Let England Shake

the last living rose melody reminds me a lot of that one song that’s viral these days, could not tell you the name of it for the life of me. anyways looking at the overall review lots of ppl seem to have an issue with this being a woman making pretentious music but i think women should be MORE pretentious if anything. pj is cool has always been cool and will always be cool thanks you and good night

It’s not what I was expecting but it’s pretty good. This is the sort of album you enjoy while driving around and night just chilling.

Aaaahhh, I love PJ Harvey is this album is a strong showing. It struck me as a soulful, almost sultry picking apart of an profoundly violent topic, to bring attention with modulated shame. It ties "Rid of Me" at four stars, but I love it for *very* different reasons 👏👏👏

Eerdere bijdragen van deze dame waren niet om aan te horen, maar dit is best okee. Een bij vlagen dromerige sfeer, wat gekke haakjes en sampletjes om je bij de les te houden. Zie je wel, ze kan het best.

Somehow PJ Harvey never really caught my attention. Did know the name. Rather liked this. Definitely worth investigation more of her music.

Enjoyed the sounds and flow of this album.

Favorites: Let England Shake, The Glorious Land, Written on the Forehead Despite her coming from the same camp as a lot of my favorite artists like Fiona Apple, I never really clicked with PJ Harvey. This album is pretty damn good all things considered, with her passion for songwriting and creating a powerful message in her records clear.

A much more chill tone for Polly Jean. Songs are lovely.

Not quite pinched enough to be part of the Possessed Doll Voice pantheon (Cranes, Lisa Germano, Stina Nordenstam), but closer than I expected from PJ Harvey! The arrangements sound cool too, can't really put my finger on what they sound like to me though. Maybe a less agoraphobic Lisa Germano? None of that really helps anyone who doesn't already know Lisa's whole deal, but it's not like anyone is going to read this anyway, so whatever.

Chill

Wasn't expecting much since I wasn't into her last album, but really enjoyed this one.

Let England Shake The Words That Maketh Murder In the Dark Places

first album i've ever done - I knew of both the artist and album going into it but didn't know that much about them overall. I can say that the first track on the album, let england shake, is something that I swear i've heard somewhere before. this is a strange album to get for the very first listen. it's one of the most british things I think i've ever heard. it's not trying to be mainstream in any way and is oppressively dour and depressing throughout it. that's not a bad thing though - she's very clearly trying to say something, the album has very obvious themes of war and loss of hope in your country. as an american in 2025, that is definitely a familiar feeling. it excellently portrays the themes and the songwriting is incredible, some absolutely heart-wrenching lyrics in this album. this isn't a very summery album - probably more fitting for 8 am on some rainy ass day in march, especially if i'm feeling depressed that day. kinda glad I listened to this late at night tbh. favorite song: "the last living rose" 8/10 (but I definitely know some people who would give this 10/10)

its still shook

This album was a really unique concept and I think overall well done. This is a really good album, something that I do believe deserves the post publishing addition to this list. I like this album, I think it is 4 stars, but I will never this to this again. It’s almost like a movie with a big twist at the end, once you’ve seen it, a second watch isn’t as good. One listen and I can say that’s a great album, but one listen is all I want. A lot because its a bit of a downer, very gloomy, dark imagery that I don’t typically listen to. I also don’t want to hear someone plead for England for 40 minutes. I had only heard the name PJ Harvey, didn’t know a jack about her. I honestly thought PJ was a dude, I’ll check my biases at the door next time. She is a wonderful poet and paints not just with her lyrics, but her tone and delivery strengthen the places she’s crying out for. There are a few moments that get mildly repetitive toeing a line where I sometimes will audibly say, enough already. But that’s really me being a little nitpicky. The production is great, PJ really did an excellent job of creating a very cohesive work. 8.4/10 #66/1001

A well researched history album I hadn’t heard of done by an artist I really like and done very well… that’s exactly the type of gem I joined this project looking to find . I can’t wait to play this when I learn more about ww1 and connect some dots Musically, Harvey does not disappoint . Her voice has aged from her 2000 stories , she has darker aged tone. Daunting at times , alongside her beautiful poetry , Harvey sets a tone. The instrumentation is apt, gingles are well done and they handle the heavvier moments. It me the song writing where it ultimately excels

Really liked how original and inspired this one was. Probably deserves a few more listens to truly appreciate it, but this one certainly stands apart from most other albums I’ve heard so far.

Great!

I really liked this album. Wish I'd heard it sooner. Moody and upbeat, worth further listening. 4.0

I was familiar with about 1/3 of the track list before today. A solid album with some beautiful poetry. Not sure how often I’ll come back to it but I enjoyed listening in full

Deft use of narrators and disruptive arrangements - that sax, that autoharp, those quotes of bugle and reggae - layer on irony and extend my patience towards the commonplaces thrown in e.g. “The Dark Places” makes me wonder what the song hides, rather than evoke “SECRETS” in a comic sans speech bubble. I like how the record cries out “England” and “glory” and then doses the thing with heavy Commonwealth or - let’s be less polite - Colonial contributions: the references to imperial expeditions, Mick Harvey’s antipodean voice and the reggae. I bought this when it came out and ignored it until today. A fine record.

Moody and poignant. All the PJ I knew was from the 90s. Enjoyed and would share this album

It's just cool, poppy, varied, without losing alternative edge, with this unmistakeable voice

Enjoyed it more that I would have thought

Enjoyable music with haunting lyrics. Strange to have a war themed album but I thought it was really well done. The vocals themselves sometimes weren't my thing but I still think it's an incredible album. Favourite: The Last Living Rose Least: England

This is my favorite from PJ Harvey so far. It’s focused, unique, and powerful. I’ll put this on again, whereas I don’t know if I’ll revisit the other albums I’ve heard from her.

Very good, had a wide variety of sounds so you don’t get bored

Yeah, it's an alright rock album. Will listen again in the future.

Has the sound of a fairly compelling album that would benefit from repeat listens 4*

Not quite as engaging as the first PJ Harvey album I received on the generator but her voice still carries nonetheless.

PJ Harvey, who is mostly known for 90’s rockin’, changed her sound up drastically on 2007’s White Chalk where she was mostly accompanied by sparse piano, a harpsichord and her fragile voice. That morphed into Let England Shake in 2011…an album about England during WWI. Talk about taking an artistic urge to the extreme! The music exists out of time. Sometimes these songs work beautifully, like the ethereal and sublime On Battleship Hill, and also on sad closer The Colour of the Earth. Elsewhere it seems really strange to have a battle call horn out of time on The Glorious Land. That has never sat right with me. This is not a perfect album, but it really does show an artist “going for it” and largely succeeding.

Sadly, music about war is always relevant. Today had me feeling dark and broody about the state of the world, and this album fit that mood really well. I thought this was a pretty creative and poetic take on universal truths about the history of violence, the human nature of people who cause it, and the people who are affected by it. It's not a happy album, but the messages ring as true today as ever, so I'm glad someone is out there singing about it. Side note: I thought it was cool the marching sounds in The Words That Maketh Murder sounded like the Wizard of Oz soldiers.

