Reviews (page 5 of 9)
Has the sound of a fairly compelling album that would benefit from repeat listens 4*
Liked the arrangements and good beats
Wow this one was wicked and was so much better than all the other PJ Harvey albums. Why don't all lists just have this one and sack the others off?
Not my favorite PJ Harvey album. Still solid, though. 3/5
Not quite as engaging as the first PJ Harvey album I received on the generator but her voice still carries nonetheless.
wanted to like this more, but it felt very 2010s indie to me. not really my vibe
So a lot of time I say the singer doesn't have enough emotion but I think PJ Harvey has the opposite. Sometimes her voice is so emotional that it makes me think, its not that serious.... Her voice is also not my favorite, its not great, but not in a Stevie Nicks, Janis Joplin, Joni Mitchell bad good way. It is better than the last album by her, the music is at least palatable, but just not complete for me.
I like a few of PJ Harvey's albums and I remember listening to this album a long time ago. I only liked a few songs at the time and pretty much still feel the same about it as far as the music goes. With several listens and digging into the lyrics and the WWI background this could be a 4 but I'm already 2 albums behind this week... so just based on the music and songwriting I'm like a 3.5 and not really liking it enough to go 4. Not my favorite PJ album. And yes, that bugle is annoying in Glorious Land. It's so out of place. It sounds like some old man's cell phone is going off.
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 enjoyed Dry by her more - really was not a fan of the combination of singing voice with the music. Always felt off kilter and off-key, not terribly interested in finding out how purposefully so.
I mean it was fine but didn't really connect with it
Okay...
Probably my favorite PJ Harvey album. Listened to it twice in a row. Hard to pick out a favorite track here, but I love the guitars in "In The Dark Places".
It's poetry, but not very good poetry. Really liked the music too, but it's a bit ruined by PJ's singing
Haven't listened to any albums in a couple of weeks. This was a good reentry, interesting album. Worthy of a second listen, and will go back for it. Felt it was good when it was on but can't particularly remember a lot about it...
Pretty cool. I should listen again and focus on the lyrics a bit more.
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
PJ. Harvey, good, not PJ Harvey bad.
There's 3 more PJ Harvey albums on the list. For me this is the last one and my least favorite one. If it was good enough, it would have been different enough to be on the list. But it's not. It sounds like she, as a grunge artist, is struggling to stay relevant in the changing musical climate, specifically the rise of indie folk around that time. I don't like the genre very much and this album doesn't seem to be one of the highlights to me.
This is a lot different than her 90's music, and I like it. Sounds a LOT like Bjork which is probably why the creator of this list put this album on here. Dude has an obsession with Bjork. Anyways, good album, nice and short songs, as her voice has always been a bit annoying. It gets annoying about halfway through this album, so I like the first half better than the second. 3/5
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.
4/12, 33%
Another perfect (and glaring) example of what a filler album sounds like. This was unnecessary. It wasn't bad, just not extraordinary in any way shape or form.
This wasn't all that good for me. It was a huge nothingburger full of unimportant songs and occasionally annoying music.
Kind of dissonant pop rock
The one song I got into is "The Words That Maketh Murder". Other than that, the album has a good overall sound but didn't rise above that.
Possibly my second favorite PJ Harvey album, after "Stories." While all of Harvey's albums sort of feel like concept albums I feel like this one delivers the most in those regards, and is a complex and rich enough reckoning of England's legacy that it still feels new to me almost 15 year on.
The way PJ Harvey can veer from bad bitch rocking out (Dry, Rid of Me) to introspective melancholy (White Chalk) to albums that masterfully do both (Stories from the City, To Bring You My Love, Is This Desire?) is seriously just genius. The fact that she can also drop an album that's a haunting meditation on war and the through line of colonialism - while also making it eminently listen-able - is just another example of her amazing versatility and talent.
I like a bit of Polly Jean, (SFTCSFTS and To Bring You My Love) but only knew a couple of tracks from this project going into this. I found it easier to admire than love or want to put on repeat.
