Reviews (page 7 of 9)
england should shake more often if u ask me
Trur da va verdt et gjenlytt, men får sjå om da skjer
Interesting album, seemed like an updated Kate Bush, not going to be listening to it again but glad I've heard it
I remember listening to this album when it came out. I had seen it on a list of the best albums of the year, and even though I had never heard of PJ Harvey before, I listened to it, and I really enjoyed it. I've meant to come back to this album, but I'd never gotten around to listening to it again until today. I didn't enjoy it this time as much as I remember enjoying it the first time that I listened to it, but I still really liked it. I thought the folk lyrics worked really well, the instrumentation was great, and I usually tend to enjoy PJ Harvey's vocals. I really wanted to listen to this album twice today, but unfortunately, I didn't get around to it, so I don't have anything more to add.
Interesting, but not good. For an album about war, the singing is fairly bloodless. PJ Harvey can do bold, and so the title and title track felt like she was taking the piss. The Bjork comparisons aren't out of place either - the vocals on 'England' sound like Harvey is trying on both Bjork's writing and phasing. Also, out of tune, endlessly repeated samples will never fail to get on my nerves.
Nope
9/6/23
Great
Nice sound
I got the sneaky feeling that saying I love England 65 times on an album will get you on this list. The album seems like a love song or elegy to jolly olde England. Certainly listenable and at rare moments the vocals break through the surface to become nearly radiant. Nice to hear the combination of male and female voices singing together.
"Let England Shake" AKA, the first PJ Harvey album that doesn't suck. Maybe I've matured maybe she's gotten better but whatever the case, I'm considering going back to listen to her old stuff. I would've never listened to this without 1001.
I kept listening to "Let England Shake" over and over, trying to figure out why I liked it so much. Or whether I liked it that much? It was somewhat in the background while I was working, so I wondered if paying more attention would reduce my appreciation. But every time I came away really enjoying it. Different from early PJ Harvey, to be sure, but I dug it. And then dug it again. And again. Glad there's more PJ Harvey yet to come, and I see why she is the only artist with 4 Mercury Prize nominations and 2 wins.
Pretty…pretty…pretty…not good. What the hell is the English horn call on that one track? Delete the avant garde crap and you might have a low end 3.
I've loved this album for a few years now. It's such a hard one for me to pin down; on one hand it kind of washes over you, on the other it's incredibly eclectic and experimental. The washy guitar sound is really unique and always reminds me that this record was in a 19th Century church in Dorset, on a clifftop overlooking the sea. So cool. This is also a brilliant record lyrically, pouring over the hell of war. Favourite tracks: Let England Shake, The Glorious Land, The Words That Maketh Murder, On Battleship Hill.
Never thought I'd listen to British hipster music, but here we are. Borderline unbearable
Not my favourite album from PJ but still very well written. High 4 star
Album not available on Apple Music
Prima, maar niet echt mijn ding. Af en toe wat moeilijk gezongen.
Musically starts out interesting but slowly just repeats itself over and over. However, that's not its problem. It's melodically barren and rendered excruciating by the teenage level "oo England is bad war is bad" lyrics. Dreadful self centred low self-awareness moaning so loved by the kind of people that you should avoid talking to at parties.
Я только за музыку и ее перформанс ставлю 5. Я влюблен
Вау, я кажется нашёл для себя ещё один удивительный альбом. И очень интересный. Ну во-первых, это уже далеко не тихо-громко. Здесь тебя музыкой погружают в определённое состояние транса, чтобы "ненавязчиво" с тобой очень серьёзно поговорить. Или же, другая трактовка у меня есть - это своего рода песни умирающего лебедя, то есть - умирающего британского величия. Умирающих без какой-либо надежды. Вообще забавно получается, как у нас идёт три подряд альбома, так или иначе посвящённые Великобритании, её былому величию, её проблемам, старым и новым. И насколько разными они вообще в принципе могут быть. Goddamn Europeans! Take me back to the beautiful England!
this music sucks
Few nice moments
Fine
maybe i'm missing something but this album is... how do I put this... not good? at its best, it's just boring indie folk with bjork-esque vocals on top. other tracks like the glorious land seem to go out of their way to be annoying with the weird-ass pikmin c-stick trumpet noises that don't fit with the key of the song at all. the ending of all and everyone showcases someone trying their best to blow a horn mournfully. the last track was my favorite because bjork let someone else take a turn singing and then it was over. if England is shaking from this album, it's shivering with fear that another one like this is in the works. favorites: written on the forehead? i guess...?
Love PJ Harvey, and this is definitely among her most unique and interesting. Not sure it tops her more raw/punk music, but no doubt it's great. There's room for this one to grow even more on me, I think.
Alright bit one note
I am not familiar with PJ's work and after listening to the album I am thinking it may take a few more listens to really appreciate it.
Has PJ channeled Pink Floyd and Johnny Rotten? The mix of instruments is wonderful. The melodies often off-canter. Those trumpet injections into 'The Glorious Land' kill that song. Why a war theme album in 2011?
Boring
Not really my thing. Barely got through a full listen.
depressing album for me, PJ Harvey not the most uplifting of artists but this album seems her in an ever darker mood. I prefer her earlier Sheila Na gig punk stuff, while thus is nicely produced, and lyrically smart just found it hard work, and cant see my myself ever listening to it again
I was excited to get this album because I've heard PJ Harvey discussed a lot and a number of her album covers are iconic enough for me to recognize them without ever hearing her music. This was a good album but I wasn't blown away all the way through. There are some really solid tracks on here and I can see why someone else might love the full album. I do like this enough to check out some of her other albums though. I also think the songs get stronger as the album progresses. Standout Tracks: The Last Living Rose, On Battleship Hill, Hanging on the Wire, The Colour of the Earth, Written on the Forehead
Shockerande,,, 2011 pj harvey va int super speciellt. De va nicw dock
I like this album but perhaps I need more time for it to really settle. It’s cool though
Tråkigt tbh
Qué buena es! Me recuerda, a veces, a Clap your hands and say yes.