I was really into this when it came out. Still sounds really fresh to me. I haven't heard much else by her but I gather it's a bit of a departure

Years ago at a party, I smoked weed and listened to this album and thought it was amazing. Weed makes me anxious now, but this album still rules.

great album, i loved a lot of songs in this one

Time for another solid album from PJ Harvey! I feel like, given the three albums of hers I've listened to (all of which were released in different decades by the way!), I can pretty safely say at this point that PJ Harvey is a pretty consistently good artist as far as albums go. I wouldn't call any of the albums I've gotten so far a masterpiece, but they're definitely all within the realm of "some pretty good stuff." Let England Shake is no different. This album's pretty cool. It might actually be my favorite of the three so far, but I haven't heard Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea in well over a year, so I'm not 100% sure about that. Let England Shake is a very interesting album. For one, it was released nearly 20 years after her debut, but is still just as strong, if not stronger. That's always pretty cool to see. The thing that really interests me with this album though is the theming. I would absolutely consider Let England Shake to be a concept album, with its concepts being war and England. Practically every song is about one or both of these things. I'd say the album does a good job at making each song stand out though. PJ Harvey's a fairly solid songwriter all things considered. Her vocals are nice too. They're weirdly Björk-like this time around, which is not something I'm complaining about. The style of this album is quite good as well. Despite the melancholic nature of the album's themes, Let England Shake is a fairly accessible album. You can definitely feel the emotion though, which is great. The songs are all great. The additional musical talent from people like John Parish and Mick Harvey (no relation) adds to the album experience quite nicely. This is a 2010s indie pick I can get behind. I really like this album. Solid 4/5.

I think this is my favourite PJ Harvey album out of 4 I have gotten. A bit dreamy and milder than the others, it worked very well. Stand-out: In the Dark Places, Bitter Branches

Arguably her best one but shouldn’t be on the list - far from ‘seminal’

Just finished my third distracted listen through this one. The most I can say is that I don't dislike it. The songs themselves are solid, with a few featuring some really odd, but interesting features (for example the weird out of cadence trumpet revelry on The Glorious Land). I think as a whole this one is better than average (hence 3 listens) but it didn't have a lasting impact on me. So for me it is a low 4 that I should probably give more focus to.

This album isn’t at all what I expected, evocative, and very difficult to describe. I love it though. She channels the spirit of Joanna Newsom. Standard tracks are: “The Last Living Rose” and “On Battleship Hill”.

This is my favorite PJ Harvey album. I think she’s great on most of her albums but this one has some incredible band performances and I just love the tone of the record.

Political and poetic. PJ Harvey has a higher, almost keening vocal tone on this album, unlike on others I've heard from her. That along with the stark arrangements, old-world folk ballad vibes and often sorrowful tone give this album a fragile, haunted feel. Wraithcore.

Well crafted songs, sung with a voice that jumps out and gives you a friendly slap around the face. I love the way Polly addresses current issues, then moves on to something new. Let England Shake is already something of a time capsule, but it's still worth repeated listens.

Loved it, love the sound, the creativity, just the overall feel of this album. Great experience.

Superfedt album, første jeg har hørt med hende. Stor 4'er

A welcome return to form after a pair of disappointing albums in the 00s, and unlike anything else she’d done up until that point. Not one of my favourites from Polly Jean, but it remains a beautiful album nonetheless.

Good

This was kind of a pleasant surprise. Based off of the comments, I thought I might not like it. However, it was enjoyable and cohesive.

Weird, often dissonant, folk, all centered on the nebulous idea of "England" and its troubled history of war. Almost 5 stars for me, but there are a couple of tracks that clang for me.

I feel like I've listened to her album Rid of Me (or maybe I'm mixing it up with Sky Ferreira's album Night Time, My Time, although thats definitely not punk???), but with an album name like Let England Shake, I was expecting more rrriot girl punk type stuff, not jangly indie pop/folk, haha. Either way, really solid album. I'll have to give it a few more spins.

I really like how this sounds. I like it a lot more than the first PJ Harvey album I had. Reminds me of Fiona Apple a lot. Goes very interesting places from intensity to quiet while still being a little challenging.4/4.5

Superb. Nearly a 5.

Love it

An intriguing album. While the themes of war and England were a bit hard to relate directly to, I sense there is a lot more going on in the songs than I heard in a cursory listen. In this rare instance I gong to give a rating of 4 as I think I will be interested in hearing more from PJ Harvey and maybe should give this album another try.

I'm not really that familiar with PJ Harvey. I know OF her. I feel that, like Nick Cave, she's gone from being out-there crazy rock art weirdo to a more establishment respected art weirdo and this album is on the latter end of that. As far as I can tell, it's a concept album about England being the home you love but also a bit awful. Right? It sounds good. There's a few stand out songs and the rest is alright. I might revisit.

A powerful evocative album…

This is a very good album, but I think there are one or two points where I thought it veered towards cliche, with one or two songs coming across as a bit gauche.

- This album is art and art is not easy. -

More creative and original than other albums we’ve heard from this era. But PJ has been at this for a while.

Actually really enjoyed it, never been a big fan of PJs work but I really started getting into this.

Bra, men trodde det skulle være bedre. Stories from the city, stories from the sea er et av favoritt albumene mine, men dette var ganske annerledes. Mye mer minimalistisk og rolig. Kan se for meg at det vokser på meg da.

I have always enjoyed this album - although have never enjoyed it as much as I think i should based on the 5* reviews it received.

This is a good album that will probably grow on me with more time and listening. 4 stars or B.

Hesitated between 3 and 4 - I‘ve never listened to a PJ Harvey album but expected to like her based on my musical taste (still waiting for Nick Cave to turn up). If I’m honest I wasn’t crazy about this, especially the Bjorkish vocal style, but rounding up to 4 because I think it could grow on me.

I don't know what it is, but somehow I have a hard time connecting with PJ Harvey's albums. "Let England Shake" was the first time that this connection wasn't a problem. Bringing something completely new to Harvey's career, this album is groundbreaking in every way. Lyrically and sonically, one of the best albums of her extensive career.

This is a curious blend of ethereal, avant-garde sounds and what feels like Irish folk songs. I love All And Everyone. Her voice is mesmerizing and doesn't need instruments around it.

A career full of left turns. All art with a capital A - but still visceral. And she can bring it when she wants. The only through line - that voice in all it's permutations. And this album highlights that from track to track. From whispers to a scream, operatic to ethereal - she gives a little bit better everything. Challenging but tuneful. Restless and bewitching.

mjög fínt. annað, meira. 4.

This was an album designed to make us look at the crazy waste and horrors of war. Music was there to support the lyrics. Ergo, a provocative set of works, not intended to be fun. Was a tough listen to go through all at once.

Creative dark folk rock in the vein of White Chalk with dark, grand lyricism. A

Great album, Ethereal album, love PJ Harvey's voice 8/10

"What is the glorious fruit of our land? / Its fruit is deformed children." Found this one interesting. It's an anti-war folk rock album (kind of brought to mind The Decemberists' "Sixteen Military Wives" for me, though tonally it's quite different). I don't think I've been exposed to PJ Harvey before but I'm probably interested in exploring more.

