City Newspaper Archives - 10/2007
PJ Harvey "White Chalk"
Island Records
Published by Jen Graney on Oct 10, 2007
I've always been fascinated by PJ Harvey's eyebrows. You can tell which album she was recording by the shape of ‘em. On the new "White Chalk," there's a shift in look (stark white dress, no makeup, head of curls) as well as a change in sound. The guitar's been replaced by a twinkling piano that doesn't drive the songs so much as help them glide along, letting Polly Jean's voice shine high and bright. The growls and shrieks of her "4-Track Demo" days are gone, replaced by plaintive vocals that never quite sink into that primal, desperate moan, instead reaching a more winsome wail. She begs forgiveness instead of placing blame, floats instead of writhes. She reminds listeners, with both her voice and the title of the record, that even the simplest instrument leaves its mark on stone.
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