1001 Albums Summary

I had never sat and listened to this album before, but the amount of iconic songs present here obviously makes this one of the best 1001 albums of all time, but I have this nagging feeling that the songs were all done better by other performers...

Definitely, PJ's most accessible album by far, but make no mistakes Harvey's artistry and songwriting are absolutely on point. When I originally heard SFC,SFS I felt disappointment. I felt that Harvey had compromised her artistry to make this straightforward rock/pop album, but the longer I lived with the album the more I appreciated it. Upon listening to it again today I see the absolute ridiculousness of my original assertions.

The beauty of this album lies in its simplicity and its effortlessness. What is present on this album that is lacking in the follow-up albums is the sense of no expectations and freedom to create without the knowledge that this would become one of the most important albums to come out at the end of the Naughts. The album has a sense of nostalgia (see - VCR) whilst all the same sounding new and fresh. Not a simple feat.

As far as debut goes... this is an ok stepping stone, but it's not a very strong album. The mediocre drumming is way too in the front of the mix, Eddie Vedder has not found his voice yet, and nothing musically interesting happens until, maybe, Jeremy and then it's followed by more of the same. In a year where Gish, Nevermind, BADMOTORFINGER, Goo, Pretty on the Inside, Blood Suger Sex Magic, Screamadelica, and Trompe le Monde I have no idea how or why this album would stand out and make any top of lists.