PJ Harvey - The White Album

If you have followed PJ Harvey’s music over the years, you probably now realize that you did not like everything the woman records and releases.

For me, her previous album, Uh Huh Her, was very frustrating and I must confess that I have difficulties now to listen to the first two, Dry and Rid Of Me. On the contrary, I’m still really fond of To Bring You My Love and of course of Dance Hall At Louise Point that she co-wrote with John Parish, her best album so far. For me, her work is a collection of brilliant moments over fifteen years and eight records of different styles of music that leaves me wanting more… And White Chalk finally arrived and answered to my expectations.

White Chalk is a masterpiece and is the best record Polly Jean Harvey has released. With no guitar and with a new voice, PJ is challenging her audience to listen differently. It is pointless to discuss this album in terms of each particular track, it is all one song. All along the 11 tracks, PJ is as virgin as a white chalk and the intensity is always at is peak during (little) thirty-four minutes. “Daddy's in the corner/Rattling his keys/Mummy's in the doorway/Trying to leave/Nobody's listening…/Oh God I miss you” (The Piano).
For those who also loved Dance Hall At Louise Point, a second collaboration of John Parish with PJ Harvey I schedule to be released next year. Eleven years and so much experience later, it will be a record worth the listen to.

Web: pjharvey.net
Web: pollyharvey.co.uk
MySpace: myspace.com/pjharvey

Also read on Leaky Sparrow: pj-harvey-peel-sessions and john-parish-spitz-live-album

PJ Harvey - White Chalk .mp3 via Pampelmoose

Bonus: PJ Harvey & Bjork - Can't Get No Satisfaction (live) .mp3