Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea

can you guys pretend i gave adele and the stranglers 2 stars im trying to figure out a good rating system. this is 3 stars because it's good but a lot of it is not really my thing. there are some super great songs though, my favorites were one line, this mess we're in, horses in my dreams and we float

Edgy Personal and mature. Generally not my thing, but very good none the less

Helt okej, fin - tydlig tidig 2000-tal.

Enjoyed

good

Phone, bedroom, first listen, not single sitting, FT: Big Exit

An album that I didn't give credit to when it first came out. Lyrically strong, filled with emotion. The album doesn't feel overproduced or rushed.

What is it about the late 90s to early 2000s that produced great, introspective albums about living in a bustling, business-never-sleeps city? Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea captures that feeling so well, the hecticness and the constant presence of possibilities just around the corner, contrasted with the wish of finding a place of calm in the maelstrom as well, reflected in its consistent switching of hectic, loud songs with floating, dreamy songs. Good Fortune and A Place Called Home are two of my favourite songs and they're placed here back to back, the former embodying that feeling of sauntering through a city with a close friend or a significant other, the latter embodying that liminal feeling of being exhausted in public transport, heading home at full speed but not feeling quite there yet. And embodying that combination of "we're here together while the world spins around us", we have Thom Yorke joining the album in This Mess We're In. Elsewhere you also get PJ Harvey's trademark grimy rock, from the starting stomper Big Exit, to The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore where Harvey lets out a belting scream at the end. And of course the superlative horny single This is Love. As the trip-hoppy track We Float closes the album, it's almost tantalizing to wonder about this period of time in 2000, the turn of the millenium, where everybody thought history ended or at least thought the future was going to be hectic but inspiring, before the real storm crashed onto the shorebanks of the city. I'm feeling a strong 4 to a light 5

Another album from an artist I had never heard of before, but that's on me, because this woman is great. Emphasis on 'woman' because rock is still dominated by men. I really enjoyed this album, and I'm almost embarrassed that I don't know more female artists in rock. This is a nice one to add to the list. 'A Place Called Home' really struck a chord lyrically and will stay in my playlists.

Wonderful. Among the best pop music that’s ever been made.

Not really my vibe, I did like This Mess We're In though. 3/5

i did not realise how much i liked thom yorke and how intergral he is to my liking of radiohead until listening to the 2 songs hes on this album. whenever i hear something even remotely similar to the guano apes i go feral and start drooling. fav songs: big exit, beautiful feeling, the whores hustle and the hustles whore, this mess we're in, this is love, horses in my dreams, we float, this wicked tongue. ok this entire album is fucking incredible.

Quite enjoyable.

Was not expecting to like this as much as I did, would recommend for sure!

Wish she sung a bit more melodically but liked this one a lot

PJ harvey walked so phoebe bridgers could run

Love this album, incredible vocals and music, could listen agsin and again

Had never heard of PJ Harvey before this. Decent album. Including Thom Yorke in a couple songs was pretty great. Overall, not really my kind of music. But not bad.

Some good jams on this. I don't mind it!

I enjoyed this album. The Thom Yorke features were sweet too.

I've never listened to her before but quite enjoyed the grooves on here

that might've not been love from the first listen... the second one however!

I haven't really listened to her before. Nice bit of tunage. will listen to more to get a better feel for her.

Pop-rock que se me ha hecho un tanto pesado... Una canción conocida.

Gave this many, many listens before I had an opinion, honestly. Came out of that a PJ Harvey fan. Not, like, a mega-fan, but definitely intrigued. This album showcases her versatility, and ability to do a lot of different things stylistically on her terms. There are some jaw-droppingly beautiful songs on here ("Horses In My Dreams" cast a spell on me when I heard it for the first time). The Thom Yorke duet is pretty cool. That made me think OK Computer, which we just had, whose monumental influence you can hear poking through just a little bit, in the way things are recorded, the general attitude, songwriting. And, like OK Computer, she starts out strong, abrasive even, and then pulls us into her world. She has a pretty wide range of things worth saying. I want to hear more from her. 4/5

Not to bad, liked her voice

Listened to this on heavy rotation when it came out. Still stands up, still rocks, still in my top 10 of all time.

4++

Pretty good, would relisten

odted kaslu na slovni hodnoceni proste tam dam nejakej pocet hvezdicek podle momentalnich pocitu

At times tough. At times tender. Solid album by someone I tend to overlook. I should delve more into PJ Harvey's work because she does produce some really good material. Enjoyed this one.

i never knew of pj harvey before this 1001 albums project, and i wish i still didn't. third album of hers i've heard, and it's absolutely not for me. it's boring. her voice drones on and on. there's nothing exciting or different in her songs. cool album cover is all i've got.

