PJ Harvey & John Parish, The Whitest Boy Alive
Hello everyone! And welcom back to another New Music Tuesday. Before we get started with the reviews of today's releases, I would like to formally announce the new format that will be effective April 1, 2009, which is tomorrow. And no, this isn't an April Fool's joke.
New Format:
Mixed Bag Mondays: It will be an entry dedicated to tracks and/or albums that had significance in my life the past week. I tried to do something similiar to this, but I thought a whole day would be fun so you all can add something to that.
New Music Tuesdays: This will pretty much stay the same, other than the fact that it won't have a bunch of other stuff included. Strikly new music. Again, this is a day where you can submit albums that I didn't feature in a post or a comment.
Spotlight Wednesdays: I figured that Wednesdays would be a good day to introduce emerging artists since I hadn't really established a day yet. You can always submit new artists material on these days.
Throwback Thursdays: This will be when I will feature some old music, regardless of genre that think needs some exposure. As always, you can contribute to this as well. Later, I might include polls with this section.
Free-For-All Fridays: This day, anything goes. If you have new material you want to share, concerts pics or userpics... you can post it this day. In the future, I might post fun music memes, challenges and what have you.
On the weekends, ususally everyone is kinda busy, so it might be closed, but itf you want to still post anything, go right on ahead. This is subject to change, depending on how it works out, so if you have any ideas, please feel free to message me here.
Without further ado, today's releases:
First album is from PJ Harvey & John Parish, A Woman a Man Walked By
I've been waiting for quite some time. I was too young the last time they collaberated to appreciate it back than but I discovered the album about a year ago, around the time when they announced they would in fact be working together again on an album. The twosome have produced together for years, but not so much in this meduim, making me a very happy girl.
I waited until midnight Sunday night to hear it for the first time. I was hooked with from the single, Black Hearted Love, that was released earlier this year, and hearing the rest of the album, I can atest that it is just as alluring. All of the tracks have a different texture, a different emotion, setting a mood that gradually forms. Parish supposedly plays nearly all the instruments on the album and penned all the musical arrangements, leaving PJ with her striking vocals and lyrics. A balance was found here and it is shown throughout the album. As for her vocals, I think that they are at their finest in tracks, April and The Chair, shedding light that she is willing to game change, even after years in the business. Another song, Sixteen, Fifteen, Fourteen is very stange tune with otherwordly vocals from Harvey and clashing sounds from Parish, creating a standoffish successor to the opener.
I read other articles that said that this felt rushed, not consistant it times or seemed lacking. I would have to agree to a certain extent, but I think that's its charm. Not every album needs to be slaved over for years and years, knowing from listening to some albums with that reputation and for me, still falling short. For this collaberation, PJ presence seems to be in every crevice, with Parish playing in the background. It's not what I expected, but I'm far from disappointed.
Choice Tracks:Black Hearted Love, April, and The Solider
The other album today is The Whitest Boy Alive's Rules
I really like this band. They're really doing something right here and I really, really enjoy it. Their sound can be very pop at times, but on the other hand, they can produce a very neo-soul album, which reminds me of early Maroon 5 or Daft Punk. It's the very "old school" sound that pulled me in, but the lyrics kept me around. One track, Courage, at times could be heard in a jazz club, but in the right setting, you can imagine driving down the highway as well. Their sound is very versitile, creating a tone and mood throughout the album. Another track that I instantly loved, Gravity, is bouncy, but also somber as he divulges into the relationship between his friend and girlfriend.
In vain with LCD Soundsystem and The Rapture, The Whitest Boy Alive are part of the genre, "club music", but with this band, they have something that others seem to lack, soul. The predecessor, Dreams, was more of guitar driven album while this one stayed closer to the piano, with the exception of 1517, which is a true highlight. Both albums are definitely worth a listen.
Choice Tracks: Courage, 1517, and Gravity
Okay, folks. That's all she wrote. Hope to hear your thoughts and as always, if I didn't mention an album, by all means post about it!
Lates!!!