The 500 - #431 - PJ Harvey - Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

Album # 431

Album Title: Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea
Artist: PJ Harvey
Genre: Alternative Rock
Recorded: March - April, 2000
Released: October, 2000
My age at release: 35
How familiar was I with it before this week: Not at all
Song I am putting on my Spotify Mix: Big Exit

This is a record and an artist about whom I knew nothing. Consequently, this post will be dedicated to things I learned about her and this record, with a lengthy title: Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea. 

Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea Album Cover

Thanks, as always, to The 500 Podcast where Josh, his research team and this week's guest, actor and comedian Mary Lynn Rajskub, provided important context and insight.

Mary Lynn Rajskub and Josh Adam Meyers

Things I Learned

This is the fifth release by Dorset, England, native (Polly Jean) PJ Harvey. As a child, she was surrounded by music. Her parents shared their vast music library with her and introduced her to musicians, including family friend Ian Stewart -- the co-founder and keyboardist for The Rolling Stones.

She is a songwriter, singer and multi-instrumentalist who plays guitar, bass, piano, violin, cello, saxophone, harmonica, accordian and drums.

PJ Harvey at The Pitchfork Music Festival, Chicago 2008

As a teen, she joined an eight-piece instrumental band called Bologne as a saxophonist. Later, she was a guitarist and singer with the folk duo Polekats, where her songwriting began.

The trio, PJ Harvey, was formed in 1991 when she was 22. The band's debut performance was, according to Harvey, disasterous. The band were playing at a "skittle alley" (aka: a lawn bowling club). In one song, they had nearly cleared the hall and, shortly after, the club owner came up to say:

"Don't you realize, We don't like you. You can stop playing. We'll still pay you...just stop playing."

With the passage of time the story has become a humorous anecdote. As the saying goes, "tragedy + time = comedy". 

Obviously, the band soldiered on and released their debut record Dry in 1992. It received positive critical press including Rolling Stone magazine naming her Songwriter of the Year.

Rid of Me Album Cover

The second album, Rid Of Me, was recorded at Pachyderm Studios in Minnesota with Steve Albini at the helm producing. Those who read my recent post on Nirvana's In Utero album may recall that name and location. Rid Of Me appears on The 500 list at #406. So, more on that at a later date.

Unfortunately, friction during the North American tour led to the band disolution. PJ Harvey went solo, retaining the band name (which only makes sense) and released two more records To Bring You My Love (1995) and Is This Desire? (1998), both to critical and commercial success.

Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea, was released in the autumn of 2000. It won the prestigeous Mercury Prize (a British equivalent to The Grammy). The ceremony was held on September 11, 2001 and Harvey was in Washington while on tour. She witnessed the terrorist attack on The Pentagon from her hotel room window. When accepting the award, by telephone, she said, quite fittingly,

 "It has been a very surreal day. All I can say is thank you very much, I am absolutely stunned."

I listened to the record a half-dozen times this week, either while connecting with my students online or holding a ladder for my wife who is painting the interior of our home. To use an expression I recently learned -- "this record plows". Harvey's voice reminds me of one of my favourite vocalists, Chrissy Hynde of The Pretenders. 

Harvey also includes a number of songs featuring Thom Yorke of Radiohead -- even one where he sings lead. In itself, it is unusual for a singer to choose to choose harmonies rather than lead on their own album. I like this record and look forward to hearing Rid Of Me in a few months.