Never one to “follow a set pattern,” in her own words, PJ Harvey’s latest album Let England Shake offers up a totally new sound.
Never one to “follow a set pattern,” in her own words, PJ Harvey’s latest album Let England Shake offers up a totally new sound. Melancholic, nostalgic and thought provoking it poignantly references the 1915 Gallipoli campaign and warfare. Experimenting with a variety of instruments including the autoharp, a range of guitars and sound applications, this album – her eighth studio album and written over two and a half years – entered the UK charts at number eight in February and received widespread critical acclaim. Dealing with a delicate subject matter, Let England Shake is by no means a war protest or preaching piece – it is thoughtful, melodic and charming, exploring man’s self-destruction and the bloodshed that has filtered through Harvey’s native Dorset.
AnOther exclusively presents the video to On Battleship Hill, created by renowned war photographer Seamus Murphy, who shot all of the tracks on the album. With a distinctly new vocal style Harvey’s voice appears thin, soft and soprano, interspersed with old wartime photographs and scenes of the land. Here we speak to Murphy about his initial intentions and inspirations behind this interesting musical collaboration.
You're a war photographer, why do you think you were chosen for this video?
I have been to wars and taken photographs but its generally the context rather than the main point of interest for me, which are the people caught up in them and the history one witnesses. PJ Harvey came to my London exhibition of A Darkness Visible: Afghanistan. She contacted me shortly afterwards and said the photographs had strong, emotional power and asked me to shoot some portraits, which went well. Over time we have established a great creative understanding and when I came back from a trip to Afghanistan where I had been shooting video, we started talking about working in film.
What was your initial starting point and inspiration behind this music video?
I had seen this hill with trees on top of it near the church where PJ Harvey and the band recorded the album and were about to play a show for locals and friends. I immediately thought of Battleship Hill. It looked iconic, like a cemetry on a hill, something at the beginning of a John Ford movie. It had a dreamy quality and the symmetry made it look a like a child’s drawing. The rest followed.
What is the significance of the opening dialogue?
They are PJ Harvey's opening lyrics to the song, and for half of the other films I got non-actors to recite the lines. I wanted to draw attention to the words – which I think are extraordinary and poetic. And when they are spoken can come across with a very different meaning or feeling. Then you hear her singing them and they become something else again, or perhaps at least you pay a little more attention to them. I wanted them to have the self-conscious naturalism of an amateur, which has its own beauty and honesty.
Why did you decide to shoot it in a bingo hall?
It’s such a quintessentially English thing, and like most quintessentially English things is not English at all, but has Italian origins. Often in these 12 films the narrative came from the alchemy of editing. Bingo to me has a 50s English seaside vibe to it and the music starts with an easy rockabilly/skiffle beat before moving into a reflective, nostalgic mood. Bingo has faded glamour attached to it, which I like and the ladies are in the latter stages of their lives.
What aspects of the song did you try to reflect in your art direction?
I tried to give all 12 films a different look but at the same time wanted there to be some continuity in palette and design, so was keeping that in mind. As its all reportage and shot with available light you have to work with what you have, the lighting in a bar or dance hall – but that to me is the interesting bit – you always have choices. The angle you shoot something or lens you use can change the design dramatically.
There is a melancholic feel to this video – what mood did you intend to evoke?
Certainly that, and a deep sense of nostalgia – as its a song about painful memory. As with all the other films in the cycle, the music in fact guided me more than the lyrics, which also can be used in a contrary way or at least be playful with it. Some people call it random; I prefer ambiguity.
Text by Lucia Davies
PJ Harvey, Let England Shake is out now. This On Battleship Hill exclusive came courtesy of Stay Loose and the artists.
