The title track here must be the most PJ Harvey-ish so far. And of course I'm aware it's the other way around, it's still interesting though. Well - interesting? Or lazy?

After the piledriver waltz of Hounds of Love, four years have passed and it's leant the tracks a bit of maturity, but perhaps with some of the hit parade appeal squeezed out. And again, that's no bad thing.

Fog perhaps the only recurring theme between the two albums, and the strings perhaps slightly diverting us into Titanic territory. There is an insane amount of talent on display here though - Nigel Kennedy, Balanescu Quartet, Michael Nyman, Mick Karn... I couldn't quite place the spoken word elements, but looks like it was KB's dad. It's a gentler approach, fewer fireworks, less Hollywood. It has a Peter Gabriel influence too I think, and Don't Give Up is in many ways the bridge between Hounds and the World.

This Woman's Work is the other memorable hit I guess, again, taking a softer line than previously. I could imagine this album being a more enjoyable experience in the round than Hounds to be honest, purely based on the more steady, consistent pace. But that may well be comparing apples and oranges.