Not bad, not great
I had dry yesterday so back to pack PJ Harvey albums. Highlighted how different this album is, this was an interesting album, not sure I enjoyed it as much as dry, but glad i listened and it deserves its place on the list.
Not mad about PJ Harvey. I think im just not one for the real folksy sound. Solid collection of songs though, and her vocals are awesome as always. Just don't feel it personally.
I like this more than I thought I would but I don't love it. Probably wouldn't seek it out. Much prefer her earlier work.
Pretty good! I knew literally nothing about PJ Harvey going in but I overall dug this.
PJ's masterpiece.
Quiet and understated in some ways, explosive and cutting in others. Remarkable work! Warrants additional listens.
Listen to it again. And again.
If I may reductive, PJ Harvey is like Bjork but lives in England and is into more rock/punk. Definitely like most of which is on here, last track is a bit random though.
they chose this PJ harvey album and not stories from the city, stories from the sea? i suppose it does have some weird ye olde vibe going on that is pretty unique, but its by no means what you should listen to first to get in to Polly.
Can't believe West Ham fans were fighting riot police
Actually nice, very Experimental, but probably difficult to play in a group
Smoother and better crafted than previous PJH albums. Instrumentality and vocally less aggressive. It also holds together well as an album. So why don't I love it? No idea. 3
It seems like I should be impressed by the lyrics. Too bad I don't pay attention to them on a first listen. The sound though.... is weird, experimental, and actually intriguing, like girl.. what is going on? Might check some of her other stuff. Will I relisten? Who knows :)
ei ei ei herrat ei voi antaa ykköstä.. Soundi matchaa sanoja... koherentti.. Sanoitus kuulemma uskomatonta..
Pretty good stuff, very mellow. I liked the vibe overall. Not my thing generally, but I'd listen again depending on my mood.
Especially liked Written On The Forehead with its background vocals, really entrancing!
Decent but not my thing
Really creative song writing. Pretty much dig it. Would listen again.
Not at all for me.
Ça sonne comme des choses que j'aime
j'ai été positivement surprise par certaines chansons
There comes a point in every PJ Harvey album when you realise you're hooked. This time it was On Battleship Hill. Once again I was lured in to the world she'd made. So I finished it and listened again. It's what you do with the glorious, varied genius that is Polly Jean.
I liked this one
Bit pretentious but not half bad
This was an interesting album if only that it exceeded my very low expectations that were brought on by the title of this album and the frequency of said word in the title in many prior albums. Would I listen again? Probably not, but I didn't hate it and I'll take that as a win.
Eh. This is our third from PJ Harvey. The first two were decent, and this one I'd put slightly below that. It's weird in ways that I don't think always work. It sounds like she's trying to be the British Bjork, and I'm not much of a Bjork fan, so it figures I wouldn't appreciate an imitation. Take, for example, "The Glorious Land." It's a pretty generic alt-rock type of song, and then there's a bugle march just right on top of the track. Obviously there's meaning to it, it's obviously a war protest song (the album is a "war album," which just typing out makes me yawn). But musically, it's just uninteresting and feels lazy. Like something a college kid would do and be like "yo, but it's so deep, it's like the war is marching on in the background of whatever we're doing and stuff." With any album I've never heard before, my first impression is and always will be music before lyrics. This one might be great lyrically, but musically I find it too bland to even return to and get into the lyrics. A couple songs I enjoyed, but yeah, this is a dud for me. I understand the inclusion since it's "important," but that doesn't mean I have to like it. Favorite tracks: The Last Living Rose, On Battleship Hill. Album art: Not much to say. It's the title over, what, a cloud of black birds? I don't know, man. I've checked out. 2.5/5
A second division album from PJ Harvey this one, but given that her second division is better than most artists' first division... By turns, politically angry, despondent and hopeful, with music to match, this is an essential album in Harvey's oeuvre. But then, aren't they all?
A softer album from Polly Jean, her sound still draws from Folk roots, wouldn't be one of her strongest albums for me, but it was listenable, a few WetLeg type tracks, and I guess they would have been a better vibe if the Wet Leg energy was injected into the rhythm.
Couple of listenable tracks on here but most of it wouldn't be for me.
pj harvey is my wife
I bought PJ's earlier albums but had lost touch with her by 2011. My loss. This is a very powerful anti-war / anti-imperialism album which is normally in my sweet spot. In true PJ fashion, the words are gruesomely brilliant. I like how she she half borrowed Eddie Cochran's line in Summertime Blues when she finishes "The Words That Maketh Murder" with the line "What if I take my problem to the United Nations?" creating a juxtaposition of Eddie's use of the words in the context of the first world problem of young man's angst and PJ's poignant statement of how the UN is there only to serve powerful countries.
1001 has sent us other artists who've made left turns late in their career like Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and Elvis Costello, but in those cases, I felt that they were doing it just to show respect to well-established performers and not because the album was outstanding. This album on the other hand is a brave change in direction, a full-on anti-war album with gruesome lyrics and imagery of sewage, decaying bodies and deformed children, all set to a dark, haunting, folk-based sound with minimal production. For me the LP takes a song or two to settle in then “This Glorious Land” is a shot to the solar-plexus (love the bugle) and it continues for the next 10 songs. The infrequent back-up vocals come in at just the right time and Harvey’s high-pitch voice is unrecognizable but beautiful “On Battleship Hill” and grating in “England”. My co-judge, listening to it over dinner, didn’t think the LP was a big deal, the songs weren't catchy, but that shows that it has to be listened to more intensely – and peeking at the lyrics once and a while helps. Not many song-writers read “modern-day testimonies from civilians and soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan” for inspiration. I know a lot of anti-war songs but can't think of anti-war albums. This must be the best one ever?
There have been a few PJH albums appear on this list but this one was the most enjoyable for me. Her voice is less aggressive and her writing is much more polished.
Skilled musician and singer. But not for me.
Really not that great
Sounds like PJ Harvey.
