Dry by PJ Harvey

Dry

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Dry

Features

Audio CD (June 10, 1997)

Number of Discs: 1

Label: Island

Catalog Number: 555001

Reader Reviews
"Dry" is P.J. Harvey's debut album, released in 1992 it was a critical success while it did modest on the commercial side of things. Harvey was a breath of fresh air to the industry and was that generation's Patti Smith. Her mixture of pounding riffs and raw vocals created one superb album, the multi-talented Harvey wasn't content with just singing she had to co-produce the album, play guitars and violin, and write all but two of the tracks (those two she co-wrote). There are standouts but the album is overall a solid effort and flows well. The album starts with the simplistic "Oh My Lover", the track is simple yet effective and isn't an all-out assault on the ears. I really like the starkness in P.J.'s voice. "O Stella" seems a bit like a reprise of the previous track, though I do like this song better, it's shorter and does more musically, but that doesn't mean I hate "Oh My Lover". Next up is "Dress", I like the repitition in the lyrics and the double bass part which is played to perfection. The song has a very syncopated feel, even though at times an irregular feel. "Victory" is another great track with a nice echo section in it and some nice guitar parts. The bass is great, the drums are probably stronger than ever since the start of the album. "Happy And Bleeding" sounded like it had elements of country and folk in it upon first listen and I still can hear little elements of it, though not as much now, it's another great track though a bit of variation in the riffs would've be nice. "Sheela-Na-Gig" is one of the best songs on the album and the most successfull single off the album, the structure of the song is perfect, especially the 'I'm gonna wash that man right of my hair...' bit. I like the chorus, it's really catchy. "Hair" keeps the same formula that has made the album what it is and doesn't interrupt the flow at all. All the basic things are here, good lyrics, catchy hooks and superb instrumenation. "Joe" is another short track that is set at a very fast tempo, it seems to be gone and over really quick. It's still a nice track though. "Plants And Rags" is the best song on the album and seems a bit out of place on the album, I love the way the strings are used and written. This song is without a doubt the most emotional album on the album and P.J. proves her voice's potential well on this track. "Fountain" starts off incredibly lo-fi and then breaks into the signature sound of the album. I like the contrast and how it makes the song a bit segmented. "Water" has been described as the 'lightest' track off the album, although it does seem a bit light, it still has that punch about it. Great vocals by P.J. again. Overall, "Dry" is special, it retains it's rock-alternative sound while still displaying emotion and beauty. The two best tracks would have to be "Plants And Rags" & "Sheela-Na-Gig", simply because they well, standout. This album though is incredibly solid throughout and flows nicely making this an irresistable album by a true musical genius.

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