PJ Harvey- White Chalk
This
is actually the second time I've done a review on this album. I
originally said some vague, awkward things about this back in 2011 when
the blog was originally created.This one will likely suck, too.
I have to admit, I'm not super into anything else PJ Harvey has ever done, but this album sucks me in within seconds.White Chalk has an extremely unique texture to anything else she or anyone else has done. It sounds very delicate sonically as well as emotionally.
She wrote this album specifically on instruments she had little or absolutely no prior experience with. The results were this beautiful, haunting record. I'm sure most musicians can relate to this type of inspiration. I know for me personally, it's most comfortable to give birth to a song starting with bass.
"Broken Harp"
Please don't reproach me
For, for how empty
My life has become
I don't what really happened
I watched your disappointment
At being misunderstood
I forgive you
Oh
Something metal
Tearing my stomach out
If you think ill of me
Can you
Can you
Forgive me
Forgive me
Can you
Can you
Forgive me
Too
Tracks like "Broken Harp" instantly shoot goosebumps all over my body. It came on when I had my phone on shuffle, driving around with my windows down wiggling my hips to a Talking Heads track. It immediately put me in a trance.
She wrote this album specifically on instruments she had little or absolutely no prior experience with. The results were this beautiful, haunting record. I'm sure most musicians can relate to this type of inspiration. I know for me personally, it's most comfortable to give birth to a song starting with bass.
"Broken Harp"
Please don't reproach me
For, for how empty
My life has become
I don't what really happened
I watched your disappointment
At being misunderstood
I forgive you
Oh
Something metal
Tearing my stomach out
If you think ill of me
Can you
Can you
Forgive me
Forgive me
Can you
Can you
Forgive me
Too
Tracks like "Broken Harp" instantly shoot goosebumps all over my body. It came on when I had my phone on shuffle, driving around with my windows down wiggling my hips to a Talking Heads track. It immediately put me in a trance.
This album has dramatically influenced me over the years. Every smart musician knows that if you catch yourself writing music you aren't happy with, you try another writing style. Now obviously that idea can vary depending on what instrument you typically write on as well as how much gear you have. I'm lucky enough to have rooms full of all kinds of shit, but not everyone is! Sometimes just playing in a different room can yield different results.
-Novak