She's just one of a kind
For my first PJ Harvey album, it was good
This is really interesting, but I don't think I would say that it's good. She's very talented vocally! I think that's really the only nice thing I have to say about the album though. I also don't really have anything particularly negative to say though, either? Like it's not good, but there's nothing specifically bad about it. It's just unremarkable, to the point where I don't have a favorite song from this album. If you're obsessively into British female pop vocalists, this album might crack your top 1001, but for a general audience this is probably a skip. Favorite Song(s): -
- not my type of music
2 star, interesting idea, mediocre execution, doesn't stand on its own legs. Heart was in the right place
Nah.
great album, i loved a lot of songs in this one
I really didn’t care for this.
Not something I’d actually listen to.
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
It was fine. I didn't enjoy it as much as the other PJ Harvey album we had in this project.
Was this album released this way on purpose or did they accidentally record it this way and PJ Harvey said release it? Either way, horrible!!! 1 star.
Arguably her best one but shouldn’t be on the list - far from ‘seminal’
The magic of PJ Harvey is completely gone here. This is not very good, and often just annoying to listen to
So much glazing about England (Is it me or does whoever made this 1001 albums list have a weird bias towards English artists?). But seriously, this wasn't half bad. The vocals varied from song to song. They were enjoyable on The Glorious Land and Words That Maketh Murder, but were irritating on England and some others. Feel like this one was a low-to-mid 3.
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.
Not too much to write about this one. I liked the vocals. Pretty album. High 3. Written on the Forehead was a favorite.
Fine enough alternative rock. Her voice was a bit strong at points compared to the instruments. Pretty middle 3
This one isn't doing it as much for me as the last PJ Harvey album. I do like the music but sometimes her voice can ruin a song here and there for me. Overall not a terrible listen though.
I haven't listened to this album since the year it came out, it didn't stick with me back in 2011 but I was absolutely gripped this morning in 2025. Maybe I'm just older, maybe I've been hankering for a meditation on war, colonialism, and nationalism, but I was excited to listen to this today and was blown away. (Sidebar, I always read reviews and honestly, people writing that this album is some sort of pro-England propaganda piece must also think Born In The U.S.A. is a rabid patriotic anthem.)
Another example of the schism of music fandom. If you're interested in lyrics maybe there's something here for you. The music is pleasant but BORing; two adjectives that I never associated with P.J. Harvey before listening to this. Boring music annoys me. I can read lyrics on a page. I don't need them to be delivered in sonic mediocrity.
I was excited to see this one come up today, I love PJ Harvey but had never heard this album. This album was definitely more of a personal project than an record that everyone would like. I respect that, and I did enjoy it, but I wouldn't listen to it again. But I can see why I hadn't heard this before, it was something that not all casual fans would have ever found. It was an interesting choice to include on this list and I'm glad to have heard it once. I still really like PJ Harvey, but like most I feel like her 90s/early 2000s records were the best. 3/5
3.5 will probably get higher on repeated listens
Did I want a Fiona apple-y album about England? Not really. Kinda warbly and not my cup of tea.
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”.
I think I’d like PJ on something other than a protest album - just didn’t connect with it for me. Just alright.
This was a powerful and intense album. Brilliant. Favorite tracks: Let England Shake and The Colour Of The Earth
I like a bit of PJ but her voice always grates and she’s a big fan of repetition in her lyrics, which also gets on my nerves. It’s one of the good albums though, that I can appreciate, if not like.
Not a huge fan, but it was okay. Some songs I disliked PJ's voice and others she reminded me of Bjork and I dug it.
I haven’t listened to her in a long while, but this is way less rockin’ than her earlier music that I’ve heard. It’s a lot closer to the circa-2010 soft indie music that it is contemporary with. I enjoyed it pretty well, although I thought it was rather far from being perfect. I might like to return to it someday. I didn’t pay much attention to the lyrics, but it seems the majority of the songs related to war, with an occasional expression of jaded bittersweet love of England. It does make me terribly sad that in today’s Western world it is so hard for an sensitive, thoughtful soul to feel a deep, unfettered love of one’s fatherland without hindrance from constant barrages of reminders of the sins of your country’s past. I think I would have loved to be raised during the heyday of 19th-century European Romanticism. Today, it is too hard to feel such beautiful, beautiful feelings. There is no replacement for such feeling today; the postmodern age weighs too heavily upon our souls
Ik så meget mig hørte ikke det hele igennem
One of her best works. Unique, urgent, melodic, colorful.
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.
I haven't kept up with PJ since the 90's, so this will be nice to hear. I liked All and Everyone greatly. Somewhat of a Bjork vibe on England. Bitter Branches had the juice and is my favorite. Good folky alternative album. 3.5
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.