This may not be y favorite PJ’s work, but definitely it has a special place. The thematic, sound palette, and mood felt all over the album is well- defined and unique. It is a sort of critique to England, its chauvinism, and traditions that is not offensive, but sincere. I don’t think we have any filler on this album. Each song needed to be there. My personal favorite: Written on the forehead.
I liked this, but a concept album about WWI England is just not aligned with my interests.
Before today, I'd never heard of PJ Harvey. From a bit of research, I learned she is a folk rock/singer songwriter. This is her 8th studio album, and it was recorded in a church, so it is closer to chamber folk. The reverb caused by recording in such a large open space, coupled with jangly guitars and beautiful autoharp made for a very nice listen. The weak point of the record was PJ's nasally voice. I wasn't much of a fan of her upper register, but her natural singing voice was not bad. Overall, a perfectly average record today. Not something I would actively seek out, but not something I would rush to shut off if it was on either. Favorite songs: The Words That Maketh Murder, All And Everyone, The Colour of the Earth, The Glorious Land, In The Dark Places, Bitter Branches Least favorite songs: England, On Battleship Hill, Hanging In The Wire 3/5
It was fine. PJ Harvey has never really been my thing, but I think her earlier albums are better.
Decent, didn't get a proper taste of it though, should listen to it again
8/10 super fun! I really enjoyed this :)
A brilliant album, maybe one of the best musical examinations of war ever made. Stark, biting lyrics, mournful but strident, with powerful, memorable imagery. I'm liking Harvey's vocal style on this album. It's different from other things I've heard from her, almost like she's channeling another singer. But it suits the subject matter and tone of the album really well. This isn't an album you listen to for fun, but it's an important one, and beautifully done. Fave Songs: In the Dark Places, On Battleship Hill, England, The Last Living Rose, The Colour of the Earth, All and Everyone
Let England Rattle. Let England Roll.
hey nonny nonny WOAH
the songs rattle through at a fair clip, with the perfect back wash of reverb, understated instruments and Polly hitting the spot
Yeah. Sounds alright. Hard to judge from one listen, but some interesting songs and sounds, although the horns on glorious lands don't fit. Will listen again. Enjoyed my car journey with this on. Need to give it another go on the hifi. Listened again on the Hifi later on. Sounds ok, not sure if it's something I'll really want to listen to more, but it's ok.
Big earthquake here yesterday
Did nothing for me. Quickly became back ground noise and stayed there.
i literally could not finish this album which may be a first for me
This PJ Harvey record screams "Look at me! I'm still a relevant alt-rock icon!" Except she isn't and this is just pretentious. 1.5/5
I had overlooked her when she first came out. In recent years I realize now what I was missing. Great music with enough challenge in there to make it interesting.
- Heard this before - Great, great album - Surprised by how low the average rating on this website is for it - Probably prefer this to her older ones - Like every single song on this - Fav songs: The Last Living Rose, The Words that Maketh Murder, The Glorious Land
Some interesting stuff here but not enough to keep me coming back. Enjoyed the first listen more than the second and third. Interesting & unique can’t be assumed to have a continuing allure. On Battleship Hill and In The Dark Places are songs I’d like to hear again, but would be okay without the rest. 1 - bad 2 - average 3 - good 4 - great 5 - outstanding
Really strange
Reeks of early 2010’s.
Not quite sure what I expected, but I certainly hoped for better. As a Scot, an album of songs about England is not top of my wishlist - even if it's not complimentary! Singing is great, but words and music less so. Maybe I'd like it more after a few more times through, but there's no time for that - on to the next!
The music is fine, but I don't like her voice. The whole thing kind of sounds like typical indie music that's trying to be weird and spooky for no reason at all
Did not like
I loved the first couple of songs. The first song reminded me of Bridget Bardot/ Francoise hardy and I was LIT for the album. The words that maketh murder is where that all changed for me… but then I came back to during huh it didn’t save. I came back during bitter branches bc woman screaming
Det var 'okay', men jeg kommer aldrig til at sætte det på igen, tror jeg. Det er dog stadig bedre end KISS og Pet Shop Boys. On Battleship Hill er nok min yndlingssang fra albummet.
This was soooooo easy to listen to. I enjoyed it very much. BUT! When "England" started playing, I couldn't help but laugh and mimic the moaning and yodel-like singing. All in all very enjoyable record.
PJ’s most pastoral project paints a picture most perpetual.
What an album! I have listened to many of the older stuff by PJ Harvey, but I have never looked at the newer record, like "Let England Shake". And as it happens quite frequently, it was a great mistake. This album is definitely as close to my liking as possible, with melancholic, original sound, reminding me of less black metal-ish Chelsea Wolfe, or A. A. Williams. I love the atmosphere of the whole package, unusual vocal by PJ and catchy and rather sad melodies, riffs and beats. Also, the lyrics are deeply emotional and actually quite relevant. I was also surprised to hear that this album was recorded by Mick Harvey (apparently a coincidence), long standing contributor to Nick Cave and Bad Seeds. And well, it makes sense - if you will compare some of the albums by PJ Harvey and older (or even more recent) records by Nick Cave - they all have that melancholic vibe and style, which attracts me to their music. It is a great album and straight away I will look for a vinyl LP for my collection.
“DJ”… I don’t think I will like this album. Just read an article on Aeon about drum machines throughout time in relation to AI generated music. This is going to be interesting to have in mind when listening to this album. First impression: not bad. GOD THIS ALBUM IS GOOD!
Lots of death and murder lyrics and sharp tones. Not my fav
אהבתי מאוד. פי ג'יי הארווי מוכשרת ברמות. הייתי מת לראות אותה מבצעת ביחד עם דייויד בואי
2/5. Idk, wish this was better than it was. Sure some interesting pop sounds and innovative songwriting, but not enjoyable. Just fine.
No lo mejor de PJ pero gran disco igualmente, para escuchar de fondo trabajando y mover la cabeza
Polly has shifted to folk in her old age but it's still prone to her idiosyncrasies
Had no idea what to expect knowing nothing about the artist, so pleasantly surprised by this collection. Certainly worth seeking out further works.
