PJ Harvey "Is This Desire?" Commentary

Rarely have I heard an artist find her own voice as strongly or as clearly as Polly Harvey does on "Is This Desire?" This band has never lacked for originality, but this record shows such breadth of style and mood as to keep the listener guessing in a big way. To a certain extent, this effect is unsettling; I don't feel like I can trust Polly. She's both spilling her soul and playing devil's advocate on this album, and seemingly both at once sometimes. Case in point:  "The River" showcases Harvey's vulnerable side as she tells the story of a search for redemption. The choruses offer the seeker some relief, but the mournful horns remind us there must be a price. I want to believe she is singing about a place of peace, but I can't help but think she is singing about oblivion instead. This is a powerful use of Harvey's voice: to lyrically send the listener in one direction while tonally creating doubt and suspicion.

When I say that Harvey has found her voice, what I mean is this: her influences are no longer clear and nobody else sounds like her. This is a mixed blessing. On one hand, this album is undeniably masterful and exquisitely well-crafted. On the other hand, I recognize some of the song-crafting techniques we've heard in the band's previous releases, which means that Harvey has only partially met her goal of not repeating herself. That's not to say that any of these songs would have fit on any of their previous albums, but more to note that some of them sound like the maturation of musical ideas the band introduced on those albums.

However, "Is This Desire?" very much features PJ Harvey expanding their repertoire of instrumentation. We hear guitars on nearly every song, but they're always processed through various effects, which is great fun. There's also a plethora of electronic noises spread all throughout this album. These sounds are wonderful: they're textured, unique and rhythmic, and they reflect Harvey's continued courage in embracing new styles. "Joy" brings the guitars and the electronics together to create a gothic, almost industrial dirge. On this song, Harvey's voice sounds like strength through pain. This is part of the distinctive power of that voice: she faces emotional darkness seemingly fearlessly. In doing so, she sets a high bar for the listener. She will tell us sincerely of her soul, but we have to accept all sides thereof.

Here is the payoff for facing the darkness: when PJ Harvey rocks, they ROCK. "The Sky Lit Up", "No Girl So Sweet" and "A Perfect Day Elise" (my personal favorite) are all full of melodic fury. They're very listenable, and they highlight another facet of Harvey's having found her voice: With nothing to prove, and their rock cred established, PJ Harvey really tone down the abrasiveness on this album. All of these songs are quite accessible, well produced, and worth revisiting over a number of listens.

"Is This Desire?" continues PJ Harvey's tradition of pushing their limits musically, and what this means is that this record achieves a very difficult goal: it balances the sophistication of experienced artists with the raw newness of working with new instruments and new styles. Thus, the band sounds both confident and hungry and the energy of this record lingers on.