Um yeah, never gonna listen to this dirty English propaganda again. Not a fan of her vocal style. Better than Neil young tho.
Let PJ Harvey Shake more like. Possibly the shakeist voice I have ever heard. Also possibly one of the most annoying voices I have ever heard. Doesn’t help adding random sound bits from more popular old songs that just do not fit with the song she plays over them. Overall, ass. 1/10
Eh
I love the idea of this, and bits of this work really well (notably the title track, 'Murder' and the one that samples Niney) but some of it is a bit too cerebral and not visceral enough for me. Right, off to play 'Blood & Fire' on a loop for a while.
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.
Untemarkable
i feel sorry for polly
Loved it, love the sound, the creativity, just the overall feel of this album. Great experience.
Meh.
An acquired taste. Interesting voice but it reminded me of Kate Bush without sounding anything like Kate Bush, and I don’t much care for Bush. Maybe the lyrics are good but I can’t get past Harvey’s voice.
Superfedt album, første jeg har hørt med hende. Stor 4'er
Mesterværk. Helt fantastisk og unik lyd, et af de mest gennemførte konceptalbums. Virkelig hårde tekster, jeg får stadig kuldegysninger over det hele hver gang jeg hører første vers af All and Everyone. "Goddamn Europeans -- take me back to beautiful England". - mig når jeg lander i MUC den 18. marts, måske. Alternativt: "England -- you leave a taste, a bitter one."
Folkey and sounds like one long song. I'm probably not in the right mood for this.
Ein Song nerviger als der andere.
Too much experimental, too much garage-sound and a little bit too sad.
I’m only 36 albums in and this is my second by PJ Harvey. That’s not a complaint because I love her and this is one of her best. Bonus points for quoting Summertime Blues (“take my problem to the United Nations”) in the context of a song about war crimes.
Another surprise from PJ Harvey. Smart, catchy and just strange enough to keep my interest piqued. Really enjoyed this.
Meh.
I don’t really have anything to say
3/5
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.
I enjoy the sound of this album, although there's no real standout track. Works really well as an album, very chill.
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.
Best album of the 10s imo. Wonderful
She's not bad. Reminds me a little of Kate Bush.
# 412 : I don't love it, I don't hate it. I thought it was very ordinary and Quiet forgettable. This was another album where I didn't feel like it warranted the "must hear before you die" label.
some cool stuff here and there but overall nothing special
Meh
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.
Sounds like a mashup of a bunch of bands I don't like.
One of those albums that is just too … cerebral for me. Too much to think about to enjoy. I’m a basic bitch.
Now we're talking! Honestly I never followed up with PJ Harvey after the 90s album To Bring You My Love. Hopefully it's good! I wasn't impressed 2 stars.
I like this 'in principle' more than I do in practice I think. It's definitely weird and cooky, which is kind of cool but also a bit off-putting. She has done some fantastic stuff in her career and has definitely earned the right to experiment and be a bit off the wall, but this doesn't get me going like some of those 90's singles.
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.
This was a really good album. It doesn’t have the raw, unpolished, and gritty feel of her earlier work—instead, the production is crisp and more atmospheric. The arrangements are minimalist and stripped-down, but despite the simplicity, they’re still intricate and carefully layered. The way the elements interact shows just how much thought was put into the details. The layered vocals and harmonies really enhance the album’s ethereal quality. Thematically, the album draws inspiration from World War I, focusing on conflict, loss, and the decline of England, exploring how war shapes society.
Sounds like hippie anti war music but way too on the nose and the lyrics suck
A concept album focused on Englad and WW1; prerrt interesting and strange. These definitely feel like war songs, almost like a musical accompanying WW1, which has a weird tonal juxtaposition. The nusic is pretty good, though not amazing. I think this album works as a full setlist, though most of thsse songs wouldn't work nearly as well on their own. The best one is In the Dark Places.
Well that’s wildly different from her last couple albums I heard. Far inferior to Stories from the Sea, but not bad, really—just kind of boring? This one really fails to grab me in sound or vibe. Best song: Bitter Branches
Get why it’s on this list but this album felt pretty pretentious - sort've like something ‘ Kamilah’ from the Good Place would’ve released. Not something I’d go back to. I’m sure people that enjoy this kind of music would really enjoy this album though.