Very British. I enjoyed. The premise is interesting and the sound is solid. Not great but good.
This is so terrible. I hope that nothing like this happens again through the rest of the 1001 albums.
Dark, but I like it.
I find this a curious album. It’s an interesting project and some songs have fantastic moments but it also never feels particularly essential
A few interesting songs but overall not that exciting. Patty did not like it. 2 stars
Weird composition choices. Lyrics belong on r/Im14andthisisdeep
I love PJ Harvey so I really wanted to like this. Sadly I don't think this type of folk music is for me, but I appreciate the creativity and talent that PJ put into it. 'Let England Shake' is a good song. Pj's vocals are really gorgeous as well. This album doesn't resonate with me though sadly. Perhaps on a few more listens it could grow on me. For now, I'm ranking it as a mid (3 stars). I can see why a different sort of listener might love this though.
Music and voice isn’t bad, can’t connect lyrically with her
Interesting. I enjoyed the hell out of this album: I definitely didn't see that coming. I liked the chord progression, and the production sounded very fresh.
Recuerdo los días en que este disco era mencionado en la mayoría de las listas de la mejor música del año. Nunca le presté atención, probablemente porque antwa había hecho el intento con PJ Harvey, pero nunca terminó de cuajar, no pude seguirle la onda ni el estilo. Ahora, con varios años en el cuerpo, que no quiere decir que la madurez que dan los años sea requisito para dar con la música de PJ Harvey, puedo decir que este es un muy buen disco. De hecho, es uno de los pocos que he escuchado una segunda vez inmediatamente después de haber terminado el primer recorrido.
The Parker Posey of rock. Every performance is beyond great, different from all the others, and yet completely underappreciated from a mass popularity standpoint. Polly Jean famously only sought to have each album be different from her previous work (which is sort of like Parker Posey now that I think about it). The Brits get Harvey more than the States every have. Some day PJ Harvey is going to get her just desserts in the US and be nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It'll probably take a Kate Bush/Stranger Things sync of some sort. I believed such a thing was about to happen last year when Down By The Water was used in Yellowjackets. Maybe that would have occurred if that series was on Netflix instead of Showtime. The great news for Polly Jean Harvey - and all of us - is that she's not done making music yet.
Sick of it by halfway through
WWI concept album that covered both the western and Gallipoli fronts?! Wasn't expecting that
A bit different to her music in the 90's. It's pretty good, a few tracks I really like but there was more I didn't. Perhaps those songs would grow on me more after a few more listens but it's a solid 3.5.
PJ is very hit or miss for me. Almost every record has something I love on it, and a lot I just do not like. That said this record was far different than I expected. And I enjoyed a good deal of it (not all): Didn’t like The Words that Maketh Murder But very much liked Hanging on the Wire
I remember not liking this when it came out. I guess i was expecting something like "Down by the Water". Listening to it now, I really like the mellow folk rock. I'll probably listen to this again.
I'm not really all that familiar with PJ Harvey. Should deep dive in a bit more. I liked a lot on this album. But there was also quite a bit I didn't enjoy as much. Solid but not great.
I liked the other PJ Harvey album but really didn't care for this one. I feel like this list is too short to have multiple albums from this artist...
annoying to okay at best. Not quite a 2, but close.
Kind of got distracted listening but it’s not bad. A high 3.
Eh
Its decent - Not bad at all, but not amazing. I dont know why this would be on a list of albums that everyone should hear before they die. 3/5
This was a surprising okay album. Enjoyed it more than I suspected I would.
Easy listening.
I had no idea what this was, really enjoyed this album, I found it very interesting. Had a bit of a Bjork vibe Saved tracks: The Last Living Rose, The Glorious Land, Written On The Forehead, On Battleship Hill, Bitter Branches
earnest and arty and / but not sure it resonates fully for me despite occasionally really liking her stuff. could be a grower...?
If PJ Harvey grabbed a guitar at a house party I would definitely leave.
I applaud PJ Harvey's decision to stop making bland, boring music. There did not need to be 3 albums by her in this exercise though. Favorite track: The Colour of the Earth
Couple of these songs kept me listening, but I found the lead singers voice to be irritating after listening to the whole album in one sitting.
Why are there so many P.J. Harvey albums on this list? One would have been enough. Two, tops. Instead, we've got four albums of mediocre, warbling, badly-produced nonsense. If I was being fair, I'd give this 3 stars. But I'm annoyed that I have to listen to yet another P.J. album so it's getting docked an extra star.
need to listen to further albums
I really thought I was going to like this one, as I knew PJ Harvey had collaborated with Nic Cave (who keeps coming up in these). I honestly found it kind of boring? I listened through to it twice to give it a fair shake. The very first song starts off with what sounds to me like xylophone, so I was hoping I was in for a weird ride. But nothing really grabbed me. I was surprised to read in the album description on the 1001 Albums site that it was Album of the Year for 16 publications. Maybe 2011 was just too different of a time. Idk. Won't listen again. Probably wouldn't notice if I heard something from this at the grocery store.
Блядь я реально ненавижу пи джей харви с первой ноты еще 13 лет назад
first listen not for me
I had a pretty visceral negative reaction to this album. Maybe this is someone’s jam, but it is definitely not mine.
wow. an incredible album. the lyrics, of course, were excellent, and i love the timbre pj sings with on this. the standouts were, of course, the sax and autoharp. not much else to say, a really excellent album.
It was a 4 until the awful strained vocals chimed in during the back half.
I can't totally remember what I felt about this...I feel like it had its moments, but if it were a true 4 or higher, it probably would have made an impression that outlasted the weekend
Really enjoyed this, great album!
Pleasantly surprised by this one
I know PJ Harvey's career predates the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, but it sounds so eerily similar. Not something I'd seek out, but I also wouldn't turn it off.
This just kept getting worse as it went on
This is a pretty good album. I enjoyed it.
