Is This Desire?

Is This Desire?
Is This Desire?
Studio album by PJ Harvey
Released	28 September 1998
Recorded	April 1997–1998
Studio	Small World Studios in Yeovil and Whitfield Street Studios in London, United Kingdom
Genre	Downtempo; alternative rock; trip hop; electronic rock; electronica;
Length	40:24
Label	Island
Producer	Flood; Marius De Vries; Head; PJ Harvey;
PJ Harvey chronology
Singles from Is This Desire?
	"A Perfect Day Elise"; Released: 14 September 1998; "The Wind"; Released: 11 January 1999;

Is This Desire? is the fourth studio album by English musician PJ Harvey, released on 28 September 1998 on Island Records. It was re-released on vinyl and CD in late January 2021. A separate demo compilation of tracks from the album titled Is This Desire? - Demos was also released on vinyl LP and CD.

Background[]

Recorded on and off in Somerset 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.

Harvey spoke about the making of the album in an interview with Filter magazine in 2004, indicating it was the project of which, to date, she was proudest. "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 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."

John Parish reflected on the album's recording in 2021: "[Is This Desire?] is probably the most compromised album that Polly's made, largely to do with the time over which it was made ... There were two long recordings sessions and almost a year's gap between them. The bulk of the first session took place in a small studio in Yeovil, so it was much more Heath Robinson setup, and the second session, most or all of it took place in a huge expensive London studio, so there were differences in the technical capabilities of the studio, but the same musicians basically in both sessions and same producers and engineers. It’s very difficult to sustain the identity of a record like that. It was also the only record where the record company came in and had a degree of creative input, which had never been sanctioned on any of the other records, certainly none of the other records I was involved with. The record company often never heard anything until they got the mastered album! ... on this album there were a couple of people who I felt took advantage of the fact Polly wasn't very well at that time. Normally she's so decisive and strong about what she feels, about what's going to happen, but on that record she wavered in the middle."^[5]

It is the first PJ Harvey album to feature lyrics printed on the inner sleeve.

The song "The Wind" was inspired by Saint Catherine, and in particular St Catherine's Chapel, Abbotsbury.^[6]^[7] 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.^[6]^[8] The village of Abbotsbury is near PJ Harvey's home.^[9]

Reception[]

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[10]
Entertainment Weekly	A^[11]
The Guardian	^[12]
Los Angeles Times	^[13]
NME	6/10^[14]
Pitchfork	8.0/10^[15]
Q	^[16]
Rolling Stone	^[1]
Spin	8/10^[17]
The Village Voice	A−^[18]

Critical reviews were generally positive. Q magazine praised the record as "disturbing and excellent", CMJ called it "another milestone in her already illustrious career", and Entertainment Weekly said it "seethes with hypnotic power";^[11] the magazine Dazed & Confused claimed "Is This Desire? will be a classic of the next 10 if not 20 years. It has the impeccable timing of jazz, the arrangement of a classic dance track, the depth of an orchestral symphony and the emotional charge of gospel."^{[citation needed]} It received a Grammy Award nomination as Best Alternative Music Performance of 1998.^[19] Although it did not sell as well as her 1995 commercial breakthrough To Bring You My Love, it did spawn her biggest UK hit with the single "A Perfect Day Elise"; a second single, "The Wind", charted on the UK Top 30.^{[citation needed]}

Track listing[]

All tracks are written by PJ Harvey.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Angelene"	3:34
2.	"The Sky Lit Up"	1:50
3.	"The Wind"	4:04
4.	"My Beautiful Leah"	2:00
5.	"A Perfect Day Elise"	3:06
6.	"Catherine"	4:05
7.	"Electric Light"	3:04
8.	"The Garden"	4:11
9.	"Joy"	3:40
10.	"The River"	4:52
11.	"No Girl So Sweet"	2:45
12.	"Is This Desire?"	3:25
Total length:		40:24

Personnel[]

All personnel credits adapted from the album's liner notes.^[20]

Musicians

Additional musicians

Joe Gore – guitar
Jeremy Hogg – guitar
Terry Edwards – trumpet (10)
Richard Hunt – violin (11)

Technical

Flood – producer, engineer
PJ Harvey – producer
Head – producer
Marius De Vries – producer, engineer, mixing, programming (2, 3)
Andy Todd – engineer, mixing (2, 3)
Pete Davis – programming (2, 3)
Steve Sidelnyk – programming (2, 3)

