Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea

PJ Harvey is yet another in a too-long list of outstanding musical artists who I somehow just simply missed altogether when they were definitely available to me as a listener and concert-goer. I remember hearing her name a lot, and she was spoken very very highly of by a number of people whose musical tastes were similar to mine. Anyway, even though I can't quite explain how I didn't listen to her 21 years ago when this album was released, I can say after having listened to it that I think it's fantastic work. Compelling, intriguing, very interesting chord progressions and rhythms, and I just dig the overall vibe. Dark without being too self-referential or too harsh. Really solid album.

It starts off innocently, a couple of fairly standard rocky numbers, which had me worrying about lack of diversity. Then we hit the numbers she did with Thom Yorke, which sandwich the genius of "The Whores Hustle..." Now we start hearing the Nick Cave influence. There is light, shade, darkness. She uses that voice to stab you in the heart. When it's over, you feel bereft. Thank God for replay. I knew she was good, but this is the best album I've heard in years.

Enjoyed this one. PJ’s seemingly odd and occultist personality really comes through in her own perception of love.

An exquisite album from an extraordinary artist at the top of her game, PJ Harvey’s song writing and playing hits another level. Beautiful, melodic love songs that rock hard.

Substantive and coherent. Thoughtful and driving. No real huge hits but a certain timelessness -- professionally executed at a very high level. Holds up and will continue to. Thom Yorke's guest appearance tells you all you need to know about the overall quality and band's position at the time.

Her most accessible album, and quite possibly her masterpiece (it's either this or Rid Of Me). It's as close as mainstream America finally got to embracing Generation X's Joni Mitchell. It might be due to the fact that Polly Jean sounds happy and playful, at least compared to her earlier work. Polly Jean Harvey deserves to have as many albums on this list as Neil Young and Joni Mitchell. And this one's my favorite.

This is the first artist that I've heard of - This is a solid album and PJ Harvey gets high marks for being influential, but it's not quite a 5 star album for me. Some obvious influences are Patti Smith on "Good Fortune" and Neil Young's Cinnamon Girl on the opening of "This is Love". There's also a great collaboration with Thom Yorke of Radiohead.

Strong female vocals with driving guitars and a punk sensibility. I really like this! Favorite Tracks: Big Exit, A Place Called Home, One Line, Beautiful Feeling, The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore, We Float. Least Favorite Tracks: Horses In My Dreams

In which critic’s darling Polly Jean evokes rather than describes new love darkened by a generalised dread that, if you want to take things too far, kind of adumbrates 9/11 the following year. Twenty years on, it’s a useful reminder of two truths. One, love always wins the day. Two, the West had been demonstrating its skills in geopolitical goat-fuckery for decades, and 9/11 wasn’t the bolt from the blue many like to pretend. Anyway, the album. Again and again, Harvey throws a rope around her unwieldy themes: “I’m immortal when I’m with you, but I want a pistol in my hand”; “Does it have to be a world full of dread? I want to chase you round the table and touch your head”; “I can’t believe the axis turns on suffering when you taste so good”; “This world all gone to war. All I need is you tonight.”; “I draw a line from your heart to mine. A line to keep us safe.” Her themes are distilled to bold and beautiful physical gestures, but they wouldn’t carry half as much heft without the sonics that are the album’s greatest achievement. It’s a sound you feel could sweep across an ocean. That’s no coincidence, as there are more than a few references here to Polly’s separation from her man. If I’m reading it right, he’s in London and she’s in New York (omg, omg, omg: 9/11). The surprisingly sparse arrangements match the economy of her writing, averaging (yep, I’ve done the sum) 4.3 instruments per track. Only the blissful ‘We Float’ gets a big-finish 12! Shit, Polly, quit flexin’. As always, it’s not about how much is there, it’s about what it does. And the standard guitar-bass-drums—sprinkled with harmonium, harpsichord, tambourine, maracas, electric piano, E. bow, bells, and djembe—are deeper than a full orchestra because you can feel the spaces between them. At the dawn of a century (oh god, what am I doing?) defined for many by the alienating effects of globalisation, evoking ’the spaces between’ is pretty damn clairvoyant. And so I thank Polly for reminding me of the lines you can draw across those spaces, from one heart to another. [Vomits]