General impression: beguiling, strange, mysterious, compelling, timeless Detailed review: This is such a strange album. Back when it came out, and was getting all the acclaim, I simply did not get it. The concept went over my head and none of the songs seemed catchy. I must have been too young. Now, thirteen years later, I’m very into the concept (probing the history of one’s country through its wars and conflicts) and pretty amazed at the musical approach. Reading up on PJ Harvey, she is obviously a Bowie-esque figure, switching up her approach and aesthetic with every album, never repeating herself, swinging for high-art impact. Still, I think I may need to listen to this album at least twice through before I can properly rate it! It just seems so dense; I’ll want to read through the lyrics and think more deeply about the songs. I’m still uncertain about giving it a perfect 5/5, even though its artistry impresses me so. We’ll see after my second listen. Deeper thoughts (context): After two listens I still find it mostly a cerebral exercise; it’s heartbreaking conceptually but my heart doesn’t feel broken, if that makes sense. Score: 4 Number of albums left to review: 954 Number of albums from the list I’d consider “must-listens”: 27 (including this one) Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 20

A very pleasant and enjoyable listen especially considering the source material. Polly Jean is such a varied artist and I have liked pretty much everything she’s done, some of it is very challenging but that is a good thing, mostly.

I didn’t care for the other PJ Harvey album I got already, but I thought it was really well done. I saved a few songs for my playlist.

4.5 - accessible-level PJ harvey

Ziemlich piepsige Stimme

Very nice

Fav: Let England Shake Least Fav: Hanging In The Wire

Folk-rock suave. Está bien. Un 4.

Wow. I’ve never listened to PJ Harvey before and really didn’t know what to expect. Given that it’s fairly recent my expectations weren’t very high. But wow. It was quite enjoyable. Major Pixies vibes. And that’s obviously a good thing. 4/5

I liked it.

Okay

The sombre, ghostly atmosphere carried throughout the album is one that I enjoy. I liked the lyricism a lot, every track explored their themes and painted a vivid picture of its sentiment.

Really enjoyed this one! Could potentially be a 5 after more listens. Great mood and rhythms.

Really good. Drags a bit in the middle

I don't like this music much. The instrumentation is generally fine and often pleasant, so some tracks would otherwise be very good, but I really dislike her vocal style. I also find the vocal melodies don't match the underlying instrumentation. Also the lyrical structure is disjointed and doesn't match up. It seems to have been written as poetry then shoehorned into some music. But it grew on me. Some tracks are OK once I got used to her voice - Written On The Forehead is just like The Who's 'Magic bus'.

I'm not a huge fan yet, but I'm getting there!

In a whirlwind of avant-garde folk and genuine uniqueness, PJ Harvey delivers an album with an incredible apparent overarching theme of an ode to England, something that I’m sure I could appreciate more by virtue of listening whilst walking through my area of England. Having only heard (fully) Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea alongside parts of her other earlier albums, I expected this to be a continuation - that often heavy rock sound. And I am very glad it wasn’t, as this really is something great. Especially for what might be called a ‘late era’ album.

Hieno kokonaisuus. Hieman liian usein suht samalla melodialla toistetaan yhtä virkettä. Poikkeuksellisen vahva tunnelma, ja sanoma tuntuu välittyvän ilman sanojen tarkkaa kuuntelemista (kliseistä mutta totta tässä). Erittäin ihailtavaa. Syksyinen, koska on vähän synkkä.

Mediocrity at its finest. It's almost excruciating how mediocre it is. Almost. There's something about it that's still a lot better than a ton of the shit I've had to listen to with this website.

Yeah, it's good. There's a lot of PJ Harvey in this list.

This was a good package. None of the songs really stand out by themselves, but the album was powerful, despite not having the raw grittiness that PJ normally brings

Pretty good, very much something unique and interesting.

PJ Harvey doesn't make a bad album. I don't know if this would be one of my favourites, but it's a pretty mature effort. The addition of Mick Harvey (no relation of course, but linked via Nick Cave) is great, he's another seasoned indie god.

I always loved this album, great artist. Brilliant lyrics with a great abnd and music. The only thing stopping this becoming a 5 is I feel there is a bit too much filler on this album. Favourite song: Last living rose and let Emgland shake Least favourite: England and On battleship hill Album artwork: Brilliant

With elements of alternative rock - filled with raw energy, vocals bordering on flavours of Bjork and Kate Bush - still ultimately making it her own voice, and anti-war messages paired with societal commentary: ‘Let England Shake’ is an experience I don’t think comes along very often. The music and production has layers of surprising complexity, but nothing that makes things inaccessible. It only adds to many songs throughout the tracklist. The compositions are both melodic and filled with subtle additions that turn almost every re-listen into something new. It’s a feat I feel many artists/bands have trouble pulling off without coming off as pretentious. But PJ Harvey powers through it with no apologies. Her lyrics are both hard hitting and engaging. Her voice is both ethereal and wonderful to listen to. The topics on her agenda range from commentary on war and a love for her country with an undeniable patriotic disappointment in it; which I think we can all relate to. This is another album I gave two listens to when it popped up; and both times it felt like I was hearing something new in it. ‘Let England Shake, is an absolutely fantastic LP.

Let England Shake isn’t the PJ Harvey I remember. The frenetic energy is more subdued but the tension is still there, somehow tighter and more beautiful. In Dark Places is a masterpiece. Much of the middle of the album is close 8.7/10

Same PJ but with a new coat of paint. I actually like this sound a little more than her 90s sound, really enjoyed this one.

Yeah! A great album!

I knew PJ was a great singer/songwriter, but have never sat down to listen before. I was really impressed with all the instrumentals and the varierty in the music, while still remaining very listenable. Great album. I will listen more to PJ in the future.

Apparently, this recently disappeared from streaming services and has yet to reappear as of the time of this review. Well, that's too bad, as I find this to be my favorite PJ Harvey album from the ones I've heard so far. It's difficult to explain why I like this album more than those, but I think the instrumentation hits a lot harder for me when Harvey slowly builds up to an explosive sound in each song, rather than starting at the climax such as with her earlier albums, or never going anywhere like with her early 2000s albums. It's the same layout she used on her prior (solo) album, White Chalk, and that plus the stripped back production with a unique sound equals something that is up my alley. I can recognize now more than ever that Harvey has a great voice, and it lends itself great to this folk-y yet powerful art rock album. I just wish the final four three or four tracks hit harder, as it doesn't really feel like a finale, especially when compared to the front half. Will assuredly be buying this on vinyl on my next trip out, it deserves better than streaming any way.

Solid record

Not my favourite album of hers, but even her "not-so-good" stuff is still good.

This album is a vibe. Really unique and solid from front to back.

Personal enjoyment: 4/5 Relevance to this list: 3/5

Very unique folky album, I only listened to the demos because that's what was available on Spotify but I really enjoyed it. Some heavy songs about war and a very unique spin on the music in general

Deep contemplation. Brave.

this just reminds me of moth at IM soccer. I fw it tho. Well most of it, a few songs r the same vibe as the other German YouTube albums w/ the lady shrieking kind of. Overall I enjoyed.

PJ Harvey is really good, and this album is really good. Between a 4 and a 5

I don't know if I'll listen to it again. But it was good.

