Let England Shake

I really enjoyed that a lot. I had never heard of PJ Harvey before. I will be listening to more PJ Harvey in the future. It gave me Kate Bush vibes for sure

Not what I usually listen to but I enjoyed it well enough

Day 1: Best tracks: The Words That Maketh Murder, In The Dark Places, Bitter Branches, The Last Living Rose I’m more of a fan than not. But I’ve always been lukewarm on Let England Shake. I think it is "The Glorious Land" that keeps me from embracing the album; I don’t care for the mix of the reveille in the song. 7/10.

This is my third PJ Harvey album, and they're fine but like, maybe just pick one? I don't mean these aren't good. I've enjoyed each of them for the most part. But I've enjoyed them for all pretty much the same reasons. I dig her vibe but some of the tracks, especially vocals, just kind of annoy me. I appreciate when she's being dark and moody but not eccentric and a bit kooky for some reason. I had to go back and read my review of her 2001 album Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea to make sure I wasn't crazy thinking that my review for this album would be almost identical. Nope. The only difference is really that I started that review explaining I had preconceived ideas about what PJ Harvey would sound like, but I actually hadn't ever listened to any of her albums. Other than that, all I would have to do is swap out song titles from that album for songs on Let England Shake and they'd basically be the same review. PJ Harvey is a bit of hit or miss for me with her 2001 more "hitting" than missing, but this one was a bit more of a miss for me. Her vocals got a bit too Bjork-y for my taste. I don't exactly get the critical acclaim, and I definitely don't get the warrant for including three (or more) albums of hers on this list, especially if they all sound so much alike despite spanning 30+ years.

very different from other pj so far, excited to see where it goes! title track is catchy as all hell, halloween vibes appropriately strong. loving this second track. on 3 now and yep understanding the mercury prize status now! political undertone strong here. hoping into the 2nd leg now! love the piano on 'on battleship hill'. goddamn this is AFFECTING, undoubtedly one of the best albums on war I've heard in a long time. 2nd half is even better. finishing up now, excellent as a cohesive statement. hard to pick individual songs but as an album WOW.

Not for me

I like PJ Harvey, but I've never listened to this one before. It was interesting and I think it demands another listen. I just don't particularly look forward to doing so.

2/5 niemals ist die Frau so gut hier mehrmals aufzutauchen

I don't like every album by PJ Harvey. Her earlier works are all right, but I don't find them mindblowing. However, "Let England Shake" is a masterpiece and I loved what Ms Harvey has done since. It's an almost haunting description of a country torn apart that would later be even worse with Brexit, the right-wing surge and so on. Many of the tracks evolve around war, but there's actually so much to transfer the lyrics. Musically, I like how Harvey became almost fragile here, away from the rockier hard side and aided by multiinstrumentalists John Parish and Mick Harvey. They do a lot of a stuff that isn't even that complex to play but hits the right tone through the right mixing and production. The basic cadences and chord progressions are a gem. If there's one album in the PJ Harvey discography one needs to listen to, it's this one.

Screechy voice, lyrics I can't really make heads or tails of. This is not my cup of tea at all

Had one album of her before on this I belive, and wasn't too impressed if I remember correctly. Feel the same with this. Finding a hard time enjoying her singing. Feels like too much wailing. And the melodies and overall music just feels uninteresting to me.

This was an album I hadn’t thought about in a long time. When it was released, a friend of mine recommended it. I remember thinking it sounded more “adult” than most of the music I was listening to at the time, and it took many listens before I actually started enjoying it (and not just pretending to). I never got too into the album, though, and always gave up around the middle. Fast-forward to today — listening to it again, I really liked it. The album manages to blend folk and pop in a unique way. It feels raw, yet musically interesting. It does sound a bit like Kate Bush, but not in a way that feels imitative. The lyrics are quite thematic, I feel like they are lifted from folklore somehow. There’s also a timeless quality to the music; it’s hard to pinpoint when it was released without already knowing. Maybe this hit the sweet spot of revisiting an album with fresh ears while still remembering the melodies, but I think this one deserves a 5-star rating. Can’t believe I’m giving P.J. Harvey a 5-star, have I become a music snob?

Not my cup of tea.

I like the folkiness of this album!

WTF…this is the 3rd album of hers to pop up on this thing!? Obviously author is fan of hers. Best of the bunch.

I wasn't thrilled when I saw this. This is my second PJ album this month and maybe my fourth overall. I was in a different time zone for the first one and up listening at an early hour. Her music is uneven for me, but this record is really strong, I was incorrect in my initial thought. Being pleasantly surprised is one of the best things about this project. This album fits the mood of the morning, the first Fall day it's too cold to sit out always brings a twinge of sadness.

What kind of music is this? I dunno... Adult Oriented Rock? Pop? Alternative? Can't quite place it. It's fine, I guess... pretty non-offensive, but pretty bland for my taste. Some cool stuff, but not something I'd seek out.

I haven't heard any PJ Harvey albums from the last 15 years, and so I was surprised to see this one come up. I really liked it, as a brit folk album with a lot of personality and beautiful songwriting. I need to dig into Harvey's discography more, as I mostly only know her stuff from the late 90's and early 00's.

What a treasure PJ is!

I started this album having never heard of PJ Harvey. I was impressed - slightly quirky, melodic style. Good vocals I could get behind it. But the more I listened of the album the less of it I enjoyed. To steal the title of one her songs - I was experiencing the downward trajectory of battleship hill. Again vocals strong and elements of the album I loved, but not one I could listen in total over again. I don’t know if the intro to England was meant to symbolise the East London markets of warbaling and random noises. This song is a perfect example - the next part of the song was beautifully presented (lyrics a little strange can’t quite deduce) then it overlays the random warbling again 2.5/5

Very good album! I'd give it a 5 if I were more into this genre.

This one didn’t grab me like her others. It was a good listen but nothing more.

I’m not a fan of PJ…

One like the more measured pace, layered textures and folkier tones and timbres here than on their more enraged and punkier records – this is by far one's fave PJH outing. Lots of interesting and engaging (even outright tuneful cuts): title cut/opener, "The Glorious Land," "On Battleship Hill" (with lilting piano figures rounding out the tense strumming) and "Writen On the Forehead." Extremely strong outing and a major modern (and modernizing) contribution to Englandiania (see also V's St Crispin's Day speech or various 19th-century novels [Eliot, Hardy, Dickens] or The Lark Ascending or a Turner landscape).

I have to go back and listen to it again.

I assume Yoko Ono is a major influence.

PJ Harvey was one of my favorite parts of one of my least favorite albums that I’ve had to listen to for this challenge (Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds’ Murder Ballads), so I genuinely had no idea what to expect from Let England Shake. Regardless, I went into it with intrigue and an open mind! The album opens up with a catchy xylophone melody, backed up by a lively beat that switches between 4/4 and 3/4 time – this immediately caught my attention and got me hopeful for some bops to come. The following few tracks were slower and less ear-catching, which made me zone out for a bit and not really give the album my full attention. But then something interesting happened. I was listening to "On Battleship Hill" and I just got this sense that I was missing something and needed to start the album over without any distractions, so I did that. I also put the lyrics up on my TV so I had something to look at and hoped it would elevate the listening experience. The second time through, I enjoyed Let England Shake a lot more. I was able to appreciate the subtleties in the instrumentals, the poetry in the lyrics and how well the theme of war was presented here. Everything about this album is so raw in sound, yet so refined in scope. Nothing got me thinking as deeply or struck me as profoundly as some of my favorite albums do, but PJ Harvey had a vision here and I can admit that it was executed to near-perfection. Let England Shake isn’t one I can see myself coming back to super often, but I imagine I’ll get more and more out of it each time I do! Highlights: Let England Shake, The Glorious Land, The Words That Maketh Murder, On Battleship Hill, England, Written on the Forehead

Liked this weird album quite a bit. Like mashing up those England-focused Kinks concept albums I hate with, maybe, Joanna Newsom who I love?

such a stark departure from what i'm looking for when i come to a pj harvey album that it was shocking. and while i didn't necessarily expect it to become what i am familiar with, i did expect it to become good and it did not

I don't like war stories, I didn't like these vocals, and I especially don't really care for or about England

I'm still undecided about whether or not I like PJ Harvey.

