Customer Reviews

Dance Hall at Louse Point

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

If you are a PJ Harvey fan, you already have this album. You were thrown off by the order of the credits on the cover, but would not be fooled into thinking that this was any less than a new stomping ground for Polly Jean's neverending talent for the subversive, passionate, and darkly comic music to which you are addicted. Guitarist John Parish, who supplied much of the multilayered musical texture in the masterpiece, "To Bring You My Love," was supposed to make a breakthrough with this album, demonstrating a wide range of sounds---from avant-garde blues in "Rope Bridge Crossing" to heavily theatrical "Un Cercle Autour de Soleil." Just to remind us that this is his album, we get 2 instrumental pieces---the simple, utterly sublime "Girl" and the uneventful garage-style title track. However, the real treats come when PJ throws her weight around against the sonically rich backdrop. The guttural wail of "City of No Sun" sounds like the product of demonic possession, and "Urn With Dead Flowers in a Drained Pool" is a multilayered bloody valentine worthy of "Rid Of Me." However, her immense talent has never before been demonstrated so well in one song as in "Taut," an oddly affecting and hilarious epic theatrical piece that Harvey sings in a variety of characters, the nature of which is a perversely delightful surprise. The entire album is one of the most grounded art-rock collaborations to date, with all the dynamics of a performance piece. Its loose form is both very liberating (it sounds as if both artists have accomplished exactly what they set out to make without interruption) and somewhat frustrating (PJ's dismal cover of "Is That all There Is" wilts after multiple listenings, and the album ends very abruptly with the loud, compact "Lost Fun Zone.") Nevertheless, it is an incredibly original piece of work from two of the most consistently compelling and versatile artists around, and promises an uncompromising musical journey.

This album floated under my radar until the singer in our band brought it to practice one night. She wanted to start opening the band up to more a more improvised feel that this album has. It injected new life into us but the feeling was hard to sustain. On this album there are many songs i feel the same about. There are incredible beautiful sonic and lyrical moments but they move on before you can grab them. Not that it's a bad thing. It is just unconventional and takes a little getting used to.

The songs have a loose improvised feel. Listen to the wonderful off drumming on "Taut" as PJ rants. "Rope Bridge Crossing" is reminiscent of songs on To Bring You My Love, with it's bluesy base, but it is more ethereal and elusive. John Parish has to be commended for the music. As her right hand man on recent albums and tours he is certainly a kindred soul to PJ Harvey. This is an album of two souls playing around with each other.

"Dance Hall at Louse Point" is an overlooked gem. I am a big PJ fan, and after hearing this cd, I've become an admirer of John Parish as well.

Granted, it's not for everyone, but PJ's solo music isn't for everyone either, is it? Therefore, anyone who appreciates PJ will surely appreciate this collaboration. Parish's music has a raw, bluesy sound that mixes with PJ's soulful singing perfectly. There are some extraordinary, haunting tracks that I love, like "Rope Bridge Crossing" and "Civil War Correspondent". "That Was My Veil" is an exceptionally beautiful song and is a little easier to swallow than the rest.

As I listen to this, I imagine sitting in on a private session between Parish and PJ. They're free to play whatever they want, whichever way they want, and that music, unrefined and unrestrained, is what you get in "Dance Hall at Louse Point." The result is stunning.

I had to listen to this album a couple of times before I fell in love with it, and then it became the one I never put away - it was always parked next to my cd player. Yes, it's jangling, grating, and scary - but it's also beautiful, real, and haunting. I loved it so much I had to share it with a friend, and I never got it back. I missed it. I craved it. So I ordered it again. This is a therapeutic album for me - when I need to release screams and wails, I choose this one over any other PJ album.

Interesting record. Lots of great stuff here, if not totally satisfying. The music written by long time foil/collaborator/benefactor John Parish. The lyrics written by PJ. PJ has said she loved this record because it challenged her writing skills and she felt she grew quite a bit from the experience, as she was working differently than she had in the past.

There are a few PJ Harvey records I would recommend before getting this one. While there are those who think it is among her best work and love it the most, I think the "typical" fan prefers some of her other titles more. Plus, given the fact that much of the music was beyond her influence, listening to this album first fails to give you a sense of her own musical perspective.

