P.J. Harvey, The Peel Sessions 1991 – 2004
Featured Album
Not all the sessions, but a strong narrative arc that certainly makes it worth owning
PJ Harvey had a particularly fruitful relationship with the tastemaking Radio 1 DJ John Peel; he shone the spotlight on her during a guest-critic stint at the British music rag Melody Maker, in which he dubbed 1991 debut single "Dress" the mag's single of the week. (This was during a time when those sorts of proclamations from dead-tree publications carried particular clout; Britpop mainstays like Suede and Pulp also enjoyed this honor.) Peel brought PJ Harvey in for many sessions on his influential radio show and while this collection unfortunately doesn't compile them all, there's a strong narrative arc that certainly makes it worth owning. The appearance PJ Harvey made in the wake of the Melody Maker accolade is here in its entirety, as are takes on rarities like the raunchy standard "Wang Dang Doodle" (which was a b-side to the "Man-Size" single) and the To Bring You My Love-era preface "Naked Cousin" (which appeared on the soundtrack to The Crow: City of Angels). It closes out with a performance of the Uh Huh Her track "You Came Through" that was recorded at a Peel tribute shortly after his untimely passing in 2004; that song's message of overwhelming gratitude for a friendship particularly resonates, thanks to Harvey's stripped-down performance.
