PJ Harvey & John Parish: Dance Hall At Louse Point

Everybody loves PJ Harvey, whose To Bring You My Love was far and away the most critically acclaimed album of last year. But they'll have trouble getting a read on this side project by singer Polly Jean Harvey and producer/songwriter John Parish. For starters, you might wonder why Parish gets top billing over the reason people will buy Dance Hall at Louse Point. Well, the answer is that Parish's languid, twisted arrangements dominate the show here, with Harvey spending much of the record sounding decidedly out-of-place. Harvey was meant to control her own show, whether she's dabbling in guttural blues on To Bring You My Love or warring with Steve Albini's production on Rid of Me. Here, she just sort of whispers, moans and occasionally wails her buried lyrics over music that's alternately plodding and cacophonous. Parish's contributions overwhelm Harvey's, and while that sounds like a difficult thing to do, it's not an accomplishment that's conducive to PJ Harvey fans liking what they hear.