PJ, Annie, and Kate

[CLBECKWITH@aol.com]

dillardb@student.msu.edu (Brian J. Dillard) wrote:

HAS ANYONE, EVERYONE, HEARD THE NEW ANNIE LENNOX AND/OR  PJ HARVEY SINGLES?
BOTH (ARE) BRILLIANT AS HELL!!!!! PJ'S 'DOWN BY THE WATER' ALMOST PUTS ME IN
MIND OF THE 'DREAMING' ALBUM, IT'S SO DAMN ATMOSPHERIC AND RHYTHMIC AND JUST
CREEPY.

Right on, Brian!  It's no wonder that as soon as PJ took control of her
career she began to truly fulfill her promise as a recording artist.  Now let'
s hope she doesn't start implementing four-year delays between albums! :-)
 Polly Jean is also very Kate-like in demeanour when interviewed--quite a
contrast from her artistic persona.  In fact, I liked  PJ *before* I liked
her music.

As for the "Gaffa" definition, I always accepted the "gaffer's tape" scenario
as gospel.  Hence, being "Suspended in Gaffa" was, visually speaking, akin to
being tangled in gaffer's tape.  Figuratively, it would be to become slowed
down ("it all goes slow-mo") by one's limitations.  I have always seen this
song as a close relative to "Sat in Your Lap" in this respect.  Indeed, there
seemed to be a preoccupation with that theme during this stage of Kate's
career.  And of course she has returned to it periodically since then.

There's a danger in being *too* self-aware.  You can lose confidence in your
abilities to the extent that you shut down entirely or place unreasonable
limits on what you do.  Not to psychoanalyze Kate, but I often wonder if the
occasional, always abortive plans to tour again aren't in part a reflection
of this tendency.

--Chris B.