The music isn't bad, but I really disliked her vocals. I cringed & recoiled when I heard the title track. I love how my living room sounded after the 12th and final track ended. Silence can be a beautiful thing that should be broken sometimes - but not for stuff like this. Simply put the state of the room was better before 'Let England Shake' started playing at which time the room became loud and unwelcoming, suddenly smaller - after 'Let England Shake' ended the state of the room was better than ever as I took in little sounds that I had paid no attention to in far too long. Enjoy the silence or in my case Taylor Swift's brilliant new album.

Odd

3.3 2x in airplane from BZN to ATL and Marta

Previously rated: #517 - Dry (3/5) #608 - Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea (3/5) #716 - Rid Of Me (2/5) *************************** Album #933 This one may be a bit better than Rid of Me, but I'm still not a fan of her style. Four albums on this list is more than she deserves.

That was weird. Heavy subject matter expressed through airy, distant vocals that are incongruous with the music. But then, I came to understand that it was intentional. The album is an artsy lament about the horrors of World War I in the trenches of Gallipoli and a cry against English pride and nationalism and the tendency to romanticize war in the aftermath of victory. It's not an easy listen.

Ok

I dunno, this kind of flew over my head I think.

I actually liked this album a lot — much more than I expected to. From the opening and title track I was impressed: a fine melody, offset by what I think is a xylophone (judging by the credits), giving it an uneasy, almost dissonant edge that works beautifully. Great guitar tone too, and the vocals don’t bother me at all. That guitar sound really comes into its own on The Glorious Land — almost clean, but warm and full of character. Where Billy Bragg’s metallic hollowness always grated, this is perfect. Credit where due: John Parish, PJ Harvey’s long-time musical (not romantic) partner, deserves a mention here. All and Everyone is even better — wonderful guitar tone again, a haunting melody, lovely touches of organ and trombone, and superb singing. A fantastic song. So far, so good — until On Battleship Hill. Melodically it’s fine, even slightly country-ish, but Harvey’s vocal choices are baffling. She suddenly leaps into some operatic register — higher than Maria Callas on a good day — and it’s painful. The duet with Parish is nicely done, but if she’d just sung an octave lower it could have been genuinely moving. England continues the misstep, oddly flamenco-tinged and not much better. I don’t get it. Thankfully, the record recovers. In the Dark Places is another strong, stirring song, and Bitter Branches is among the album’s best. Without that unfortunate midsection, this could’ve been an easy 8, maybe even a 9 out of 10. As it stands, it’s a fine record undermined by its own excess — but it’s done enough to make me curious about the rest of her work.

I’m already a big fan of this record. It’s so visceral and haunting.

Really creative. Artistic and inspiring.

I'm definitely in love with this woman beauty but the music only sends that into the stratosphere. She has an interesting voice sort of like Bjorks even but with more alternative rock style instrumentation. Very watery reverbed guitars, cool arrangements and weird unexpected sounds over this thing. I think she has more acclaimed albums that are a little more straightforward but this is a very unique experience tha I think will grow on me the more I listen. Great opener and closer, also love The words maketh the murder, on battleship hill, bitter branches, written on the forehead and hanging in the wire.

I don't listen to a lot of folk, which is perhaps a surprise as my Dad loves the stuff... maybe that's why! This was a solid and enjoyable listen. Nothing that I didn't like on here, and a few in particular that I thought were good and offered something a little different (_Pink Moon_, _Know_, _Free Ride_) . It's not really in my wheelhouse though and whilst I wouldn't have any issue listening to this, I can't see myself choosing to listen to it again.

Complex and a bit rough will need to listen again I liked it

Really beautiful vocals, and there are some cool samples throughout. But the whole thing was just a bit too sleepy for me.

This one didn't 100% work for me, unfortunately. I get what the album is going for but it, but I didn't care for most of the songs. Maybe I will feel differently if I ever come back to this album. Favorite track: "On Battleship Hill"

I liked it, but was expecting a powerhouse, a very intense record? This was nice, good voice, good songs overall.

Probably not one I would come back to but I thought the vocal performance here was really solid and I was really interested to read that the album was inspired by poetry, because I felt like I needed a second listen to really get behind some of the lyrics.

Did not impress me, mostly whiny. Might be more enjoyable if I took time to dive into the lyrics, but the instrumentation did not convince me to do so.

For a lot of us, our first exposure to PJ Harvey came from the Batman Forever soundtrack - a strange but fitting introduction to her otherworldly sound. From there, she kept reappearing in circles connected to artists I followed, through Dave Grohl, Josh Homme, Alain Johannes, Mark Lanegan - always at the edges of something dark, creative, and magnetic. Her voice is beautifully haunting, and Let England Shake channels that ethereal presence perfectly. It’s unsettling in the best way, a ghostly, poetic experience that feels both intimate and apocalyptic. It’s the kind of album that creeps under your skin while you’re still admiring how beautiful it sounds.

My only knowledge of PJ Harvey is passing references on Gilmour Girls and Halsey's track "Dog Years" from The Great Impersonator, which was supposedly inspired by her. I gotta say this is different than I expected but I suppose indie folk/rock sort of hits the mark. I think this is sort of a "death of an empire" record. I am not British but given the current state of things in the US I can sympathize. I understand the idea of making modern folk as antiwar music and acknowledging the conquests that gave us the modern version of England or the US. To me this is really a poetry project with musical accompaniment. I can tell a lot of research went into the lyrics and subject matter. It is definitely well-crafted but ultimately I don't really listen to much like this for pleasure and I feel that in 2025 using WWI as the primary inspiration really dates it. I understand the parallels to more modern wars but to me, there is a huge component of the modern injustice of conflict that is missing. The world wars did come with massive civilian tolls but there is something altogether different about a modern superpower invading a developing nation that cannot be mirrored by WWI in my opinion. The nobility of old have been replaced by oligarchs today but there's no draft, no matching of equal forces, etc. Especially in 2025, we have the war in Ukraine, Gaza, Yemen that are all essentially functions of the aggressor toeing the line of war crimes on the unfortunate civilians of the area with such a power discrepancy that it boggles the mind. Johnny is not marching off to war with his buddy and his rifle, Johnny is shooting missiles at children from an office building 8000 miles away. She does do a great job of capturing the bleakness and absurdity of war - "death hung in the smoke/and clung to 400 acres of useless beach front" - but for me personally it just doesn't hit that hard. I think in places the accompaniment is so blasé that it washes out the subject matter - "Hanging In The Wire" is one of those songs.

This is a pretty fun album. Strange for sure, but fun. "The Glorious Land" had me chuckling at my desk. It kinda falls off in the middle though. All and all, its pretty good.

A nice album.

Pretty cool

I'm ashamed this was my first listen... Great album! Beautiful melodies and instrumentation with brutal... honest lyrics about the human cost of wars. No skips.

I was underwhelmed

Pretentious innit

It honestly surprised me to find out that PJ Harvey has four albums on this list. How I'd always thought about her — and I'll admit it was never terribly often — I would've sworn she would've only had... Y'know, two: 'Rid Of Me' and 'Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea'. Those are the only two I ever remember seeing show up on "greatest albums of all time" lists, particularly the various editions of the Rolling Stone 500. And I've got the kind of understanding like, "If it ain't on the RS500..." But obviously I'm willing to give these other two albums a chance, even if they're not on that list. I mean the Rolling Stone 500 is as much an authority on "the greatest albums ever" as this list is on essential albums. It's always more about whether I like an album than whether or not I think Big Important Critics™ should find the thing more notable. Still, though, it **does** leading me to wonder why all of her other albums are excluded from lists like that, and there's not much I can do to help having a line of thought like that. So, I tried to be fair, honest. I get where this thing is: it's an indie folk album about war, primarily through the lens of England's involvement in the first World War, though she also gives the "war on terror" some time as well. PJ Harvey, from what I've read, put in a lot of effort doing research for this thing. I don't think she was looking up the history of conflict and reading testimony from civilians and soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan just for fun, y'know? She spent 2.5 years working on this record. Just as well, actually listening to the final product, I can accept the Björk-y kind of thing she's doing with her vocals. It was a little off-putting at first, but I came around to them. But with all that granted, by the end of the album, I just didn't know. It nearly left with as much a loss for words as I had when I listened to 'Dry'. And, seriously, I did try: I even read along with the lyrics for most of the album! And I am **not** a lyrics person most times! But at some point, I just had to face up to facts and admit I just... Really did not have much interest in this album. Like, I'unno, the actual music on this thing just flew right by me. This whole indie folk thing, it's not my style. I sort of felt like I spent nearly the entire runtime waiting for it to get interesting. There were maybe one or two songs in the back half where it did, but by that point it was far too late. I wasn't even reading along with the lyrics by then. Whatever I'd heard and liked so much on 'Stories From The City'... It's just not here. And it wasn't on 'Dry', either, so... I guess I can see, at least from my perspective, why neither of these showed up on any lists like the Rolling Stone 500. I wouldn't call either of them bad, per se... Just the kind of "whatever" that does do a small number of how much I like PJ Harvey. Her standing with me is a bit shaken, let's say. And if 'Rid Of Me' can't prove **its** placement to me whenever it shows up... Goodness. But for the right now, with this album... I'unno. War. Good God, y'all. What **is** it good for?