Well, this started out as a pleasant surprise. I liked it ... up until about the 7th song, then it fell apart for me. Her voice, something, just didn't work any more, and it never got better.
Like st Vincent but boring?
This is too pretentious for me.
An Englandcentric album with strong Björk vibes from PJ.
I wonder if I was too harsh on PJ Harvey the first time. I like Let England Shake. I like the strange yet sincere use of ye oldé folk musique mixed with singer-songwriter tunes. This feels unique, and while it’s not my typical vibe and I’m not going to revisit it much ever again, I think it’s a pretty cool record. Cool isn’t enough to win me over, but my intrigue is peaked. I do think that this record could have been a bit more ambitious and leaned into its concept more, and maybe been a bit more inventive instead of just being a granddaughter of Kate Bush, but for what it is? I’m glad it exists.
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
I can finally state that I'll not get the hype on PJ Harvey's songs. However, from all her albums I got from here on the 1001 list, I can also say that this one was the best. It has some cool songs (more than the previous albums I got), even being a bit repetitive sometimes.
Superb. Nearly a 5.
I mean it’s alright…
Love it
Hat mich gar nicht abgeholt, aber 1 Stern ist reserviert für schlimmeres
Had to muscle through this one. I just don’t get it.
A little whiny, but here we are.
Switch on radio 6 in the early 2010s and this stuff is basically every song you'd hear I looked at the Wikipedia page and as predicted it's full of 5 star reviews from the pretentious music press. A middle aged woman singing about the horrors of young men going to war is borderline cultural appropriation!
Wow. I didn't know what pretentious really meant until I heard this thing. When I got to that song "England"... no words.
PJ Harvey albums are always interesting. This one had crazy layers of meaning while still sounding good, which can be hard to pull of without sounding too pretentious but I think she did it well. Occasionally had a Kate Bush or Siouxsie Sioux vibe which I'm not opposed to. 4.5 stars on first listen, but I feel like it would reach 5 on repeated listens so I'm just going to bump it up there now
Mild
neo-protestwave indie rock, cool enough listen
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.
# Album Name: Let England Shake # Artist: PJ Harvey # Rating: 3/5 # Comments: Decent album. Im not a huge fan of the entire album being a war theme. Gets a bit old. But theres a few good tunes on the album. Sadly, i never feel PJ notches it up a gear or two. Its like she is struggling to get out of 2nd gear. She normally has amazing range with her vocals but it seems a bit wobbly on this album. Despite that, i think it may be a grower but its not going to be a show stopper. Definitely, an album for the more hardcore fans. Not a patch on Stories from the city... # Top Tunes: Living rose / glorious land / maketh murder / dark places # Would I listen to it again? Probably but not on regular rotation.
- 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.
The extra noises did nothing for me. Good voice; forgettable music.
Another album that's not for me. Don't care for the singing.
Another decent album. 3.5 stars
Actually really enjoyed it, never been a big fan of PJs work but I really started getting into this.
This sounds like if Fever Ray was British. And sucked.
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.
It was fine.
Hey, not bad
So screechy
Despite her popularity, I had never heard anything from PJ Harvey. I guess this is different from her usual style, which I'll presumably explore in the future, but this album was really consistent and enjoyable already.
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.
Polly Jean Harvey, the legendary Cuban cigar retailer and deadly clandestine assassin, really pulls one out of the bag here. But which bag, and whose was it? These are the vital questions that need answering, and we are just the right crack team of aquatic mammals to answer them. But first, we'll investigate the bag to see if it contains any delicious molluscs or other seafood. Using our WHISKERS and and our PAWS and our adorable little black NOSES! Our vestigial arm bones will clink and clatter as Bitter Branches rings out through the murk, and then all will be revealed. The meaning of everything. 3/5 Key tracks: All of them!
PJ tries Bjork but it doesn’t grab me
Just ok. Kinda dug the dark vibes.
Intelligent and wonderfully crafted - the history, poetry, antiwar sentiment, unique take on folk music, the drastic change of her vocal and instrumental style. Truly special.
Eh. Just had a hard time with this
Loved her - I think I have 3 of her records - this one not a favorite, quite dark and biting - I was distracted while listening, it wasn't keeping my attn. but PJ is / was a force and shook things up - I like that : )
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.
