It says a lot when your entire back catalog gets a full reissue. However, it’s not all that surprising when you consider the kind of artist that PJ Harvey is. PJ Harvey has been one of the most interesting creative forces in music since she released her debut album Dry back in 1992.
And while the rest of her body of work is undoubtedly impressive with albums like Rid of Me and Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea, her first album holds a special place in her fans’ hearts. This is why her latest release, Dry – Demos, is pretty exciting as it gives fans a chance to revisit the old tracks through these previously unreleased demos. If you want to know what we think about PJ Harvey’s latest release, read on for our review of Dry – Demos!
Now, granted that these songs have already appeared on her debut album (albeit in different forms), it would be hard not to compare them to the ones that appear on the 1992 album. So, do the songs actually hold up or are they just unpolished versions of previously released tracks? The short answer to is: yes.
While one would assume that the demos would feel unfinished when compared to the tracks that made it in Harvey’s debut album, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Tracks such as “O Stella” features Harvey at her best, with nothing but her 1970s Gretsch Broadkaster and her MXR Distortion + that delivers exaggerated fuzz tones that make up her now-iconic brand of grunge. You can even argue that some of the tracks here outshine even the original versions. PJ Harvey has always been great live so it makes perfect sense that stripped-down versions of her songs would have something a little extra for her listeners. The demo version of “Sheela-Na-Gig” is a great example of a track that many would probably prefer over the original, as it oozes of PJ Harvey’s angst and frustrations from being born a woman in a world dominated by the patriarchy — a theme present in most of the songs on this album.
And that’s another point we want to touch on. The personal nature of this album is aided by the rawness. With Dry – Demos, we get a PJ Harvey that’s unfiltered and real — which is probably the best version of PJ Harvey. While good production on an album is a premium, this is a reminder that good songs will always be good.
Final Verdict:
All in all Dry – Demos is a stellar addition to PJ Harvey’s body of work. It’s a great album for both fans and people who have never heard of her, as Dry is a great entry-level album to learn what PJ Harvey is all about.