More of the typical PJ Harvey goodness. 4.5 bumped down to 4.

I’m at a 5. Possibly higher. I just feel somber after listening to that, which in this case, is the hallmark of a highly effective album. This is a war-based album, one that touches on real history that I believe spans from World War I to World War II, with a slight commentary on the events of the Middle East that dominated much of the 2000s on “Written on the Forehead”. It is soberingly & brilliantly written, with many of these tracks seemingly from the perspective of soldiers either in the moment or reminiscing with a PTSD-driven eye, yet it musically leans towards a garage rock vibe that anchors the album in a sort of contemporary folk-esque way. These feel like they could’ve been written years ago, and given the intense research PJ apparently did in making this album feel as accurate & sort of emotionally pulling as possible, I think she did a great job at somehow evoking the events of a century ago while making it feel palatable to modern tastes. I’ll give a lot of credit to the production work here; this is a 2011 album, with garage rock leanings, but it feels like it could have been recorded today. None of the obvious production marks of the early 2010s are here, with a very consistent set of instruments (namely the lower, heavier percussion that anchors a lot of the tracks), and as such, it sort of adds to the vaguely timeless feel of these tracks. Sure, some of these tracks have extended intros that feel a little long in the moment, but I think they work in the sense that they build up tension very well, especially after some of the heavier tracks here. Vocally, I think “Let England Shake” is a bit of a bad tonesetter for the more thoughtful & narrative tone she takes for most of the album. I really like a lot of her vocals here, even when she goes full Bjork on “England”. I can’t really understand some of the 1s & 2s on the site; either they didn’t pay an inch of attention to the lyricism, their brains can’t come up with the imagery that she’s trying to evoke, or they just bounced off of this for reasons I can’t possibly figure out. Yes, it should not take a (then) 42-year-old English lady to remind me of the horrors of war, but if you’re using that as an excuse to diss the album, then you were never going to engage with this in good faith. I think this might be the best PJ Harvey album we’ve gotten so far, and I already thought “Dry” was really, really good. I desperately need to relisten to “Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea”, as I think I’d appreciate it more now. As far as this goes, I think the floor here is a 4, and for my history-loving tastes & with how much I just connected to this in a sobering way, it’s easily at a 5 for me, if not higher. Very, very good stuff & yet another successful Mercury Prize-nominated/winning album.

Had high expectations for this one but musically it doesn't go anywhere for me, this leans more into folk which I've always struggled with.

I’m not British enough to like this album

P.J. Harvey en estado puro en un disco casi desnudo, donde P.J. es voz y guitarra, se prescinde de sonidos de teclados envolventes y así suena mucho más orgánico que cualquiera de sus predecesores. Me huele a folk sin serlo y una sola escucha se siente insuficiente. No es música comercial de usar y tirar, se ha de degustar y hay que dejar que te traspase. Tampoco es un álbum para todos los gustos, me temo.

i love you polly jean

This was really good

Let England Shake 3.8 The Last Living Rose 3.8 The Glorious Land 3.6 The Words That Maketh Murder 3.5 All and Everyone 3.7 On Battleship Hill 3.6 England 3.3 In the Dark Places 3.5 Bitter Branches 3.4 Hanging in the Wire 3.2 Written on the Forehead 3.4 The Colour of the Earth 3.5 Score: 3.525

Gaap

I just dont like it. I tried and I had to quit. Maybe its because I dont wanna feel miserable right now haha

I really like PJ Harvey. I should listen to her more often, except when she veers into Kate Bush territory, which happens a little here.

PJ Harvey is another on the list of artists that were on my radar but never really listened to other than a song here and there. I was mostly excited to see this pop up today. It was a good thing that I read some about the album before listening, as I am a music first person and this is very much about the lyrics. That being said, I really liked the various musical styles on the album and I bought in right away. I listened while driving to work, so didn't have the lyrics in front of me, but what I could understand was very dark and very anti-war. Being a pacifist myself, this was right in my wheelhouse. Overall a very good listen. None of the songs are ones I'll save on a playlist, but I'm very open to hearing more from her.

This feels like it should be my kind of music based on the time period when it was produced, but good golly it's dreadful. I was hanging on until the terrible bugle call sample that was neither in time nor added anything meaningful to the song. It sounded like a juvenile attempt at putting a song together in GarageBand. None of the songs feel impactful or interesting and Harvey's voice is often screechy or squealing in the songs. It feels like she wants so badly to be Delores O'Riordan, but doesn't have any of her vocal qualities. I don't understand why there are multiple PJ Harvey albums on this list, but I have yet to see anything about them that makes them worth listening to, let alone worth recommending to another person.

Decent

There's some hate for this one. Seems like Marmite, but for me it was middle of the road. I didn't love it, but I didn't dislike it.

Not to my taste.

I'm struggling to find anything to say, its just pretty nothingy even compared to the other PJ Harvey album on this list, why do we need more?

PJ Harvey is for me the English equivalent of Icelandic Bjork. A very talented musician but goes a bit weird. Like Bjork I have expanded a lot of time listening to Polly wanting to reveal her secrets. In pursuit of this I have previously listened to this album many times and didn’t really get it. So today wondered if it would again leave me cold. The good news is that all my previous groundwork must have paid off because it all sounded very familiar and good. I’m glad about this because I remember when the album was released the NME went absolutely bonkers over it so I always thought I was lacking somewhat. It’s certainly a grower! 4/5 22/9/25

3.5

Interesting concept, very ephemeral.

Nice

Fine. I like PJ Harvey, and they have some great albums, but this one didn’t grab me on first pass. Maybe it would grow on me after repeated listening?

Love PJ Harvey, loved this. Though not as much as some of her more classic albums, this is still quality PJH.

Really good!

75% Best: Let England Shake; The Glorious Land; In The Dark Places Must-Hear? Not quite

This album left me feeling a need to listen to some 90s PJ Harvey. It didn't make me want to listen to "Let England Shake" again, in fact I found it a little disturbing, with the strange vocal delivery and the autoharp. I'm not sure whether I even liked it or not, so I'm going with a three star rating.

What is this? Why is it here? Yea this sucks.

Wanted to like it more but it's just a 3

pa ovo uopće nije loše, al ima neke čudne momente i dijelom je zaboravljivo, stoga trojka

not my fav pj harvey. it is not gritty enough for me

I'd heard the name and thought PJ Harvery was a Black man so this was surprising. The music did not resonate with me... the subject matter felt incredibly heavy, and the music was not particularly pleasing to me so it was not an enjoyable listen.

Piece of shit

It was fine. R.I.P to E-Dubb...

Bit slow for me

Stunning. I already liked some of the singles but this as an album blew me away. Brought back memories of some of these songs at Golden Plains and the atmosphere in the ‘Sup at the time. So so good.

Boring and unforgettable.

Being introduced to PJ Harvey for this project has been interesting. I like a lot of her stuff but don’t love it. May with more listens is will. 3.5/5

I know her. I don't listen to much of her. Not my style.

Too weird for my taste. Skipped most tracks.

I greatly enjoyed this one. I’m not up on English warfare history, but I’m always interested. This was very different from what I expected from PJ Harvey in the best way.

