After finally getting to really wade through the latest P.J. Harvey (with help on instrumental work from John Parish) a couple rainy weekends back, I have to say, I am oddly smitten.

Always a fan of the beloved-ly bizarre English songstress, the latest offering, called A Woman A Man Walked By, is pure madness meets ethereal…it’s so strange, I can barely describe it other than to say P.J. had to have been a bit manic when she wrote this record–evidence as the entire album works its way back and forth from absolutely romantic to absolutely diabolical, culminating at the moment when she actually spends half of a track (“Pig Will Not”), barking.

Yes, I said so. Barking. Think: ruff ruff. She does it. She does.

A Woman A Man Walked By is the second collaboration betwixt Ms. Harvey and Mr. Parish; the former being 1996’s Dance Hall at Louse Point, another excellent record in fact. It’s filled with immense sadness, love, and folk. And of course, the aforementioned bark.

And let me tell you. This record has bite.

So enjoy a few tracks off the record, and be sure to check out the amazing Morning Becomes Eclectic sessions P.J. and Parish did at SXSW did last month.

PJ and Parish are currently touring the record in the UK; no word on stateside dates.

[P.J. Harvey and John Parish – April.]
[P.J. Harvey and John Parish – Pig Will Not (Live Session Version).]