Let England Shake felt like a true renaissance for PJ. It had been since 2000's Stories From the CIty, Stories From the Sea that she gained so much attention for an album, and I think it also attracted a new generation of fans for her music. And rightfully so. With this album, she completed her shift towards a softer approach initiated with Uh Uh Her in a tasteful way. It feels like this album has a purpose, maybe because of the newly political themes that it touches on. This was a really great comeback that she hasn't surpassed yet.

I was very surprised by this one, very good stuff!

I can't really tell why it's on this list, but... PJ Harvey rarely miss and this is a great album. After listening to Kid Rock, Sugar, Todd Rundgren and Aerosmith, it feels so good. Let's give this a 4!

Polly Jean makes another great album. The songs have rhythm and groove while having strange mystical Albion images scattered through lyrically and musically, with teh spectre of war and self destruction hanging over it like a gas attack. Best Tracks: Let England Shake; The Glorious Land; Written on the Forehead

Enjoyed this. Never heard her stuff before. Different and interesting.

The original version isn’t on Spotify anymore so I listened to the demo version. Idk how different the two are but based off the Demo version, I can see why this is revered from what I’ve seen online. It’s just a good collection of music. The Last Living Rose is so good, I immediately threw it in my rotation. I just wish the song was longer!

Listening to the Demo version of this album, as the normal album isn't available on Spotify.

Funny enough, I was just thinking about this album yesterday and the fact that I never gave it a proper chance. I always loved 'Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea' and this challenge has made me really appreciate PJ Harvey's earlier works. I was intrigued with 'Let England Shake' when it came out, given its Mercury Prize win. But I just didn't click with it. Now that I've given it a proper change, I kind of see why. It's very different from her other work and requires a bit more work to appreciate it. Unlike her previous dives into blues-tinged post-punk, and her love songs to New York City, 'Let England Shake' is more like a tribute to early 20th century poets and the legacy of past wars. To understand what makes it special, you need to really focus on the lyrics, which take far more influence from T.S. Eliot than Captain Beefheart. The effect is to make the album feel firmly rooted in the past, while incorporating many musical elements of modern day PJ Harvey. The more I listen to her music, the more convinced I am that she's one of the most significant artists of this generation of music.

En heftig spennende introduksjon til PJ Harvey. Jeg gleder meg til å høre mer av henne ! :)

Elegant and provocative

Some unknown cool music

What a revelation! Fantastic album

I need to listen to more PJ Harvey. Really enjoyed this.

Grows on you

Cool album

I've never listened to PJ Harvey but I enjoyed this album.

Kinda knew I would like this and I loved it. Feeling 4 stars on the first listen but I can easily see it going up with time <3

pj harvey is so cool - this album is so spooky and cool so far

Another one where I'm split between 3 and 4. gonna go 4 with this, she has a great voice and this had a good amount of unique and solid melodies

Fun

Vaker geprobeerd maar eigenlijk nooit een heel PJ Harvey doorgekomen. Deze keer wel goed gelukt. Zonder twijfel zal Patti Smith een inspiratiebron zijn voor PJ (All and Everyone) en natuurlijk ook de zangstijl van Bjork en muzikale stijl van (former-lover) Nick Cave komen vaker terug op de plaat. Niet de minste artiesten om iets van over te nemen. Dat maakt Let England Shake voor mij eigenlijk een verrassend behapbare plaat, ondanks de oorlogs-kritische teksten. The Glorious Land vind ik echt outstanding. Ik kan alleen de mars-trompet die op willekeurige moment in dit nummer wordt geblazen echt niet weerstaan. Toch een fantastisch nummer. Bitter Branches is ook fantastisch en heeft een vergelijkbare opbouw als White Rabbit. En net als White Rabbit zonder climax. Goud. 8/10 Highlights The Last Living Rose The Glorious Land Bitter Branches

When you hear this against the early 90s PJ, it shows such a remarkable change. For one thing, her voice has matured and blossomed, to the point that it sounds a bit Kate Bush-y. There's also a cracking undercurrent of anger and protest in songs that skewer what it means to be English as the Tories began their endless running of the country into the ground, so that's nice.

Always liked PJ and this is different from her early stuff. I do like the odd sounds she puts in.

Never heard this album before; I kind of lost track of all things PJ Harvey after the 90's. This is great though!

I liked this quite a bit. It's got a lot going on and I like the dynamics from song to song. 4/5

Intrigued by the first listen and convinced by the second listen. A really interesting album; we will be exploring PJ Harvey more.

Took me a few tries to get into it, it’s good but it’s still giving these vibes: https://youtu.be/X7W9ws2PTXk?si=dmFfyt0qNOKuxasd

Creative dark folk rock in the vein of White Chalk with dark, grand lyricism. A

I might even like this one more than the other. I’m gonna go 3.5.

I really like that this list includes both an early and later PJ Harvey album. This is quite a contrast from the more grungy and raw "Rid of Me" from the early 90s.

Good alternative singer-song writer effort. I went back to LISTEN to it a couple of times and more carefully and it greatly improved my experience. As background music it just gets lost.

4.0

Vraiment aimé l'album, en général je dirais que j'accroche de plus en plus sur son style de musique. C'est très intense et très bien exécuté. Pas un album parfait, mais c'est sûr que ça va rentrer dans ma rotation. 8/10

I've generally liked what I've gotten of PJ Harvey's so far and this is no different but I didn't realize how diverse her discography was before this one. I know she's done slower stuff and more hardcore stuff but this is straight-up 2011 British indie folk rock that's both operatic and ethereal and it's just as good as her older stuff.

"Goddam' Europeans! Take me back to beautiful England", transposing this album 13 years later takes on a very strange story in the post-Brexit landscape, while Polly was influenced by classical poetry while creating some of her own, the tone of the English nationalism seeping through is hard to avoid. It can be likened to the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics where its a throwback to when Britain, or England, was actually Great, now its a sad reminder of whole isolated we feel, by choice.

Listened in one sitting. It's a love letter to England and also has some political commentary going on. I like how she uses outside melodies/media in a multi-layered backdrop. I liked the The Colour Of The Earth... & Written on the Forehead... She's cool, I'd come back to her work sometime.

interesting and fun music, enjoyed that

Guter Indie Pop

Easy listening, I liked it.

4 albums out of 700 thus far are PJ Harvey. Can I get one of my old band's albums up in this thing? What the actual... ---- thus far i am hate/love/hate with the 3 albums - really hoping this steers towards the "Stories From the City..." album rather than their/her early crappy dry <pun> work. ---- Immediately I can tell this is definitely better - far better. Melody, actual production value, interesting time signatures and instrumentation - dammit it irritates me that I've been subjected to the early stuff (or that she/they - ?? is it proper to just refer to Polly/her? or are they really a band? - even released those first few albums) because these later-period albums are so different - they simply *sound* so much more full and expressive. I'm not getting as many tracks that elicit chills as "Stories From The City..." did - but much like that album, it bears repeat listening - after a 2nd spin I'm appreciating the craft even more. Not sure if I like it as much as that one but there's a depth here that I think will only make this more appealing the more I listen. Also: big appreciation for these old-school short-ish albums. 42 minutes is perfect. 7/10 4 stars

So much PJ Harvey! This album was good. Very different sound from the last one, which I think I enjoyed more.