Interesting listen but never completely pulled me in. Ran through this twice and it became background noise about halfway through both times that would pique my interest at times.

Pretty good. My first time hearing this artist.

Better than expected and an artist I've never heard before. You do get some corny indie lyrics on occasion but as a whole, not bad. 5/10 (2.5/5)

Very good album. A talented songwriter at the height of her powers. Opens strongly and continues from there. Maybe lacking the highest of highs to get it to a 5, but well worth a go for anyone who likes indie/folk rock with an artsy twist. 9/10

In this album, PJ Harvey provides us with yet another reason not to go to England. She doesn't go for the easy targets, like the people or the food; instead, the album is about war. I went into this album expecting the typical indie singer-songwriter slop, but I was pleasantly surprised with the interesting melodies and PJ Harvey's unique voice. There's some cool, Björk-y stuff in here, but not much of the music really captivates me. I think I might like her other projects better, so I should listen to those in the future. 3/5 Favorite song: "Let England Shake" Least favorite song: "The Words That Maketh Murder" ("-eth" is a third-person *singular* verb ending smh)

It’s just alright. Nothing overly interesting, and she has better stuff on this list. 2.5/5 Probably won’t listen again

Not my fave artist

slow. all over. message. meh.

Really compelling album - definite revisit.

3 góð, 5 ágæt og 4 glötuð lög. Lagið England lét mig berja sjálfan mig í andlitið með kaffibollanum. Away from my arms, oh lord.

Alveg hrikalega sterk plata frá PJ, þar sem hún drullar yfir öll stríð í heiminum fyrr og síðar. Titillagið alveg óendanlega töff.

Pretty sure this album or around here was when she started to make her lyrics and theming mostly based on politics, she's really good at making scary songs about war and the horrors of the world, as her delivery is quite piercing and cold, like in song 8 It feels like somewhat of a concept album, but I think she just has such a creative vision with making albums that its hard to not think holistically, so this feels really interconnected. Instrumentally, its quite stripped back compared to earlier stuff, but there's some effect on the vocals or maybe some overdubbing which makes them feel really big. Also I've always thought the male backing singers are an incredible part, especially with her voice being a totally different register so it just floats over the top or something. Favourite songs: all. Overall around 8/10

Like, not love

Amazing but not something I'd listen to again.

Good album. Good music.

I knew PJ Harvey and heard some of her songs with Nick Cave but never listened to her so it will be a journey. And gotta say that I like that album sounds like what I like. Fav tracks The Glorious Land The Words That Maketh Murder All And Everyone On Battleship Hill In The Dark Places 4/5

England sounds like a terrible place. Thankfully it isn't real

Modest Mouse vibes with manic pixie nonsense and discordant warbling added for extra effect. Not for me thanks.

I have a good experience listening to this album. It was a different tone compared to the other albums I have listened to so far. I liked the rhythms, the lyrics were symbolic of England's industrial past and involvement in wars and it was short and sweet to the point. I can see myself replaying certain tracks and listening to the album as a whole. It was nice to hear music from another country as it exposes me to different genres and artists. It is interesting to note how acclaimed this album is compared to the average rating it received on this site.

This seems like a perfectly professional album and I will never listen to it again.

I owned a PJ Harvey album, I think, at one point? I don't remember a single song from it. This makes me a misogynist.

PJ Harvey is cool. This was interesting. 3.65

nice

No, just no. Didn't finish the album.

I liked the first few PJ Harvey albums but then stopped following her in the late 90s. Last year I saw her live for the first time and was first introduced to some of the songs from this album. Listening to the album in full for the first time today, I appreciated this evolution of PJ Harvey's sound and getting to hear these songs again in their original context. This is one I'd definitely come back to.

I'd run away with PJ Harvey to live by some fields, and my fiancée agrees. A folky, witchy and beguiling take-down of Little England - kaleidoscopic and distortedly bucolic! Favourite tracks: Let England Shake, All And Everyone, Written on the Forehead

This was Joni Mitchell-esque in that it took me a few listens to really appreciate it but I ended up really liking it. Despite limiting its thematic scope to being an unapologetically British anti-war album, the album never drags due to PJ Harveys lyrical and musical creativity. Really great!

I like several of the song quite a bit - however not a love. It does tempt me to look back at some of her earlier albums.

I don’t know much of the PJ Harvey catalog, so I assumed this was from the 90s. Feels very much of a different era. Did it.

Have to listen to her stuff again. I dont know if i like this or the other more

Not a great start. Felt mostly weird and detached. Songs about England's battles and horrors, I'm sure it's clever. But I was not hooked

Why are you praising England 3.89 stars down to 3.

PJ Harvy delivers a pretty timeless album - her style of weaving incredible lyrical prose with unmistakable vocals is solidly achieved here. The album is poetic…an exploration of history, war, and national identity. Tracks that stood out for me: “The Glorious Land” strangely upbeat and almost celebratory sharply contrasts the unsettling lyrics. “All and Everyone” is hauntingly beautiful, carrying the weight of war while also feeling deeply personal. “On Battleship Hill” carries an old-world folk tone, opening gently and with a surprising brightness. Yet the lyrics are stark and brutal. Then, the piano rises and transforms the sound into something pretty transcendent - I got chills both times I listened to this. Overall, this album is edging with sorrow and Harvey manages to transform the subject matter into something profoundly moving.

The 1001 Project seems a bit too Anglocentric in its featuring of artists hailing from the UK or else UK-adjacent (read: results of British colonialism). This album as a concept of the history of England viewed through the frame of armed conflict over the years really drills down on that unfortunate bias. It's really a shame because there is a whole world of music this book seems to be missing out on while it puts the spotlight on a lot of stuff that seems comparatively less deserving. I'm pleased to have heard this record, yes, but perhaps not at the expense of say, "Selda" by Selda Bağcan. Jeez, guys. Anyhow, "Sheela-Na-Gig" was my introduction to PJ Harvey in high school, and although it wasn't totally my thing at the time, I enjoyed the sort of ferocity she exhibited in that track. Later, stuff like "Rid of Me" took that ferocity and loaded it into a gun pointed right at the listener's ear. A girlfriend in the early 00s put "One Time Too Many" on a mixtape for me. Independently, I've kept up with some of her work via collaborations and singles over the years, and it's always been quite compelling. I can't say I've ever listened to one of her records front to back until today though. This album starts off pretty jaunty and upbeat for such dark, violent source material, and pretty much stays that way throughout, strangely. Polly Jean has always had this ache in her voice that I really like. However on this record she's inhabiting a constricted falsetto that I haven't heard her perform in any previous work, and I cannot say I'm a fan of it. There's some great musicality and harmonies going on throughout, but for some reason overall most of the songs feel unfinished, more like ideas/sketches than fully realized, finished pieces. There are some highlights though. "All & Everyone" is a strong track in all its theatrical texture and mournful cadences. "On Battleship Hill" is a haunting piece with a driving rhythm and elegiac vocal melodies. "Written on the Forehead" is interesting in its use of Niney's 1971 ska classic "Blood and Fire" as a repeated sample motif (but here we are again with the colonialism thing). Other than these, the rest of it all seems parenthetical and uninspiring. It's all listenable, but for a concept record, it lacks cohesion. I always respect when an artist moves off the beaten path, but here it doesn't really work for me. The album art design is simple and cool. It certainly catches the eye and has a lot of movement, even if it promises something that the music itself doesn't exactly deliver. Anyway, I'm gonna go listen to Selda now.

Inoffensive. Kinda boring

kinda underwhelming if I'm being honest.

И опять стори тайм: я нашел альбом PJ Harvey "Let England Shake" в каком-то претенциозном паблике в ВК с описанием, будто передо мной - величайшая музыка в истории. И вот я, лет пятнадцати мальчик, слушаю и думаю: блять, что за хуйня, какая скука. С тех пор я очень полюбил PJ Harvey, потому что, хотя мне совсем не понравился этот альбом, кто-то серьезный сказал, что музыка у нее отличная, и я продолжал слушать, пока в какой-то момент не щелкнуло (смотрите ниже, альбом Stories From The City...). Но вот я здесь, 20 августа 2025, и мне кажется, что это ее лучший альбом, самый ровный и самый интересный. Лучшая песня - The Words That Maketh Murder.