Design

Maria Mochnacz – art direction, design, photography
Rob Crane – art direction, design
PJ Harvey – photography
Julia Hember – photography
Nick Daly – photography

Charts[]

Chart (1998)	Peak position
Australian ARIA Albums Chart^[21]	30
Belgian Albums Chart (Vl)^[22]	8
Belgian Albums Chart (Wa)^[22]	50
Canadian Albums Chart^[23]	59
Dutch Top 100^[24]	74
French SNEP Albums Chart^[25]	9
Norwegian Albums Chart^[26]	5
Swedish Albums Chart^[27]	19
UK Albums Chart^[28]	17
US Billboard 200^[29]	54

Singles[]

Year	Single	Peak chart positions
Year	Single	AUS	CAN ^[30]	FRA ^[25]	UK ^[28]	US Mod ^[29]
1998	"A Perfect Day Elise"	83	15	70	25	33
1999	"The Wind"	—	—	—	29	—

Certifications and sales[]


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
France (SNEP)^[31]	Gold	100,000^*
United Kingdom (BPI)^[32]	Silver	60,000^{^}
United States (RIAA)^[34]	N/A	164,000^[33]
Summaries
Worldwide	N/A	500,000^[35]
^* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^{^} Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References[]

^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Sheffield, Rob (15 October 1998). "Is This Desire?". Rolling Stone (797). Archived from the original on 12 November 2007. Retrieved 28 June 2004.
^ Mike Boehm (27 September 1998). "Four-Star Performers". Los Angeles Times. Polly Jean Harvey simultaneously falls back on the elemental blues grounding that sets her apart from most of her generation while zooming ahead into trip-hop and techno
^ Woodhouse, Alan (12 September 2005). "PJ Harvey: London Shepherd's Bush Empire". NME. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
^ Thompson, Stephen (29 March 2002). "PJ Harvey: Is This Desire?". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 22 December 2015. |
^ "A Woman, A Man: John Parish's Favourite PJ Harvey Recordings". Retrieved 6 February 2021.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b "The Legend of St Catherine". Retrieved 19 March 2009.
^ "god_stcat". Archived from the original on 9 August 2009. Retrieved 19 March 2009.
^ "St Catherine's Chapel, Abbotsbury". britainexpress.com. Retrieved 19 March 2009.
^ Harris, John (27 September 2007). "Songs of innocence and experience". The Guardian. Film & Music p. 10. Retrieved 19 March 2009. Posted on 28 September 2007.
^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Is This Desire? – PJ Harvey". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 June 2004.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Weingarten, Marc (2 October 1998). "Is This Desire?". Entertainment Weekly (452): 74. Retrieved 21 February 2009.
^ Sullivan, Caroline (25 September 1998). "She thing". The Guardian.
^ Boehm, Mike (27 September 1998). "Four-Star Performers". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
^ Oldham, James (22 September 1998). "PJ Harvey – Is This Desire?". NME. Archived from the original on 2 October 2000. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
^ Fowler, Shan. "PJ Harvey: Is This Desire?". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 14 October 2000. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
^ "PJ Harvey: Is This Desire?". Q (146): 120. November 1998.
^ Vowell, Sarah (November 1998). "PJ Harvey: Is This Desire?". Spin. 14 (11): 138. Retrieved 21 October 2011.
^ Christgau, Robert (15 December 1998). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
^ "Artist: PJ Harvey". Grammy. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
^ Is This Desire? (CD). PJ Harvey. Island Records. 1998. LC 0407.CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ "PJ Harvey – Is This Desire?". australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b "PJ Harvey – Is This Desire?". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
^ "RPM Top 100 CDs – November 16, 1998" (PDF). RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
^ "PJ Harvey – Is This Desire?". dutchcharts.nl. Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b "Discographie PJ Harvey". lescharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
^ "PJ Harvey – Is This Desire?". norwegiancharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
^ "PJ Harvey – Is This Desire?". swedishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b "PJ Harvey | Artist". The Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Is This Desire? – PJ Harvey: Awards at AllMusic. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
^ "RPM Alternative 30 – November 2, 1998" (PDF). RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
^ "French compilation certifications – PJ Harvey – Is This Desire" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
^ "British album certifications – PJ Harvey – Is This Desire?". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 13 August 2018.Select albums in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Is This Desire? in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
^ "Ask Billboard". Billboard. 27 December 2005. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
^ "American album certifications – PJ Harvey – Is This Desire?". Recording Industry Association of America.
^ Dickson, Ian (13 February 1999). "U.K. Focus". Billboard. Retrieved 13 August 2018.