Not entirely my thing but impressive though. I don't normally like this type.of folk but it does come with some interesting sounds...Again, not the music is would actively listening to so...perhaps a 3-3.5/5.
mjög fínt. annað, meira. 4.
Weird like Bjork
2.5 In one ear and out the other. I understand putting PJ Harvey on this list, but this feels like a random one to include.
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.
Fun fact: when I first pushed play I thought "this sounds surprisingly similar to Sheryl Crow", but that was because I was accidentally still playing yesterday's Sheryl Crow album. The actual start to this album is much more my speed on first listen (quirky, unique voiced-singer, jingle-jangly, references to the UK). But it never reached "I love this" status, sadly. No bops! Mild highlights: 'The Last Living Rose', 'In the Dark Places'
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
La imagen de Bjork y PJ Harvey cantando juntas el I can´t get no Satisfaction en la gala de los Brit´94 fue tan potente como clarividente: dominarían la escena musical de las siguientes décadas. Y eso que lo que estaba programado era otra cosa muy diferente: (un duo Bork- Meat Loaf y luego otro de PJHarvey-Jamiroquai) pero ellas decidieron hacer uno solo ellas juntas. Ya antes, y desde entonces, ni una ni otra han defraudado y siguen publicando obras de enorme valor. Let England Shake no es un álbum para comenzar a descubrirla, para eso están los eternos To bring you my love y Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea. Jamás ha publicado un disco que baje del notable alto, y tiene unos cuantos en su mochila. Aquí su voz se vuelve sorprendentemente aguda y contenida, inlcuye arpa, saxo, trombón, cítara, xilófono, violín al margen de sus colaborades de confianza (Parish y Harvey). Todo ello compone un disco que a pesar de su tono (anti)bélico e initimista luce como un rayo de sol. Dejó de hacer discos formidables para hacer obras de arte. Otros discos de 2011: Debut de Anna Calvi, la que puede considerarse en parte su heredera. R.E.M. / Collapse Into Now, Washed Out / Within And Without, Veronica Falls / Veronica Falls, Manos de Topo / Escapar con el anticiclón, The Rapture / In The Grace Of Your Love, Arctic Monkeys / Suck It And See, The Pains of Being Pure At Heart / Belong, Adele/21, Borjk/Biophilia, The Drums/ Portamento, -The Vaccines / What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?, La Casa Azul / La Polinesia Meridional, -Kurt Vile / Smoke Ring For My Halo, Low/C´mon, Panda Bear / Tomboy, Lykke Li / Wounded Rhymes, Fleet Foxes / Helplessness Blues, M83 / Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming, Bon Iver / Bon Iver, Destroyer/ Kaputt, Girls / Father, Son, Holy Ghost, James Blake / James Blake, Fernando Alfaro / La vida es extraña y rara, Florence & The Machine: Ceremonials, Real Estate – Days, The Horrors – Skying, The Black Keys – El Camino, Yuck-Yuck, Dum Dum Girls – Only In Dreams, Radiohead – The King of Limbs, Charles Bradley-No time for dreaming, Wilco - The Whole Love, Balam Acab - Wander / Wonder, Wye Oak - Civilian, Jay-Z / Kanye West - Watch the Throne, St. Vincent- Strange mercy... También Born this way, Angles, Mylo Xyloto, 4...
"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.
I liked it more than I thought I did
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.
Well this was an odd one. With the opening track I thought this just wasn't an album for me. But then there was something I liked. The whole album kept swinging wildly between enjoyable and terrible, often multiple times within one track. I really don't know what to make of it.
She can’t sing. Or at least she’s not showing it on this album. Sounds like off key yodeling to me. Skipped the England track halfway through because I just couldn’t take it anymore.
This was nice. Might be my least favorite PJ Harvey record. But that doesn’t mean it’s not very good. It’s excellent as always. But I didn’t love her wobbly singing. Doesn’t sound like her.
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
A quieter, more reflective Harvey on display here. The songs, no less effective or powerful for it. She is a genius
Pretty good.
Uninteresting, grating, and airy. Nothing I found remotely enjoyable or engaging. Completely skippable
Ziemlich piepsige Stimme
ive loved pretty much everything ive heard from pj harvey but with this one im not sure i see the vision
Very nice
Oh that's right. PJ Harvey. That pitchy, shaky, shrieky voice that somehow passes for talent. OK. Thanks for the reminder that I don't get it.