I've always heard about PJ Harvey but I've never listened to her. No better excuse. It seems like this is a pretty political statement about the British government and its history. A whole lot of references to war and British actions in the word. It's a great record, though it's tough to sit down and have this on in the background. It's a record you have to pay VERY close attention to. It's more of a statement than it is a record.

It was nice. Indie rock, soaring at times screechy vocals. Generally a nice listen through but has some standout tracks, Words makeh Murder, All and Everyone, In the Dark places. The last track is shite.

For PJ Harvey this is a solid 5 but not quite in the same level as some of the 5-star albums I listened to. This album requires attention. You have to listen to the melodies and focus on the lyrics to get the point. It's a beautiful album and, while the music is not at all similar, I love Harvey's rambling melodies and anti-structure that reminds me of Joni Mitchell.

Great stuff. Right level of kind of atmospheric for me. Some albums try a bit too hard. This seemed effortless solid 4.0

She's just really good at music.

3.75

I like how the title suggests England should be nuked Was listening to this while on a minibus, a ~4yo girl heard it and asked her mom "If everyone asked god to turn the war off, would he do it?". Got her mom and half the minibus in tears. Now that I've ran out of memes to translate, time to speak about the lyrics. While I agree with the notion I don't think listing consequences of war is enough to do... anything really. First of all, most of the people I know want to die anyway. And I'm sure there are authors who portrayed dying soldiers in much more terrifying ways, so doing it again but in a less shocking way seems pretty pointless. Now, I know a way to make better anti-war propaganda but it's asocial and also illegal where I live so I'll have to wait for Kanye to do it. Although these lyrics are weak as propaganda, they didn't fail to set the atmosphere and worked well with her voice and the music. Also wtf is that horn in The Glorious Land lmao I thought that sound came from somewhere else

it was nice to listen to but i didnt look up or listen to the lyrics so ymmv >Also wtf is that horn in The Glorious Land lmao I thought that sound came from somewhere else I got faceit flashbacks

As much as I love Rock Goddess era PJ Harvey, the confident strangness of her later work is just glorious.

Kelpo siistiä singer/songwriter indierockia. Lauluääni ei aina miellyttänyt. In The Dark Places ja On Battleship Hill parhaita. Muutama outo sample

This was a really interesting one. Another artist that I feel like I should have been at least familiar with, but PJ Harvey is totally new to me. She's been around awhile though, and a few of her albums seem to be very critically acclaimed (including this one). The album is about England and it's about war (anti-war to be precise). That should sum up that part pretty well. It is very thoughtful, and she seems to be both trying to cover a lot of ground and capture the feelings of people in these situations. I was more interested in the album musically, I found that to be the more compelling part. It's a bit alt-rock, it's a bit folk, it's often somewhat unsettling. About halfway through I found myself struggling with the album a bit, but also realizing that I had saved basically all the songs since there was something in each one that I liked. I'm struggling a lot with an overall rating here, this feels like one that's hard to fully wrap my head around on one listen. It's definitely a bit art-y album, and the war theme makes it a not very light listen. But there's a lot that's clearly really good in here, both thematically and musically. I'm in the 3- 4 range, but this is definitely less of an everyday listen type of album for me. This is my first PJ Harvey album, and this seems to be a pretty significant departure from her earlier work, so I'm curious to hear a bit more of her music. Update, I gave it a second listen the next morning, I felt like it needed that. I really enjoyed it a lot when I stepped back and just listened without thinking about the lyrics too much. All of the songs I had noted the night before still stood out to me, and I added "England" to the list the second time around. It's still a bit of a tricky listen, but I think I like this. Favorite song: On Battleship Hill Other: Let England Shake, The Last Living Rose, The Words That Maketh Murder, All And Everyone, England, In The Dark Places, Written On The Forehead 12/14/23

This whole album had the same vibe. It was cooler than I anticipated.

Oi mate, me love some delightful British music, let England fooking shake, mate! 8/10

This was pretty sick a kinda folky indie vibe i really like. Loses a few points for a terrible album cover and being all about england

Good

war is bad 2011 edition but pretty good

A deeper and more poetic rock album than average, this album has hints of Tom Waits, especially on the opener Let England Shake. First album on this journey that I wanted to listen through again and dig deeper into the poetry. Some real beautiful instrumentation. A winner and one I’ll return to again at a later date.

PJ Harvey is a treasure. Her music is not always easy or accessible, but it's always interesting. She's always pushing the boundaries and never dull. This is an album of hers I haven't spent much time with but it's very good and will be put into my regular rotation. 4 stars.

Should I be surprised that this didn't rock as hard as I had expected? I'd never really given PJ Harvey a fair shake before now, but this was fine. Upper end of fine. I'm going to be generous and award it four stars, even. There's a kind of wonky idiosyncrasy at play throughout, punctuated by moments of sublimity. I don't think the songs themselves are stellar, and though Harvey goes to some interesting places with her vocals, I'm not sure I particularly like her voice in and of itself. Then again, she absolutely hammers away at that Eddie Cochrane reference, plus I'm always game for some autoharp. What a mean spirited four star review!

Gotta say, not only did I quite like the songs on this album, but considering how much crap I’ve given this list for being more British than Benny Hill, I should also confess that I specifically liked how much lyrical attention PJ gave to England. (My fave song overall probably was “England” itself.) Writing songs about place seems to be a fairly good formula for critical success. I really liked “All & Everything,” too. I’ll be listening to this one again.

4+

This is a great album, really. I'm told that PJ Harvey modified her sound a bit on that album to make it more melodic than what she usually makes, and I'll have to take their word for it, but if that's something new she was trying, I hope she kept it up on her future albums.

england should shake more often if u ask me

I remember listening to this album when it came out. I had seen it on a list of the best albums of the year, and even though I had never heard of PJ Harvey before, I listened to it, and I really enjoyed it. I've meant to come back to this album, but I'd never gotten around to listening to it again until today. I didn't enjoy it this time as much as I remember enjoying it the first time that I listened to it, but I still really liked it. I thought the folk lyrics worked really well, the instrumentation was great, and I usually tend to enjoy PJ Harvey's vocals. I really wanted to listen to this album twice today, but unfortunately, I didn't get around to it, so I don't have anything more to add.

9/6/23

Great

Nice sound

"Let England Shake" AKA, the first PJ Harvey album that doesn't suck. Maybe I've matured maybe she's gotten better but whatever the case, I'm considering going back to listen to her old stuff. I would've never listened to this without 1001.

I've loved this album for a few years now. It's such a hard one for me to pin down; on one hand it kind of washes over you, on the other it's incredibly eclectic and experimental. The washy guitar sound is really unique and always reminds me that this record was in a 19th Century church in Dorset, on a clifftop overlooking the sea. So cool. This is also a brilliant record lyrically, pouring over the hell of war. Favourite tracks: The Glorious Land, The Words That Maketh Murder, On Battleship Hill.

Not my favourite album from PJ but still very well written. High 4 star

Album not available on Apple Music

I like this more than I thought I would but I don't love it. Probably wouldn't seek it out. Much prefer her earlier work.

PJ's masterpiece.

Quiet and understated in some ways, explosive and cutting in others. Remarkable work! Warrants additional listens.

If I may reductive, PJ Harvey is like Bjork but lives in England and is into more rock/punk. Definitely like most of which is on here, last track is a bit random though.

