SEATTLE -- Taking a quick look at some of P.J. Harvey's more popular song titles - "Ecstasy", "Hardly Wait" and "Is This Desire" among them - it is immediately apparent that the outspoken Ms. Polly Jean is no apathetic songwriter. It only seems logical, then, that the British-based singer should draw an audience equally zealous in nature. Draw, she did indeed, for Harvey's first date on her North American tour supporting her brand new release, Is This Desire.

Her smallish-venue show (Seattle's Showbox, holding 2,000 rabid fans) sold out mere minutes after going on sale and the venue had folks packed in like sardines; as soon as the singer took her rightful place center stage, however, all was forgiven and the troubles immediately forgotten.

Harvey's last few tours became more infamous than famous, it should be noted, when the incredibly stage-frightened singer changed her skillful music-centered style, dropping her guitar for a feather boa and becoming more of a performance artist rather than a performer. Rumors traveled like wildfire through P.J. fan pages recently, hinting that Harvey would be donning her guitar onstage once more. Happily, these whispers proved true this time 'round, immediately self-evident via the commanding guitar rack situated stage right.

Backed by a talented four-piece band (drums, keyboards, lead guitar and bass), Polly slithered to center stage in a tight sleeveless shirt, short black skirt and heels, crowned by a brand new, stylin' shiny black hairdo. Smiling widely, P.J. and company ripped immediately into "I Think I'm A Mother" from '95's Is This Desire, her vocals strong and sultry overtop of a powerful backing rhythm section.

Immediately, one couldn't help but get a sense that this was going to be a different kind of live show than Harvey's last few tours; rather than trying to be something that she is not, the singer looked completely comfortable and even happy in her own skin, dancing, shimmying and smiling in front of the adoring crowd.

So different, indeed, than the heavily made-up, awkward and overdramatic performer of yore; the audience ate her reality up like candy, screaming responsively to her every smile, her every move. Most notably, fans cheered unabashedly every time Harvey reached for her trusty six string, an event that would happily repeat itself throughout the night.

The material still so fresh and young in her mind, Harvey seemed incredibly present throughout the festivities, from the sensual moans of "A Perfect Day Elise" to the hushed, reverent tones of "The Wind" and right on through to one of the highlights of the night, a powerful new song called "Angeline", which showcased Harvey's rich alto powerfully.

While much of the first half focused on Polly's more recent works, she did not disappoint fans of her older material as well, performing the likes of "Hook", "Snake" and "Missed" (all from 1993's Rid Of Me); each version was not only true to form, Harvey seemed to genuinely enjoy not simply the performance but also the frenzied audience response.

Most impressive of the older cuts was "Snake", which the band smashed, growled and moaned their way through, just the way the fans wanted it. In the end, the criticisms of the show are tiny compared to the result; yes, it's true that P.J. still seems to fight stage fright, barely speaking more than a whispered 'thank you' between songs, and yes, she left the stage after nearly two hours still disappointing fans who continued to stamp their feet long after the house lights came up, but these are petty complaints indeed.

Put them up against the fact that the talented performer grabbed her guitar, scrubbed off the clown makeup and put her own down-to-earth self back on stage for the first time in years and nothing negative remains. To rave appropriately, the old P.J. is back! Long live Polly Jean!

Set List

I Think I'm A Mother

Joy

Joe

Civil War

Taut

Electric Light

A Perfect Day Elise

The Wind

Hook

Meet Ze Monsta

The Sky Lit Up

My Beautiful Leah

City Of No Sun

Dance Hall

Angeline

Missed

Dress

Snake

Encore

Catherine

Down By The Water

JAM! Rating: 5 out of 5