Description
PJ Harvey – Let England Shake – 180 Gram Vinyl Record
Released on February 14, 2011, Let England Shake is PJ Harvey’s eighth studio album and one of the most critically acclaimed records of the 2010s. Marking a departure from her earlier raw, bluesy rock sound, this album is haunting, poetic, and politically charged, focusing on war, nationalism, and the weight of history. Unlike her previous records, which often explored personal and emotional themes, Let England Shake turns its gaze outward, offering a stunning meditation on England’s identity, imperialism, and the human cost of war.
This shift in subject matter, combined with Harvey’s ethereal vocals, folk-inspired arrangements, and experimental production choices, makes Let England Shake a deeply immersive and unsettling experience. The album was met with universal acclaim, winning the 2011 Mercury Prize (making Harvey the first artist to win it twice, following Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea in 2001).
Let England Shake moves away from Harvey’s earlier gritty, guitar-driven rock and embraces a lighter, almost ghostly folk-art rock sound, while still maintaining a deep sense of unease. The arrangements incorporate autoharp, piano, horns, and reverb-heavy guitars, creating a soundscape that is dreamlike yet unsettling.
The album is deeply influenced by war and historical events, particularly World War I and England’s colonial past. Harvey’s songwriting is filled with graphic imagery of battlefields, destruction, and the lasting scars of violence, but her delivery is often detached, as if she’s an observer recounting events from afar. Some songs even incorporate samples of old folk tunes and military music, further reinforcing the historical weight of the album.
Notable Tracks & Highlights
Let England Shake – The title track sets the album’s tone, featuring a jangly, upbeat melody that contrasts sharply with its dark themes of war and national decline. The repeated phrase England’s dancing days are done establishes the album’s melancholic perspective on Britain’s past and present.
The Last Living Rose – A wistful yet bitter song about England’s beauty and decay, mixing nostalgia with sharp criticism. Harvey’s voice is haunting as she sings about stinking alleys, drunken beatings, and the ghosts of history.
The Glorious Land – One of the album’s most striking tracks, featuring a sample of a bugle call used in military parades, giving it a sense of wartime urgency. The lyrics explore the brutal legacy of war and conquest, asking, What is the glorious fruit of our land? / Its fruit is deformed children.
The Words That Maketh Murder – Perhaps the most direct anti-war statement on the album, this song features grisly battlefield imagery of soldiers falling like lumps of meat. The refrain What if I take my problem to the United Nations? echoes a sense of hopelessness and political disillusionment.
On Battleship Hill – One of the album’s most beautiful yet chilling tracks, featuring Harvey’s eerie falsetto over delicate guitar arpeggios. The lyrics contrast the natural beauty of the English landscape with the horrors of war, describing Battleship Hill, where thousands of soldiers died during WWI.
Bitter Branches – A heavier, more aggressive track that conveys anger and frustration, using sharp, jagged guitar lines to mirror the chaotic destruction of war.
Hanging in the Wire – A quiet, intimate song that portrays a lone soldier caught in no man’s land, waiting for death. The minimal arrangement makes it one of the most emotionally devastating moments on the album.
All and Everyone – A slow, hypnotic track that describes soldiers marching into battle and facing their inevitable deaths. The song’s repetitive structure mimics the relentlessness of war.
Written on the Forehead – One of the album’s most experimental tracks, featuring a sample from Niney the Observer’s reggae song Blood & Fire. It paints a picture of a war-torn landscape, with burning houses and rivers of blood.
Let England Shake was universally praised by critics, with many calling it PJ Harvey’s most ambitious and important work. It won the 2011 Mercury Prize, making Harvey the first artist to win it twice, and it was named Album of the Year by several major publications, including NME and Uncut.
The album’s impact extended beyond music—its political and historical themes resonated deeply, sparking discussions about Britain’s role in global conflicts and the lingering effects of war. Unlike traditional protest albums, Let England Shake doesn’t preach or offer solutions—instead, it serves as a haunting elegy for the fallen and a meditation on national identity.
Let England Shake is a masterpiece of war poetry set to music, blending folk, rock, and experimental elements into a work that is both beautiful and disturbing. It stands as one of the most thought-provoking albums of the 21st century, proving that music can be both politically powerful and artistically groundbreaking.
Reissue of the mercury prize-winning album
pressed on 180gsm Vinyl
Brand new, never played and still sealed in the factory plastic
Track Listing
Let England Shake
The Last Living Rose
The Glorious Land
The Words That Maketh Murder
All And Everyone
On Battleship Hill
England
In The Dark Places
Bitter Branches
Hanging In The Wire
Written On The Forehead
The Colour Of The Earth