5/5, this album was fantastic, I was torn between 4/5 for a while but the last couple tracks swayed me. The album does it all and does it well, most tracks felt unique and well produced, the antepenultimate taking you high, followed by the horses taking you low was cool, but coupled with the ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ resolution to end the album, truly impressed me. This is a prime example of the necessity of this website

PJ showing the world she can climb the charts keeping her alternative integrity perfectly untouched. Monumental.

The undisputed queen of indie rock pulls out her masterpiece!

Unreal, very Patti smith

Beste plaat van PJ. Zo vaak gedraaid al en blijft elke keer prachtig.

What a great album, the rock the softness in parts, surprise Thom Yorke, I really had a fun time and will be back again.

This was my second PJ Harvey album to listen to on this list, the first, being 'Rid of Me.' I enjoyed this album, albeit not as much as I enjoyed 'Rid of Me.' I thought the vocals here were fantastic, as were the guitars and drums. The songs featuring Thom Yorke were really great too. "Big Exit" and "You Said Something" were my favorite tracks here.

Альбом, уже ставший классикой и обязательным для прослушивания любому любителю рока. Для себя отмечу песни с Томом Йорком из Radiohead. 7 баллов из 10.

Pulsating alternative rock. Even without Thom Yorke's cameos there are shades of Radiohead there. PJ Harvey certainly does concept albums well, these songs are indicative of New York

Really enjoyed this. More rocky and less experimental than I expected. Such a powerful voice. A few real banging tracks. Liked the Thom Yorke cameos

Great storytelling sick guitar. Loved the little piano/organ situation on a track I can't remember the name of and can always get around a Thom Yorke feature. Kamikaze is my highlight.

It's a good album, but not a great one. A lot of the songs sound very similar to one another. Where they vary, the album is a lot more exciting (This is Love, This Mess We're In, Kamikaze). Dry and Rid of Me are far more interesting records.

Favorite Song(s): This is Love, This Mess We're In This sounds like something my dad would play when I was a kid (in a good way). Weirdly very soothing to me. In addition, her voice sounds a bit like Lana del Rey.

This album sounds so 90s to me. At least it did when it started. As it got closer to the end I was like oh shit, this is where Patti Smith's influence had taken us in the early 2000's. As I was thinking how much she sounded like Patti on the song "This is Love," the very next track was called, "HORSES in My Dreams." Coincidence?! Probably, but damn she was serving my Patti on a few of those songs. Vocally at least. I didn't feel the feverish raw energy that Patti brought me and the songs kind of sounded like the epitome of late 90s/early 2000s alternative. I'm sure at the time it was a head turning sound, plus we were visited by everyones favorite alien, Thom Yorke, on "This Mess We're In," so I'm not going to come down on it too hard.

You know, I didn't hate this album. I didn't love it either. It was just ... okay. I enjoyed listening to it in the background as I got stuff done. There aren't really any standout tracks and, on a whole, the album felt like a bit of a jumbled mess. Maybe it's my lack of connection to the material. The wiki says that this was a bit of a love letter to New York. That city doesn't need a love letter. It needs a tetanus shot and a month in rehab. But it wasn't bad by any stretch of the imagination. It really wasn't. Perfectly adequate. Extremely middling.