Not really worth a listen
Was just kinda meh
This is so good, and completely different from the other PJ Harvey album I listened to (“Rid of Me,” which was also excellent). Not as raw or energetic, but haunting and sad, which fits the theme. After listening to albums on this list for just over a year and hearing so many that sound similar and blend together, this album stands out as something unique and beautiful. I keep going for gems like this, and I’m grateful to this project for introducing me to Harvey’s music. Favorite track: On Battleship Hill
Fav: Let England Shake Least Fav: Hanging In The Wire
Folk-rock suave. Está bien. Un 4.
Qué buena es! Me recuerda, a veces, a Clap your hands and say yes.
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
Not really my cup of tea, a little too angsty.
Totally get why people would like this but I didn’t care for it.
I liked it.
I think the group summed this up well. A lot of good here but felt like it never quite made it off the ground. I also agree we may be missing the context. If Nebraska was your intro to Bruce you’d be pretty confused about the hype. Feel like there’s more here. I’ll come back for “The Words That Maketh Murder”
This album is nice but doesn’t grab me. In some places her voice and style feel a little more melancholy than these songs warrant. In other places her gloominess feels melodramatic. A lot of this is too downbeat / minor key for my taste in pop and makes the songs all kinda blur together. ‘Written on the forehead’ breaks this mold and so is a highlight for me
I appreciate the uniqueness of this and story telling, but ultimately I found this album to get into. Maybe like a Randy Newman album? It takes a while to get the character and story /shrug. I went through it twice so far and it was a lot better on round 2. In short, there were some cool songs. I really liked more of the more bare songs instrumentally speaking. England and The Last Living Rose stand out. Words That Maketh Murder was a good one too
I’ve always been interested in hearing more PJ Harvey, seems like a super talented songwriter and definitely in my wheelhouse on paper, but this album felt like it never really took off. I think one of my issues with this generator is that it can drop you into an artists catalogue anywhere in their journey - in many cases it seems to have given us the most recent/last one first. I might have appreciated this album a bit more if I had more context on the progression. I skipped around on a few of her other top songs and am still interested to hear more.
little too weird
No, just no
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.
People are high that rate this a 5. I used to get high, now I sit in a cubicle and push buttons. This did not brighten my day in any way, shape, or form. Awful sounding and couldn't wait for it to be done, so I stopped at song#5. If I had went on it would be a one star. Probably is a one star, but giving it a two because I was able to stop early and not waste any more of my time. Have a nice day!😜🤘🏻🤷🏻♂️🌝🌞🎃💩👻
I refuse to believe that anyone truly enjoys PJ Harvey. Even the artistic value of this “album” is low.
Finally a true five star album. I'd give it six if I could. She's made something that tells so many stories, all of them unique with their own songs but they all work together so well. The colour of the earth is the most beautiful, moving war song I've ever heard. I've never had an emotional response to an album like I still have to this one.
Really enjoyed this one! Could potentially be a 5 after more listens. Great mood and rhythms.
Really good. Drags a bit in the middle
Din like it. Not god-awful or anything, but even with it being pretty experimental, I did not really find it interesting at all. Some songs were straight unlistenable tho.
I really enjoyed the anti-war themes. I can tell it's a project that took long to make, it's very detailed. Some standout songs but many of the songs didn't quite catch the emotion I was hoping for. Solid nonetheless.
3.7 I liked it
Not necessarily bad, just not for me.
Not really enjoyable
Not her best but still decent. I wish it would've rocked out more but she goes for a more indie and at times baroque sound. I get it. She wants to grow as an artist and the songwriting remains strong. But this didn't quite hit as hard for me as previous releases. Still, worth a listen.
very underrated talent
I remember liking this more than I do now. Mid 3. 70/100
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!
I don't remember how I found this album. I knew of pj, but wasn't a huge fan. I really can't define why the album speaks to me so deeply, but it's so rich and rewarding the more I listen. I think about it randomly, those plucked out notes of the first track popping into my head. It's brilliant and I thought it was a secret pleasure for me. I was shocked it came up here and it's validating.
Sadly I wasn't over the moon for this one. I think I needed to listen to some earlier PH Harvey to understand what a departure this was for her. I found most of the songwriting too esoteric. My favorite track was the last one on the album!
ganz nett anzuhören, "shaken" tut da bei mir aber nix
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.
