4-Track Demos came out during a turbulent period in the now singular unit of PJ Harvey. The group Harvey had fronted for two years had disbanded and she was faced with decisions on how to continue, both in terms of what was expected of her and what she wanted to do next. But instead of using that time in-between albums to move away from public eye, as would be understandable, Steve Albini helped convinced Harvey to release a series of demos, some tracks that made Rid of Me and some that didn’t, a move that Harvey described as “a small interjection piece of me before I knew where I was going to be next.”
It is tempting for the musical world to fetishize the immediacy of the demo. Many lo-fi artists and sections of music, garage rock to black metal, attempt to intentionally return to that cheaper aesthetic, and some hip-hop artists talk about returning to a sound like that on their mixtapes. The ideal of this, generally, is to return to a rawness of sound and intent, to present themselves as more immediate, to be that dreaded word for the artist; more “authentic”. Of course most of those problems were never something PJ Harvey had to worry about. Her “truthful” persona was soon to be shown as one that constantly reinvented itself. But with this collection’s cover of an unshaven Harvey in a hotel room in mainly her lingerie, bar a camera and sunglasses, Harvey shows herself to be both aware of that image, and more than happy to play for it.
The vocals on this collection sound as though they were recorded in a cramp hotel room, and as paranoid as if it were the Watergate building. On songs like “Reeling” it sounds as though there is an intent to get that feedback sound that comes from putting your hands over the mic. Critics at the time who did not appreciate Albini’s production specifically pointed out the clarity of the vocals on this collection. I myself see the merits of both versions of production but I did notice one key difference in, perhaps, philosophy; if the vocals on Rid of Me merged with the song through volume, these demos show Harvey merging with the guitars (such as in “Rid of Me” and “Yuri-G”) through tone.
Although I do miss the amount of percussion that was on the other two record (barring where it is here on like this version of “Hook” and “Hardy Wait”) my two favourite aspects of these tracks are both the prevalence of the organ on songs like “Hook” and “Snake”, and the tendency to introduce track via other songs which contrapuntally clash with what is about to come. In terms of previous that are on this collection, there are two here which I can say I prefer as its fuller Rid of Me version (“Rub ‘Till it Bleeds” and “Yuri-G”), the rest I like about the same level as their professional counterparts, and one version, “Hook”, that I really do prefer in its “rougher” form.
But the main draw of this to me are the tracks which didn’t make the previous record, and this collection is essentially enough proof that the only reason they weren’t included was for reasons of album length. Because pretty every track on here, barring maybe the aesthetic of ”Easy” and “M-Bike” (not their quality), sounds like it could have been on there. Tracks here like the messy and loud “Reeling”, the surprisingly cool (in context) “Hardly Wait” and the trippy blues of the final track, “Goodnight”.
I’m definitely glad we decided to give 4-Track Demos their own review, because they deserve one. It is both great music in its own right, and a great splitting off point between PJ Harvey the band and PJ Harvey the singular. And in the midst of many problems and heightened emotions, she would wade through the storm of her life then the best possible way; by being her talented and thoughtful self.
What do you think though?
As I already did some tracks from here elsewhere that I don’t have much more to add towards, I’ll only write about the tracks that are new or that I have a big enough difference in perspective on
Rid of Me: I guess because of the smoother backing vocals on this version, and the fact it obviously a single person, this version actually comes across as more sensual. Even the seeming mistake around the 1:30 mark feels like it fits the track. Also, I expect the guitar to be a Gretsch if this amazing live performance is anything to go by (just look how she commands that audience!)
“Reeling”: This has some really great bouncy electric guitar work, whose atmosphere is immediately counteracted with those clashing organ chords. The blownout vocals have lyrics about going to places like, Spain, the moon and the stage that are about as loose as the instrumentation feels. Also, I didn’t think Robert De Niro was a “sit on my face” kind of figure. Whatever, great song.
“Hook”: This version of the track is definitely improved for me by having that introduction and a more obvious organ accompaniment. Whereas on the album version I felt there was not enough of a change of dynamics and tone, this version makes up for that. It also helps that PJ Harvey’s strained vocals are pushed much further to the front. A definite improvement.
“Driving”: Although there is a lot of tension on many of these tracks, this is the one I think that achieves it the most tension whilst being the most, for lack of a better word, soft. The vocals only get really loud just before the outro, and before that Harvey only has two vocal sets and a guitar to merge together that level of anxiety.
“Hardly Wait”: Another song from this era that is pretty much blues rock for the most part, the smoother vocals and muted guitars on this one sound as though they are holding back some primal emotions, that gradually reveals themselves as the track goes along (which it does spectacularly despite being under 3 minutes). The line about a “glass coffin” is such a stark and chilling line to go out on, though. My favourite of these new songs.
“Easy”: A great combination of blues, punk and indie rock that is the probably the song on here that most closely resembles a Patti Smith number. In a great example on just how one little singular aspect can elevate a song, those backing “Ha’s” really help to propel the chorus in such a euphoric way.
“M-Bike”: The second of the two automobile inspired songs left on the cutting room floor, I’d call this the weakest of the songs on the album, but that would be praising with faint damns, and that is only because it has a sound a tiny bit out of place with the rest. Those hands and the springy acoustic guitar on here really, *sigh*, drive the track home. And an appreciated harmonica number is always a surprise.
“Goodnight”: Definitely a different sound to the Beatles song of the same name, this closer has sliding guitars (apparently pressed with knives) that are just straight up orgasmic, and shows that Harvey can really use the lower half of her register to chilling effect.
PJ Harvey Album Ranking
- Rid of Me
- 4-Track Demos
- Dry