The Stuff of 2011: Let England Shake by PJ Harvey

In our opinion, PJ Harvey has always been a grand, enigmatic seductress of song. Whether it was early '90s tear-you-a-new-one stuff or her later more relaxed outings, she's never failed to impress. With her latest release, Let England Shake, she gives us a collection of songs about war and her homeland inspired by poets and artists – her best album to date. Yes, even better than Rid of Me and Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea. 

Catching something new with every listen, be it a lyric or an allusion, makes the experience that much better and more engrossing. She may not be wailing like she has in the past, but she still knows where to hit you. Songs like "The Words That Maketh Murder", "The Last Living Rose" and "In The Dark Place" resonate with the soul shattering immediacy you're used to. As PJ Harvey grow, so does her ability to craft a mighty fine album.

MP3: "The Word That Maketh Murder" by PJ Harvey
MP3: "England" by PJ Harvey
MP3: "The Glorious Land" by PJ Harvey  

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You'll find the rest of our "Stuff of 2011" posts here. If there's something you enjoyed this year that you'd like to share, write something about it and email it to us at submissions@littleredumbrella.com by December 21. We'll post some of our favourites.

Let England Shake was chosen by Cody McGraw, the Managing Editor of The Little Red Umbrella. See more posts from him here or follow him on Twitter (@cody_mcgraw).