PJ Harvey & John Parish – A Woman a Man Walked By
PJ Harvey has been viewed as a maverick singer/songwriter over her eighteen years in the music scene. Her creativity is something admired by fans, critics, and peers alike. She has been nominated for five Grammy Awards, and two of her albums are on Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Albums of All Time” list.
Her latest collaboration with John Parish, “A Woman A Man Walked By”, is certainly not lacking in uniqueness. It is fresh and new and in your face. The album has an intensity that keeps you alert and interested in what she will say next.
Every song is its own story and has its own vibe, and instead of the album seeming disconnected, it feels like a storybook full of dark tales. The single, “Black Hearted Love”, opens with a strong guitar riff and leads into an incredibly catchy hook. “Leaving California” has a waltz feel that lulls you along with her whistle-clear vocals. “A Woman A Man Walked By/The Crow Knows Where All The Little Children Go” begins with a powerful lyric (“He had chicken liver balls/He had chicken liver spleen/He had chicken liver heart/Made of chicken liver parts”) and an intensely emotional delivery, then goes into an instrumental that is reminiscent of a dark fairy tale.
“A Woman A Man Walked By” is a creative, intelligent work that twists and turns onto roads you never expect, but never once makes you feel out of place.
By Dana Jasmine