Sparse, very 2000s. I like Thom Yorke's appearance. I also like this record a ton more than "Let England Shake". A little bit more rock foward, with some slow spots here and there. Favorite tracks: "Big Exit", "One Line", "The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore"

Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea I listened to this a lot when it came out, mainly on the strength of This Mess We’re In, which I loved. It really reminds me of coming home from Japan for Christmas in 2000. I haven’t listened to it in a long time, so I’m glad it came up. Big Exit, is a cracking start, great lyrics, kind of punkish and new wave but accessible. Good Fortune is similar, a bit less aggressive perhaps, but a great song with a great hook and an evocative lyric. A Place Called Home is excellent too, from relatively simple instrumentation and arrangements she manages to make very engaging and interesting songs. One Line has a kinship with those first 3 songs, but again is great, with a vaguely unsettling atmosphere. Beautiful Feeling is fantastic, has a very folky feel, like the Unthanks, with those great backing vocals from Thome Yorke. Superb song. The Whores Hustle and the Hustler’s Whore is the kind of spiritual centre of the album, a great melody with an undeniable edge and a searching, impressionistic lyric sketching loneliness and isolation in a big city. This Mess We’re In, still great, a lovely melody with a sad and resigned feeling and two great vocals from them both. You Said Something is another great melody and hook - again the strummed guitar and minimal instrumentation conjures up an atmospheric and intriguing song. Kamikaze has that aggressive punky edge to it, and nice unhinged-ness suiting the title and coming after two pretty pop melodies This is Love I really remember from when it came out, love the swooping riff and that great tinkly piano. Another great melody and lyric too. Horses in my Dream, feel like the title is nod to Patti Smith, who she obviously shares a commonality with, but it’s a great and haunting low tempo ballad, with an edgy folkiness to it. Her voice sounds great on this one too. We Float is great too, a sense of ending and coming to terms with the end of a relationship, with that hazy drifting chorus with that superb melody. Hidden tracks were such a CD thing, and This Wicked Tongue is a good aggressive and angry song, but feels kind of unnecessary now. Doesn’t detract from the quality of the album at all though. This has reminded me what a great album this is, kind of amazing how engaging and interesting each song is, despite it in the main being relatively simple drums, strummed guitars and bass with minor additional instrumentation (although from my limited understanding there are some interesting chords happening). Like Let England Shake, I can see how she might not be everyone’s cup of tea, and how if you don’t buy into her style you probably wonder what all the fuss is about, but I think she’s fantastic and like Let England Shake this is an easy 5. 📖🌃📖🌊📖 Playlist submission: Still love This Mess We’re In, but I’ll go Beautiful Feeling

My 1001th album, and it’s a cracker, probably my favourite PJ Harvey album, very accessible but also brilliant. Love Thom York appearance on this too.

I was unaware of this terrific album. In my defense, we had two kids under three at the time.

The best album ever made.

Brilliant album

YEAH!! Love PJ love this record! Easy 5/5 for me on this one!

Wow this is fantastic. I knew a few of the songs already but it’s really incredible as a whole. The standouts for me are the songs with Thom.

Two PJ records in one week! I dithered over giving a 5 star rating to Rid Of Me, because I love it but it’s simply not as flawless as this. So I’m essentially saying this would get a 5 plus, if such a thing existed. Every song is great; the beautiful softer moments just as much as the powerful rock tracks. The opening bars make me feel as excited now as they did when I first heard it age 13. Still looking for a karaoke place where I can belt out Good Fortune.

PJ Harvey was not fucking around when she put this album together. A lot of fantastic songs. Excellent stuff! Fave track - the duet with Thom Yorke was great an all, but I have to go with "Good Fortune" overall, but like three quarters of the other tracks come in a close second place!

I love PJ Harvey, and I love this album. One of her best. 5 stars.

Great album, great songwriter. She’s influential as hell, there’s not much more I can say about her

This Mess We're In - awesome Kamikaze - rock & roll The Wicked Tounge - Hidden track but on another spotify session album good stuff

I’m ashamed I hadn’t heard this earlier. What a marvelous album.

I love this album!

AMAZING album that I was unaware was a thing. Added it to my list of go-to albums and could listen to this on repeat with no issues.

Absolutely deserving of the Mercury Prize. PJ Harvey’s songwriting is haunting and even Thom Yorke blesses us with his presence. I wonder if she might have released another Mercury Prize winning album precisely a decade later, that we could enjoy later into the journey of this list? Let’s hope.