Can't believe West Ham fans were fighting riot police

Pretty good stuff, very mellow. I liked the vibe overall. Not my thing generally, but I'd listen again depending on my mood.

Really creative song writing. Pretty much dig it. Would listen again.

Ça sonne comme des choses que j'aime

j'ai été positivement surprise par certaines chansons

I liked this one

A second division album from PJ Harvey this one, but given that her second division is better than most artists' first division... By turns, politically angry, despondent and hopeful, with music to match, this is an essential album in Harvey's oeuvre. But then, aren't they all?

I bought PJ's earlier albums but had lost touch with her by 2011. My loss. This is a very powerful anti-war / anti-imperialism album which is normally in my sweet spot. In true PJ fashion, the words are gruesomely brilliant. I like how she she half borrowed Eddie Cochran's line in Summertime Blues when she finishes "The Words That Maketh Murder" with the line "What if I take my problem to the United Nations?" creating a juxtaposition of Eddie's use of the words in the context of the first world problem of young man's angst and PJ's poignant statement of how the UN is there only to serve powerful countries.

I liked this, but a concept album about WWI England is just not aligned with my interests.

It was fine. PJ Harvey has never really been my thing, but I think her earlier albums are better.

8/10 super fun! I really enjoyed this :)

A brilliant album, maybe one of the best musical examinations of war ever made. Stark, biting lyrics, mournful but strident, with powerful, memorable imagery. I'm liking Harvey's vocal style on this album. It's different from other things I've heard from her, almost like she's channeling another singer. But it suits the subject matter and tone of the album really well. This isn't an album you listen to for fun, but it's an important one, and beautifully done. Fave Songs: In the Dark Places, On Battleship Hill, England, The Last Living Rose, The Colour of the Earth, All and Everyone

Let England Rattle. Let England Roll.

hey nonny nonny WOAH

This was soooooo easy to listen to. I enjoyed it very much. BUT! When "England" started playing, I couldn't help but laugh and mimic the moaning and yodel-like singing. All in all very enjoyable record.

PJ’s most pastoral project paints a picture most perpetual.

“DJ”… I don’t think I will like this album. Just read an article on Aeon about drum machines throughout time in relation to AI generated music. This is going to be interesting to have in mind when listening to this album. First impression: not bad. GOD THIS ALBUM IS GOOD!

אהבתי מאוד. פי ג'יי הארווי מוכשרת ברמות. הייתי מת לראות אותה מבצעת ביחד עם דייויד בואי

Had no idea what to expect knowing nothing about the artist, so pleasantly surprised by this collection. Certainly worth seeking out further works.

Dark, but I like it.

Interesting. I enjoyed the hell out of this album: I definitely didn't see that coming. I liked the chord progression, and the production sounded very fresh.

Recuerdo los días en que este disco era mencionado en la mayoría de las listas de la mejor música del año. Nunca le presté atención, probablemente porque antwa había hecho el intento con PJ Harvey, pero nunca terminó de cuajar, no pude seguirle la onda ni el estilo. Ahora, con varios años en el cuerpo, que no quiere decir que la madurez que dan los años sea requisito para dar con la música de PJ Harvey, puedo decir que este es un muy buen disco. De hecho, es uno de los pocos que he escuchado una segunda vez inmediatamente después de haber terminado el primer recorrido.

I remember not liking this when it came out. I guess i was expecting something like "Down by the Water". Listening to it now, I really like the mellow folk rock. I'll probably listen to this again.

I had no idea what this was, really enjoyed this album, I found it very interesting. Had a bit of a Bjork vibe Saved tracks: The Last Living Rose, The Glorious Land, Written On The Forehead, On Battleship Hill, Bitter Branches

PJ Harvey at her most literate, subtle and most poignant. Subtle and yet powerful arrangements that fit the hemes so perfectly. Her singing is understated and emotional and the songs are beautifully conceived. One of PJs quietest and yet most powerful a,bums. Long gone is the loud, punch to the gut immediacy of Rid of Me replaced with quiet beauty. But no less powerful. 4*

PJ Harvey is someone whose catalogue I've been meaning to explore more, being only familiar with a handful of songs and soundtrack/compilation appearances - and most of those falling well before this release. So here we go... Fun facts: It was released on my 31st birthday and won the Mercury Prize. This definitely sounds different than whatever sound my memory associates with PJ Harvey, although it seems from reading the Wikipedia entry for the album that it isn't just me. I'm digging it though. "The Glorious Land" is an especially great song! Highlight for the first third for me for sure. "Written on the Forehead" is super cool! I feel like further listens to this will be deeply rewarded, but even on a first slightly distracted passthrough it's a great album painting a portrait of England not dripping in blue-blooded finery or jingoism. I'm too exhausted to add much, or any, poignant insight. But I'm happy to have finally dipped further into PJ Harvey's world and look forward to spending more time with this album, and beyond.

Strong opening, lost my attention, revived at song 8, 9 and got lost again. So a bit mixed feelings, guess the album can grow, so because it´s pj ....

Pretty good, but one of my less favourite PJ Harvey albums. I respect it for its unique sound and intention to be different from previous work, but the songs don't appeal to me as much. Only In the Dark Places hit the right spot for me.

Even a concept album about English war history turns out fantastic in the hands of PJ.

The album explores how war shaped England, but it could easily be transplanted forward 10 years as an observation of the hyper-nationalism around Brexit as these themes are very similar. The punch of the lyrical content is almost masked by the softness of the sound, but to me it becomes something haunted. A wonderful record.

-1 too british

Folk-rock suave. Está bien. Un 4.

I feel like I’ve heard the name PJ Harvey before, but I couldn’t say why. A quick google shows she has an MBE so she’s clearly a bigwig. Excited to listen and find out what I’ve been missing! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: The Glorious Land, On Battleship Hill I could tell straight away from the first track that I was going to enjoy this album. There are the occasional strange music timings, somewhat ghostly and eerie vocals, and an overall “I don’t care” sort of vibe to the whole sound. These are all things that I tend to love with music, and this was no exception. I’m glad to say that I’ve finally heard PJ Harvey, and look forward to hearing more.

This was really interesting and beautiful- a modern album I really enjoyed. Definitely makes me want to listen to more PJ Harvey

PJ Harvey had nothing more than good intentions on her mind when she wanted England to shake. Yet another masterwork from one of Dorset's finest, this gentle forward-thinking reminiscing of her home country unveils layers that showcased Polly Jean's unceasing need for musical and lyrical exploration; a kind of sound that would feel right at home along with the Canterbury music of the early 70s and more rustic folk corners. A classic. Favorites: Let England Shake, The Glorious Land, The Words That Maketh Murder, All & Everyone, On Battleship Hill, England, Hanging on the Wire, The Colour of the Earth, The Big Guns Called Me Back Again, Written on the Forehead.

Well this a huge album in terms of crucial l critical success back when I guess I wasn't paying attention. But I am now. From the initial title track you're drawn to something very unique and visceral. And stay with it throughout. Glad I found you properly Polly!

Fave PJ Harvey album

Need to listen to again

While I have heard and enjoyed a few of PJ's earlier albums, none left much of a lasting impact on me. This one had me from the start.

