2007 TOP-20 Countdown - No.14

Best Albums of 2007 - No. 14

P.J. Harvey - White Chalk


Gone is the PJ that screamed in "Sheela-Na-Gig". Gone is the PJ that vamped in "To Bring You My Love". Gone is the PJ that punked out in "Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea". The PJ we have here is a fairy; a creature seemingly fragile and delicate, but with inner powers that belie her lithe frame and otherworldly physique. Transformed into a modern day Mrs. Havisham, Polly wrapped up her guitar in cobwebs and hid it in the attic, along with her modern clothing and any electric sound. Piano is the master here; spare, minimal orchestrations, haunting the ear and soul of the listener. It could have been recorded a century ago, it could have been recorded yesterday; Polly Jean sounds as unique as ever on this one, and haunts my soul for ever. Kudos.



Live in Jools Holland, November 2007



Worst albums of 2007 - No.14

Norah Jones - Not Too Late

I first heard of Norah Jones back in 2002, when my best friend played her "Come Away with Me" cd in his car stereo, very enthusiastic, and asked me what I thought of her; "Nice", I told him, "but have you tried listening to Rickie Lee Jones or Joni Mitchell?". She sounds so light and airy and meaningless compared with them, that I could not bring myself to even remotely like her.
Fast forward to 2007. New album. Same style, same calmness, same boredom, same predictable delivery. It is not that she is bad; she's not. She's just vapid. I do not know what is worst: these kind of albums passing off as "quality" music or reality show "singers" releasing albums...

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