<3

POV: Your friend is driving you around in his mom’s car because his is in the shop. You don’t want to listen to the radio so you decide to rifle through her CD booklet. You pick one at random and pop it in. It’s boring. I like some of the PJ’s songs, but this is peak 2000 Toyota Corolla music imo. I unfortunately only started vibing at the chorus of We Float. However, I will give props for probably inspiring a lot of In Rainbows

I don't think I love this vocal style, or this singer song writing style. I don't feel anything strong on any of these songs. They don't grate or irritate me, but they also don't compel me either. I do like the track with Thom York. Repeats: this mess were in

Fucking hell

As much as I try to like PJ Harvey, I always end up getting annoyed with her music.

Lol

Solid album. Great vocals. Really strong indie rock album. I'm glad I listened to this.

Have heard of PJ Harvey before and I loved this album. Really alt rock music.

PJ Harvey has a dark side that literally scares me. Because I’m afraid of the unknown. This album brings together all of her very best aspects - the over- the- bar line cleverness, the plaintive and urgent vocals, direct, distinctive; songwriting that somehow manages to be simple but dives deeply. She always bares her soul with a confidence you don’t get from anyone else. The duet with Thom Yorke emphasizes this: feels like Thom is always falling apart falling off a cliff. Until PJ comes along to pull him out of his quicksand. The woman is strong. I love this contrast. They pull it off. Great art. Some touching pieces. But not off putting or difficult (Kendrick I’m talking to you). I haven’t heard something in a long time that I had the sincere urge to hear again like “Good Fortune” or “Kamikaze.” Genius.

This rocks

Probably my fave Pj tbh. Just exquisite

This was my first favorite PJ Harvey album, and given how well-rounded it's capable of being in its less than 50-minute runtime, I've never really had to question why. Despite being easily her most accessible, this album also showcases everything that made her '90s run so legendary. This lady, in less than a decade, went from punk-rock to blues-rock to trip-hop—and on this record, there are hints of each and every one of those various dabblings. 'Big Exit' sounds like something off of 'Dry' but more melodically catered to the mainstream, and 'We Float' sounds straight out of 'Is This Desire' in all its trip-hop glory. The direct alternative single here 'This is Love', sounds like something off of 'Rid of Me' - especially given its more aggressive lyrical themes and performance. I don't want to reduce this album by calling it a "poppier" version of all her previous sounds. This is a very solid indie-rock album in its own right, in fact, it's one of the best of its time I'd say. 'Good Fortune' is one of my favorite songs of hers. It's so optimistic and nostalgic, and that chorus is such an earworm. "Nostalgic", in general, is a really solid way of describing just about everything here, 'A Place Called Home' effectively evokes that feeling of something missing, but you're not quite sure what. There are times on this album when it feels like it follows PJ's fixation on this one very pleasant moment in time, and her attempts to grow past it, all while still reminiscing on how complete it made her feel. I like to imagine that "moment" as a night in the city, spent with someone you love. 'Good Fortune' is maybe the most direct portrayal of this - capturing just how happy she was at that time when everything was perfect, though it almost feels too perfect as if she's glorifying the past. 'Beautiful Feeling' is on the complete opposite side of the spectrum, PJ sounds so defeated now that the special moment, and the person she associates it with, are gone. 'The Mess We're In', the second song here with Thom Yorke, captures that longing between two lovers who are now apart and grasping, again, to try to recreate something as meaningful as that one "moment". It's an incredible duet too, the part where Thom is melodically wailing and PJ comes in with her smooth "The city sun sets over me" is one of the most euphoric moments on this album. 'You Said Something' had to grow on me, but I do like it quite a bit, it plays a crucial role in establishing this album's themes, capturing that "perfect moment" down to an exact location, time, feel, smell, and set of words. I also really love the last two songs here, they're so mellow, and 'Horses in My Dreams' could haunt just about anyone with just how accurately it captures this idea of being forever free from something (or someone) that's been burdening you for far too long. And 'We Float' is just an incredible closer, it uses the same "Float On" metaphor as Modest Mouse (in 2004) to describe this idea of taking life one step at a time. This song makes me very happy. PJ Harvey's talents don't need to be stated, her vocal range is insane, and this album is easily the best portrayal of that. My favorite vocal performance has got to be on 'The Whores Hustle And The Hustlers Whore' which may even be the best track here, despite it not (really) playing into this album's overall theme. It's more of a commentary on the tortured lives of other human beings who've been cast down by a ruthless city. The chorus is incredible and her crying vocals closing it out are so mesmerizing - they give me goosebumps every time I get hit with them. Production-wise, I do wish it was more consistent at times, but then again that's only a gripe when I'm comparing this album to her other ones that do a better job of sticking to a singular sonic motif. For what it is though, the production here is luscious, endearing, and very soft (not quite soft rock soft though - thank god). A very unique and important album from one of music's most forward-thinking and layered singer-songwriters - and I'll always love it wholeheartedly for introducing me to her music.