3-4
PJ Harvey at her most literate, subtle and most poignant. Subtle and yet powerful arrangements that fit the hemes so perfectly. Her singing is understated and emotional and the songs are beautifully conceived. One of PJs quietest and yet most powerful a,bums. Long gone is the loud, punch to the gut immediacy of Rid of Me replaced with quiet beauty. But no less powerful. 4*
It’s a bit too contrived for me to be an awesome album.
Standouts: The Glorious Land, Others: Let England Shake, The Last Living Rose, The Words That Maketh Murder. 3/5
Bit too winey at times, but good music - just not an entire album
I like it in theory especially after the melodic noise that is pink floyd. but where that was easy to tune out, PJ Harvey has this way of raising her voice up and down in register that I find very hard to tune out during my day. I turned it off, but I guess that's reason enough to give it 1 star.
Stunning album
PJ Harvey is someone whose catalogue I've been meaning to explore more, being only familiar with a handful of songs and soundtrack/compilation appearances - and most of those falling well before this release. So here we go... Fun facts: It was released on my 31st birthday and won the Mercury Prize. This definitely sounds different than whatever sound my memory associates with PJ Harvey, although it seems from reading the Wikipedia entry for the album that it isn't just me. I'm digging it though. "The Glorious Land" is an especially great song! Highlight for the first third for me for sure. "Written on the Forehead" is super cool! I feel like further listens to this will be deeply rewarded, but even on a first slightly distracted passthrough it's a great album painting a portrait of England not dripping in blue-blooded finery or jingoism. I'm too exhausted to add much, or any, poignant insight. But I'm happy to have finally dipped further into PJ Harvey's world and look forward to spending more time with this album, and beyond.
Poor
Let England Shake- 6.5 The Last Living Rose- 7 The Glorious Land- 6 The Words That Maketh Murder- 7 All and Everyone- 8 On Battleship Hill- 7 England- 7 In The Dark Places- 9 Bitter Branches- 8.6 Hanging In The Wire- 6 Written On The Forehead- 6.5 The Colour Of The Earth- 6
Some good songs, but a bit wishy washy in places.
Some of this album is even kinda OK. Unfortunately a larger percentage of it is appalling. Like, uncomfortable to listen to appalling. "England" was the first of it to get a skip. Warbling tosh, the sort of thing you expect to hear from a talentless 2nd year university student at an open mic night. "Written on the forehead" needs to get in the sea.
Strong opening, lost my attention, revived at song 8, 9 and got lost again. So a bit mixed feelings, guess the album can grow, so because it´s pj ....
Great PJ Harvey album, liked it more than the previous three PJH albums (after which I lost interest somewhat).
Pretty good, but one of my less favourite PJ Harvey albums. I respect it for its unique sound and intention to be different from previous work, but the songs don't appeal to me as much. Only In the Dark Places hit the right spot for me.
Even a concept album about English war history turns out fantastic in the hands of PJ.
The album explores how war shaped England, but it could easily be transplanted forward 10 years as an observation of the hyper-nationalism around Brexit as these themes are very similar. The punch of the lyrical content is almost masked by the softness of the sound, but to me it becomes something haunted. A wonderful record.
An incredible concept and brilliantly executed. "Written on the Forehead" is a bop and the whole record is flawless. This is a 5+/5.
-1 too british
This is super experimental. It's nowhere near as good as Stories from the Sea. Even Dry is a bit more relatable.
Solid
alright that certainly was “an album” i don’t want to call it bad but I just don’t think I like “folk rock”.It’s just kinda boring and I never felt any energy behind it.Maybe it’s music for old people.For an album called “let England shake” I was expecting more of a dubstep rocky thing.like lots of bass.Whatever it’s perfectly fine.
The first song is pretty good
Folk-rock suave. Está bien. Un 4.
I feel like I’ve heard the name PJ Harvey before, but I couldn’t say why. A quick google shows she has an MBE so she’s clearly a bigwig. Excited to listen and find out what I’ve been missing! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: The Glorious Land, On Battleship Hill I could tell straight away from the first track that I was going to enjoy this album. There are the occasional strange music timings, somewhat ghostly and eerie vocals, and an overall “I don’t care” sort of vibe to the whole sound. These are all things that I tend to love with music, and this was no exception. I’m glad to say that I’ve finally heard PJ Harvey, and look forward to hearing more.
Lyrics are a little weird but instrumentals are comforting
It’s a smart and catchy set of songs — especially the first four tracks. This is a must-listen 2010s rock album!
A lot sounded the same
Definitely not my favorite PJ Harvey album.
Enjoyed the first half, somewhat repetative
This was really interesting and beautiful- a modern album I really enjoyed. Definitely makes me want to listen to more PJ Harvey
This is an intriguing album, I had listened to it before but never really penetrated it until now. I'd like to look up the lyrics a bit more because they seem to have some quite specific historical references. I'm wavering between 4 and 5 stars for this one, but I'm feeling generous after getting several very mediocre albums in a row, so I'll give it a 5.
Really? Two albums by PJ Harvey already? Ok, this one is odd, kind of a cross between Bjork and Sinead O’Connor. Listenable but not very interesting. Maybe there’s more in the lyrics that I wasn’t hearing.
Not my cup of tea ;)
PJ Harvey had nothing more than good intentions on her mind when she wanted England to shake. Yet another masterwork from one of Dorset's finest, this gentle forward-thinking reminiscing of her home country unveils layers that showcased Polly Jean's unceasing need for musical and lyrical exploration; a kind of sound that would feel right at home along with the Canterbury music of the early 70s and more rustic folk corners. A classic. Favorites: Let England Shake, The Glorious Land, The Words That Maketh Murder, All & Everyone, On Battleship Hill, England, Hanging on the Wire, The Colour of the Earth, The Big Guns Called Me Back Again, Written on the Forehead.
I did enjoy the song Written on the Forehead, but otherwise it was hard to get through
Well this a huge album in terms of crucial l critical success back when I guess I wasn't paying attention. But I am now. From the initial title track you're drawn to something very unique and visceral. And stay with it throughout. Glad I found you properly Polly!
Fave PJ Harvey album
Need to listen to again
meh only got 3 songs in
While I have heard and enjoyed a few of PJ's earlier albums, none left much of a lasting impact on me. This one had me from the start.