Ajattelin aluksi, että tämä on "vain" kaunista, mutta sitten tajusin, että tämä on Kaunista. Ja kekseliästä (enkä tarkoita ensisijaisesti konseptia). Esteettisesti levy ei ole täysin makuuni, mutta ehkä voin oppia. 3+
Great album full of songs I’d never heard before.
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.
If I knew more about this artist, I would probably appreciate it more because it seems like it is divergent from her discography. With that said, it sounded fine.
Didn’t do it for me 🫠
One of the most wishy-washy albums I've heard so far. I'm sure there is plenty to like about this album but I really couldn't gauge what PJ was going for on this album. The poetry/lyricism felt tacky and mediocre for a majority of the album. The vocals also seemed substandard. Idk man listen to the first 15-30 secs of England and you tell me if that slaps. The production was at least very solid but besides that it was all mid. Top 3 Fav: no favorites 1.75-2.25/5 Top 3 Worst: England (solos), Bitter Branches, and Written On The Forehead
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.
Qué buena es! Me recuerda, a veces, a Clap your hands and say yes.
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.
Ok
This album doesn't stand out to me. Nothing done here feels special or influential to any specific genre. It's well crafted, but not great by any means.
I feel as though I owe Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea and apology. I gave it a two and have since revisited it when I enjoyed it more. I found this one to be very unique. Her vocal style and the instrumentation as well as the lyrics are interesting the entire time even if they don’t always work for me. My favorite songs were The Last Living Rose, The Words That Maketh Murder, and Bitter Branches.
Nice.
Nope. Sorry. If they played this at the pub, I'd finish my drink and leave.
Second time I've listened to this and still terrible.
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
i worship u pj harvey
An absolute must listen to - never tire of listening to it
Not bad I just don't really like this type of music and if I did want to listen to it I think there are better artists. I've heard this before and still feel about the same, I am not sorry that I listened to it but don't need to hear it again.
lyrically this album just kinda wasn’t great. It struck me as a mix of angst-ey middle schooler and a middle school girl writing in her journal. OIL SPILL. OIL SPILL. it’s a no from me dawg
Ugh, I kinda hated this
Unlistenable. This album came out in 2010. No excuses.
The beginning of England sounds like a goat dying. There were times early on that I thought this was better than Rid Of Me, and then it slowly got worse as it went on. I can respect the musicianship of PJ Harvey but her music is not something I enjoy.
Still not a PJ Harvey fan.
I've seen PJ Harvey live now 3 times this year (thanks festivals!) so I've seen a bunch of these songs live. I really enjoyed it. PJ Harvey has been a great discovery through this list.
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.
i had a buncha friends in the 90s who looooooved ms polly jean, but i just never cared for her. i'm glad this album was on the list, because it's allowed me to confirm that i still just don't care for her. musically, i mean - i'm sure she's a very nice person.
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
Morrissey without making me want to strangle a british person. Reserved, very british but I never felt condescended to. Everything else was okay.
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.
Decent rock. Tbh I would be surprised if I heard this before knowing that it's from 2011.
I won’t say that I love every song here, but it is definitely unique and not unenjoyable.
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.
