJ Harvey more than I do. Some good grunge esque stuff on here, but something is just missing. It doesn't click the way I want it to. Can't put my finger on it.
Not very accessible and nowhere as good as the first album.
Mid
Some of this sounded great. But the mixing was bizarre, as if trying to deliberately hide the vocals.
Its half really good, half unlistenable.
Kinda just happened.
Favorite Track: Rid Of Me
01) Rid Of Me - 7,5 02) Missed - 7,0 03) Legs - 7,0 04) Rub 'Til It Bleeds - 6,5 05) Hook - 6,5 06) Man-Size Sextet - 5,5 07) Highway 61 Revisited - 6,0 08) 50ft Queenie -7,5 09) Yuri-G - 7,0 10) Man-Size - 7,5 11) Dry - 7,0 12) Me-Jane - 7,0 13) Snake - 6,5 14) Ecstasy - 7,0 TOTAL: 6,82 (68/100) Current ranking: 227/314
Thought this was headed for 4 stars, but the album got worse the longer it went.
Irgendwie gut, irgendwie auch nicht meins. Hat mich verwirrt zurück gelassen
not bad!
Cool rock - not my style though
No private session for Spotify on this one. I like this album, it rocks. Though nothing really stood out to me make into rotation.
After two listens, I wasn't a fan. Harvey's band sounds more punk in this effort and I couldn't connect with it. I can see why it's lauded, given the time period of 90's grunge. Highway 61 didn't need to be revisited like that. 3/5.
This is a solid early 90's album. I realize now just how much Toadies ripped PJ Harvey's vocals off. I've been super busy at work, so I haven't had the time to pause and take down notes, but Me-Jane jumped out to me. Good stuff. 3.5
Raw, stripped down, intense, brooding, fragile...with the beguiling danger of a female grasshopper. 3.5
This is my first ever PJ Harvey album listen which is kind of crazy because I was the of age to listen to this when it came out. I remember kids with PJ Harvey shirts on when I was a teen and seeing her in people's cd collections. I found the album to be raw and having a very 90s sound. It seemed as though PJ tried to mainly capture the emotion of the song which could mean not necessarily having the cleanest vocals....sort of like early Paige Hamilton on Helmet's album. I got a Sonic Youth vibe also. Interesting guitar work too. Looking forward to hearing more recent albums.
I like the experimental vibe. I hear the search. For a 2nd album, it's really not bad. Not enirely my cup of coffee, but I get it and appreciate where she went after this album.
A messy, cool, and uneasy listen. It felt like I was listening to a live show. I'm just upset I couldn't be there. "50ft. Queenie" was the star of the show but there's plenty else in here I'll enjoy moving forward. A few skips unfortunately, but even the best concerts give you time for bathroom breaks or, better yet, to grab another beer.
This album is amazing. It’s gritty, scary, guttural, and provocative. There’s a few skips for me, but the highs are high. Some faves: - Legs - 50ft Queenie - Snake
🎧Sick album cover. PJ Harvey rocks. Favorite song: Dry
Wow, what a difference between Side 1 (which is godawful) and Side 2 (which is actually pretty good). I was kinda surprised when I stopped hating this one. One of those “split the difference” scores. Making this an EP with everything from “50ft Queenie” onwards would have been fantastic. Alas, it was not to be.
Some cool stuff, some a little intense on the barbells, but overall interestering!
I get what this album is trying to be... But Harvey rarely steps up to the early 90's alternative mark that is obviously being aimed for. Albini was obviously also allowed free reign to do whatever the fuck he wanted as there's a wide variation in production quality that he was guilty of in those days. Shame as the talent was there to really make a great record of this type. More tracks of the quality of Me Jane were needed
This is at least my third PJ Harvey album. I don't really get it - not the worst but far from the best. Fairly middle of the road.
