Reviews (page 11 of 14)
Was alright, though I can't help but feel that she didn't really find the perfect sound for herself on this
Favorite Tracks: This Mess We’re In The Whores Hustle And The Hustlers Whore Good Fortune
It was.. perfectly fine music.
Appreciate the artistry - nice voice. Don’t totally love the style. Notable tracks include the mess we’re in (feat. Thom Yorke!)
Oh hello, old friend. It’s been a while. Loved this album and caught her tour at the Hammerstein. She was unbelievably good. Extra nice that there are so many references to NYC on this record. The duet with Thom Yorke is sublime. She can roar with the best of them, but it’s such a treat to hear her singing. We Float is so pretty. There’s a lot of range on this album.
Cool
Hmm ...
Nothing amazing but solid. I enjoyed this more than Dry
It was fine... not something I would pursue on my own.
Pretty good album, like the vibe of the music. Pleasant surprise to hear Thom Yorke.
It’s okay. Not really rememberable.
Meh, nothing great, nothing too bad.
It was ok for me. Nothing stood out really positively or negatively
Because I'd read that this album was inspired by PJ Harvey's affection for New York City, I decided it'd only be fitting that I spend my first listen to the album staring at video of someone driving around Manhatten. And somewhere during that, I just had to imagine the women—of course the badass kind in my mind—who relaxed by driving the long stretches of road under the bridges, just outside the jungle of buildings... It's sunny but coming on sunset, the top's down, and this album playing as the soundtrack... Yeah. It just hits right. Frankly, if I ended up getting bored at any point during the album, it was only because the footage ended up going into the city itself and, lordy me, you can't go for five seconds without havin' to stop at another light. Goodness me.
It's the type of album that just makes you feel like you're in a specific place, taking the sites in and seeing what it has in store. It is some Good Stuff. (also Thom Yorke jumpscare on track 7 lmao)
I think this is a strong 3 for me – like, if we could go by decimals, you’re looking at a 3.5 that I can’t personally round up to a 4. This album hits on a lot of my sensibilities for this era, but I feel like the vision she’s going for isn’t fully realized over the course of this album. You’ve got great soundscapes, and when they hit in tandem with the lyrics, they hit, and I’d say they hit more often than not. However, when they do feel disjointed, it kinda sticks out to me in a way that… doesn’t ruin the album experience, necessarily, but it’s harder to stay invested for me because I kind of have to focus one way or the other instead of working in harmony. Those moments are what’s keeping me from rounding up to a 4, but this is a really nice sounding album, and I think there’s some high emotional points on it that would make me recommend it to some people I know.
It’s aight
3.0 Nothing particularly stood out but I liked the album as a whole. Will try and give er another go at some point and check out the catalog.
This is not my cup of tea. The vocals, the lyrics, and the instrumentation all felt tired and uninteresting
The vocals were shrill and listenable. The instrumentals were bland and uninteresting.
good - big exit, a place called home annoying - good fortune, the one with thom yorke in it couple glimmers and mostly fillers, love the vibe, feels timeless 2.5
Prefer Pat Benetar - Tired / repetitive guitar work detracts from the songs IMO. Decent album overall, just not a standout to me among the flood of early 00's alt rock.
Teils schöne Melodien und guter Klang. Nicht zum durchhören geeignet. Nicht immer mein Geschmack.
PJ Hardley, am I right?
Some tracks are ok but I wouldn't listen to this again. Maybe an upper 2.
Me costó un poco entrar, pero me acabó gustando bastante.
It's quit ok
Probably my favourite PJ album. It's got a lot to say, it's really in your face, it's beautifully produced, ebbs and flows. Phenomenal work.
The stuff with Thom Yorke was decent. This just usually isn't my style of songs. I can see where some people love her but it just didn't hit right for me. Though i did have a headache while listening so probably influenced the vibe.
This was really good. I recognized the name but never listened to the music. I'm glad the 1001 called this one out. 4 stars for me.
It wasn't bad, but nothing exceptional really stood out to me. Other than the track, "This Mess We're In" I don't really see coming back to anything on this album, but it's far better than many other two-star albums, so I'm going to give this a three.
Now this here: this is just good music. I'd never heard of PJ Harvey before, but I will be listening to more PJ Harvey in the future. This isn't groundbreaking or mind-blowing or anything, but it's high quality and enjoyable, and that's ultimately what I want from music. 4.5.
I am a lifelong fan of PJ Harvey.
I think I can see the reason this is a best album, but it's not for me. A bit one note.
Nice
solid 2000s sound
Pure rock n roll attitude. PJ is a stud. Really good album
I really liked this album a lot. It was a very consistent sound and feel throughout the album, almost concept like.
Polly Jean is so damn good and each of her records has something new while retaining what makes her great. Raw and unfiltered lyrics, compelling guitar, and strong vocals.
It's hard rating PJ Harvey because I really want all her stuff to be like "Down by the Water". That said I enjoyed listening to the album. Much more straight forward rock then some of the other stuff of hers I've listened to.
I enjoyed this. More mellow than I was expecting and a quite a bit more pop, but I don't have a problem with that. A few songs almost sounded like The Pretenders? I'll listen to this one again.