PJ Harveyn teki aikoinaan kiinnostavaksi se, että hänen musiikkinsa kuulosti miehen tekemältä. Tai pikemminkin 15-vuotias minä koki suuren valaistumisen: tyttökin voi kuulostaa TÄLTÄ, kun siihen asti olin fanittanut pelkkiä miehiä tai poikia. Noihin aikoihin verrattuna nämä uudemmat levyt kuulostavat vähemmän yllättäviltä, mutta yhä toki kovin kauniilta. Harvemmin tulee kyllä tätä kuunneltua, toivottavasti listalla on vanhatkin PJ:t.
Meh
This was fine. It's just not the type of music that grabs me and makes me want to listen, but it was pleasant to listen to.
Meh. Slightly upbeat but I don't get why it's special.
This album has one of my favourite songs on (Last Living Rose), and some other songs.
This is probably impressive. I just wasn't in the mood for this one on the day I got it. I'm more in an Elvis Costello "let's end war," kind of mood than a PJ Harvey one today, so that may have shaded my impression of this one. Most of these songs just kind of felt like an extension of the previous one. I love her voice, and I like the beat, especially The Words that Maketh Murder. Anyway, death, death, death - lots of death on this one.
I don't think there was anything particularly special about this album. Personally it felt like the same tracks over and over.
Let England Shake has some seriously great instrumentals, reminiscent of old English folk songs mixed with modern folk-rock. Plus, they add some depth to the concept of this album, about England's legacy as a country of war. The first four tracks were a rough time for me; it felt like big lines were being repeated about ten times for shock value or something (like ok girlie we get it! deformed children! the UN sucks! new idea please) and the dissonance, although thematic and intentional, made for a not fun listening experience to me. Thankfully something clicked with track five, and I vibed with the rest of the album, both lyrically and melodically. I don't know if I can overcome how much I didn't like the first third-ish of the album - they might click later for me, but I tend to prefer songs with form and IMO the risks she took here didn't always pay off. I also don't think Harvey fully delivers on her concept at the end of the day, since the album is generally depiction with little commentary. That being said, it has high highs. Harvey has created haunting instrumentals, and the best songs on here carry lyrics that are unfortunately timeless in their depiction of the inhumanities of war. Standout tracks: All and Everyone, On Battleship Hill, In the Dark Places, Written on the Forehead, The Color of the Earth 3.5 for the yikes first four tracks and my high expectations for the concept not being met, but rounded up to a 4 because I'll be returning to tracks 5-12 again.
I kind of liked it, but not enough to really ever listen to again.
Not my style, but I can appreciate parts of it
I don't listen to PJ Harvey. I know Down By The Water, love it... but I get the feeling that song doesn't represent her entirely. I don't think I've seen such polarized reviews on an album here before. I wonder which side of the fence I'll fall on. You know what? I'm staying on the fence. I liked this album. Not enough to play it again, but it was worth a listen to, IMO. The first track was the worst for me, but it got better throughout the rest of the album. Not my preference but I can respect it as an epic album in it's own way.
"Let England Shake" is the eighth studio from PJ Harvey. The album was recorded in a Dorset County church in five weeks and won the 2011 UK Mercury Prize. Lyrically, this is an intense affair as PJ sings about war, portraits of war and the devastation of World World I typically from the vantage point of a soldier. Speaking of singing, PJ uses a much a higher octave-voice almost a like little girl than her previous more mature voice. I think it works extremely well. PJ spent a few years researching World War I and modern soldiers who were in Iran and Afghanistan. Quite an effort and it pays off big time. A rolling beat and autoharp start "Let England Shake" almost sounding like The Doors which is no accident since she listed them along with a lot of others as influences for this album. The PJ high octave voice. Commenting on those who lost their lives in the Gallipoli War. Multiple singers give the second single "The Glorious Land" almost a sing-along feel . Although with the horns and guitar this ends up more a March. About America bombing Japan. The autoharp which she learned to play proir to this album stands out in the first single "The Words that Make the Murder." Happy sounding music as she sings about the atrocities of war. As many of you know, I'm a fan of dichotomies and contrasting things. In the second half, PJ rips off a few rockers and I thought I might be listening to "Rid of Me." "In The Dark Places" rocks with an electric guitar, builds tension and features a trombone. A soldier wakes up, scans his war field and ends with him hiding in the forest with his gun. "Bitter Branches" continues with a fast-paced guitar. PJ screaming. We're back to 1992 PJ. A soldier dying and will eventually be in the ground. "Written on the Forehead" is the third single and probably my favorite song on the album. Dreamy-like with piano. We're back to high-pitched PJ. Emotional. Beautiful in its sound. More about war images in the Middle East. A background voice talking about fires and ending with PJ singing "Let it burn." This is a great album. It might be my favorite PJ one and she has some very, very excellent albums. A must listen.
This is sort of a strange album for me to get on the heels of The Kinks's Preservation Society album. There, The Kinks were focused on the little aspects of British life that the liked and thought were worth saving. Here, Harvey focuses on the darkness of British history and violence that built the British empire. This album is deep and emotionally resonant. The music is all well executed despite the fact that Harvey departed from the style of her previous albums during this work. 4/5 Really cool work, and one of the seminal anti-war albums released during my lifetime
Nice sounds, I hate the British.
Wow. It’s like it’s a completely different artist named PJ Harvey writing a WWI-themed album. This thing could be the soundtrack to a horrors-of-war documentary and I would not mind at all. Also, that high soprano *swoon*
this was really good, i love the recurring motifs and the simple lyrics, works really well
Didn't shake me.
I mentioned elsewhere I didn't really follow Harvey after To Bring You My Love/Dancehall at Louse Point. I liked this, I'm always up for. Reinvention, though it strayed into a kind of Bjork-ish vocal territory that isn't my cuppa.
Folk rock
Too nationalistic to my taste. England’s past glory is BuSh, like for all imperialistic nations.