Let England Shake has some seriously great instrumentals, reminiscent of old English folk songs mixed with modern folk-rock. Plus, they add some depth to the concept of this album, about England's legacy as a country of war. The first four tracks were a rough time for me; it felt like big lines were being repeated about ten times for shock value or something (like ok girlie we get it! deformed children! the UN sucks! new idea please) and the dissonance, although thematic and intentional, made for a not fun listening experience to me. Thankfully something clicked with track five, and I vibed with the rest of the album, both lyrically and melodically. I don't know if I can overcome how much I didn't like the first third-ish of the album - they might click later for me, but I tend to prefer songs with form and IMO the risks she took here didn't always pay off. I also don't think Harvey fully delivers on her concept at the end of the day, since the album is generally depiction with little commentary. That being said, it has high highs. Harvey has created haunting instrumentals, and the best songs on here carry lyrics that are unfortunately timeless in their depiction of the inhumanities of war. Standout tracks: All and Everyone, On Battleship Hill, In the Dark Places, Written on the Forehead, The Color of the Earth 3.5 for the yikes first four tracks and my high expectations for the concept not being met, but rounded up to a 4 because I'll be returning to tracks 5-12 again.

This is sort of a strange album for me to get on the heels of The Kinks's Preservation Society album. There, The Kinks were focused on the little aspects of British life that the liked and thought were worth saving. Here, Harvey focuses on the darkness of British history and violence that built the British empire. This album is deep and emotionally resonant. The music is all well executed despite the fact that Harvey departed from the style of her previous albums during this work. 4/5 Really cool work, and one of the seminal anti-war albums released during my lifetime

Wow. It’s like it’s a completely different artist named PJ Harvey writing a WWI-themed album. This thing could be the soundtrack to a horrors-of-war documentary and I would not mind at all. Also, that high soprano *swoon*

this was really good, i love the recurring motifs and the simple lyrics, works really well

I really love her style but the ambiant sounds that is sometimes added can become annoying.

Pretty cool female nick cave+mazzy star+bjork 7/10

La PJ Harvey madura que comença amb 'White Chalk' és molt diferent però igual d'encisadora que la Harvey més provocativa i experimental dels inicis. A finals de 2022, 'Let England Shake' és el millor àlbum d'aquesta etapa. Un cant a l'antibelicisme amb unes composicions, una veu, uns arranjaments i unes lletres que estan entre el millor d'aquells anys

Många fina och bra låtar. Bara hört en av dessa tidigare. Positivt överraskad.

Pretty, pretty good

HL: “The Glorious Land”, “On Battleship Hill”, “In the Dark Places” Not English. Still enjoyed this quite a bit. 4/5 October 28, 2022

A little eclectic, a little out there but also haunting and lovely

Harvey writes a modern protest album without sacrificing who she is as an artist. Loud, unique and bold in a lot of places it’s standard non-conforming time signatures coupled with an interesting choices of autoharps as the main backing.

Alternative and Singer songwriter vibes

Very original, with some raw grunge-like energy and polished songs at the same time. PJ is really good at adapting her vocal to the songs, and the album covers a variety of needs

Positively surprised by this record, way better than what my original expectations were

Great record overall. The vocals are beautiful, the guitars are great, and the lyrics are so poetic. I really enjoyed this record from start to finish, its very comprehensive and a very easy listen. However the lyrics can be more than just an easy listen, they're fairly dark and profound at points. Favorite Track: All And Everyone Least Favorite Track: The Colour of the Earth

Ok, finally, music for British people and not just by British people. It's interesting but a bit too weird.

I like PJ Harvey for her spirit and talent. Good listening

If you want to listen to some birthday party bangers, I wouldn't go for this album. Eery chords, high pitched voice and very into your face. The first World War is an intriguing subject and she has definitely dived into it. High rating because of the artistic and historic value, but not an album I'll put into my high rotation.

I’m a big fan of Polly’s, but I obviously did not give this much of a listen when I bought it. I was taken aback by the high-pitched voice and I think it got filed away pretty quickly. What a big mistake. I now can’t stop playing it. It ticks a lot of boxes - particularly the length of most of the trax - 5 are 3 minutes or under & only 2 only 2 are longer than 4 minutes. Takes me back to the late 70’s. The stories in the songs are heartfelt and the music is as original as you’d expect from her - possibly a bit to do with Mick Harvey’s involvement. Special mention to the native American drums & cavalry charge bugle in The Glorious Land and the nod to Eddie Cochran’s Summertime Blues in The Words That Maketh Murder. I saw her at the Horden earlier this century - so good live. And rarely fails on disc. Loved this.

Really enjoyed this. Only put 4 stars because there were some stinkers in the mix, but for the most part thought it was pleasant to listen to.

Like The Kinks “Arthur”, “Let England Shake” is an artist’s exploration of their relationship with England, their country of birth, and the battles it has fought. “Let England Shake” is a decidedly darker affair, aiming some of its focus on Gallipoli, where 30,000 English soldiers died in a brutal battle during World War I. Harvey’s songs here are often ghostly and strikingly minimalist in their instrumentation. The record’s stark black and white cover compliments its sound perfectly. Let England Shake is an ambitious concept record, one that I suspect will take me a few more listens to fully digest.

Really like it- kinda chill and grungy? Think it’s one I need to spend more time with to really catch the brilliance

Interesting, different, hadn't heard before. Probably needs a few more listens with lyrics. 3 or 4.

OK Polly, you did it. You wore me down. Have your four star album.

Love this album. The lyrics are really powerful and her arrangements are absolutely gorgeous. One of PJ Harvey's best works in my eyes.

Excellent, différent, authentique. Par contre, on cherche souvent quelque chose à quoi s’accrocher et on oublie rapidement ce qu’on vient d’entendre.

J’ai découvert PJ Harvey avec cet album à sa sortie. J’aime beaucoup cet album avec ces arrangements.

Fascinating that this one came out in 2011 and STILL sounds like it came out in the late 60's... It reminds me of The Doors if Bjork was the singer? I dig it.

4 I think I really liked this. Some songs were really kinda whatever but others had a certain quality to them that I enjoyed. The pace was enough to keep my attention and I always love a good saxophone. The guitars are jangly and pretty. A little unfocused to be higher but I’m definitely a fan of this one. Favorites include: Let England Shake, The Glorious Land, The Words That Maketh Murder, All & Everyone, On Battleship Hill, In The Dark Places, Bitter Branches

I remember listening to this a little while after it came out and it didn't get anywhere with me. Something clicked about halfway through this time around - I think it's only going to grow on me the more I listen.

It was uniquely good, but i did not like it

My only exposure to PJ Harvey was her 1993 Rid of Me which I thought was ok but hated how quiet it was. This album 20 years later is just amazing. I'm a huge fan of the crazy production, her versatile vocals (reminds me of Bjork), expressive lyrics, and folk instrumental structure. It's aesthetically pleasing with tons of unique noises without making it inaccessible, evoking an ethereal atmosphere and ranging from campfire anthemic to emotional and personal. I appreciate it more and more on each listen, blown away by half the tracks, and the other half growing with each listen, but they do blend it at first.

Really good.

Was good, never heard of her before

Interesting & powerful album.