A new one for me and a lot more grungey than expected
Ride On Me” ist ein energiegeladenes, (Hard) rockiges Album einer Rockröhre, das mit seiner kraftvollen Dynamik und intensiven Gitarrenriffs beeindruckt. Die Band zeigt hier ihr Talent für mitreißende Melodien und leidenschaftliche Performances, die den Hörer sofort in ihren Bann ziehen. Allerdings wirkt das Album stellenweise etwas zu unruhig und überladen, was den Hörgenuss trüben kann. Die ständigen Tempowechsel und die Vielzahl an musikalischen Ideen lassen das Gesamtbild manchmal chaotisch erscheinen. Insgesamt ist “Ride On Me” ein solides Werk, das vor allem Fans von energiegeladenem Rock ansprechen wird.
Didn’t like this as much as the other album by her I’ve already rated but it was still very good. Really between a 3 and a 4 for me
# Playlist Track - Rid of me # Notes - Raw, energetic, noisy. - Doesn't do it for me, though.
PJ Harveyn musiikki on ilmeisesti itselle vaikeasti sisäistettävää. Jälleen kerran ensimmäinen soittokerta jätti lähinnä vitutuksen, mutta levyyn lämpesi soittokertojen myötä. Ei nyt edelleenkään mitään jokapäiväistä suosikkia tästä artistista tule, mutta kevyen räyhäkkää vaihtelua muuhun.
I like so much about this album but wish I liked the sum of its parts more. Abrasive and uncompromising, this album is a feast of distortion and discordance, a harsh sounding exploration of harsh feeling. It has the sonic signature of late 80s/early 90s alt-rock in the wake of the post-hardcore DIY bands like Husker Du, Fugazi, or the Pixies - dark, aggressive, and brutal guitar-driven noise that leans into soft/loud dyamics and gritty texture to build up loads and loads of tension, taking a punk ethos but a more expansive experimental approach to song-writing, with strange time signatures that change, and evocative personal lyrics. It sounds amazing, all the instruments are presented raw and direct in their full intensity, overwhelming the vocal, which struggles valiantly to rise above the riotous noise. It's not an immediately approachable album, the songs don't have instantly memorable hooks/melodies to invite you in or allow you to hold on, and so requires a few listens to work its way toward familiarity so its power can sink in.
This sounds like the 90s. Opening track, the guitar groove. Palm muted and dark. Total 90s. Good record. So 90s.
Honestly wish this more noisy, I think in the moments it went all out it was a lot stronger. Still a compelling and engaging album for most of its runtime. Fav songs: - Missed - Legs - Rub Til It Bleeds
ganz ok, aber so richtig packt mich das nicht
I've realized that I'm a sucker for distorted guitars paired with female vocals. PJ Harvey falls into that realm. Listening to Rid Of Me for the first time; it is evident that PJ has influenced so many female rockers. I hear her influence in bands such as the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Florence + The Machine, and even the Chilean artist Camila Moreno. I enjoyed listening to this album and am definitely keeping it in my rotation.
admittedly I was half listening but it sounded okay
it was fine i guess. i think ill start rating albms that are just "fine" 3 because this site doesn't have .5 ratings
I definitely hear the Patti Smith echoed in the delivery of Rid Of Me but more 90s punk rock/more hard. I think more people should know PJ Harvey- it sounds gritty raw and unpretentious. Yet the last half of the album brought me to a 3/3.5
Was ok but was expecting it to be ‘more’.
Nice album but some cringe on it.
Never listened to the lady before. Kinda like a punk Patti Smith. Loud and whiny and say whatever you want who cares, painful to listen to but I kinda like it. 3 stars
This one was less interesting than Stories Of The City. A bit more one dimensional
This was gritty and cool but I got tired of it after a while. Stand-out: Rid Of Me
Probably not something I'd listen to again as I'm not really into rock music anymore, but I respect the talent here.
I enjoyed it, but I didn’t add any songs to my favourites playlist. I think I would have liked it more as a teenager than a 33 year old man.