I research This Is Desire by Harvey for a university project so was slightly familiar with a raucous and sex themed material. It was nice to hear the gentler moody tracks. It didn't blow me away, but it wasn't bad my any means. Think I just think this 90's material is in the perfectly fine category. Fav Tracks: A Place Called Home, Beautiful Feeling, Kamikaze, Horses in my Dreams, This Wicked Tounge
Love PJ Harvey. This album displays a huge Nirvana influence
Good stuff but I couldn’t get fully into it
It’s a story
Eh…not good, not bad but I feel like I would have rather listened to a Pretenders album and enjoyed it more.
This is realllyyyy good. Wow. Love the thom Yorke song. Love how her guitar sounds and when they bring the baritone out.
Regular
Sinceramente me recordó mucho a las canciones de Dido. Canciones para estar relajado, y escuchar de fondo mientras estás con amigos en una partida de juegos de mesa o cenando.
touching
A great record actually, one I’ll add to the rotation for sure. Only gets marked down for a few tracks that feel too different in tone from the others in order to truly feel cohesive throughout
Move over alanis
Meget unremarkable. Hyggeligt nok at høre på, meget groovy men gør ikke så meget for mig. Fede guitar riffs
I am a PJ Harvey fan, but I really only like 2 - 3 songs on this album.
Reminds me of Patti Smith, which is always a good thing. Also Nick Cave to a certain extent. Very provocative and thoughtful songwriting, pretty instrumentals, and soothing vocals. Was surprised to see Thom Yorke pop up in this album, but he did a fantastic job on the 2 tracks he was featured in. Great listen. Fave tracks: Good Fortune, Beautiful Feeling, This is Love
I definitely enjoyed this more than the previous PJ Harvey that was on the list (Let England Shake). This album is more raw and powerful. There are emotional highs and lows and a more personal feeling to the tracks. There is very obvious channelling of Patti Smith in here, but I think it works quite well for Harvey. The features of Thom Yorke were a nice surprise, his voice works wonderfully with this style of music. Fav Tracks: Big Exit, Beautiful Feeling, You Said Something, This Mess We're In, We Float
Algunas canciones me han dado vibe de Shakira. La verdad no lo he escuchado con mucha atención
Not my cup of tea. Think the album is very of it's time, but doesn't personally stand the test of time.
At first the album started to sound good, but as it evolved the less I liked it. As I said in the review of the Television album, I'm not a big fan of Punk, which is why I couldn't finish listening to it. However, it cannot be denied that it is very well crafted (if musicalization is concerned).
PJ Harvey's sixth album, "Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea," unfolds as a captivating exploration of urban experiences, blending the hermetic life on the English coast with the vibrant pulse of New York. From the opening notes of 'Big Exit,' where the nervy guitars echo the spirit of Television, the album emerges as a traditional New York record, rich in texture and imagery. Harvey's incisive lyrics, as exemplified in 'The Whores Hustle And The Hustlers Whore,' delve into gritty topics like heroin, speed, genocide, and greed, evoking a palpable sense of the city's energy. The clarity of electric guitars, skilfully played by Harvey, Rob Ellis, and Mick Harvey, rekindles a love for elemental rock. My favourite track on the album is the collaboration with Thom Yorke on 'This Mess We're In,' where there's a poignant convergence of talents that sparks reflections on the stark beauty akin to 'Kid A.' While some might split hairs about the album's grounding in the New York sound of decades past, the sheer invigoration and joyous celebration of love, sex, and life make any argument null and void. PJ Harvey invites listeners to take a walk on her wild side through this musical journey.
Nice
Not my kind of jam but giving an extra point because I think it would have be a fun album to see live
I really enjoyed this album. She has a great voice. I will definitely listen to this one again.
Meh
Always heard the name. Never listened till now. I liked it.
snooze but loud
RAWK CHICK. Never quite probably made it onto my radar, despite being the "correct" genre and timing for her to be a teenage obsession. Great stuff though (even with Thom Yorke wibbling around)
I really liked this album! I listened to it twice through, fun variety and also fun rock woman idk what else to say
Kind of hit and miss tho I wish I liked it better bec I really like PJ as an artist.
47 minutes of pajama doing her best patty smith. Not bad, but not that good either. the last song is good. 3.1
I had only heard of PJ Harvey from her contributions to the Desert Sessions which I am a fan of, so it's no surprise that I would enjoy this album too.
Oi, that is guitar playing. "I'm immortal when I'm with you." I love the way PJ Harvey changes her voice--singing lyrically, talking to the listener, shouting. Reverb, layers, echoes. Her use of Thom Yorke's voice for some of the tracks adds even more. Music and voice capture emotion in a rawness that many try to achieve but do not. Less dark than "To Bring You My Love", the soundscape is also broader.
I wanted to like this now than I did. It is just sort of boring. My mond wandered through most of it and if anything exciting happened, I must have missed it. Even Thom couldn't save it.
Good album for a social gathering
Fortune - 6/10 this one could grow on me for sure. Very upbeat...I think the swirling words will grow on us A Place Called Home - 7/10 I like how she sings "One day there'll be a place for us"
Really did not enjoy this album. Very similar songs and her voice has the same small range for every song. Very monotonous and don't think that this should be one of the 1001 albums to listen to before you die.
