WHEN Polly Harvey emerged from the Dorset/Somerset borders in the early '90s she was an instant Peel hit.

Her strident, striking approach melded the elemental force of the delta blues with a personal and political stance that was all about empowerment.

Vocally, she was equal parts Siouxsie Sioux and Bessie Smith - and boy could she play guitar?

Her first Peel sesh (1991), predated the release of her debut Dry and reminded these ears of early club gigs when the whole PJ Harvey thing' was just catching its first breaths.

A few months later, she reconstructed Koko Taylor's version of Willie Dixon's Wang Dang Doodle to maximum carnal effect - and proceeded to get even better, reaching a state of grace with 2000's Beautiful Feeling.