Album: Is This Desire? by PJ Harvey (1998)
Genre: Alternative Rock | Style: Rock/Pop | Mood: Creepy
Record Label: Partisan Records
Format: Album

Description: Is This Desire? is the fourth studio album by the English alternative rock musician PJ Harvey, released on 28 September 1998 on Island Records.Recorded on and off in Dorset and London between April 1997 and April 1998, it was co-produced by Flood, Head and Harvey herself, and featured instrumental contributions from Rob Ellis, John Parish, Mick Harvey, Eric Drew Feldman, Joe Gore and Jeremy Hogg. It marked a move away from Harvey’s earlier guitar-driven rock style into subtler, quieter, atmospheric soundscapes and mood pieces based around keyboards, bass and electronics.
Is This Desire? is the album which PJ Harvey claims to feel the proudest of out of all her music to date. She spoke about the making of it to Filter magazine in 2004: "Again working with Flood, again trying to find new ground, but a particularly difficult time in my life. So, it was a very, very difficult, difficult record to make and still one I find very difficult to listen to, but probably my favorite record that I've made because it had a lot of guts. I mean, I was making extremely difficult music, experimenting with techniques I hadn't used before and not really caring what other people thought about it. I'm quite proud of that one." She also told the The Telegraph, "I do think Is This Desire? is the best record I ever made—maybe ever will make—and I feel that that was probably the highlight of my career. I gave 100 per cent of myself to that record. Maybe that was detrimental to my health at the same time."
It is the first PJ Harvey album to feature its lyrics printed on the inner sleeve.
The song "The Wind" was inspired by Saint Catherine, and in particular St Catherine's Chapel, Abbotsbury. The lyrics discuss the chapel's location on top of a hill, and end with an inversion of a traditional prayer which women used at the chapel to pray for a husband. The village of Abbotsbury is near PJ Harvey's home.

Artist Background: PJ Harvey, an iconic figure in alternative rock, continues to captivate audiences with her evocative music and profound lyricism. Born in Dorset, England, Harvey first gained widespread acclaim in the early 1990s with her debut album "Dry," establishing herself as a powerful voice in the music scene. Over the years, her work has earned her multiple awards, including the Mercury Prize for her albums "Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea" and "Let England Shake." In 2023, Harvey released... Part of the Bridport, Dorset, England, UK music scene. Emerged in the 1980s era. Associated with Alternative Rock movement. Known for Rock/Pop style.

Related Artists: Tori Amos, John Parish, Kate Bush, Fiona Apple

Music Scene: Part of the Bridport, Dorset, England, UK music scene. Emerged in the 1980s era. Associated with Alternative Rock movement. Known for Rock/Pop style.

Tags: Alternative Rock, Rock/Pop, Creepy, 1990s, Album, Partisan Records

Additional Context: Rating score: 8. Based on 1 votes. Available on Discogs marketplace


Is This Desire? is the fourth studio album by the English alternative rock musician PJ Harvey, released on 28 September 1998 on Island Records.Recorded on and off in Dorset and London between April 1997 and April 1998, it was co-produced by Flood, Head and Harvey herself, and featured instrumental contributions from Rob Ellis, John Parish, Mick Harvey, Eric Drew Feldman, Joe Gore and Jeremy Hogg. It marked a move away from Harvey’s earlier guitar-driven rock style into subtler, quieter, atmospheric soundscapes and mood pieces based around keyboards, bass and electronics.
Is This Desire? is the album which PJ Harvey claims to feel the proudest of out of all her music to date. She spoke about the making of it to Filter magazine in 2004: "Again working with Flood, again trying to find new ground, but a particularly difficult time in my life. So, it was a very, very difficult, difficult record to make and still one I find very difficult to listen to, but probably my favorite record that I've made because it had a lot of guts. I mean, I was making extremely difficult music, experimenting with techniques I hadn't used before and not really caring what other people thought about it. I'm quite proud of that one." She also told the The Telegraph, "I do think Is This Desire? is the best record I ever made—maybe ever will make—and I feel that that was probably the highlight of my career. I gave 100 per cent of myself to that record. Maybe that was detrimental to my health at the same time."
It is the first PJ Harvey album to feature its lyrics printed on the inner sleeve.
The song "The Wind" was inspired by Saint Catherine, and in particular St Catherine's Chapel, Abbotsbury. The lyrics discuss the chapel's location on top of a hill, and end with an inversion of a traditional prayer which women used at the chapel to pray for a husband. The village of Abbotsbury is near PJ Harvey's home.

Is This Desire?

PJ Harvey

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