2.5 I think it sounds great. Really dont know it well enough to go higher right now.
I really love her style but the ambiant sounds that is sometimes added can become annoying.
Dude this is not an album you need to listen to before you die. It seriously sucked ass.
Pretty cool female nick cave+mazzy star+bjork 7/10
La PJ Harvey madura que comença amb 'White Chalk' és molt diferent però igual d'encisadora que la Harvey més provocativa i experimental dels inicis. A finals de 2022, 'Let England Shake' és el millor àlbum d'aquesta etapa. Un cant a l'antibelicisme amb unes composicions, una veu, uns arranjaments i unes lletres que estan entre el millor d'aquells anys
Good, but didn't stand out too much.
Många fina och bra låtar. Bara hört en av dessa tidigare. Positivt överraskad.
Ugh. It is folk musjlic/indie music. I did not care for it. Thankfully it was only about 40 minutes. It is just meh. No reason to revisit. It is not really a 2 but better than 1.
This is not a good PJ album
Pretty, pretty good
I've adored & worshipped PJ ever since I heard Sheela-na-gig way back in the day. Constantly evolving, constantly changing, constantly delivering some of the finest albums known to humanity.
Didn't enjoy this as much as the other PJ Harvey albums I've had so far on this list
HL: “The Glorious Land”, “On Battleship Hill”, “In the Dark Places” Not English. Still enjoyed this quite a bit. 4/5 October 28, 2022
A little eclectic, a little out there but also haunting and lovely
Last living rose is great
Awful everything
I know a lot of people like this album but it just isn't for me I suppose. Perhaps some of PJ Harvey's widely loved albums will make me feel differently, and I will check them out to confirm. For now I am just left disappointed by an album that I had higher expectations for. 6/10
It was ok, nothing special.
Harvey writes a modern protest album without sacrificing who she is as an artist. Loud, unique and bold in a lot of places it’s standard non-conforming time signatures coupled with an interesting choices of autoharps as the main backing.
Decent.
I feel like this album is so mediocre to the point that it's a bit bad. 2 stars.
average
Alternative and Singer songwriter vibes
Sometimes she sounds like Peej of old, sometimes like Kate Bush and other times like a gentle folk singer. Lyrically I’m sure it’s clever and poetic, but musically I found nothing arresting.
I like the vibe of this. I've heard other stuff from her and not got on-board, but this has got a nice energy to it, and a really interesting sound.
clearly creative, and some of it was very catchy, but not for me.
Very original, with some raw grunge-like energy and polished songs at the same time. PJ is really good at adapting her vocal to the songs, and the album covers a variety of needs
Better than previous PJ, but still not my cup of tea. 2.5/5
better than the other one
Alright.
LMAO From the title I thought it was a dance album. Boy was I wrong. I will give it some points for being an interesting listen, but I generally don’t listen to music to hear about how awful past wars were, even if I very much agree with the sentiment. 4/10
Everything but the recording points to this being the exemplary English-folk-rock release in recent decades. That first property even points straight back to Harvey herself, and the grimier overall sounds of earlier releases. One is tempted to say "darker", but the lyrical material on Let England Shake represents as much darkness as anything, the smooth elegant choking kind. The listening experience was inviting, even in the context it occurred in. It's like Björk but further in English, and I must be true to that impression.
I like it but I don't love it
Not my favorite PJ Harvey album.
i didn't finish but i dunno i was just not into this
I've tried to like PJ Harvey, I get why others like PJ Harvey. I do not like PJ Harvey.
Hated it.
Sort of unbearably pretentious if that makes any sense? Can definitely see that it would have an audience, but that audience is not me. 2/5
Here we go again with my he-man woman-haters club, but bleghhhhh. The words that maketh murder was interesting, nothing else captivated my attention.
uh, yea I didn't like this.
Fine enough i suppose. Didn't really stick with me in any way.
Lindo disco, aunque sin demasiada variación en las melodías. Tampoco tiene demasiadas capas. Por momentos es demasiado simple.
Quite frankly, a bit whiney and boring. Nothing wrong with it as background music but it just drones on with nothing to catch my attention.
Vibed with it
Pretty interesting songs. Could maybe get into it, but I did not like the voice much. Primarily songs about war
Positively surprised by this record, way better than what my original expectations were
The first half of the album is solid. It gets a little bland in places later on
Great record overall. The vocals are beautiful, the guitars are great, and the lyrics are so poetic. I really enjoyed this record from start to finish, its very comprehensive and a very easy listen. However the lyrics can be more than just an easy listen, they're fairly dark and profound at points. Favorite Track: All And Everyone Least Favorite Track: The Colour of the Earth
Alright...
It's a pretty good album. I haven't spent much time listening to PJ Harvey before. I wasn't in love here but I could see giving her more listens
Not my cup of tea
Ok, finally, music for British people and not just by British people. It's interesting but a bit too weird.
Bien aime, j’adore cette artiste.3.85
Absolutely not. I mean I'll try but I did not vibe with her 'Dry' album last time. Not my sound. But I'll give it a try... No comment. 1/10
I like PJ Harvey for her spirit and talent. Good listening
Oh good another PJ Harvey album, just what I needed. Oh and good it's more artsy Gen X garbage. No doubt this shit was a big hit among drugged up retards trying to become social media famous at Glastonbury. I'm glad this project is going to track Harvey's whole career for me, because how would I find out about so much utter shit otherwise? 2/5.
Première déception. 1 song in and I'm already bored and almost skipped it. I does not really get better and even tho the production is much better than the first album we heard before, it feels quite uninspired. I almost want to stop after 1 third of the album. Okay, I survived to the end, tolerated only one song, and skipped at the last one. Really not my jam I guess, I hadn't been so bored in a while. @+ PJ Harvey, happy that the album is done 1.5/5
Overall good listening. Some bold musical things and/or voice act but still entertaining and somehow catchy. 3/5
I feel like if I were a horse girl I would have loved this album
If you want to listen to some birthday party bangers, I wouldn't go for this album. Eery chords, high pitched voice and very into your face. The first World War is an intriguing subject and she has definitely dived into it. High rating because of the artistic and historic value, but not an album I'll put into my high rotation.
