It is a brave move indeed to take on a P J Harvey classic and try to bring something new to the table. Yes, covering the song is easy but for an artist already dripping in non-conformist creativity and single-minded sonic direction, there is little point in taking on such a task unless you can bring a similar uniqueness to the song.
Thankfully, The Secret Things seem to have exactly the right mind set and approach to the song’s reinvention and the result is the perfect blend of their own leftfield alt-rock and Harvey’s beautiful and terrible resonance. They manage to create a version balancing power and restraint, a musical tide that pulls the listener in and just up to the edge of the maelstrom, a majestic cacophony if ever there was one.
Not many people can take on such a song from such an uncompromising artist like P J Harvey and hope to breath new life into it, but the fact that The Secret Things are able to do just that suggests that they might not be that secret for very long.