Have you listened to this album yet? No? Here it is, listen to it. It's the best stuff I've heard for absolutely ages.
If you don't really know much about PJ Harvey (who I saw at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall last night; the fifth time I've seen her) then this is a good place to start. There's nobody like her; I genuinely can't think of a band or artist that has a similar sound or breadth to their career... Radiohead is the closest I can come, but even then they're not a good comparison.
Let England Shake has been nominated for the Mercury Music Prize and I sincerely hope PJ takes home the gong. This is a haunting album about the horrors of war, a topic that is difficult at best to deal with. Listen to the lyrics and you'll be affected completely (have a listen to "The Words That Maketh Murder").
I mention this because it was a completely bizarre experience seeing and hearing people scream and applause the songs on this album which are so sad and desperate. The music was originally recorded in a church; that seems fitting for such a subject that is tackled incredibly thoroughly.
Other Polly material that is seriously fabulously good, if Let England Shake is not quite your thing (although I have no idea why it wouldn't be because it's fecking brilliant):
- This Is Love (the white suit, bloody YES!)
- Long Snake Moan (my favourite, favourite PJ song)
- Angeline (from Is This Desire?... Perhaps my favourite album)
- Black Hearted Love (with John Parish, sounds a bit like early Radiohead stuff)
Also. PJ Harvey's costume sense is brilliant. Check out the Flickr pool to see some of the outfits she's been in recently.
I'm a bit of a fangirl.
But seriously. Go listen!
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