Her voice really carries a lot of emotion and makes you pay attention in my opinion. I have heard of PJ Harvey, but had never really paid that much attention. I will be digging into her catalog after this listen.
A few piqued my interest enough to download them
excellent grungy songwriter. genius album so late in her career
It was going so well until Thom Yorke showed up...
I had never actually listened to PJ Harvey which I think is a big miss on my part. Stories From The City…., is up my alley. I love her voice, her vibe. There is an energy to it but it is a bit restrained. Big Exit, One Line and Mess We’re In show her potential. Overall it runs together a but I look forward to hearing more of her 7.4/10
Didn't love it, didn't hate it. I really like This Mess We're In. None of the songs sound alike, which is refreshing after some of the recent albums.
There wasn't really anything in this album for me, maybe I need to have listened to the lyrics more
Good album!
Loved the Thom Yorke song, rest wasn't really my thing.
I liked this better than the last one. Especially the end of the album.
Reminded me of angsty rock of the late 80s/early 90s.
Need a few more listens. It’s growing on me. A bit brooding at times. But I think I could like it with a little more time.
I respect the artistry more than I like it. The wailing and ethereal vibes just aren't my jam, and I really dislike the male features on the album. Not a terrible album, but not anything I particularly enjoy. I will say I appreciated that the songs felt like they moved at a pretty quick pace. Fav tracks: A Place Called Home, We Float
PJ Harvey could make "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" sound deliciously haunting.
This Is Love one of the admittedly few standouts on first listen. Closing track We Float is excellent however. Listened again - Big Exit is a good opener. There's other strong tracks too and the Thom Yorke collabs are interesting. I liked the more energetic, driving songs best though.
Tough call, solid 9/10 but can't bring myself to call it a 5*.
This is monotone and depressing music.
Love p
Not too crazy about this one. I think there are some great songs in isolation but I'm not a fan of how this comes together as a whole. I really like her voice and style, but she could use some more interesting flows and themes for sure.
Great album.
It was ok. Not my usual type of music that I listen to.
Yesterday I spoke about how Big Star’s debut felt like a defining record of the sound of the 70’s. I’ve never heard of PJ Harvey before, but this record, which came out around the turn of the century, feels like everything that 2000’s indie music was meant to be. I think I was slightly deceived by the opening track. It just came off as a little basic to me, but it picks up considerably going forward. The one thing that was immediately apparent is Harvey’s presence in the song. She is a great vocalist, but she is also a really powerful and evocative one. She somehow displays energy and lifelessness through the same delivery and cadence. Thom Yorke is even featured on two songs here, which obviously piqued my interest. His work on Beautiful Feeling is solid, and I like how much room he gives Harvey while he acts as simply just a backing vocalist. I wasn’t so fond of the other song, as his vocals are just as much the focus as hers are. And while I like the dynamic they have of going back and forth with one another, it just wasn’t as interesting as the previous song. You can definitely hear the Radiohead influences though, especially with The Bends, on songs like Big Exit, The Whores Hustle and The Hustlers Whore, and Kamikaze. This album’s theme is built on the months that Harvey lived in New York City and her love for that place. And while this is quickly made apparent from the title, you can really understand that love through the music. It’s the same feeling I describe when listening to Illmatic, and how that album was intertwined with Nas’ relationship to NYC. But instead of showing your respect for the place you originated from, it’s admiration for a place of new and unique emotions and experiences. Ones you have never had before, and will never have for the first time again. Rating: 8/10
I like it, very of the times album. 3.3
No hate for the album, just not for me.
Raw, lyrics outadated
It’s okay; interesting voice, and I enjoyed a few songs, but most of them just weren’t for me.
Great stuff. Thom York fits like a glove on his feature.
Slightly punky Cool falsetto Cool voice generally Pretty dirge like Lyrically very intricate and musically pretty crap Kamikaze is funky Not sure this is very good icl More like poetry set to music and I'm not convinced by either The more rocky 'the wicked tongue' is much better imho - wolf Alice vibes
5.5/10
Pretty decent album, certain songs just turned me off Top tracks: A Place Called Home, You Said Something, This Mess We’re In
Never really got PJ - this album was good but nothing much really stood out to me
Bonus point for the Tom Yorke collab
Hörbar, aber ist mir zu verfahren. Weiss nicht wo es hin will. Nicht mein Ding
Wonderful Album by an Artist that I only knew from her guest Performance for Nick Cave.
Disappointed.
Know her from the project but blind album. I think i just have to accept I will not like PJ Harvey, but there is no dislike for her.
Here we have an album from an artist that I really didn't know anything about prior to today. Needless to say, I was definitely intrigued to see if PJ Harvey's music was anything that stood out to me. Fortunately, I think that this album is pretty good. I think the singing is very interesting. She's got quite a bit of range, which is never a bad thing. She also gets Thom Yorke from Radiohead to do the verses on one of the songs, which is pretty neat. The sound is nice. It is some solid alt-rock if I do say so myself. There's definitely variety in the tone of each song. The writing is good as well. Love is a common theme throughout the album, but it's not too repetitive and the songs do stand out from each other. Overall, this is a pretty solid album and I'm intrigued to listen to more of this artist's albums later in the project. Light 4/5.