[RS1998-1] Jump up to: ^a ^b Sheffield, Rob (15 October 1998). "Is This Desire?". Rolling Stone (797). Archived from the original on 12 November 2007. Retrieved 28 June 2004.

[latimes-2] Mike Boehm (27 September 1998). "Four-Star Performers". Los Angeles Times. Polly Jean Harvey simultaneously falls back on the elemental blues grounding that sets her apart from most of her generation while zooming ahead into trip-hop and techno

[3] Woodhouse, Alan (12 September 2005). "PJ Harvey: London Shepherd's Bush Empire". NME. Retrieved 22 December 2015.

[avclub-review1-4] Thompson, Stephen (29 March 2002). "PJ Harvey: Is This Desire?". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 22 December 2015. |

[QuietusParish-5] "A Woman, A Man: John Parish's Favourite PJ Harvey Recordings". Retrieved 6 February 2021.

[stcatHarvey1-6] Jump up to: ^a ^b "The Legend of St Catherine". Retrieved 19 March 2009.

[7] "god_stcat". Archived from the original on 9 August 2009. Retrieved 19 March 2009.

[8] "St Catherine's Chapel, Abbotsbury". britainexpress.com. Retrieved 19 March 2009.

[9] Harris, John (27 September 2007). "Songs of innocence and experience". The Guardian. Film & Music p. 10. Retrieved 19 March 2009. Posted on 28 September 2007.

[Allmusic-10] Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Is This Desire? – PJ Harvey". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 June 2004.

[EW1998-11] Jump up to: ^a ^b Weingarten, Marc (2 October 1998). "Is This Desire?". Entertainment Weekly (452): 74. Retrieved 21 February 2009.

[12] Sullivan, Caroline (25 September 1998). "She thing". The Guardian.

[LATimes1998-13] Boehm, Mike (27 September 1998). "Four-Star Performers". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 29 August 2010.

[NME1998-14] Oldham, James (22 September 1998). "PJ Harvey – Is This Desire?". NME. Archived from the original on 2 October 2000. Retrieved 7 May 2016.

[Pitchfork-15] Fowler, Shan. "PJ Harvey: Is This Desire?". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 14 October 2000. Retrieved 27 June 2016.

[16] "PJ Harvey: Is This Desire?". Q (146): 120. November 1998.

[Spin1998-17] Vowell, Sarah (November 1998). "PJ Harvey: Is This Desire?". Spin. 14 (11): 138. Retrieved 21 October 2011.

[ChristgauCG-18] Christgau, Robert (15 December 1998). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved 15 November 2011.

[19] "Artist: PJ Harvey". Grammy. Retrieved 13 August 2018.

[20] Is This Desire? (CD). PJ Harvey. Island Records. 1998. LC 0407.CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

[21] "PJ Harvey – Is This Desire?". australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 June 2012.

[be-22] Jump up to: ^a ^b "PJ Harvey – Is This Desire?". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 June 2012.

[23] "RPM Top 100 CDs – November 16, 1998" (PDF). RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 23 June 2012.

[24] "PJ Harvey – Is This Desire?". dutchcharts.nl. Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 June 2012.

[fr-25] Jump up to: ^a ^b "Discographie PJ Harvey". lescharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 June 2012.

[26] "PJ Harvey – Is This Desire?". norwegiancharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 June 2012.

[27] "PJ Harvey – Is This Desire?". swedishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 June 2012.

[uk-28] Jump up to: ^a ^b "PJ Harvey | Artist". The Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 June 2012.

[us-29] Jump up to: ^a ^b Is This Desire? – PJ Harvey: Awards at AllMusic. Retrieved 23 June 2012.

[30] "RPM Alternative 30 – November 2, 1998" (PDF). RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 23 June 2012.

[FrancePJ_HarveyIs_This_DesirecompilationCertRef-31] "French compilation certifications – PJ Harvey – Is This Desire" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.

[United_KingdomPJ_HarveyIs_This_Desire?albumCertRef-32] "British album certifications – PJ Harvey – Is This Desire?". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 13 August 2018.Select albums in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Is This Desire? in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.

[33] "Ask Billboard". Billboard. 27 December 2005. Retrieved 13 August 2018.

[United_StatesPJ_HarveyIs_This_Desire?albumCertRef-34] "American album certifications – PJ Harvey – Is This Desire?". Recording Industry Association of America.

[35] Dickson, Ian (13 February 1999). "U.K. Focus". Billboard. Retrieved 13 August 2018.

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