Next to '4-Track Demos', I think this album is her most challenging work and is probably best to explore a little later on. That being said, highlights for me include 'Heela', 'Civil War Correspondent', 'Taut' (though I much prefer live versions from '98 era), 'That Was My Veil'.. well, there are a few more good ones here too. So, I guess I like this album even more than I thought. Lol!

Of all of Polly Jean Harvey's albums this one seems to receive the most negative reviews. OK, so it's not an "official" PJ Harvey album. And no, it's not another "To Bring You My Love." But it is another great CD. In fact it actually features one of Polly's best songs, "Taut" and John Parish is quite an accomplished musician and composer. In terms of lyrical content and moody blues this album has a lot in common with "To Bring You My Love." Yes, a few of the songs are structurally weak, but most of them are still better than the majority of "Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea." This is one hell of an album with a ferocious rock out vibe. Isn't experimentation a good thing? Why not judge for yourself?

As evidenced by the sleeve credits, this album was made by long time PJ Harvey collaborator John Parish and Polly Jean. Parish and PJ have been playing together since their days in Automatic Dlamini, although Parish is perhaps best remembered for his great guitar work on To Bring You My Love. Parish and Polly split responsibilities straight up the middle: he wrote the music and plays most of the instruments and she wrote the words and sings.

The album was intended as accompaniment for a dance piece to be choreographed by Mark Bruce and performed at the South Bank Performing Arts Centre. But given the diversity and undanceability of its tracks, it's hard to imagine what kind of dance performance could be accompanied by it. Even though the individual songs are good, that diversity makes it something less than PJ's other work. Every 'straight up' PJ Harvey album has an artistic focus: each song builds on and relates to every other one, making a narrative, even if an abstract one, leading to a real emotional climax. Dance Hall is just a collection of songs, many of them good or great, but none presented in its best light.

Aside from a couple of pretty but negligible instrumental pieces, 'Girl' and the title track, and one near-instrumental track, 'Lost Fun Zone', Dance Hall relies on Polly's lyrics and singing. 'That Was My Veil' is an immediate standout, a beautifully understated and melodic song. 'Is that all there is?', the old Peggy Lee standard, shows off Polly's acting-through-singing as a bitter yet wistful young woman.

Ironically, though, Dance Hall's best tracks really emerged only during PJ's Is this Desire tour. Perhaps burned out after near endless touring in support of To Bring You My Love, Polly didn't tour for Dance Hall, which may have contributed to Dance Hall's lackluster sales, at least in comparison to the wildly popular To Bring You My Love. But maybe that time off helped bring bring alive some of these songs -- 'Rope Bridge Crossing' and 'Civil War Correspondent' really filled out in concert. And 'Taut', maybe the best song to emerge from Dance Hall, exploded on the stage with Polly digging deep into its two roles. 'Taut' was particularly blistering on the performance she taped for Sessions at West 54th Street in 1998 -- the power and charisma she radiated was mesmerizing. That night she played this one twice-- she accidentally unplugged the mic halfway the first performance but played through. The second 'Taut' was even more powerful than the first, and the back-to-back performance was the highlight of the set.

In short, while a must-have for any serious PJ Harvey fan, this album doesn't compare with PJ Harvey's own albums, any of which would make a better point of embarkation for people who are just starting to get pulled into her music.

This album has a sound unlike any other PJ Harvey album, but each album of hers is unlike any other. I guess you wouldn't like it if you only like her last two albums (wonderful albums but her earlier work is different), but for those TRUE fans who scour indie record stores for imports you know you'll never find, who will play all of her albums in succession in one evening by yourself, you'll love this. And not just because her name is on it, it's truly great. And just a little more offbeat than usual PJ.

With the exception of "Rid of Me," this CD is one of Polly Jean Harvey's best efforts. Her vocals alternate between eerie sympathy and painful aggression. An incredible collaboration with guitarist John Parrish. A must-have for any hard-core PJ fan.

I bought this album a few years ago, I played it once and I hated it. Recently I played it again and loved it. It's not to everyone's taste, a touch self-indulgulgent (to say the least), but it has it's own strange beauty: PJ's version of `is that all there is' is stunning.