Great album. Love her voice and the way she sings.
Not something I would normally listen to. But I did enjoy it.
A surprisingly good album. Going in I didn't expect to like this one as much as I did but here we are. The last track "We Float" is damn good, I can definitely see myself listening to more PJ Harvey in the future.
Can't tell what's special about it.
Not bad, kinda like a female Nick Cave
Reminds me a lot of Patti Smith.
It was tolerable enough to have running in the background until she started yelling. "If you can't sing just scream" is not good advice.
Excellent
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
У нее есть коллаба с томом Йорком!!! Для лёгкого меланхоличного настроения
Yep
Welcome Jason and Dom (and Jason again) and whoever "garbanzo-beans" is to the group! This album was decent, a few saves but overall didn't really click for me. It's funny that even though it's not really a pop album it has a similar but of sound to a lot of the late 90s/early 2000s pop songs around that time
I’m a sucker for strong female vocals. She just loves NYC so damn much. nice job here PJ. Giving a 3 since there’s no real stand out stacks but i enjoyed the album. Was NOT expecting Radiohead Thom to drop in halfway thru but was a nice treat.
4.0
Yeah, this album is fucking cool. If I would’ve discovered this in high school, I’d have been the baddest kid on the block. But sadly, that is not the case. And even sadder, I probably wouldn’t have liked this back then. PJ is criminally underrated as one of the best alternative songwriters of the 90s. And this record spans a great wavelength of sounds and styles. The Yorke tracks stand out in particular here, but everything comes together cohesively.
Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea, PJ plus NY equals magic to me.
I always wanted to like PJ more than I do. Give this one a solid go but nothing really stood out to me and I don't think I'm a fan of her vocal style. Might have to listen again sometime.
I once bought this album solely because Thom Yorke was on it. I very quickly realized that he was the least interesting part of it and this album became one of my all-time favorites. Partly a tribute to New York City. The imagery of being on a rooftop in Brooklyn, seeing the five bridges, will always be a powerful one for me.
Fav Song: Good Fortune
sometimes you hear an album that sounds very much of it's era, that perfectly makes sense in slotting into the musical canon in that time. this is one of those albums. some catchy stuff but overall not my favorite of the 90's/00's sound. some pretty good songs on it thought.
Second PJ Harvey album and again it was alright
Best Song: The Whores Hustle And The Hustlers Whore. Apart from having the best song title on the album, this one is delivered with a certain stankfaced edge that I really like, especially in the final crescendo. Worst Song: This Mess We're In. For reasons I can't fully explain, Thom Yorke's presence here detracts from the vibe being constructed. Overall: Moody and broody, while still fairly palatable. Nothing altogether exciting, but also nothing outright bad. Highly forgettable.
Out of the artist that seem to be only important to England, and there are a lot of them on this list, this was my favorite so far!
the thom yorke song on this album is by far the best one which is really funny other than that it sounds like a post okc rock album it’s pretty decent
LOVE IT! Never heard of her. Fantastic
Incredible album. The back to back of The Mess We’re In and You Said Something is just phenomenal. I got this on a Friday and I listened to it all weekend
I just spent several days in The City but am not sure if I was inspired enough to be moved by the theme of duality. Either way, the songwriting is excellent, and Thom Yorke is never an uninvited guest.
A very pleasant surprise after my meh feelings toward Dry, and a confirmation of my impression that she had a lot to offer despite that. A great turn-of-the-2000s rock album with melody, grit, and heart. Best song: A Place Called Home
PJ Harvey was never on my radar in the past. This was okay. Her voice is fine although I didn't particularly like it. I didn't realize how much I liked Thom Yorke's voice until "The Mess We're In" came as a relief.
Pretty solid alt rock singer songwriter album. The Thom Yorke tracks are cool. The songwriting is solid. PJ Harvey is an artist I need to check out more thoroughly but a full album of hers has yet to truly envelope me. Although the tracks that hit always hit hard.
nice vocals
The only reason I give it a 3 is because of Thom Yorke on The Mess We’re In.
think i would prefer her earlier grungey albums. every now and then her voice goes raspy and i expect hole-esque grunge but the energy isnt there to match.
Comments: Wow, I love PJ Harvey! Haven’t heard of her before. Favorite tracks: Beautiful Feeling, The Mess We’re In, We Float Rating: 4/5
Not my style
I really love her singing... Beautiful album about love and NYC Just everything I love in an album, cohesive but still with variety, super listenable
she’s awesome
Langweilig
I liked this better than the other one of hers I listened to. This seemed a little harder edged.