Let England Shake I was a big fan of Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea, but I’ve never dived into anything else she’s done, I just know the odd song as they play her a lot on 6 Music and have watched her on the Glastobury coverage, as she seems to play every year. I guess she can be a bit of an acquired taste, and you could easily accuse her of a kind of studied eccentricity, especially vocally, but I do think she is genuinely a bit odd in a great way, and I totally buy into her earnestness. Musically I love its modern take on folk and folk rock. You can hear the echoes of those old, old folk songs, evoking an almost supernatural, spectral atmosphere across the whole thing. The horns add a mournful feel, with their obvious military connotations, and everyday, early 20th century tactility. Thematically and lyrically this is fascinating, and is just fantastically well done, weaving English folklore, mythology, the landscape, nature and history with our common cultural touchstones into an otherworldly, hazy, unsettling examination on England, Englishness and War and all the longing, loss, destruction, despair and sadness that entails. I’d recommend reading the lyrics in full on her website, they genuinely have a powerful and poetic grace to them. Every song is connected but it feels to me like a lot of the songs seem to work in trios or pairs. The Last Living Rose, The Glorious Land and Words That Maketh Murder feel like a triptych, I love the imagery of The Last Living Rose and the Glorious Land, painting a picture of yearning for a homeland that is simultaneously imagined and real, beautiful and squalid, balancing affection, melancholy, futility and despair. The interpolation of Summertime Blues is great on Words That Maketh Murder, kind of bringing you forward in time while still conjuring the past Even though All and Everyone feels a little like a continuation of Words that Maketh Murder, it sits naturally with On Battleship Hill to me, with the folky, delicate, shifting, undulating fragility of the latter and the more tumultuous dominant former. England, In the Dark Places and Bitter Branches seem like another grouping. The melody and vocal on England take a while to settle, but I feel that’s purposeful, the backing vocals sounding almost like a call to prayer and the discordant piano all adding to the discomforting feel. The bleak imagery of In Dark Places and Bitter Branches is really moving, the electronica touches on In Dark Places contrasting well with the more rhythmic and guitar driven Bitter Branches And then the final 3 song run of Hanging in the Wire, Written on the Forehead and The Colour of the Earth is utterly fantastic, elegiac, haunting, sad, tender, melancholy but also beautiful, death has come and war is in people’s homes and cities and towns. I wasn’t expecting it to be quite such a magical record really, it’s almost startling in how affecting I found it and how much I like it. She does that great thing of being both specific and universal, alluding to Afghanistan, WW1 and WW2, anchoring you in a time and place, while also giving you the feeling of floating timelessly across the centuries. It really is a stupendous record and this might be my favourite record on the list I’d not previously heard. 💧💧💧💧💧 Playlist submission: Could be all of them, but I’ll go with Hanging in the Wire
Slightly annoying, but unique and creative at the same time.
Solid record
It was interesting I guess?
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.
2 músicas ok e o restante ta pra pra preencher o album
2.7.
Personal enjoyment: 4/5 Relevance to this list: 3/5
Look, I know PJ Harvey is highly regarded and I admit she has done some good songs, but seriously, what the fuck is this shit?
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
One of the few albums I couldn't finish.
Deep contemplation. Brave.
STANDOUTS: n/a OVERALL: 1.5/5; I enjoyed the first PJ Harvey album this gave me. THIS ALBUM?? No. Possibly too experimental?
Good listen.
I thought it was interesting, I listened to the demos they were pretty rough
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.
Super mid and super weird 3/10
5/10 - It was kind of boring. She kind of sounded like bjork imo. Also the fanfare in the middle of one of the pieces was very out of place in my opinion.
PJ Harvey is really good, and this album is really good. Between a 4 and a 5
Keep your released music released. I’m not here for demo records.
Not for me. Found it dull.
2.5
Это их борьба.... Их нравы....
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!
A difficult album. One of the one side very interestingly composed songs. A lot of variety and creativity. On the other side I'm simply not so fond of them, also after listening a few times. My vote is therefore is somewhere in the middle.
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
no thom yorke and wouldnt come back to it
Enjoyed this. Never heard her stuff before. Different and interesting.
It was alright. I'm still a little upset it isn't available on Spotify. The Last Living Rose was my favorite. Damn Europeans.
Hhmm, while listening my imagination thought this was a celebration of England, until I read the lyrics. They are poetic, but the topic seems quite odd. It’s about war; caused by England? in England? In another comment someone said she did a lot of research for this album……. Basically I think I’m too ignorant to really get this. I did enjoy the English folk like qualities of some of the tracks though
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!
This might be one of the most back-loaded albums ever. The first seven songs are a bit tough to get through but then Harvey locks in and delivers a phenomenal five-track run to finish the record. Also, she sounds vaguely like Björk and it’s throwing me off.
I don't get it.
I dont get it, does she likes england?? 6/10 cause nice rhythms.
Listening to the Demo version of this album, as the normal album isn't available on Spotify.
I am new to PJ Harvey. I quite enjoyed it
My god this was rough. Why did this make this list? There were a few moments here and there that weren't bad, but overall it was pretty terrible. 1.5/5
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 ! :)
Too warbly
Fantastic! In a world of Swifties there should be more Harvey’s
It was interesting. Sort of folky, sort of broody, a little strange. It has a certain vibe. Not a lot to latch onto for repeat listening, but good for the background. 3.4