i loved every song on this, didn’t expect it, i never listened to PJ Harvey but she is great

Wowzers.

My favorite PJ Harvey album. A great collection of songs that show off her range, but have a cohesive theme. The Thom Yorke cameos are the icing on the cake.

My wee face lit up when I saw this one. An old favourite. Love her. There is an edge to her voice here which really works. And of course Thom Yorke. Never grow tired of this album

This is one of the greatest records ever made. A beautiful encapsulation of how it felt to live in NYC at the turn of the millennium right before 9/11 changed the city and the world forever. I still remember my friend Zoe telling me how good this record is right when it came out and man, how right she was! I think it makes me cry more than any other album whenever I listen to it.

This was an incredible album that I am embarrassed to say I've never listened to.

What a fantastic album. Well, anything PJ Harvey is fantastic in my book. This album is one of her most accessible ones (that being said, I like the rawness of her first few albums a LOT). Every song is good, many are absolute marvels, and there is a nice coherence across the album. Fantastic musicians too and I especially like Thom Yorke's contributions. This Mess We're In, what a stonker of a song! Definitely a 5* for me.

Loved this, as I do just about all of her work. Perfect balance of her raw rock side and more low key moments.

Gran sorpresa. Sí que estoy de luto por haberme perdido este disco cuando probablemente más lo necesitaba. Como dicen, el siguiente mejor tiempo para hacer algo es ahora.

Powerful female alternative rock, UK artist, great voice. Nirvana influence. Outstanding alt rock, good amount of grit.

A gorgeous and enthralling album. I enjoyed it WAY more than Rid of Me, which wasn't entirely surprising, as I already had Good Fortune on my master playlist. I'm not sure why I hadn't explored the rest of the album. I loved the sound and the mood. She sounds completely in control and completely authentic. I'll definitely be listening again; it's right up my street. (Shout-out to the drummer, too; they're great.)

Fantastic album. From the first riff of Big Exit, to 'I can't believe life's so complex', this album is full of little surprises, nice details and hits. And this is not even the best PJ album.

Fantastische stem, heerlijk rauw en puur. Geweldig album. Dit is een 5, zonder twijfel

this one is sooo good. first heard of her in gilmore girls, and thought that I def need to listen to her in the future. now the time has come, only like 10years after I heard of her when tristan thought pj harvey was a man.

This was wonderful. I had heard of PJ Harvey before, but I had never heard her songs. I hear a lot of Fiona Apple, Chrissie Hynde, and Mazzy Star (Hope Sandoval) in her voice, and her style is very Fiona Apple-esque too. This was so good I listened to it twice. Five stars.

You Said Something on its own could give this album 5 stars,but the reality is that more than half the songs on this album standout. This album is a great mix between styles from To Bring You My Love and Rid of Me/Dry. I need to own the physical nedia of this album. This album is special

A great PJ Harvey.