I wür ihre nöd e gun geh IMBM. Joo de thom!! Horseys i ihrem traum. Het mich am afang mit chli sehr generischem 2000er alt rock gschockt. Denn aber recht positiv überrascht. Ich lieb de Thom, aber au die meiste lieder ohni ihn hani schön gfunde.
ischmer scho pasrmol empfohle worde. nomol e britischi singer-songwriterin. Big Exit. cools riff, sie rüeft/singt mega indie time. s tönt irgendwie noch new york weiss nöd wiso. ah in england ufgnoh und goht um new york. Good Fortune. find de mix cool. gitarre geil. wie sie die lange vokal singt sochli semi. mh find de song ok und nöd meh. A Place Called Home. erinneret mi a irgendöppis aber weiss nöd wa. isch sehr adult alternative minor9 akkörd und so. aha s isch bitz alanis morissette aber ohni edge. One Line. gitarre töned immerno cool aber s isch huere dark aber sochli langwilig. de break noch refrain mit de tremolo gitarre isch cool. Beautiful Feeling. boah isch das alles moody. und ernsthaft. oke d bgvs uf dem sind nice. boh und wie ihri stimm verzerrt au, finden no cool vode kläng her aber blibt eim nöd viel devo. The Whores Hustle ... ich ghör chli smiths oder so? nomel en meh song. This Mess We're In. ok mach nomel 8 täkt. OU HALLOU THOM YORKE. er singt geiler als sie, sorry penis junior harvey. ok sie funktioniered als duett. Polyrhythmik au nice. Sehr schöne song, aber nöd min shit. You Said Something. 6/8 time cool. sie singt mit voller stimm, nice. ich wird warm mit ihre glaub. oooh s wird chli herter? moll coole song. Kamikaze. geili gitarre, fuzzy und so. drums glnd duuumm. wieder stimm verzerrig. BRUUUDI DRUMS. This is Love. herteri songs passed zu ihre. simple song, hässig, gfallt mer. Horses in My Dreams. bis ide hälfti vom song plätscheret er sochli. bis zum erste richtige dur akkord. schön aber meh. We Float. chords meeega dark und dissonant. refrain happier. de findi etz no easy. Ich gseh was das album will und wie dases mir sött gfalle. Ich ha au chli s gfühl da isch musig womer seit s gfallt eim well d kritike so guet sind. finds über alles nöd packend und het mer z wenig hooks, z wenig variation und ischmer chli zu gloomy. so melancholischi, unmelodischi musig findi chli schwirig zum drinine cho. 2 sternlibernlis.
KAREN VO THE OFFICE BISCHES DU?? okay iwie hani en andere sound erwartet nachem albumcover aber remember; dont judge a book by its cover s schlagzüg findi chli wack oeff good fortune mite uuu-uuu-uuu-uu-uu oder wahlweise au ee-ee-eee-eee-ee-ee findi sehr ahstrengend, de rest isch ok aber das hani so nöd gern bis jz nanig so überzügt wnl erst s dritte lied und ich langwile mich scho recht, iwie isch mier alles zu gradlinig? wieso hend 2000er so kei gueti musig (abgseh vo limp bizkit natürlich) BRO ES ISCH STÄNDIG DE GLICH LANGWILIG BEAT ok beautiful feeling findi no cool, het sochli öppis "mystischs"? ah sich? endlich gahts mal echli los und s git nöd nur backbeat GOTTSEIDANK ich weiss gar nöd wieso ich so hate bass chunnt au geil füre ide strophe MIER ISCH LANGWILIG KAMIKAZE GEIL
55/100
It's fine. Not my style but kind of cool and she has an interesting voice. Good mix of songs, doesn't all sound the same. 3.8.
Not good and the half screaming type of singing doesn't work for her. You Said Something and We Float were the only half decent songs.
PJ Harvey has always been one of those artists that people around me have mentioned that they like but that I haven’t actually listened to before. This is turning out to have been a massive mistake. This album is fantastic and the first one on this journey that I have started over from the start immediately after finishing it. I haven’t been focusing so much on individual tracks to mention any particular stand outs in either direction yet, but I am suspecting that this is also something of an intention on the artist’s part. I love this album and will seek out more of her music and add this album to my regular rotation.
A really great singer-songwriter indie rock album. Top notch quality, and I love the general mood of the album. No hits, but it doesn't matter because the album is very cohesive.
In which PJ tones down the anger a bit and goes for a more mature-sounding record. And the results are fantastic. You still get some bangers like Big Exit and Kamikaze but the real draw of this album for are the more introspective tracks, like You Said Something and We Float. It's not a sad record but much like its cover suggests, it has a vibe of feeling alone surrounded by people. Walking at night in a pensive mood while everybody around you is having a good time. This is what this albums makes me think of. Oh and there's This Mess We're In and Beautiful with Thom Yorke which are moth majestic of course.
Certainly her best album. I really enjoyed it, compared to her more "grungy" approach.
It’s an album that I really love and that I listen to often. I find it as powerful as it is light. It's like it was full of bad emotions, but PJ Harvey had chosen to uplift us and take us on a journey rather than bring us down. Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea is typically “alternative rock”, but is distinguished by a great sense of tone, emotion and arrangement. The pieces are all catchy without necessarily being excessively pop. My favorite from PJ.
She was flat
Espectacular
Not what I was looking for today. Maybe it strikes more of a cord with me another day.
Smooth, rocky und berührend
Wonderful
Wasn’t really feeling this one. Songs never seemed to go anywhere. Was ok.
I love her raw sound and don't give shit attitude. Not something I actively choose to listen to, but always enjoy when it's on.
Overall good but not my style
6/10 peaceful listen
Alas, no story from either the city or the sea pulled enough at the cockles of my heart to offer a "Wow" moment. PJ Harvey is of course to be respected as a musician and songwriter but her style is just not for me.