Some good songs on here, some meh songs on here. Overall average.
Сначала испытал отвращение, прослушав этот альбом. Но при повторном прослушивании понял, чем он может нравиться: напором, непредсказуемостью, смесью рока и лирики и юморными текстами (Man-size!). однако для меня все равно не выше 3.
rough but ready
Not my favorite album by her, but an interesting one.
Punky, cool... Too cool for me.
Oh my god- Another BANGER produced album. The chaotic atmosphere here just bodes so well with the artwork which is equally sick btw. This was probably the most edgy shit of it's time, and although I don't like a good chunk of this album, there are a ton of fun highlights! Most of the time, I would complain about the instrumentals drowning out the vocals, but I actually think it works very well here. My stand out is Me-Jane, absolute banger.
kinda good :) welcome back boys
Decent album
did not like the raspy screaming in my left ear in the first song, other than that it was decent
pretty cool. not totally my thing but not a bad listen
Proper strange ngl
fun, interesting music, tends to blend a bit together a bit 3.2
could i write poetry to this? y
It was fine.
I love PJ but she progressed too quickly for me and some of her stuff gets a bit more experimental than my tastes. Still enjoyed the listen tho.
A couple songs really blew me away, I love the energy and simplicity, as well as the way she plays with dynamics and tempo. Great record overall with straightforward, purely cathartic rock.
Angsty
Interesting but not captivating.
This rocks more than I thought it would. I actually like Harvey's voice a lot as well. I may have to dive deeper into this.
Tilfinningaþrungið rokkpopp er alveg skemmtilegt og ég hef alveg skemmt mér yfir svona tónlist. Hún náði mér samt ekkert rosalega yfir á sitt band. Ég gæti sem sagt hlustað á þetta aftur en ég er hræddur um að ég muni ekki muna eftir því þegar ég kemst í angistarfíling.
not her best...
A couple songs I love on here. But I wasn't in the mood for the rest of it. I'm old.
I liked their debut 'Dry' but for some reason PJ Harvey fell off my radar, God knows why. This album, should have been an album on my turntable back in the day, but something must have happened for me to turn my back on this. Especially as it was produced by one of my heroes, Steve Albini, who just makes records sound great, and one thing that jumps out is the sonic similarity to another of Albini's engineered albums 'In Utero', which appeared around the same time. Well, I just googled and this was first! The way the guitar just chugs along in the first song, backed up with the rythm section, excellent stuff. It's definitely going to get further listens. A high 3.
Not bad, but it all blended together after a bit, like so many of these albums. Good background vibe. I'd probably like the songs more if I heard them individually on playlists with other, more contrasting songs.
Cool raw emotion, but it's a little too long and too repetitive to really enjoy it.
HL: title track, “Missed”, “Dry”, “Me-Jane” “There seems to be something lacking from this record, hmm…” *turns volume louder* “Oh there it is” My worries about Albini’s name being attached to this project needn’t have been there. I actually prefer the production here over that of Dry (1992). Still, overall I think I preferred the songs on that album more. However, Rid of Me’s twisted, angsty tone is nothing to sniff at, even if it’s not doing wonders for me this specific night. 3.5
Some female grunge
meh, too disorganised
listened to some of it, was decent. pretty good day today. am down 12 dollars to bubnack in poker, some egregious hands today
Good instrumentation and she's a good singer, but it's not doing anything for me.
удивлена что человек который может петь красиво и по нотам так голос срывает. не могу понять. ещё и однокурсники в нежном возрасте слушали, ну как такое привлекает
Very Raw. Was working on a project and it started over. Better the second time.