Not modern PJ Harvey. Oh man. She has some great rock credentials from the 90s, but that miserable effort from 2000 does not fill me with hope here. Please don’t just be another 12 songs about New York. Nor London. I can’t handle more random city worship. We get it. You LOVE paying a lot of money for stuff and listening to desperate people yell on the street. I love starting into the reflection of our capitalist society’s worst tendencies for the price of getting robbed occasionally. Will I seem stupid for predicting this? Trick question. I will seem stupid, but probably not for whatever this first paragraph purports itself to be. Spin the block Peej. Let England Shake - No. I will not. This is an interesting, jangly little song. Not a bad start, despite playing god with the earth’s tectonic plates. I didn’t know you had that kind of power, and now I better tread carefully, lest hurricanes ravage inland Canada. The Last Living Rose - Brexit banger ™️. Yeah this is actually a really pretty song with a sarcasm I quite enjoy. Looking at England through a realistic lens while also acknowledging the role it plays in your life. Interesting and, dare I say it? Fun. The Glorious Land - This really is going to be England criticisms. I wonder if she will mention New York? Anti-War sentiments and parallels drawn between the two nations most responsible for the negatives in the world today. The Words that Maketh Murder - Well, they can’t all be hits. All And Everyone - We continue with sleepy nonsense. Not loving this departure from what made this album so captivating to begin with. There’s still time. On Battleship Hill - Whoa. There’s a battleship on a hill? Are we talking about some sort of harbour hopper situation? We’re so back. Haunting modern take on a psychedelic chamber pop song. I think. I don’t know anything about genres. That’s what it sounds like to me??? England - Man, another England song. Very cool track. A lot of this is extremely off the wall and I’m liking the general atmosphere. Interesting to see how disparate here albums are. In 20 years; the change in sound is staggering. In the Dark Places - Oh man, we’re starting to drag. Not in a cool way either. Bitter Branches - For the last time, do NOT eat the branches. PJ, I take you and this backup singer to the public gardens and you just keep eating trees. Worse yet, you write an extremely grating song about it. Hanging in the Wire - I have tried to listen to this song twice and I still can’t remember one thing about it. I’m sorry, I have failed my loyal readership. And my royal leadership. Written on the Forehead - This is an interesting one. I like the sample, and the general oddity of everything fits nicely. The Colour of the Earth - What a dull closer. Ugh. An inconsistent album that really started to take forever. It seems that when she ran out of ideas, she just started to repeat herself ad nauseam. There were some fascinating ideas here, and there was a bunch of dead air I was forced to sit through. Welcome to 2011. Well actually most albums from 2011 are utter dreck, so this was a standout I suppose. The best of a bad bunch so far. Anyway. Happy this is behind me. Bring on the angsty 90s PJ Harvey, and let England do what it will. Just do it away from me, please. 2-2.5 HIGHLIGHTS: The Last Living Rose, On Battleship Hill

PJ Harvey is one of those artists that I like quite a lot of their stuff. However, over an album I’ll maybe only like 40-50% of the tracks. The same is true for this offering

++*: England ++: Let England Shake, The Last Living Rose, The Glorious Land, The Words That Maketh Murder, All and Everyone, On Battleship Hill, Bitter Branches, Hanging in the Wire, Written on the Forehand, The Color of the Earth +: In the Dark Places 9,7/10

Loved this album. I have several others by her but never this one. Great balance and production with intelligent lyrics that make you ponder

3.75

I always want to like PJ Harvey more than I do, but I don’t. This album is like the others (apart from Stories) in that I find it pretty average. This one is a bit more pretentious than her other efforts, and I wonder if it needs a few more listens to get really into it because the concept of the collection is quite interesting. PJ is channelling her inner Björk on England, and her voice is quite annoying throughout, but it’s not the worst thing I’ve ever listened to. It’s all fine, but I’m unlikely to revisit this.

Second album proposé après 'Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea' que j'avais plutôt apprécié (noté 3/5). Quelle déception ! Ce nouvel album a perdu presque tout ce qui m'avais plu dans le précédent : les morceaux dynamiques / rock saturés, les harmonies originales ... Le résultat n'est pas désagréable (+1), mais est plutôt ennuyeux (il m'a paru interminable) et ne présente plus d'intérêt pour moi. Je ne l'écouterais pas une seconde fois. =>2/5

Some kind of folk album by Mrs Harvey. The stripped down song arrangements are pretty nice, most of the time (well, not the trumpet. I know what she wanted to say, but it's hard to endure). Unfortunately, I do not like her singing on four or five songs. That is a pity, when the voice is clearly the most important thing on a Lo-Fi record. The lyrics...well, they gave nothing to me. I don't wanna say, they are bad, but I really feel no need to dive deeper into war themes and countries invading other countries, right at this time. But this is not Mrs Harvey's fault. So I am conluding with the old british saying: Make tea, not love! Fav: The words that maketh murder

Painful. Occasionally tolerable.

Definitely not my favorite album from the fantastic PJ Harvey. Probably because it's quite far from her early work, she didn't use to be that "folky". I will only give a 3 / 5 cos I didn't listen much to that record compared to "To bring you my love" or "rid of me" that I still consider today as masterpieces. Pj Harvey remains on my top list of artists I had the luck to see live several times and that have blown me away (big up to the 90's!)

Sitter ikke igjen med noe, men hun er kul da. Men mer trøkk takk.

Kind of a boring release to me, dissappointing after enjoying her first 2 albums. Bitter Branches was fun but outside of that I struggle to really enjoy or even remember the other tracks here. It's probably well written but I don't really tend to focus on the lyrics too much. The songs were all this kind of meh indie pop to me, a far call for her rougher and rawer earlier work.

Good album, not overly stand out, but would listen to again

Much less interesting than the previous album that I got from her. the music is good quality wise. It just doesnt vibe with me

Some alright tunes on here bur pretty mellow. 2.5 rounding up.

Pretty traditional ingredients for indie singer-songwriters circa 2011, but everything works. The sounds are rich and alive. Kinda mad I didn’t give her a good try back when this came out.

Thoroughly enjoyed this album. More than I thought I would pleasantly surprised.

I continue to be stunned by PJ Harvey's brilliance. This is my third album of hers from the generator, and the third time I've kicked myself for never listening to her before. She's everything I love about an artist. Poetic, a next-level one-of-a-kind creative soul, fully committed to her vision even though some may find it abrasive. Who cares? She's a rock star. I don't even know how to compare Let England Shake to anything else. The concept and musical style are so unique. That's a 5 star album in my book.

I like this one better than the other PJ Harvey album I’ve gotten. Her voice has a quietly powerful quality to it that suits this music well. An overall very good album.

Very different and I like it.

ainda não comprei a pj harvey... a sonoridade não é ruim, mas só não me pega nem um pouco

definitivamente um album nao fede nem cheira. tem umas boas, mas não o suficiente pra convencer!

I did not expect to like this but was rewarded for trying to bring an open mind. Especially loved the lyrical reference to Summertime Blues...the line about bringing my problem to the United Nations. That probably permanently converted me to being a fan.

I think the best thing I can say about this album, unfortunately, is that it's the last one in the collection for me. I'm not sure why exactly the editor(s) of this project fixated on poor Polly Jean Harvey, but he/they really did her a disservice (much as he/they did with poor Bjork), as her music really doesn't hold up to having so many albums in this collection. And really, this album initially seemed a bit better than a few of the other ones in this collection, making me think that it was too bad it wasn't one of the only ones included (maybe drop "Dry" and "Rid of me"?). But by the third track ("The glorious land", with a painful video), I realized that I probably wouldn't have minded if they dropped this one too..."ohh Engle-land". I do like it that it's a collection of antiwar montages about England's bloody history, and the album picks up a bit with "All and everyone" and "In the dark places" and the single "Written on the forehead", but only in a relative sense. And I liked seeing many of the "short films" (music videos, sort of) that Seamus Murphy created for the album, particularly the pensioners/bingo-hall/veterans-themed film for "Battleship Hill", although having everyman-type characters reciting the lyrics at the beginning of each film got a little tedious. Regardless, I'm honestly not sure that starting an album by singing very forced olde-timey lyrics in weirdly enunciated ways and playing on an autoharp is a good idea. (No, I *know* it's not a good idea.) But at least the album became a bit more varied and less autoharpy over the course of the tracks, and I was glad to read that she was really happy with the album, as we've had a few so-so albums where the artists themselves noted how unhappy they were with it.