I love everything PJ Harvey

More varied and interesting than the early records and a strong contrast even to Stories. The anger takes on more compelling forms than rage and hollering. PJ actually sings most of the record, and in a sense it’s almost more haunting to hear her voice at lower decibel and more accessible pitch. So many grace notes – the bugle gate-call on “This Glorious Land” – add texture and dimension. “On Battleship Hill” and “Hanging on the Wire” are lovely. The lighter touch makes a bigger impact on this mature minor, masterpiece of a sort. 4.2 for 4.

Phenomenal composer! Pleasant to listen to….some tracks are remarkable…

This one surprised me, I really enjoyed this listen. The vocals are great, the instrumentation is dramatic and moody, and the lyrics are meaningful, and often political. Reminds me of some spoken-word-esque artists that I really like (Nick Cave, Patti Smith, The National) The production and the recording location of choice being a church really compliment the content throughout this album. There are strings, electronics, percussion, vocal layerings and doubling, so many crafty ways to get just the sound they were looking for. Really good. 4.5/5 Fave tracks: The Glorious Land, On Battleship Hill, England, Bitter Branches

This is a very interesting folk album. The music is well composed and the lyrics are complex and cover a variety of themes that are not typically covered in commercial music like war, imperialism and nationalism. I find Harvey's singing to not always be the most enjoyable, seems somewhat common of a lot of folk musicians. Overall a good album, and it goes to show that there is still a place in modern society for good, meaningful folk music that's not just faux old-timey folk sounding pop like a lot of indie-folk outfits. Fav Tracks: The Last Living Rose, The Words That Maketh Murder, In The Dark Places

Nije mi favorit ali je i dalje jako dobar

Very cool, but I didn't like it as the other one of this list.

Well this was a bit different from the other PJ albums. It's moody and floaty and eerie, but so cool and inventive and PJ goes hard on every song. Loved it

ABSOLUTE BOP CITY

A really bold change of style with some incredibly catchy hooks and a strong message. The first 2/3 or so is amazing but it does fizzle out slightly towards the end

I really like her sense of melody and she's a terrific songwriter. Some really nice guitar playing by her on this album, too. Overall, I dig the sound and style of this album, even though it's a little jarring in spots but I have a feeling that's how she intended me to receive it. Very interesting album.

I liked this one a lot better than the previous PJ Harvey album. THere were some definite highs on this one, songs that I really enjoyed, sand a few that were just kinda so so. Still, it's a step up from the last one which was a strong 3. So this would be a 4. I like the harmonies, and listening to it on youtube the song intros worked for me.

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: The glorious land, The words that maketh murder, Bitter branches

I don't like this album as much as the more gritty albums PJ Harvey delivered prior to this one (I miss her guitar sound); but that's called being picky, as those are some of my all time favourite albums. Nevertheless, this is a huge album. The narrative driven songs with their ever so relevant anti war message add on top of the great (and very original) music to deliver an album that's much more than the sum of its parts.

Of the four PJ Harvey albums I've had so far, this one is by far the best. At times a haunting intersection of interesting muscality and thoughtful lyrics. (It's also sometimes annoying.) Best track: In the Dark Places

Really enjoyed it

Enjoyed the vocals a lot. Favourites: "The Last Living Rose", "The Words That Maketh Murder", "On Battleship Hill"

Wonderfully quirky. Bold structure

veisla

Can’t believe I never heard it in full before. Amazing record

Pleasantly surprised. Love the vibe of this album. Very emotional. Will come back to this album.

Kende deze niet, wel een aantal andere plaatjes van haar, die eigenlijk net wat beter zijn, maar toch behoorlijk goed!

This was new to me and I liked it. PJ is an artist who, whilst she has been on my radar, hasn't been an object of concern.

By 2011, PJ Harvey had been on the scene for long enough to become one of the old guard: a figure of the establishment in alternative rock. "Let England Shake" is has a gravitas and elegance to it which befits this reputation, but still takes plenty of bold risks along the way. It won Harvey her second Mercury Prize, made her even more of a critics' darling and left me feeling a bit cold on it initially- as though she could do no wrong. However, after listening to it, I have to agree with the consensus that this is a dark and gripping piece of work. I've only heard bits and bobs of PJ Harvey's other albums, but I'm fairly certain that none of them sound much like this. "Let England Shake" already feels both timely and timeless: drawing on generation after generation of pastoral folk, hymnal music, protest songs and wartime poetry. In doing so, Harvey asks what it means to be English, how any sense of pride is distorted and perverted by prejudice and hate. It's very literary, inherently musical, and it’s a rare concept album that really WORKS without getting too bogged down. The relentless focus on war, conflict and violence only intensifies the impact of each successive song. As fun as it is to hear Harvey expanding her musical reach (she plays the saxophone for the first time! Her vocal range is expanding way beyond what she's done before! And so much autoharp!) the lyrics are understandably the focus. Once I'd started reading them alongside the music, it was hard to tear myself away. Some choice turns of phrase: "Let me walk through the stinking allies, to the music of drunken beatings"… "I've seen flies swarming everyone… soldiers fell like lumps of meat"… "Some dove in the river and tried to swim away… through tons of sewage, fate written on their foreheads" Such powerful, visceral imagery. There are many other highlights worth singling out in the music. The waiflike banshee howl of the vocals in "On Battleship Hill". The tribal urgency pounding its way through "Bitter Branches." And "Written on the Forehead"- one of my personal favourites - making use of an intriguing sample of Niney's reggae hit "Blood and Fire". There aren't many flaws at all here: "Let England Shake" is clearly a well-thought-out, fully realised work of art. Though "The Colour of the Earth" is a strange closing track, with a sudden appearance from duet partner Mick Harvey (The Bad Seeds). It doesn't quite end on the desolate, wartorn note I was expecting. Still, I really enjoyed getting to know this album and it's absolutely deserving of most of the praise heaped on it.

This was actually quite a pleasant listen

Very different from her other album that showed up for me earlier, but equally as good.

Always interesting, not always easy to listen to but great nonetheles

Love PJ Harvey, but she's not easy listening. This is one of her finer albums.

Mais leve e etéreo.

Great sound and lyrics slightly lacking at times in the tunes dept hence 4 stars. Dipped a bit on re-listening from when I remember it last.

Dis album is well fit bruv. The lady geezer knows what she's doin.

PJ Harvey je zakon, već neko vrijeme pokušavam preslušati njene albume, ali nikako da dođe na red, ak neće tako, onda će mi ovdje reć kad da šta poslušam od nje. Od "On Battleship Hill" pa sve do kraja mi je najdraži dio albuma = 2. dio, iako mi se najbolja pjesma s albuma "The Last Living Rose" nalazi na početku.

Not my favourite PJ Harvey album, but still great.

Really good actually, despite being the 3rd folk rock album I've had in the past 4 days. I liked the weirder and darker-sounding tracks a lot. "On Battleship Hill" and the title track are certified bangers.

The epitome of consistency… album after album. This is another instant classic from Polly!!

Great folk vibe.

tosi kivat melodiat ja saundit ylipäätään. varmaan pitäis kuunnella lyriikoita tarkemmin, nyt taustalla kuunnellessa sain lähinnä irti että okei englanti mainittu, ja sota.

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