All About Eve - stage play

[TheNightingale]

Just listened. Very short (only 30 mins), with "Sandman" and "Moth" being the only actual songs (sung by the Gillian Anderson and Lily James respectively, with Polly on barely-audible backing vocals) - the rest are just short instrumental pieces: some piano, some guitar, some analogue synthesizers, violin (presumably by James Johnston), drums (presumably by Kendrick Rowe).

It's most definitely not a big important record (the short time between the announcement and the release would suggest PJ thinks the same) but lovely nonetheless, and I'm happy we finally have some of her theatre music available. Obviously it's a soundtrack, not a stand-alone work, so it's difficult to judge it without having actually seen the play. After one spin "Becoming", "Descending" and "Träume" were the highlights, but that might be due to my familiarity with them from the BBC podcast.

(Also, I'd actually love for someone to combine some of the pieces, especially "Waltz" and "Change in C", with the original 1950 film footage, would be interesting.)

Oh, and in case you haven't noticed, the record is out on Invada Records, not Island. Invada is Portishead's Geoff Barrow's label and they release plenty of good independent music (original albums by BEAK> and Anika, soundtracks by Nick Cave & Warren Ellis, Jonny Greenwood, Adrien Utley, music for Moonlight, Annihilation, If Beale Street Could Talk, Stranger Things, Mandy etc.), so support them if you can.

[derbyshirepaul]

I've enjoyed listening to the new music. Yes, not a major album release, but interesting to hear how the two songs have filled out since the demos of the radio programme, and some atmospheric tracks too.

I'm seeing the play tonight, so will experience the music in its intended environment. The only person I know who's seen it felt the music got in the way of the play.... I'm going more with a view that what happens on the stage is there to enhance the music!

[somme]

I'd never have thought I'd hear Gillian Anderson on a Polly record. A lovely surprise and a good song.

I'm quite glad most of the songs are instrumentals - which I fully expected being a soundtrack. I finally have a Polly album to write to - there's almost a Polly album for every mood now.

[DrDark]

I saw the play via a local theater on Thursday night and definitely didn't feel the music got in the way. The character development and the plot were intense enough that you're totally engrossed in that. The music was very much secondary. Perhaps if you're not used to Polly's music it would be distracting though.

[derbyshirepaul]

The music absolutely did not get i the way of the play. Rather, it enhanced some scenes, acted as a bridge between others, and was a critical part of others. The two songs were performed very differently to the recordings. The Gillian A one was played for laughs, and worked. The Lily J one actually became a denouement for her character, and I found it very moving. I appreciate others have had different experiences, but I felt the music got additional layers during the play, and gave the play additional layers too.

[Black Hearted Love]

beautiful music, Descending is my favorite for now,
glad they put the record out

[hopewell]

Gillian Anderson endorsement:

The Song

Well, the song that PJ Harvey has written for me to sing in All About Eve is just beautiful. It sounds like something that would fit in David Lynch’s Blue Velvet. She wrote one for [my co-star] Lily James to sing too and both will soon be released in an album with proper accompaniment. PJ, aside from being a very talented musician, is just an all-around cool chick and it was a great privilege to not only sing the song eight times a week for what will be over three months but record it with her in her fantastic studio.

https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/5-thing ... n-anderson

[mona]

hope we get a pic of Polly and Gillian together some day.

[BobSimms]

The soundtrack is out on vinyl now, and there are bonus tracks including a couple of Polly’s original demos (featuring her singing). I’m surprised no one here has posted about it. Bit quiet around these parts lately. What gives?

[bruise]

[Me and my Marshall]

Thank you Bruise! I would love to hear them

Both videos are not available. Could it be due to geographic area I live?

[AineteEkaterini]

Thank you Bruise! I would love to hear them

Both videos are not available. Could it be due to geographic area I live?

I have a couple of files I could send you.

Thank you for posting this, Bruise, I for one wouldn't have noticed otherwise.

[Me and my Marshall]

Thank you Bruise! I would love to hear them

Both videos are not available. Could it be due to geographic area I live?

I have a couple of files I could send you.

Please Ainete, could you?

I'll send you my e-mail address by PM