Yes PJ, frankly, I would like to be rid of you. Sorry, I know that was rude, but do we really need ALL of these albums from her on the list? This is number four, not sure if it's the last, and it's decent overall, but by this point I just don't get it. There was a track on here where she made this gutteral yelp and I just skipped immediately out of embarassment, there wasn't even anyone around me to hear it. Also "Man-Size Sextet," I almost liked that song but it was just awful on the ears. It's weird, the songs I did like on here are maybe my favorites I've heard from her, but the rest of it is forgettable to me. Again, like a British Bjork, and I can't say I'm a fan of either. I'd probably keep one or two PJ Harvey albums on this list because they are interesting, and this might even be one of them. But damn, four is just taking up space. I hope this is the last. Favorite tracks: Rid of Me, Yuri-G, Me-Jane. Album art: Hard to tell where her hair ends and the water begins. Is she going for "white woman with dreadlocks" here? Not sure, but it's a pretty good, striking album cover. 3/5
I might have to listen again.
Man-Size Sextet comes out of left field, introducing sharp and ominous orchestral tones to what had been, until that point, a mostly gritty mid-90's sound. I hadn't really thought much of the album until that point, but the whole thing kind of shifted around there, and I enjoyed it more than I expected.
Love the first part of the record but the back half departs into a more experimental and amelodic sound; it's artful but not as enjoyable. Still a necessary listen and PJ Harvey is cool to death.
Raw production, powerful, unique lyrics and vocal delivery. Only problem is there are just no songs I want to return to. I had the same feeling with Let England Shake: impressed but not hooked.
Really good listen. Not my fave PJ album but still showcases her immense talent
Un tanto de punk y de grunge. Voz enérgica femenina. Un ritmo bastante parecido. Se deja escuchar, pero ni sorprende ni destaca.
Very 90s grunge counter culture.
Difficult to pin down
Lot of respect for Polly Jean and gave lots of her albums a go but none of them ever seemed to stick with me. Same for Rid Of Me. First track was great but I felt it went off the rails a bit after that and after two listens I’m glad I know it now but don’t think it will enter my rotation. Heavy influence on a lot of great artists too, I can hear a lot of this in Garbage, Elastica and even more recently Wolf Alice. It’s one of my stronger 3s for sure. 12/1001
not bad, but not too my taste Fave Track: Rub 'Til It Bleeds
Ganz nett.
Good. A bit of a drain here and there.
I don't really get it but I don't think its bad. Better than the first one.
I'm generally a big fan of punky feminist music but the combination of the production and PJ's vocals just don't work for me. Liked the energy though, the first song definitely got me riled up.
Eh this was fine
Fine. Noisy 90s.
Not her worst... maybe even her best. Still, i rarely enjoy any songs by her
I get why people love early PJ with her destructive punk blues but her repeated quite/loud song structure kind of gets on my nerves after a while. I prefer her debut.
Much better than her debut album, but it still feels quite lenghty.
Audibly groaned when I saw yet another album described as "singer/songwriter" but thankfully this album has some edge and dynamism to its sound so it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.
Great 90s magic 3.5 stars
- The first song ripped but unfortunately the rest of the album did not live up to it - Man-Size Sextet made me uncomfortable - Some songs kept up the energy, but overall it was fine
This is a strange album. It is clearly really well produced, but, I don't think it's my taste.
Hmm, I liked this less than Dry I think. It still had that same angst and snarl to it, but I think it was a bit more one-note. It's interesting to see how far she goes onto come in the next 10 years or so (say to Songs from the City...). Still, her voice never fails and it passed in a flash, so can't say fairer than that
Alright actually
aight
SO MID: this is my second PJ Harvey album in a short time span and it was so incredibly meh. Like more than one album on this list is insane to me with just the underwhelming nature of the music. I just felt myself losing interest in what I was listening to so easily. There also wasn't that banger of a song I was kinda waiting for. Just ehhhh.
A younger me would have loved the female angst. I still do, but it just didn’t full capture me
I've liked other PJH albums on this list more
Looking forward to this one I struggle with pj. Everyone I know loves her. But I don’t get it.
Nigel Spackman. Nigel Spackman. Nigel. Spack. Man. What a legend of the game I am. I can lick the farts out of a baby, play football and review music. Who's the real Nigel Spackman? Stay tuned.
