P.J. Harvey: ‘A Perfect Day Elise’ (Island)

Well, well, well – just when you thought it was safe to let your boyfriends out on their own again, along comes Polly Harvey with a cracking wall of fuzzy guitar sounds, to ensnare the musically enlightened once more. It’s a while, by Polly’s standards, since we last heard from her, but there’s been no slip in quality control. Flood helps out with the change of direction, on a tale about the sun and existential journeying, on which Polly Jean lets her vocals sound sweeter than hitherto. Eastern (ish) and mysterious.