I absolutely loved the lyricism and composition of this album. One I will keep in my catalogue for years to come and one I will recommend to anyone looking for great music or just a solid album experience
I've always got time for PJ Harvey! This is her at her slickest, and is very much an excellent listen.
What a bad-ass PJ Harvey is. The Thom Yorke cameo was sweeeeeet.
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
Second album I listen to from PJ Harvey, and for the second time I thoroughly enjoyed it. I should probably listen to more of her albums even once I'm done with those suggested here.
Typical 2000s music. Good vocalist with rhythm band. Boring
Too grungy
Did not enjoy
Не зашло. Вот так-с. Но название альбома необычное. Это единственное, что я запомню с этого альбома.
It was meh.
Was a nice listen for sure… Didnt expect thom yorkes voice
I love this. Feminime, powerful and vurnerable.
Enjoyable high 3s
Niet zo bijzonder
2/5. I mean, maybe this is deeper than it seems but nothing really stands out as innovative or interesting. There are some good songs but not ones I would necessarily go out of my way to listen to, just ones that could be on and I would enjoy it. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure there is some good songwriting here, it just doesn't seem for me.
Good sound, had never heard of her before but I like it. Easy listening.
Going in to this album, there's simply no way in hell PJ Harvey is worthy of having 4 albums in here. I am very willing to entertain this album as the one that belongs instead of Dry, one of the most boring albums I've ever heard. Meh...this is fine. Don't really like or dislike. I guess I just don't get her. Favorite track: This is Love
Not a big fan of rock music
Pretty good. 4 stars
PJ Harvey hold one of those special places in my heart that reminds me of the peak of grunge. I love how her voice music has that sinister vibe to it. Dark and Evil. There's also some Patti Smith vibes in her style. Oh cool one of their songs features Thom Yorke. This Mess We're In. That was good. I guess I'll give it 4 stars.
THE DUET WITH THOM YORKE IS EVERYTHING OMG their voices are perfect together
Cool collab with Thom Yorke Good instrumental
Solid gold. Peak PJH.
Not my favorite..like a few songs.. too much drug/gun negativity even though she is raw and real which I like about her
blah
The mature side of Britpop. Closer to Radiohead than Blur or Oasis. It’s little wonder Thom Yorke duets here. I saw Polly Garvey supporting U2 on their Zooropa tour. Illuminous pink jump suit and shouty songs it did nothing for me. Yet 2 or 3 years later she produces this, one of my favourite albums from the era. The songs are string and well structured. Jangly guitars with just enough left field darkness to keep it all interesting. I thoroughly enjoyed digging out my CD to listen to this again.
I'm glad this album came on the weekend as it gave me the opportunity to listen to it a couple more times. Not exactly my cup of tea, but enjoyable, none-the-less..
I think this is the first time I'm listening to these songs and they're pretty good! Rating 3.5 rounded up to 4.
This is an iconic indie rock album that brings me back to high school when it first came out. Not every song is great, but the album paints a beautiful picture of 2000 NYC, like an impressionist painting. Also there's a syphilis reference.
It was ok. Kind of lost interest half way through. A low 3/5
After the first song I was ready to rate this as a 1 or 2. The vocals just didn't mesh with the music well, but as the album went on, it got better.
Weird album
Massive improvement over her other album, there are enough lillith-fair-chick-rock sensibilities in this to be a good enough album to listen to, but it's nothing special and the last 2 songs are so so boring
Overall - 4/10 1. Big Exit - 5/10 2. Good Fortune - 4/10 3. A Place Called Home - 5/10 4. One Line - 4/10 5. Beautiful Feeling - 3/10 6. The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore - 4/10 7. This Mess We're In - 4/10 8. You Said Something - 4/10 9. Kamikaze - 3/10 10. This Is Love - 4/10 11. Horses in My Dreams - 4/10 12. We Float - 4/10
overall a pretty good album, reminds me of all the same sort of female-led rock bands of the naughties. Probably not my thing, but enjoyed listening to something new, its something i would have continued to miss if not for this website!
Fucking hell
Meh, diet bjork
This was actually quite good!
Fairly ok. Started strong as an album then dropped in quality like a brick. Musically, very much 2000s trends until we hit You Said Something when we're suddenly in 80s Nashville for no apparent reason. Overall, a nice comfortable slipper to put on when it's chilly but nothing amazing. However, This Is Love is still a catchy pop song.
The songs with Thom York were the best. 3/5
PJ Harvey is a name that keeps coming up in my (limited) musical world and I’ve always felt like she’s someone I should like. But when I’ve intentionally tried individual songs of hers it just hasn’t clicked for me. Listening to a full album is a different experience. There’s a coherence to the sound, the lyrics, and the grittiness of the overall feel. I don’t like all of the songs, but I love the ones I do like: One Line, The Mess We’re In, You Said Something.
Alternative, dreamy, I understand the collaboration with Thom Yorke. Good, not amazing.
Fun surprise, really enjoyable. Little raw, which is nice.
Ok album
Enjoyable all the way through
Nice. A very refreshing authentic sound. Hearing Thom Yorkes voice is always a nice surprise
While I didn't actively dislike this album, I felt that it committed the worst sin in music; IT WAS BORING. Best Songs: You Said Something Worst Songs: Kamikaze,
Great collection of songs and a duet with Thom York being one of the many highlights.