I enjoy the concept more than the album but I can see why it's on this list.

It didn’t really grab me, but I’m feeling like I missed something so I’ll listen again and (if PJ is lucky) upgrade my rating.

I'm a huge PJ Harvey fan, but I'll admit that in recent years she has a tendency to allow the concept of an album interfere with how enjoyable it is to listen to (see also Bjork). However this album is for me the peak of having a strong concept that's meaningful to me (as an Englishman) and sounding great. I don't love it quite as much as I did in 2011, but it's still a solid 5/5.

I feel that a lot of these lyrics are very direct and on-the-nose. (The Glorious Land and The Words that Maketh Murder.) I don't disagree with them, but this lacks cleverness for me, these songs are bald statements, adolescent and underdeveloped. Hanging In the Wire got some special praise from other reviewers, but to me again seems very straightforward - have these people not heard a song with subtext or imagery or metaphor before? The Big Guns Called Me Back Again: looking this up, it's cribbed from Michael Morpurgo's Private Peaceful and just seems like a wise and less clear version set to music. Overall a nice concept, but disappointing lyrics and instrumentation: I just don't enjoy the presentation. Giving this three stars because it's definitely a cut above the bland, idea-less albums and artists which populate the two-star strata of my ratings, but given its source material it should be better than it is.

Listens: 4 Standout Tracks: All And Everyone, In the Dark Place Second PJ Harvey album on the List. There's a recurring theme topics ranging from the UK, America, war, death, exceptionalism, exploitation, country, patriotism, pride, etc. These are valid and interesting topics, in the 19 and 20th centuries, 2011 and certainly now, 14 years later. I would speculate then that this is a concept album detailing the country's (UK) past, imperialistic, exploitative, and rich history. As far as the music is concerned, I found that the lyrics on some songs have some depth and richness, while others, are thin and often repetitive. It's a mixed bag. Likewise with the backing vocals or simply background loops. I could easily do without the Bugle in The Glorious Land. It ruined the track for me. Same problem with Written on The Forehead. The vaguely African/Caribbean "Blood Blood Blood and Fire" feels very out of place. All this being said, there were a few tracks that I did like, and overall I was pretty satisfied with the instrumentation present: All And Everyone and In Dark Places I found to be pretty beautiful pieces. I am torn on giving this a 3 or 4. Does my dislike of several tracks outweigh my enjoyment of the rest of the album? I might add a few of the tracks I liked to my rotation, but not the whole album.

This was.. not good. I really like early 90s PJ so this was so disappointing.

## In-Depth Review: PJ Harvey's *Let England Shake* - A War-Torn Masterpiece **Introduction** Released in 2011, PJ Harvey's *Let England Shake* stands as a radical departure from her earlier blues-rock roots, transforming into a haunting meditation on war, national identity, and historical trauma. Recorded in a 19th-century Dorset church, the album won the Mercury Prize (Harvey’s second, making her the only artist to achieve this) and topped numerous "Album of the Year" lists . Below, we dissect its lyrical depth, musical innovation, production, themes, and enduring influence. ### **Lyrics: Poetry of Carnage and Contradiction** Harvey spent 2.5 years researching war poetry, soldier testimonies, and conflicts from Gallipoli to Afghanistan. The lyrics prioritize narrative precision over polemic: - **Vivid Imagery**: "Soldiers fall like lumps of meat" (*The Words That Maketh Murder*) and "arms and legs in the trees" evoke visceral war horror . - **Historical Nuance**: Tracks like *On Battleship Hill* reference WWI’s Gallipoli Campaign, linking past and present trauma ("Cruel nature has won again") . - **Dark Irony**: Samples like Eddie Cochran’s "What if I take my problem to the United Nations?" (*The Words That Maketh Murder*) mock failed diplomacy . - **Ambivalent Patriotism**: *England* juxtaposes love ("undaunted, never failing love") with bitterness ("you leave a taste, a bitter one") . Harvey adopts a detached, almost ghostly narrator—eschewing protest-song didacticism for fragmented human perspectives . ### **Music: Folk Elegance Meets Sonic Dissonance** Musically, the album blends English folk, dream-pop, and avant-garde textures: - **Instrumentation**: Autoharp and zither create ethereal backdrops (*All and Everyone*), while distorted brass and saxophones evoke martial chaos (*The Glorious Land*) . - **Melodic Juxtaposition**: Upbeat, "jaunty" tunes contrast grim lyrics. *The Last Living Rose* pairs jangly guitars with depictions of "stinking alleys" . - **Vocal Shift**: Harvey’s high-register vocals (a carryover from *White Chalk*) lend fragility, amplifying the lyrics’ eerie detachment . *Key Tracks Analysis*: | **Track** | **Musical Style** | **Lyrical Theme** | |-------------------|-------------------------|---------------------------------------| | *Let England Shake*| Reverbed folk-rock | National decline ("England’s dancing days done") | | *The Glorious Land*| Bugle samples, martial drums | War’s impact on children ("deformed fruit") | | *Written on the Forehead* | Reggae sample (*Blood and Fire*) | Civilian suffering in riots | ### **Production: Atmospheric Alchemy in Sacred Space** Produced with Flood, John Parish, and Mick Harvey, the church setting became integral: - **Natural Acoustics**: Reverb from stone walls creates a "sanctified" atmosphere, especially on piano-driven tracks like *Hanging in the Wire* . - **Live Recording**: Minimal overdubs preserve spontaneity; improvisation allowed collaborators to shape arrangements . - **Textural Layering**: Samples (e.g., Niney the Observer’s *Blood and Fire*) are woven like "ghosts" into the mix, mirroring the album’s themes of historical haunting . ### **Themes: War, Memory, and National Identity** - **War as Eternal Glacier**: Rejecting simplistic "anti-war" messaging, Harvey explores war’s inescapability and its residue on landscapes and psyche . - **England’s Duality**: The album critiques imperial violence while mourning lost glory ("weighted down with silent dead") . - **Timeless Trauma**: WWI imagery parallels modern conflicts (e.g., "dull and browny red" earth in *The Colour of the Earth* mirrors Iraq’s deserts) . ### **Influence: Redefining Protest Art** - **Cultural Impact**: Collaborations with war photographer Seamus Murphy (12 short films) expanded the album into a multimedia critique . - **Artistic Legacy**: Cemented Harvey’s evolution from personal angst to political commentary, influencing later projects like *The Hope Six Demolition Project* . - **Critical Benchmark**: Hailed as one of the "greatest anti-war albums," its literary depth drew comparisons to Wilfred Owen and Goya . ### **Pros and Cons** | **Pros** | **Cons** | |-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------| | **Lyrical Mastery**: Combines poetry with brutal imagery | **Vocal Style**: High register may alienate fans of Harvey’s raw early work | | **Musical Innovation**: Folk-rock fused with dissonant samples | **Thematic Weight**: Relentless war focus feels overwhelming to some | | **Production Atmosphere**: Church acoustics enhance ethereality | **Ambiguity**: Abstract narratives challenge casual listeners | | **Thematic Resonance**: Universalizes war’s trauma beyond England | **Repetitive Motifs**: Some tracks blur together (e.g., *In the Dark Places*) | ### **Conclusion: A Haunting Triumph** *Let England Shake* remains PJ Harvey’s crowning achievement—a work where beauty and brutality coexist in uneasy harmony. Its refusal to offer easy answers about war or nationalism ensures its relevance in tumultuous times. While its unflinching gaze may unsettle, the album’s artistic audacity (e.g., sampling reggae in a WWI elegy) secures its place as a landmark in 21st-century music . As Harvey herself noted: *"I sing as a human being affected by politics"* —a humility that makes this masterpiece all the more powerful.