How did I ever miss this album? One of the best of the last 20+ years, at least. Highly recommended.
First album I've got from the 21st century! And a bit of a letdown. This one did not click with me.. I'm always intrigued by PJ Harvey but her aggressive, inaccessible writing style is just hard to parse sometimes. I'd need several more listens to "get" this one, and right now there aren't any songs that stick out and make me want to hear this again...
What's this, a woman? Natalie has taken to calling this the "1001 albums by men" list, so it's a welcome change. PJ Harvey is another influential artist I've not really listened to, so again, a welcome recommendation. And an anti-war album! A new generation of songs to add to my ANZAC Day/Remembrance Day playlist! So yeah, I'm ready to dig it... But somehow, this album doesn't really grab me. It's musically inventive, it's worthy, it's well produced, it just...doesn't grab me. Not musically, and not lyrically. Not on the first 1.5 times through, and I didn’t get time for another go around.
I’m a big fan of Polly’s, but I obviously did not give this much of a listen when I bought it. I was taken aback by the high-pitched voice and I think it got filed away pretty quickly. What a big mistake. I now can’t stop playing it. It ticks a lot of boxes - particularly the length of most of the trax - 5 are 3 minutes or under & only 2 only 2 are longer than 4 minutes. Takes me back to the late 70’s. The stories in the songs are heartfelt and the music is as original as you’d expect from her - possibly a bit to do with Mick Harvey’s involvement. Special mention to the native American drums & cavalry charge bugle in The Glorious Land and the nod to Eddie Cochran’s Summertime Blues in The Words That Maketh Murder. I saw her at the Horden earlier this century - so good live. And rarely fails on disc. Loved this.
I immediately feel in love with the music of PJ Harvey when she first appeared, and her first three albums were all played repeatedly and religiously at my house. I found her powerful, emotional, honest and with the ability to rock. I really liked the raw production of her first two records (Steve Albini seemed a really good pick for her), and the change to 'To Bring You My Love' was welcome. The brooding, seething restraint of 'To Bring You My Love' is a masterpiece that I am, frankly, surprised to see is not on this list. But, as I listened to less new music in the late 90s and early 2000s, I lost track of her new release. I certainly continued to read about PJ Harvey, and saw her live at the Enmore Theatre in the 2000s. Which brings me to this album, that I do not care for. Maybe it's because I don't care about England and its travails. It seems overly cerebral and emotionally distant (compared to her earlier work). I understand she changed her vocal style to make the songs work, but I don't like it. Her power and immediacy seem diminished to me. The arrangements don't hang together for me. It doesn't move me. Again, I suspect, because I don't really care about the thematic material. I am disappointed, because I really was hoping that this would be a really great album that I just hadn't heard yet.
i don't know why pj harvey personally seeks me out to make my ears bleed. her voice is too unsteady. it does not sound good. some songs aren't even good when you focus on the instrumentation. i know i'm not usually a fan of folk albums, but i don't even think folk appreciates what pj harvey is doing. not a fan but i have to listen to more albums by pj harvey on this list. thanks for nothing, robert dimery and micahel lydon.
Meh. This album was boring. I've really got no other word for it. I thought I'd be able to get into some of the dark concepts around this album, but I didn't find myself becoming interested at any point. In fact, it almost felt like it was trying too hard, and came off as pretentious. This was another album where I didn't feel like it warranted the "must hear before you die" label. This was my second PJ Harvey album on this project so far, and I know there are many, many more to come, and I'm just wondering...why? What is this author's obsession with them?
This is one of those albums that I feel like if I actually listened to the lyrics and concept I would be more impressed. Unfortunately the Bjork-like singing was distracting and made discerning the lyrics for a casual listen near impossible.
I didn't enjoy this. Songs sounded too similar and I didn't like the vocals.
I thought this album was obnoxious. The vocalist was talented but chose to flip and flutter her notes in an ugly way. The moments that were nice were overshadowed by my hatred for the rest.
Really enjoyed this. Only put 4 stars because there were some stinkers in the mix, but for the most part thought it was pleasant to listen to.
An angry and impassioned commentary on the realities and futility of war, juxtaposing those who start wars with those who have to fight them. Musically and lyrically innovative and unique. The singing of critical lyrics of war over music that is reminiscent of traditional English folk is striking and clever. Form and function perfectly in sync to devastating effect. An artistic triumph and essential listening. Rating: 5/5 Playlist track: The Glorious Land Date listened: 26/08/22
Like The Kinks “Arthur”, “Let England Shake” is an artist’s exploration of their relationship with England, their country of birth, and the battles it has fought. “Let England Shake” is a decidedly darker affair, aiming some of its focus on Gallipoli, where 30,000 English soldiers died in a brutal battle during World War I. Harvey’s songs here are often ghostly and strikingly minimalist in their instrumentation. The record’s stark black and white cover compliments its sound perfectly. Let England Shake is an ambitious concept record, one that I suspect will take me a few more listens to fully digest.
Not gonna lie, I couldn’t finish it.
Whiney
Pleasantly surprised. Solid songs, good melodies. A bit weird, but in a good way.
NOT FOR ME!
Really like it- kinda chill and grungy? Think it’s one I need to spend more time with to really catch the brilliance
I like PJ but wasn't super into this one aside from the title track
Some sorta interesting bits here and there, but altogether, not for me. A little experimenty and drawn out.
Interesting, different, hadn't heard before. Probably needs a few more listens with lyrics. 3 or 4.
Meh the song with the weird car horn in the background was particularly annoying
I was dreading listening to this as I didn’t enjoy her other albums but this one was alright!
OK Polly, you did it. You wore me down. Have your four star album.
4th album from PJ. It's just some boring woman. What is noteworthy about this artist? 1 star for showing up again. Albums fine boring
Pretty groovy. I had heard a few random things by PJ just in passing, but I liked this album. It's fun and depressing all at the same time. Definitely unique. Well done, Miss Harvey.
Good vibes. Very chill.