PJ Harvey shares 'The Words That Maketh Murder' demo from 'Let England Shake' reissue

PJ Harvey has shared a demo version of her 2011 track ‘The Words That Maketh Murder’ – check it out below.

The track appears on the singer-songwriter’s forthcoming vinyl reissue of her classic album ‘Let England Shake’, which was named the fourth best album of the decade by NME in 2019.

The record, which was originally released in 2011, will be reissued alongside a separate collection of unreleased demos which will be available on CD, vinyl and digital via UMC/Island on January 28.

Check out the newly unearthed demo version of ‘The Words That Maketh Murder’ and see the full tracklist for the ‘Let England Shake’ reissue below.

Side 1
‘Let England Shake’
‘The Last Living Rose’
‘The Glorious Land’
‘The Words That Maketh Murder’
‘All And Everyone’
‘On Battleship Hill’

Side 2
‘England’
‘In The Dark Places’
‘Bitter Branches’
‘Hanging In The Wire’
‘Written On The Forehead’
‘The Colour Of The Earth’

‘Let England Shake’ demos tracklist:

Side 1
‘Let England Shake’ – Demo
‘The Last Living Rose’ – Demo
‘The Glorious Land’ – Demo
‘The Words That Maketh Murder’ – Demo
‘All And Everyone’ – Demo
‘On Battleship Hill’ – Demo

Side 2:
‘England’ – Demo
‘In The Dark Places’ – Demo
‘Bitter Branches’ – Demo
‘Hanging In The Wire’ – Demo
‘Written On The Forehead’ – Demo
‘The Colour Of The Earth’ – Demo

The new reissue comes as the latest instalment of Harvey’s ongoing vinyl reissue campaign. The celebrated artist’s discography is the subject of a comprehensive reissue campaign by UMC/Island and Beggars, who are aiming to “celebrate every aspect of Harvey’s recording career and afford a comprehensive and exciting look at the evolution of one of the most singular and extraordinary artists of modern times”.

Previous vinyl reissues from PJ Harvey have included ‘Dry’, ‘Rid Of Me’, ‘To Bring Your Love’, ‘Stories From The City’ and ‘Is This Desire?’.

Reflecting on ‘Let England Shake’ at the end of the decade, NME wrote: “Harvey’s hard work pays off richly for the listener – ‘Let England Shake’’ calls you back to its horrors again and again, lines like “I’ve seen soldiers fall like lumps of meat” sticking nastily in the brain.

“The album’s success – her first Top 10 record, album of the year in NME and her second Mercury prize win, making Harvey the only artist ever to do the double –  also decisively secured her place as a top-tier songwriter, one you’d be wise not to underestimate.”