P.J. Harvey & John Parish
A Woman A Man Walked By
(Island)

A Woman A Man Walked By displays, perhaps more acutely than her last few releases, the range of P.J. Harvey’s talent. She is an artist with many sides, from folk angel to rock goddess. The vocals are more girly at parts than her other records, a refreshing change of pace. But, fear not Harvey fans, there are plenty of tracks that harken back to her earlier work. “Pig Will Not” could have come off of any of her 90s albums, with Harvey showing her raw power side. “Black Hearted Love” is an up-tempo love ballad that could be one of my favorite singles of the year. John Parish’s playing also need not be ignored. He wrote all the music and therefore deserves kudos for the part he has played in a collaboration that has helped Harvey rediscover her voice. —Jonathan Ashley