White Chalk
by PJ Harvey
  • Record Label: Island
  • Release Date: Sep 25, 2007
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 99 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 82 out of 99
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 99
  3. Negative: 10 out of 99

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  1. AlanKoslowski
    Dec 15, 2007
    6
    A marginal improvement over Uh-Huh Her because it's more cohesive. It's a successful, but undeniably modest album. The minimalist piano musical landscape works, but is so spare and unambitious it's not very compelling. The relentlessly mournful songwriting is so understated (for the most part) even at just over 30 min becomes tedious after the first few songs. Harvey is A marginal improvement over Uh-Huh Her because it's more cohesive. It's a successful, but undeniably modest album. The minimalist piano musical landscape works, but is so spare and unambitious it's not very compelling. The relentlessly mournful songwriting is so understated (for the most part) even at just over 30 min becomes tedious after the first few songs. Harvey is always at her best when she's emphatic and cogent, and at her worst when eloquent and understated. This album is clearly the latter. Even though it's only her second release in 7 years, maybe she should go on hiatus until she finds the motivation to make a truly compelling album.… Expand
  2. All_ButTrU4
    Sep 4, 2022
    5
    Taken in the context of her back catalog, "White Chalk" makes sense as progression record and gives a hint of where she would arrive at on "Let England Shake". Taken at its time of release in 2007 it makes less sense and is a seismic change in direction. While there was always a darkness to PJ Harvey it was more rooted in bluesy edginess rather than true gloom which is what we get here. OfTaken in the context of her back catalog, "White Chalk" makes sense as progression record and gives a hint of where she would arrive at on "Let England Shake". Taken at its time of release in 2007 it makes less sense and is a seismic change in direction. While there was always a darkness to PJ Harvey it was more rooted in bluesy edginess rather than true gloom which is what we get here. Of course with PJ Harvey, she manages to make something extremely bleak and bare sound intriguing and ultimately sound great. This is a piano driven record and the sound of a guitar is scarce to say the least. Her vocals are completely different to what's gone before this record, high pitched and ghostly. The rock is completely gone and we are left with a gothic, haunted house of an record.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

60
#60 Best Album of 2007
80
#80 Most Discussed Album of 2007
61
#61 Most Shared Album of 2007

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 38 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 33 out of 38
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 38
  3. Negative: 1 out of 38
  1. Drowned In Sound
    80
    With its bones on show and chest wide open, White Chalk may not be the greatest album of all time, it may not be to everyone's tastes, and it may not even be Polly’s finest. But let it and it'll haunt you.
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  2. Observer Music Monthly
    100
    Nothing Harvey has done in the past, however, can prepare you for her eighth album, White Chalk, whose cover is as singular as the tunes therein.
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  3. Uncut
    80
    An album of lonely beauty and piercing sorrow, White Chalk is P.J. Harvey back at the peak of her considerable powers.
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