PJ Harvey

On White Chalk, PJ Harvey hits heavy but not with killer guitar or gritty, impassioned vocals as one might expect. Instead, weight comes by way of profound loss death, suicide and an unborn child. It's depressingly grim, a relentless examination without a release. However, within such sadness there is beauty. Here, her upper register soprano is explored, floating above spare piano and minimalist instrumentation. While not Harvey's best, it's her most vulnerable and fragile a brave experiment testing another side of her bottomless talent.