PJ Harvey, the iconic British musician, has captivated audiences for over three decades with her fierce, intense, and unsmiling persona. From her early days, she established herself as a force to be reckoned with, drawing comparisons to the likes of Kurt Cobain, Patti Smith, and Nick Cave. Her first two albums, particularly her debut Dry, remain timeless classics that embody a minimalist aesthetic that hasn’t aged a day.
However, PJ Harvey’s artistic journey didn’t stop there. Unwilling to rest on her laurels, she delved into more varied and fleshed-out arrangements on her third album, To Bring You My Love. This marked a turning point as she explored new territories, playing with her voice and evolving into a post-grunge Kate Bush. Throughout the 2000s, she crafted a personal and kaleidoscopic body of work that resonated deeply with her loyal fanbase.
In the 2010s, PJ Harvey became less prolific but no less valuable. Following her album The Hope Six Demolition Project, she expressed fatigue with the traditional album-promotion-tour cycle. Instead, she turned her attention to composing music for film and television soundtracks, publishing poetry, and generously reissuing her discography, including indispensable demo versions of her albums.
Now, after a hiatus, PJ Harvey made a triumphant return in the summer of 2023 with her latest album, I Inside the Old Year Dying. Returning to her roots with the help of long-time collaborators John Parish and Flood, she balances honouring her fundamentals while pushing herself forward. This blend of nostalgia and progression has become a constant theme in PJ Harvey’s adventurous career.
Interestingly, despite PJ Harvey’s initial dismissal of her lyrics as not being meant to be read as poetry, her 10th studio album aligns closely with her published folklore poem, Olam. Set in a magical-realist version of Dorset, the rugged English coast known for its rebellious history, the album follows the story of nine-year-old Ira-Abel Rawles growing up in the village of Underwhelem. The songs, mirroring the poem’s calendar cycle, depict the last year of Ira-Abel’s innocence in a world filled with sheep, old-school pubs, and peculiarities.
Harvey skillfully weaves together Dorset dialect and English in her lyrics, often singing from the perspective of the young girl. The album explores themes of love, searching, and the intensity of first love, tinged with a bittersweet sense of loss. It introduces enchanting characters like Orlam, a lamb spirit, and Wyman-Elvis, a ghostly soldier who represents both a Christ-like figure and the King himself, Elvis Presley.
The songs on I Inside the Old Year Dying showcase Harvey’s vocal versatility, ranging from breathy chanteuse to her more familiar and powerful delivery. The title track, in particular, harkens back to her classic style, with its nervy and edgy energy. Harvey’s intention in this album is to capture the anticipation of the saviour’s reappearance, representing love, transformation, and the transition from childhood to adulthood.
As with much of PJ Harvey’s work, this album is evocative, shadowy, and occasionally sinister. It showcases her artistry and ability to create a world that may not be for everyone but undoubtedly leaves a lasting impact on those who delve into its depths. With I Inside the Old Year Dying, PJ Harvey continues to push boundaries, proving once again that she is an enduring adventuress in the ever-evolving landscape of music.
