PJ Harvey - Let England Shake

4.0

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Polly Jean Harvey has always been a prominent figure on the alternative scene in the UK and elsewhere - her big break came with the 1993 timeless album Rid of Me, which helped catapult her into an iconic status thanks to her ability to portray emotions in a raw form which was phenomenally different to what everyone else was doing back then.

Since Rid of Me, Harvey’s music has taken so many shapes –from those entirely anger driven, wearing her heart on her sleeve tunes to a sound which was completely vulnerable and painfully personal – and almost 20 years into her career it’s safe to say that PJ has still got it.

Let England Shake witnesses a shift in sound from her last album (2007’s White Chalk) – it’s evidently more composed, comprehensive and flows better – eventhough it is bursting with politics, images of war and a less personal message, Harvey manages to tie it all up with her impeccable delivery and knack for creating a enamoring universe where the listener cannot help but be drawn in thanks to the poetically hypnotizing nature of her music.

The album opens with title track Let England Shake – a confrontational piece which sets the stage with a specific tone crafted to sound like what can be described best as broken anthems.

The record sounds absolutely lush – most probably due to it being recorded in an old church in Dorset – a perfect setting for the mood set on the album. It is haunting, dark yet entirely inspiring.

PJ Harvey - Let England Shake

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