This is and forever will be iconic. Already know and love the album! Fantastic mid dusky afternoon/autumn album

PJ Harvey's "Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea" is a refreshing dive into a world where city lights and ocean waves collide. Released in 2000, this album sees Harvey stepping away from her earlier raw sound to embrace something smoother yet still packed with emotion. From the get-go, "Big Exit" grabs your attention with its energetic guitars and Harvey’s powerful voice. Tracks like "Good Fortune" are catchy and full of life, capturing the thrill of love and chance with lyrics that stick with you. The album takes you on a journey, moving from the reflective vibe of "You Said Something" to the haunting simplicity of "Horses in My Dreams." A standout moment is her duet with Radiohead’s Thom Yorke on "This Mess We're In," where their voices blend beautifully to create a sense of longing. Harvey's storytelling is top-notch, making each song feel personal yet relatable. "Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea" is a brilliant showcase of PJ Harvey's knack for capturing the highs and lows of life in a way that feels both timeless and real. 10/10

got some strong lovin there

Love this album :)

Love this album, probably my favourite by PJ Harvey. An easy 5 for me.

I have learned to love PJ, thanks to this site.

I knew a few songs from this album, like This Is Love - I mean, what a fucking banger. I love this whole album so much, and I've been making up for lost time since finally listening to it by having it on repeat. The Thom Yorke collabs are incredible. You can really lose yourself in a trance listening to This Mess We're In. I think it's time for a PJ Harvey deep dive.

Simply outstanding. I bought this on vinyl on the strength of this listen.

I never fully got into PJ Harvey so I was happy to have this project force me to listen to an entire album by her. I've heard songs here and there and have generally liked what I heard, but this is a very cohesive album to listen to and at the same time the songs vary enough in sound to keep things interesting. Those are my favorite albums, where one song ends and leaves you excited for the sounds you're about to hear in the next. I never felt bored listening to this and the Thom Yorke duets were surprising as well.

this album is why I keep listening to other PJ Harvey albums and get excited when she releases new stuff… but it’s never this album

Iconic!

I'm in love. I think I found a new favorite.

10 10 10

Love this...

Polly Jean is really on her game here, I've already had the raw shock of Dry and the later folksy poetical political Let England Shake, and this is the middle of those two extremes. Polished, but not overly so; rocking, but not overly so; accessible; but not overly mainstream... Quite possibly her absolute peak. Was her "Good Fortune" slipping away?

This was great, glad to have finally gotten to PJ Harvey. Very good album!

Killer album. The production here is so lush but still never overshadows her amazing voice. I love the Thom Yorke features too as a Radiohead fan.

Cerramos la semana con ésta mujer hermosísima y que amo. Dueña de un estilo rockerazo y súper sexy en todo, acá se anima a otros matices y a jugar con otros artistas como Thom Yorke. Arranca bien arriba con "Big Exit", con su voz tan particula que grita y se torna tremendamente sensual y se apasiona. Ya en "Good Fortune" se nota cómo se cuela la influencia de Patti Smith pero con la diversión que le da PJ Harvey. Luego, canciones como "Beautiful Feeling", con un Thom Yorke haciendo sutilezas con su voz..."This mess we're in"...¡"This is love"! Este disco es un 10 por dónde se lo analice. Gracias a estas mostras del rock por existir.

4.5☆/5 07.25.2024

This is good stuff

Pretty good. New York vibe.

I didn't really like it but the musicians are talented

This album is incredible. It is very easy to listen too and has many interesting songs. It seems like a pre-cursor to many of the female singer-songwriter albums I really like (Sharon Van Etten, Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker, etc.). Listened twice and will definitely listen again.

I hadn't heard PJ Harvey before, but I definitely will again. Great album.

This is my favorite PJ Harvey album, and I could listen to "Good Fortune" every day for the rest of my life.

Incredible I get the hype she is awesome

Absolute banger after banger

Has Polly ever sounded better than she does on this record? What a dynamo

Polly Jane. Undisputed queen of indie.

Amazing album. Played it 6 times today.