Found myself not really liking this. Objectively it’s fair to say that it’s well put together and well performed but I couldn’t get into most of the songs. The style of singing and pace might have been the culprit. Or I just might have an aversion to alt-rock with melodic punk-ish singing. 2.5/10
Great. Musically amazing, vocally not as much, still great.
Didn't know who PJ Harvey was before. Nice album.
Liked it, felt like listening to St. Vincent
An interesting artist that I definitely enjoyed more and more as I listened
5/5
Favorite songs: Good fortune, this mess wer're in.
love her voice but it’s just kinda a one-note album, some songs stood Slightly like kamikaze and whores hustle and hustlers whore, fun but maybe not entirely my kinda music??
Kinda good, not anything to grab me initially except thom yorkes name
Definitely good, just not something that felt interesting
Really grew on me. Enjoyed it! Wouldn’t listen again but enjoyed listening to it
I really enjoyed this one when it came out and it's still a good listen today. I loved the Thom Yorke tracks.
Fucking saai ouwe, ik zeg 3/5 Beetje visch geen vleesch 2/5
Definition of a 90s album, the whole thing makes me feel like I'm walking around a large city at dusk. The story telling is very good. Personal Highlights were "a place called home", "the whore hustle and the hustlers whore", and "horses in my dreams"
Had never heard of PJ Harvey and liked this more than I expected. Semi-edgy singer-songwriter with some acoustic and electric blend. Getting a little bit of the grunge sound from the 90s but you can see her moving to other sounds as well. Cool to see some Thom Yorke collaborations, I think he’s a fantastic artist. “This Mess We’re In” was a standout. Loved the monotone monologue from PJ toward the end with Thom dancing all over it with the same lyrics in a terrific minor delivery. A fantastic duet! Listened to it twice in a row. I think it’s neat when artists play several instruments, write, and produce their own music and it seems like that’s largely what PJ did here. Props! Also a funny note- I used to have a coworker that looks just like a slightly older version of PJ Harvey on this album cover. Three and a half stars, but I’ll give it four because of that one fantastic song.
My favorite songs were You said something and The mess we're in. I liked the chiller songs that have less rock influences but I feel like the album as a whole was pretty generic. Not terrible to listen to but not something I really enjoyed. 2 stars
2.5
Wtf
THOM⁉️
surprise to hear Thom Yorke pop up, the best song being the one he's on (this mess we're in). 2.6 on first run through overall. Listened 2x
Pretty good, I liked it :) 3/5
Totally inoffensive album. Not great, not terrible. I don’t really love this artist, in fact my favourite song on the album is mostly sung by someone else. 4/10 Top 1: 1. This Mess We’re In
Nothing special
It’s alright. Probably good road trip music. Certain tracks seem like she’s trying too hard but otherwise it’s good.
Pretty groovy for an ugly person
Not a fan of the early 2000s rock sound, example “good fortune” but always here for some female anger and rock. Big Exit is great.
Don't like her voice but like the duet with Tom yorke
Great except two songs I didn’t enjoy
Great album!
I've never listened to PJ Harvey but I know of them. I'm pretty sure they are more an attitude/performance type of artist vs just a band/singer. I had heard Good Fortune before for sure, not sure about anything else on this album. Some of the songs and vibe weren't quiet or mellow but they felt so much like background music I was kind of drifting listening to it. Not especially my jam.
I don't know. It's fine. Not sure if it's necessary listening.
It’s objectively great. Musically it is haunting and I can see into the artists mind. Its fantastic in songwriting, that being said, it is absolutely not my style but thats ok with me. I like much more aggressive sounds, alt rock just isnt my genre.
Very 2000s and the perfect blend of masc/femme. Hearkens back to proto punk and riotgrrl traditions.
Good album. Would listen to it regularly
very good, sobre todo la última mitad
Yeah, that was good!
The first song of this album that I heard was You Said Something. I was a teenager, making a playlist of songs that could be played while sat on a rooftop. And it was perfect for the playlist. But for some reason, I never found myself checking out PJ Harvey more. Boy did I fuck up. This is fantastic. Sparse and simple yet strangely elegant Grunge sung by that voice, expressive and piercing, sultry and shrieking. I will be absolutely checking out more of PJ Harvey’s work now
Sin duda, uno de los mejores trabajos de PJ Harvey. El LP es bastante energético, con letras apasionadas y una producción muy nítida y definida. Además, a pesar de tener códigos sonoros de principios de los 2000s, el trabajo envejeció bastante bien, transformándose en una de las mejores piezas de época, siendo realzada por las tendencias actuales de la música pop.
I have always really loved this one. Reading the reviews, I never took into consideration the influences that helped bring this one to life. For me, it reminds me of living in NYC in the mid-2000s. 5/5
I didn't like it all. Didn't finish
I didn't enjoy this as much as the other PJ Harvey album but I liked it. I've been meaning to do a deep dive into her discography since she makes music I like.
In my heart there is a star named horses in my dreams.
