PJ Harvey has been in the game for nearly twenty years now. Yet I myself am not familiar with her catalogue. I just lump her into the mid-90s upset female genre that sparked the careers of Liz Phair and Alanis Morrisette, among others. In addition, I have read articles relaying her odd mystique that helps keep her career interesting and newsworthy.
Recently, she released A Man a Woman Walked By with frequent collaborator John Parish. He lays down the tracks, while Harvey focuses on the lyrics and vocals. After listening to the album, it is apparent that both are extremely talented at their trades, however, that does not mean that by combining the two, the listener is in for a treat. Tracks work here and there, as do segments of songs, but too often it misses the target.
Take for example the title track. Harvey present a story of a "woman man" while Parish supplies the backing instrumentation. The lyrics are on point. You get an odd story with Harvey's cynical lyrics and story-like presentation. Parish, meanwhile, supplements this with a fairly standard rock-based backdrop that does not quite mesh with the song's tone. Then it segues into an odd piano driven outro that does work with the song's first half. So you get parts of a great track but not an entire great track.
Nevertheless, there are tracks that are worth checking out. The first track "Black Hearted Love" is immensely enjoyable and perhaps that is because of its conventional straight-forwardness. Everything clicks on this track: vocals (which Harvey (sorry to borrow cliche comparisons) sounds like Kim Gordon at times and Patti Smith at others), the music has a stripped down feel that accompanies the song's tone nicely. Also, "Leaving California" is a great track (about leaving a state I've heard great things about) that has a feeling that you are listening to it during the Dust Bowl era.
Overall the album has its ups and downs and downright misses (not sure what the hell is going on with "Pig Will Not"). Harvey herself definitely has a talent but not necessarily against this soundscape. Nevertheless, each talent displays their abilities, unfortunately the two are not always on the same page.
3.3/5
