It would be difficult to imagine somebody more worthy of winning the Mercury Prize for a second time than Polly Harvey. Not least because the musical landscape is currently littered with female artists shaped in some way by her impressive legacy: from Florence Welch to fellow Mercury nominee Anna Calvi her power to influence the influencers is indisputable.
‘Let England Shake’ reinforces the notion that PJ Harvey is the most distinctive and innovative female artist to emerge since Kate Bush. But Polly Harvey is certainly not interested in merely recreating her many past glories. ‘Let England Shake’ sees her exploring new terrain both sonically and subjectively. It’s an album about war and what it is to be English in these troubled times of conflict. That in itself is would be tricky in the hands of many artists but PJ Harvey weaves a rich tapestry of haunting and powerful folk songs (in the loosest sense of the word) from an eclectic mix of singing styles and instrumentation.
What might be surprising to some is not that the album is lyrical, poetic, dark and thought-provoking but that it is also packed full of simply wonderful tunes. ‘Let England Shake’ is a beautifully crafted collection of songs that is at once accessible and complex. This combination makes it a fiercely intelligent record, something rare indeed.
‘Let England Shake’ deserves the Mercury prize because it stands alone as a landmark album from a landmark artist still consistently pushing boundaries, still restless and still searching for the truth. Perhaps more importantly than all of that – and certainly of importance for a music award – it proves that PJ Harvey is still making utterly brilliant and inventive music. If the Mercury music award is really about recognising the best album of the year then there is really only one serious contender.
Infinite Sparks 