Kamikaze
I had only heard one other album by her and I liked this one allot more. This was pretty good and could benefit from a future listening
Seeing all the awards this artist & album received but trying to figure out what I'm missing. Just seems like boring, depressing, low-energy, pretentious dreck to me. I know taste is subjective, so maybe it's just me or the my mood today. /shrug
I don't know. I'm not sure how I feel about it. It was really great at times. I think I need a few more listens. I'll go four stars instead of 3 because it was a sincere effort in being original, which I appreciate.
Eh.
eh
Didn't much care for most of the album. It's not a good sign when I check my music player for how much time is left to go to finish the album
I like a few songs but it's not for me. Respect though.
Today is PJ Harvey's birthday and I wanted to listen to this album. Strange how things work.
PJ's first album to net a mercury prize and very accessible, comes close but like Let England Shake it doesn't quite get a 5 star from me though some of her other work probably will if it's on the list.
Not available on Apple Music
Liked only a few songs. Two with TY, and only one of her own lol
Absolutely qualifies as music.
Cutting branches
I don't get it. Best Song(s): N/A Listen Again: No
Grows over time, beginning is rough but very pretty ending, very B side heavy
10/9/23. I’ve listened to this album before and it’s very consistent and enjoyable. Every song keeps you interested and PJ’s voice hooks you. Will listen again and again.
pj harvey is so cool dude. and then she brings thom yorke into it and it all j comes together
This album is a mixed bag. The compositions are good on paper, but usually feel like they're missing something. It often feels like songs are unfinished, or at the very least that PJ Harvey is holding back. The mixes often feature great tones, but just as often there will be weird decisions. Overall, it's a boring listen, but inoffensive.
Probblay the best album select so far. It kinda made want check out here other stuff
Not a fan of this artist, so rating could only go up. Made it up to three
Good songs, though not so many particularly memorable.
Not my cup of tea. Too feminine poppy something. 2 star
Decent, can't really see myself going back to it though
Meh
the vocals are great, the instrumentation is pretty solid as well, if not a little pedestrian. Can't help just feel this air of coffee house slam poetry which I hate.
Loved this and cannot believe I missed the boat on PJ somehow.
PJ Harvey's someone I should just dive into her music, listen to some things all in a row, bc she's been rock solid whenever she's come up on the list, but I feel like I'd benefit from like a closer career look. Thom Yorke showing up on one of this album's songs made something click in terms of, like, genre space mental sorting
I went into this album blind and immediately found myself loving it. Harvey has a great voice with a good mix of falsetto thrown in at certain points. "Big Exit" was very catchy. "Good Fortune" was fine. "A Place Called Home" was great. Loved the intertwined vocals. The change in intensity in "One Line" was expected, but still effective. Decent song. "Beautiful Feeling" was great. Nice minimalist arrangement and lovely backup vocals. Thom Yorke's vocals are a nice touch. I like how the song faked me out into thinking it would grow more intense twice. "The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore" is a great title. Great song, as well. The (what I think is) distorted bass is nice. "The Mess We're In" was great. Yorke's vocals were good, and the intertwined vocals worked well. Drum beat was nice. The keyboards in "You Said Something" are great. The little solo section was beautiful. Good song. "Kamikaze" has an ear-catching opening. Great drums, nice distortion, ok ending. "This Is Love" was good. "Horses In My Dreams" was beautiful as soon as it started. Piano is great. Good song. "We Float's" more electronic sounding drumming caught me off guard, but it works. Nice piano and harmonies. Transition into the chorus was great. I was hoping for at least one fade-out and I think this was a great song to do that with. Good song. Good closer to the album. Great listen.
Like the best PJ, it's the sound of danger lurking around the corner. Yet it's gorgeous. Simple soundscapes and infectious melodies abound, while the lyrics and vocal delivery keep the tension high.
This album probably doesn’t do it for me as much as it does for a lot of music critics, but I totally understand why they think so much of it. Harvey is a phenomenal song writer, with all kinds of range and lyrical complexity. I just don’t enjoy every track quite enough to give it 5 stars instead of 4. It’s a really great listen though!
Decent singer songwriter album, not particularly memorable.
- At some point I need to listen to PJ Harvey's discography in full, but I have few doubts that this, to me, is her masterpiece. If she has an album better than this, I mean, that's fantastic, but also, how? - When she wants to, Harvey's voice can have a grand, all-encompassing quality to it. She deploys that frequently here, and to great effect. She also finds the perfect counterpoint in Thom Yorke's fragile wail. - It's a songwriting showcase; I feel like you could reinterpret all these tracks a hundred different ways, and they'd still be brilliant because at their core they're just so great. Harvey has pulled away from traditional notions of rock music lately ("I Inside the Old Year Dying" is a fascinating album, but it reads more as a performance piece than a traditional collection of songs), but she can write a fucking song when she wants to. - Rob Ellis fucking murders the drums on this thing when the song call for it. - "You Said Something" is so absurdly gorgeous. - When I first started trying out PJ Harvey's stuff, "This Is Love" was the song I really gravitated to. Which makes sense: it's still one of the catchiest, most direct things I've heard from her, and it's fantastic. I also probably wouldn't even put it in the top 5 of this album, which says something about how high the bar is on this thing.
Not really my cup of tea. 'You said something' was good, but other than that it really didn't hit home for me.
It’s really good and I’ve loved some of these songs a long time but I’ve never found my groove with PJ Harvey.
Excellent album!
4.5