PJ Harvey: B-Sides & Rarities

[plastic•husband]

30 is such a cool song. Quiet, cryptic, slightly ominous. Perfect for night driving.

[rubidoux]

There's also "Dance on the Mountain", an unreleased The Hope Six Demolition Project demo that was premiered on BBC Radio as part of the soundtrack to a play called On Kosovo Field.

You can download it from here.

Dance on the Mountain

Kalashnikovs were brought across
the mountain on the back of mules.
They stored their weapons in a school.
There's something wrong,
something terrifying.

And now the slopes of dry grass
hold crouching boys
watch their fathers dance.
Holding hands, they follow the drums.
Something terrifying is going on.

The oldest dancer takes off his hat
to place a glass of water on his head,
bares his teeth, wakes the dead.
This is their land they dance upon.
Something terrifying is going on.

The dancer falls to kneel before
the village elder. Stains on his shirt.
Rising up, growing strong,
the boy children start to dance.
It's terrifying.

In the distance people call
like a river running home.
In the distance people call
like a river calling out.
In the distance people call
in the oldest language known.
It's terrifying.

[eskaton]

Wow, thanks for that rubidoux. I'd completely missed that somehow.

[rubidoux]

No problem, I also almost missed it. The play itself features quite a few demo recordings ("Chain of Keys" and "The Wheel", as well as songs that didn't make it to the studio versions - "Pity for the Old Road", "The Red Road", "Clothes of Grief" and "Where Is Our City") but they're all used as background music and mostly talked over. "Dance on the Mountain" is the only one that was posted on the BBC website in its entirety.

[waitressboy]

First time in my life I listen to this, I had no idea it existed... and I'm not sure if I like it or not...

[eskaton]

Damnit, another one that I've missed somehow. Thanks to you as well, waitressboy. It seminds me of older Miranda Sex Garden in a way.

[Octopussy]

She ought to officially release these scores, because that was great. Very sepulchral and creepy.

I had no idea there were Hope Six outtakes. *investigates*

[waitressboy]

PJ has so much b-sides, soundtracks, unreleased stuff, she has enough material to release a box. I think she could fill at least three cds.

[rubidoux]

Not to mention that she's written and recorded four full theatre soundtracks for Hedda Gabler (2009), Hamlet (2011), Electra (2014), and The Nest (2016).

ETA: And the radio drama Orpheus and Eurydice in 2015... it's hard to keep track!

[waitressboy]

^Did she sing in those or she just wrote the score? I had no idea about those.

[rubidoux]

^ AFAIK most of them were instrumental recordings (performed by her), with some wordless vocalizations, but no actual songs. There's a sample of the Hedda Gabler soundtrack on YouTube. It sounds like instrumental White Chalk outtakes - she must have composed it around the time she was writing that album.



I remember reviews mentioning the Electra score being more intense and twisted, using plenty of guitars and autoharp. And for Hamlet she actually wrote music to Shakespeare's words for the actress portraying Ophelia to sing.

All these plays were directed by Ian Rickson who has also 'directed' Polly's Let England Shake and The Hope Six Demolition Project concerts.