Strong start followed by pretty good album
Some good old indie rock with bad singing
Meh
It was fine.
Patti Smith men litt hardere, og litt dårligere
Never heard of this before. Not my favorite style of music, but I liked it in the end. 3/5 Might listen again
Love me some PJ Harvey
I remember being positive about the last PJ Harvey album I got and I feel like I'm gonna have a similar opinion on this one because they sound pretty similar in my head. I'm still a fan of this type of music but this one did start to wear on me by the end, so maybe my single listening session limit is sub-40 minutes. Either way I enjoyed how raw and angry this felt and rub til it bleeds was my favorite; the highway 61 revisited cover was cool too. So I looked though my history and I totally forgot that I've already gotten two of her albums so far. Dry I vaguely remember being more alternative but I don't remember anything about the other one.
It’s ok. Not my cup of tea.
She's good. I don't love her. But I appreciate the talent. Just not my kind of music.
Some interesting bits, powerful
Raw and real. But lacking in tunefulness.
Eh, it wasn't bad, but I both loved and hated her style of singing.
Third PJ album on the list and my 3rd favourite. Still a great angry soaring album but didn't feel quite as much of the light and shade that her others have.
title track is great but the rest fluctuates. some of this just plain isn't for me but some of this is really good.
It's pretty raw and grungy. I don't find it particularly compelling. It's alright.
I like Polly Jean. Pretenders like Courtney Barnett just rile me, but p j is the real deal. Sure, she can be a bit self indulgent, but she’s a real talent.
rid of this
Kind of boring.mediocre rock with ncie enough vocals,lots of lyrics about sex but it’s very boring.some of it was nice.
This hit me different. I liked the chaos. Will try it again.
I liked the early 90s production but I’ve never really liked PJ’s voice or lyrics and the songs are a bit simplistic.
I really wanted to give this a 4 and it came really close. When I was finished listening I was a bit worn out - it was quite a ride I dig the dark sound of this record, and the blues-ey-ness is kind of off the charts. This is like grunge music for blues people haha. When I was done I was kind of glad it was over though - I was just about to turn if off for a bit when I realized I was on the last track. I had reached the limit of what I could handle in one sitting. The lyrics on this record are really aggressively sexual. Rub 'Til It Bleeds being the one that sticks out in my mind, but also Hook and Rid Of Me. The opening track Rid Of Me was a standout, as were 50ft Queenie and Man-Size, and also the closer Ecstasy just for crazy blues-ey-ness.
Really was proven wrong on this... Enjoyed more than expected. 3/5
While this is probably some of Harvey's better songwriting, the production is just SO inconsistent. I cannot fathom the reasoning behind so many of these mixing choices. Which is wild given Albini's CV. This is the same guy who brought us Nirvana's "In Utero" after all. He knows his stuff. And yet, this album sounds like it was recorded in a cardboard box. It's noisy and flat. Maybe that's Harvey's fault but it feels like a production fail and it's really hard for me to get past.
This is the right PJ Harvey era for me. I love how raw this is and recognisably hers too.
A bit scrappy and raucous for me at times, but I like the spirit and the attitude. At the end of the album it automatically switched to a 'similar' artists, and the Tori Amos song that kicked in was so different in tone that it was a little jarring.
3,5
A lot of raw emotion packed into a Lo-fi sound. Standouts: Man-size.
слишком тихо громко. Let England shake в сердечке, а этот не особо( алкоальбом: диджей выкрутил на максимум дроп и твой мартини пролился
тихоГРОМКО! Вообще эта не та PJ Harvey, которую я ожидал услышать, если послушать следующие альбомы - там всё-таки совсем по-другому идёт подача. Однако панкушная версия мне тоже в целом понравилась. Её сложнее слушать из-за кричащей манеры и звуковых диссонансов, но попробовать можно.
тихо громко ёпта
Raw vocals, unique arrangements, outstanding production.
