During her career,
Polly Jean Harvey has had as many incarnations as she has albums. She's gone from the Yeovil art student of her debut
Dry, to
Rid of Me's punk poetess to
To Bring You My Love and
Is This Desire?'s postmodern siren; on
Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea -- inspired by her stay in New York City and life in the English countryside -- she's changed again. The album cover's stylish, subtly sexy image suggests what its songs confirm:
PJ Harvey has grown up. Direct, vulnerable lyrics replace the allegories and metaphors of her previous work, and the album's production polishes the songs instead of obscuring them in noise or studio tricks. On the album's best tracks, such as "Kamikaze" and "This Is Love," a sexy, shouty blues-punk number that features the memorable refrain "I can't believe life is so complex/When I just want to sit here and watch you undress,"
Harvey sounds sensual and revitalized. The New York influences surface on the glamorous punk rock of "Big Exit" and "Good Fortune," on which
Harvey channels both
Chrissie Hynde's sexy tough girl and
Patti Smith's ferocious yelp. Ballads like the sweetly urgent, piano and marimba-driven "One Line" and the
Thom Yorke duet "This Mess We're In" avoid the painful depths of
Harvey's darkest songs; "Horses in My Dreams" also reflects
Harvey's new emotional balance: "I have pulled myself clear," she sighs, and we believe her. However, "We Float"'s glossy choruses veer close to Lillith Fair territory, and longtime fans can't help but miss the visceral impact of her early work, but
Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea doesn't compromise her essential passion. Hopefully, this album's happier, more direct
PJ Harvey is a persona she'll keep around for a while. ~ Heather Phares