Led by her testimonial-like declarations, the unbridled stampede of Harvey's earliest material--from 1991--is abundantly evident within the thrusting rhythms of "Sheela-Na-Gig," a sexually charged bedroom romp, and the seductively ferocious "Victory," both recorded a year before Harvey's biting album debut Dry.
A laid-back though scintillating cover of Willie Dixon's "Wang Dang Doodle" and the religious fervor revealed on the starkly intimate "Snake" expose Harvey's stripped-down, experimental-blues obsession which is simultaneously tender, potent and utterly vicious.
"This Wicked Tongue," an import-only bonus track from Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea, is a refreshing and electrifying indulgence, and "You Come Through," recorded six weeks after Peel's demise, reveals Harvey's seductive voice afflicted with genuine emotion ("You come through for me / You be well for me"). This is a worthy if slightly abbreviated (only 12 songs, less than 41 minutes) selection of in-studio performances documenting the profound bond between Harvey and Peel.