This was the third PJ Harvey album served up and the best of them. Let's just agree to have this be the last PJ Harvey album that we get...
I'm not really enjoying this kind of music
Maybe needed headphones for this one.
Gnarly.
Angular, lo-fi, jagged, dissonant energy.
Great debut.
👍
I like this more than the other Harvey albums that have come up through this generator. It’s more aggressive and heavy, leaning into more rock instrumentation. I know that not all of these songs are to be interpreted autobiographically, but there’s very real vulnerabilities being expressed and explored here, which connects me to Harvey more than ever, and engages my listening. She’s an artist I’m aware of, but have always kept on my periphery and probably still will, but I like this better than her other offerings.
the vocalist needs a lot of training but i like what they're doing here in an experimental kind of way
Like two of the other three PJ Harvey albums we've had, this is consistently good but never really great. Good energy, pace throughout, some variety, but somehow there's never anything that really gets me going and I don't know why. 3/5.
Interesting and very herself.
Mai he entés la reverència que van tenir els seus primers treballs. PJ Harvey és una artista amb totes les lletres, i des del seu primer 'Dry' va deixar clar que alguna cosa molt interessant hi havia allà gestant-se. Però és la seva evolució la que ha anat catapultant-la cap a l'olimpe del rock alternatiu. Aquest segon disc és molt decent, té riffs, lletres i moments per conservar. Però el seu esperit, gairebé DIY, i la crudesa del so i l'actitud el fan poc atractiu per la majoria d'oients
She definitely rocks. Would be a fun show live I bet!
Admittedly this was better than the first of her albums that I got. Still not the biggest fan, but it's not bad. Very musically strong, Harvey's voice is not something I just can't get behind.
Horny angry woman rocks
Rock, indie, punk, alternativt, råt
Begint wel lekker grungy/fuzzy/noisy/muddy, maar na een nummer of 2 a 3 begint de ellende er iets teveel in te hakken bij me, dan wordt het bijna een straf om verder te luisteren omdat het allemaal zo schuurt. Richting het einde bevalt het weer iets beter. Track 11 'Dry' vind ik het best. Lastig te beoordelen. Ik ben namelijk opzich wel blij verrast hierdoor, maar ik wil dit niet elke dag of elke week horen.
90s grunge sounded similar to Hole. Overall it was decent, nothing really stood out as spectacular.
Messy and destructive, but I liked it! Reading about the album from the 1001 albums blog helped me understand this album's context.
This album is good even though it's not my personal taste.
Hi PJ
No me gustó ni cerca de lo que me gustó el disco anterior de PJ Harvey que apareció en esta lista. Siento que no tiene un rumbo, y no le veo el "álbum", es como que son canciones del mismo género, con algunas diferencias, una atrás de la otra, y siento que le falta un progreso, o como quieran decirle. Me cuesta elegir entre 2 o 3 estrellas para este, pero me quedo con 3 ya que dentro de todo me es bastante escuchable y algo divertido igualmente. 5/10
me gusto pero no es el mejor trabaajo de pj harvey x momentos me recuerda a calamity jane
very punk but all the songs are very samey
Tekee bluesilla jotain, mitä en olisi odottanut voivan tehdä siten, että vaikutelma perinnetietoisuudesta säilyy. Pierrot Lunaite -pastissi? Olen puolesta, en vastaan.
Haven't heard this one before now. It's dark and brooding, but very typical of Polly Jean. Enjoyed it.
Interesting album with some weird but overall great songs
Not her best work
Good
Con PJ Harvey tengo una relación de amor/odio. Me gustan canciones sueltas mucho y cuando hago el esfuerzo de escuchar un album entero me aburre. Este iba por el mismo camino, por suerte mejora pasado la mitad: "Hook", "Man-size sextet" y sobre todo "Highway '61 revisited" y "50ft Queenie" lo salvan.
massa o som mas por vezes dramático demais
2/3
Not quite as good as her other aLbums but descent
Once again, not really sure why this makes the list. Most of it is ok, but some is just noise. Dense and pretty heavy. Is it post-punk, grunge or something else? I think she's just not my cup of tea.