Enjoyed this album, like the pared down nature of it and some great tracks on it. Her vocals & lyrics are interesting too.

good, nothing to highlight

One of the most beautiful and haunting voices. Delightful layers of percussion intertwined with jangly atmospheric guitar. The guitars are reminiscent of animal collective (I guess then actually the beach boys) in some parts. makes me feel a little bit like a cool clown. Favourite songs: The last living rose The glorious land England Written on the forehead

Not for me

Stop making me listen to PJ fucking Harvey. Concept album, countries history (and let’s be real, futures) are blood shed. Supposedly haunting poetry, maybe if you like romantic myth cycles?? Historical naivety - maybe if you don’t contextualise ? And that’s before the pseudo old British folk stylings and whining. 2 Stars

It’s decent, liked a few songs but a majority just didn’t click w me

Favorite Track: The Glorious Land

Bonus star for being interesting

I honestly don’t know if I hate this album or if I like it. There’s not a song that stands out and I dislike listening to it, but it’s not bad? I might revisit this in the future

Not my favorite PJ Harvey album. It seems that she wanted to talk about politics, which doesn't really suit her.

Meh

Such a beautiful and haunting album. PJ can do no wrong in my eyes.

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

I wasn't a big fan of this one. I felt like the vocals from PJ Harvey were a bit whiny and didn't like them much. The actual music I felt was a little boring and there wasn't much to shout about or any standout track I could pick out. There's the odd catchy vocal ('The Glorious Land') or piece of music (the title track) sprinkled here and there but there's not much meat on the bones of this album. It all sounds a little bit dreary. I wasn't gripped by anything melodically, despite it being pleasant enough. Nothing made my ears bleed, but it's not something I would come back to any time soon. It's a very slow and moody album without ever venturing into beautiful territory. Critics loved this apparently, but I must be missing something because this wasn't for me.

Pretty good. A little shriek-y at times.

May have to come back and rerate this a 5- what a great album!

Love PJ - this is near her best. Hope the likes of rid of me and to bring you my love are on the list.

Very affecting. Harvey's childlike inflections alongside the often lush instrumentation on this record remind me a lot of Joanna Newsom's work but with a more political than introspective edge on the songwriting and some slackery elements sprinkled in: good stuff. Terrible cover art though.

PJ Harvey is one of the many names of Artists where I know the name and I know they are famous, but don't own anything from them. I can see why this album is on the list, not really my style but a good album. The only thing I had of her when searching my own catalog was she was on a song with Tricky.

🫨

I'm a PJ fan for sure but this isn't my favorite album of hers. Not bad by any means but doesn't have the same catchiness as other albums. 6/10

vaya mierda

absolute snoozer

Fully thought ‘Let England Shake’ and ‘PJ Harvey’ were a recipe for an absolutely mid electronic/dance album. Instead, it’s an absolutely mid acoustic alternative slog with often obnoxious vocal delivery. Let England Shake (5/10) The Last Living Rose (5/10) The Glorious Land (4/10) The Words That Maketh Murder (6/10) All and Everyone (6/10) On Battleship Hill (5/10) England (6/10) In the Dark Places (6/10) Bitter Branches (6/10) Hanging in the Wire (7/10) Written on the Forehead (6/10) The Colour of the Earth (6/10) 5.7/10

Hmm. I liked aspects of it but I didn't find myself wanting to find more. I can appreciate what she made, it seems like a genuine expression of herself and taste. I feel like I can hear her sounds in other modern bands (Arcade Fire comes to mind).

Interesting, don't really recall anything about PJ, though for whatever reason I was aware of her before. This isn't bad, and she seems sincere in her message, but somehow this very musical offering has a bit of an anemic sound to me. It's not bad, has some decent moments. Definitely talent here, and it has that weird quality where if you're listening and you turn it off your ears kinda want to turn it back on. I guess that's good enough for me.

Let England Shake alone makes this an awesome album

Don’t hear a single but performances are good. Sings like Melina

Not sure I have ever heard a note from her. Turns out I have been missing out

P J Harvey has always just been there before, but I got the chance to sit and listen to this one, and honestly I thought it was great. Could definitely listen to it on a car journey too.

A bit of folk pop, tried to come off as earnest and deep but just hits me as whiny more than anything. Not a fan particularly, some good teams that'll probably get stuck in my head but generally misses the mark for me.

Meh

Some songs are great, some are not

why not 'stories from the sea'?

it's nice but not particularly rocky as i expected

Pretty good

Schönes Folk Album aber ohne Top Song, gerne mal wieder.

Well, this album gives me a different impression of PJ Harvey. Interesting.

I've listened to this a few times, trying to get a grip on what I think about it. So, as a PJ Harvey fan, I want to like it. Has a lot of emotional depth, the vocal character that she's known for is fully present. But I think it lacks a spontaneity that most of her other stuff has. And the melodies are at the mercy of the themes, it's all pretty forced. A little too poetic to make a concrete statement, too. I struggled to understand the lyrics at some points (and this is an album that is all about the lyrics) because I'm not English. A great effort, just disappointing for me. Of course, she has set SUCH a high bar tht if anyone else made this it would be a masterpiece. And maybe it is. Respect to the artist though for doing something completely unexpected yet again. Please stay away from Nick Cave though.

Ok, but not particularly catchy or memorable.

女性ソロシンガーだが、ABBAのような印象も受けた。 全体的におどろおどろしい、神秘的な楽曲。 男性ボーカルが入った曲はビートルズ味を感じた。 ⭐︎4.3

I got two albums of hers in a row. Random right? This one is def not as good as the other (Stories From The City). Some tracks seems a little Feist-like.

I liked the vibe and the stripped back sound, but couldn’t get on with the singing. Still, there was some cool progressive sounds and moments here. I reckon I could enjoy more with more listens

Mellow and kinda weird? I dunno I mostly just tuned it out while working

not for me

3.5/5

My first time listening to PJ Harvey. An interesting album- if not a little one note. Harvey's voice is nice and the sound is very fitting for 2011. It was pleasant overall, but no real standouts for me.

Quite interesting.

I'm quite sure my ancestors fought and possibly died so that I could live in an England where it would be possible to both respect PJ Harvey's efforts here but also not massively enjoy it. Bit too twee, bit experimental, fair play to her for making a project out of it but it's not my favourite work of hers.

Just such a strong album, both in terms of themes and musically. If this is a modern protest album then the last 15 years shows the limit of what that can achieve, although when she sings “I’m gonna take my problem to the United Nations”, even at the time the singer and the audience both knew what that would achieve, so it’s probably an unfair way to judge the album when the only realistic outcome is raising some kind of awareness of Western atrocities and war crimes. And it slaps.

Bordering on musical narrative this is complex, dark & deep but oh so pretentious

Beautiful, moving - adore the themes and the whole album is so cohesive. One or two small notes - I think it has a few sequencing problems, would prefer it starts on The Glorious Land as I think that is a stronger opener - would also prefer it has a better album artwork (I do often judge a book by it's cover). It might be more of a strong 4, but my guy after first few listens says it's a future favourite for me.

An interesting take on the concept of 'England' that required a lot of knowledge and incredible musicianship to craft. Some catchy stuff and a lot of the historical parable-like tales give me Decemberist vibes.

I like PJ Harvey a lot but I found myself listening to other albums if hers. This one didn’t do a lot for me.

Nothing on it that interest me, I like PJ Harvey though!

Weird but fun. The fucking trumpet tho. The trumpet.

#635. The only other experience I have with PJ Harvey is the album Rid of Me from this list, and that was truly awful. So this one, being not awful, exceeded all expectations I had going into it. 3/5: decent.

A solid album, its themes and music need more time than a couple of listens can provide.

Loved her 90s albums, this one had the same spirit, but less of the Bjorky experimental ness, so was less exciting but still enjoyable. -mitona Not for me -sc

This may have gotten me on the wrong day but I just don't understand what I'm missing with PJ Harvey. There are other things I like a lot that are apparently the same vein but an album like this I just can't find the depth I'm apparently meant to.

I listend to this three times. It's fine. I cannot figure out why it is special. It's the third PJ Harvey album we have listened to. It was the best so far. Sounded good on a car stereo.

Not my pitch of voice, interesting lyrics

I don’t like the vocal style and the music and lyrics are not interesting

Enjoyed this once again. Simpsons: No

This is a middle-of-the-road album. Wasn't anywhere near good enough to make the ground shake.

