On March 4, 1993, PJ Harvey released Rid of Me, the second and last album credited to her eponymous trio. The album was highly praised at the time, and more than 30 years later, it’s still considered one of the best alternative albums of the ’90s. Often, of all time.
But critics weren’t as unanimously in love with the album’s production at the time. PJ Harvey worked with Steve Albini on Rid of Me, while her previous album, Dry, was produced by Howard “Head” Bullivant, with co-production by bandmate Rob Ellis and herself. Critics found Albini’s approach “harsh.” Many argued whether the production amplified Harvey’s vocals or drowned her out.
Legendary music producer Steve Albini’s Work with PJ Harvey inspired Nirvana’s frontman, Kurt Cobain
A print review in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution called the production “deliberately crude.” Another print review in The Independent called it “a trial to endure.” Critics praised Harvey’s aggressively exploratory lyrics and her fearless approach to difficult writing. But in the case of Albini’s sparse, clattering production, Harvey’s skill wasn’t matched. Some felt it had even been sabotaged.
A retrospective review on AllMusic, however, offered a different perspective. Instead of the idea that the production couldn’t match the performance at all, it was posited that Steve Albini’s chaotic production was more of a complement to Harvey’s writing, “filled with gray areas and uncertainties.” As such, the production became “the aural embodiment of the tortured lyrics, and therefore a supremely effective piece of performance art.”
It still made for a difficult album, but one of “unusual power and purpose.” Where critics saw Albini’s production as a hindrance, it was more likely a purposeful creative choice to contrast Harvey’s orchestrated lack of subtlety in the music.
Steve Albini’s stark approach to production, as well as his rejection of the mainstream industry and preference for analog recording, drew Kurt Cobain’s attention. The PJ Harvey Trio recorded Rid of Me in December 1992, releasing it in May 1993. Between that, Kurt Cobain brought Albini on to produce In Utero.
PJ Harvey’s ‘Rid of Me’ peaked at number two on the UK music charts
Initially, Kurt Cobain wanted Albini for his work on the Pixies’ Surfer Rosa and the Breeders’ Pod. He liked Albini’s ability to capture ambient noise in a room using specific mic placements. Most likely, this technique led to the “recorded in somebody’s basement” accusations from Rid of Me critics. But Cobain preferred this gritty, analog approach, and wanted it on In Utero.
After Cobain sent over demos of what he wanted for the album, Albini sent him a cassette of Rid of Me. The album was several months away from its official release, but the acoustics were exactly what Cobain was looking for.
“He really liked the way her singing came across,” Albini said in 2013. “He was a fan.”
The post This 1993 Alt-Rock Album Inspired Kurt Cobain When Making ‘In Utero’ Even Thought Its ‘Harsh’ Production Divided Critics appeared first on VICE.