3.0 not as memorable as the last PJ Harvey I heard.
They amped up the energy and anger from the debut, but not necessarily to great effect. One prefers the sustained control and powder-keg effect of Dry to the raw emotional and (borderline hysterical) outpourings here (one would say that, being a dude). There’s a sameness to many of the songs, especially on the first side. The drumming is consistently ferocious (and some of the licks are hot), but much of the playing leans toward undistinguished grunge. Plus, there’s more screaming, yelling and groaning than actual singing. The diversity of the latter tracks improves the overall experience – “Dry” is quite good, for instance, and “Man-Size Sextet” and “Dry” and “Me-Jane.” The cool Dylan cover gets bonus points for creative interpretation, but somehow leaves one a touch cold. From a lesser band this would be something like a high-water mark; for PJH, not much better than average. 3.4 for 3.
Much more enjoyable Pj Harvey album compared to the other one we got. Mix and rock are way better sounding imo. She still bring something crazy in most of songs and that is easy to go through the album this time. Fat 3/5
4/10
27th October 2022 Listened throughout the day and finished Friday morning. Mum and dad round for dinner and bridge in the evening. A lot heavier than I anticipated from PJ Harvey, I always thought she was a pop act but this is full of spike and punk
Not that big of a fan, all the songs on the album sounds very similar.
Eigenlijk zijn de meeste van haar plaatjes wel goed, deze was ook weer prima te hebben, maar niet 1 van de beste.
Cool! Lekker grungy!
PJ toen ze nog jong en boos was. Rauw en kale productie. Maar komt wel echt binnen!
Not a bad album, but not really feeling it. Not liking the quiet/loud production. 'Rub 'Til It Bleeds' is a pretty good song. Really bad version of 'Highway '61 Revisited'. 3/5
This one surprised me a bit. I listened to it a few times trying to decide with a 3 or 4 and have landed on a 3.5, so has to be a 3.
Steve Albini has his fingerprints all over this. I love the quiet / loud change in tempo that runs throughout. There's also a proper band sound, rather than session musicians filling in the gaps. Polly had a complete disregard for fashion and trends of the time. This is most definitely not an early frontrunner to spark the Britpop scene. 50ft Queenie is immense in every sense. The sound captures the ambitions of the lyrics.
Intense, visceral, rocks surprisingly hard. Fave Songs: Rid of Me, Missed, 50ft Queenie, Dry, Ecstasy, Man-Size Sextet
Dark and dirty with a weird Dylan cover in the mix and a grim album cover. I liked it well enough.
Polly Jean at her rawest. Great stuff. Not my favourite... but definitely worth a listen or two. Stand out tracks: Rid of Me, 50 Ft Queenie, Dry.
Iam Sure IT IS great, Not for me
it is a decent album with some great songs but it did not steal my heart as some other albums from PJ
20 years old me would have loved this album. Raw and angry grunge songs. Saved at least 3 to hear again when I am in the mood.
A lot more raw than I was expecting, not a cheerful listen but still worthwhile...but not one I would be revisit time and time again, if only for my own mental well being.
Rawer and angrier than debut, but neither as affecting or effective overall. Undeniable intensity and points for originality on Dylan cover and artiness on "Man-Size Sextet" but otherwise more rancorous than memorable.
As the third PJ Harvey album in this project, I found this one the hardest to listen to. It's a rough one, isn't it? But I guess that was on purpose. I appreciated a lot of it, but I also turned the volume down a lot.
This was a challenging listen for me. I really want to love PJ Harvey, but this particular album was too gritty and hard for me to love. I was challenged to even find like in many tracks.
Very eclectic. I enjoyed some of the songs but some got a bit noisy for me