I bloody love PJ Harvey. What an album. When this 1001 Journey is over I think I need to make the effort to listen to the Mercury Prize winner each year because everyone I've heard so far has been grand.

Very creative and worthy. Pj's voice is grating though. When it hits home and is overpowered by the production it becomes listenable. The last living rose is amongst her best work. Largely not for me though

The Good: We get to let England shake! The Bad: The shaking wasn’t enough to really change anything… The Ugly: Inadvertently we will have increased England’s sense of superiority… Let it be known that this is my first PJ Harvey album on this list, and I’m well over a year in on this adventure… and I don’t get it. Let it also be known that, to my knowledge, this is the first time in my life that I’ve listened to a PJ Harvey album, potentially song... Maybe our friend Mr Dimery has a secret crush on PJ? Maybe she’s a relative? Maybe there is something to this artist that I just don’t get… However, as she’s got 4 albums on this list… I do hope that the other three do not pretend to be something made back in the dark ages, with lutes, and bongs, and sparrow screetches… Not my thing, but not terrible either…. down the middle we go 3*

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 a modern art museum

Please use your singing voice next time. :)

The opening track made me think of the tune from the "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" song

PJ Harvey I love you but not when you sing like that

Voix aérienne, qui dit ce qui est tu, qui s’impose dans l’emportement de la musique

look this sounds like bjork if she was british and it was made like maybe 20 years later with a completely different field of mind haha. this is the sorta singer songwriter stuff i liked. liked the song with trumpet

A lot better than Rid of Me that sounded like an incoherent mess. Her more mature take on this makes it sounds better, however it felt bland in some parts but had some good moments. I don’t think I’m big into this kind of music.

It was okay, a bit too pop for me. Too little like The Cure and too much like Dazey and The Scouts

It was okay.

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 👏👏👏

Voice can be a little much at times, but not a bad album. Good Indie sound, just nothing amazing. The guy should sing more.

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.

Daar is PJ weer. Het derde album dat we voor onze kiezen krijgen; nu al op voorhand veel te veel van het matige. Het is wel een andere klank dan de andere twee albums, met vooral een hoge stem als troef. En ten opzichte van de verwachting schiet ze minder, zogenaamd artistiek, uit de bocht (al ga ik door de grond bij de verdraaiende stem in bijvoorbeeld England). Wat hetzelfde blijft; ook dit is weer een gemaakt geheel. Gericht op de mensen die de kunst in muziek waarderen. Stap dan uit dit boek en maak een 1001 'kunstzinnige uitspattingen'...

Ik zie niet zo in wat dit nu nog toevoegt aan de lijst. Overduidelijke snobkeuze. Het is een beetje wazige folky elfjesrock. Het is niet per se heel slecht, maar ik heb er helemaal niks mee en halverwege heb ik het wel gehoord allemaal. Zonde van mijn tijd verder en ik snap niet zo goed waarom van een artiest die vele decennia daarvoor een paar redelijke albums heeft uitgebracht, nu nog een nieuw album toegevoegd moet worden. Doe dan een nieuwe artiest. Dan zeg ik daarover dat het op PJ Harvey lijkt ofzo, maar dan krijgen we tenminste een nieuwe ervaring. Dit is gewoon vergane glorie die op een moeilijke manier probeert relevant te blijven. Als er nu hordes 20-jarige muziekliefhebbers hier op af waren gekomen, maar waarschijnlijk staan er alleen maar 50-jarige fans van de oude stempel bij concerten van PJ Harvey. Ik twijfel tussen de 1 en de 2, maar aangezien het feit dat ik het erg graag wilde afzetten, ronden we het gewoon moeiteloos af naar de 1, ook vanwege de volstrekt overbodigheid van een extra toevoeging aan een uitbreiding van de snoblijst. Onnodig.

OK, not crazy about her voice

Not a fan of PJ Harvey. None of her albums have been enjoyable for me so far. Just wispy and pretentious. I can’t connect with it.

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

Sounded dated, old and whiney. Seems like a facsimile of Florence and Bjork.

That's not my taste in music - But ok

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.

It’s fine. Nothing special.

nix für mich

This album feels like a witch is casting a spell on you, but not like, a real witch. I mean like a self described "witch" who is really some white girl with a nose ring and a book on Wicca who asks to bum a cigarette off of you, but then changes her mind and says gross when she sees it's not a Green American Spirit.

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

PJ Harvey is new to me with this project. This album wasn’t much better than the last - more mainstream alt-indie sound, and less prog/artsy/punk than what I heard before. Still, nothing particularly memorable or noteworthy, just basically not bad.

Bit too much for me

Too many mentions of England. Sorry, bloke. Not my album.

Generally inoffensive, but that one song with the random bugle interspersed for no reason brings it down to a two

Not a fan,

Let England Shake by PJ Harvey is not an album that I particularly enjoyed. I didn’t really like the song arrangements, material, lyrics or vocals very much. I skipped through the back half of the album pretty quickly. There were a couple of songs that might bring me back at some point to give this album another try but for now this is a 2 rating for me. 2/5

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

Voice just didn’t do anything for me

atonal and pretentious. music as "art" versus as music for the joy of music.

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)

Admittedly only had time for a single listen through. The themes appear dark and the music somewhat unremarkable. It’s not offensive or boring but also doesn’t really hook me or hold my attention. This may be one I come back to down the road but for now it’s straight middle. Bright spot - on battleship hill. 3/5

Probably didn’t give this enough time. But nothing grabbed me. At all. A lot of it seemed very similar. 2.75

Pretentious and fart-sniffy. Sounds like a grungy Lana Del Rey. Hard pass. One star.

its still shook

I don’t know where to start. How do you describe this album? Haunting. Quirky. Odd. Lyrical. Fascinating? I found myself diving onto Google to research what she was singing about. Most of the war references were of Gallipoli. So yes England (Britain really) were involved but those battles were primarily Anzacs. And unfortunately (whatever Wikipedia may say) the bugle call used in ‘The Glorious Land’ I recognise as the US Army ‘Assembly’ call (I love that track by the way, and America is mentioned in the lyrics so I can let it go). Minor quibbles. I love the compositions; Love the lyrics; Love the voice; Love the production. This is a superb album. I actually rated all the tracks individually, but then thought that they are all part of a whole so I’ve binned those ratings. Overall it’s a clear 5.

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

Almost painful to listen to on a couple songs. So bad it was comedic.

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

A few songs were OK but this is not my favorite genre. I prefer Bjork in that case.

Cool. Somehow reminds me of Bjork, which is good.

3.5 Stars

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.

Creo que es la primera vez que la oigo...y la última. By

I quite liked this. Enough to give it a 4? I'm not sure. Would definitely be a 7/10.

Not my jam.

I'm going to take all of my problems to the United Nations.

2 not for me

Let Non English Bands On The List (2.5/5)

Great!

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

Didn’t hook me the same way stories… did, but still solid

I’m a big PJ fan … but I’ve never rated this album much. I prefer angry 90s PJ to moody 00s PJ.

Beautiful, haunting album. The vocals are definitely strange but I think it fits the music. Shocked to look at the reviews and see people dismiss it as patriotic. I know that it isn’t always easy to pick up all the lyrics, but it seems like they’ve just gone off one or two song titles. Anyway, I thought it was a gorgeous anti-war album. The lyrics are moving, the arrangements are too. There are moments that are a bit too odd for me, but I do think they’re there in service of the subject. Probably a bit too heavy to be one I’ll come back to frequently, but I definitely think I’ll listen again in the future. Fav song: The Last Living Rose Least fav: England

Interesting concept but I’m not sure about the replayability.

I like this record more than I expected to. It’s got a vaguely 1960’s garage sound to it that I really like. The organs in the title track really stand out in that regard. It’s definitely not a cheery subject matter, given how relatively upbeat the music itself is. I’m not sure if we needed an indie rock/pop album about World War One in 2011, but I’m not particularly upset about it either way. This was an interesting listen. 3*

Album #200! Woo! Too bad it’s not a better one. Musically, I feel like this albums falls into a lot of 2011 indie music clichés and it really dates itself with them. Lyrically it’s a ridiculous paean to mother England. The other album we reviewed by PJ Harvey was a lot more interesting to me. Pass.