I found myself very torn on this album. On one hand, I really like the post-grunge, edgy sound that PJ Harvey is playing with here. On the other hand, I just don't quite get what is so great about her songs and her vocals? Despite some good instrumentation, the vocals just come off as anemic and a bit grating. I definitely don't understand why this project has SO MUCH PJ Harvey on it, either. Again, I will mention that she puts a lot of raw emotion into her songs and it comes across strongly, so I can appreciate that. From a variety perspective, this album does have quite a bit of it. There's edgy, there's singer-songwriter, there's piano pop. I think this is a weak 3 for me. It's the best PJ Harvey I've heard on this project, but that also isn't saying a whole lot because I still just don't care about it all that much.

I’d call this quite a ‘grown-up’ rock record, without the raw, angsty rough edges of youth but nonetheless with a hint of danger to it. It’s sometimes slow, haunting and pretty; occasionally it’s thrilling and visceral; usually it’s somewhere in between. But I feel like there’s a kind of dark undercurrent to the sound, a tension lurking in the background that ties it all together. It’s punctuated now and then (e.g. by the easygoing You Said Something) but it’s never quite released until the final, dreamy chorus of We Float. Or, to put it more succinctly, it’s a collection of strong, diverse songs, that also work well together as an album. I can’t give this a straight 5 as there are a few tracks that plod on a bit if I’m not in the right mood. But I also gave Let England Shake 4.5 (rounded down) back when I was marking albums more harshly, so it feels only fair that I round up this time.

yeah it sounded ok, didn't really focus on it alot, would need another listen

thom yorke heheh PARHAAT BIISIT HÄNEN KANSSAAN heh... eikö osata itse heh tehdä omin avuin heh... semmosta pippurointia , vitsillä vaan vitsillä... vitsihirmu täälläpäin.tarvi kaikkea ottaa niin vakavasti vittu eikö PIKKU PÄÄ kestä vitsiä nyky aikana saa vitsaillakkaan this mess were in

PJ Harvey's album that sounds like PJ Harvey, absolutely surprising! It just wasn't exactly my favourite record of hers. Still really good though. I'll have to listen to it again, but for now Im happy with a rate of 4/5.

This was and unexpectedly good. Enjoyable and pleasantly surprised.

Seems like something Jan from The Office would like. Lyrics are angsty and cheesy. Melodies are droney and repetitive. Only redeeming quality was the vocals, but the content was just poor.

Boring

Very solid album - gets really good in the middle with the Thom Yorke sandwich.

Good

"Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea" by PJ Harvey is a remarkable album that merges gritty rock with poetic storytelling. Released in 2000, it's a sonic journey through urban landscapes and personal reflections. Tracks like "Good Fortune" and "A Place Called Home" showcase Harvey's distinctive vocals and her ability to evoke emotion through her lyrics. The album's production is a blend of raw energy and melodic sophistication, enhancing the impact of each song. "Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea" remains a potent work that captures the essence of Harvey's artistry and her ability to convey powerful narratives through music.

2,75

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this album. It was both experimental and enjoyable in a way that other albums of hers had not been able to pull off. I like the whole record and it never overstayed its welcome and didn’t feel too short either. PJ feels more into her music on this project than usual which helps to convey the energy she is trying to evoke. It’s nice. 4/5

3.5

Meh

An essential record

I liked this album and it’s encouraged me to listen to more PJ Harvey, but it did feel like there was some sameness in the tracks that didn’t make too many songs particularly stand out. It also put me into a low mood, I need a second listen to see how it really makes me feel.

Jog on Harvey Proper junk, Harvey!

PJ Harvey makes music for an audience I don't think I will ever be able to understand, the best tracks on this album are... - One Line - Beautiful Feeling - This Mess We're In As someone who loves indie music really sad I didn't resonate with this album, although if Thom Yorke and PJ Harvey made an album together, I would be explore more. Large parts of this album feel like a cheap country album and the best parts are Thom Yorke.

Great album

Pretty good

Not a bad indie Rock album from PJ, considering what her previous albums were like, because they werent good. But I found there wasn't one track that made me say, yeah that was good. The duets with Thom Yorke were extremely painful to listen to, awful in fact, i think hell will freeze over before i ever listen to those again. If she was playing at a festival gig on one of the stages... you might stop an listen for a while, but you'd very soon slide on to find something better, which I don't think would be too difficult. She does seem to have a good fan base that promote rave reviews for her... but this one's not for me.

This album blended into the background so much I'd forgotten I was listening to it. It's bland, boring and I wouldn't ever decide to play it again.

Highlight: The Mess We're In 3,5/5

Been meaning to listen to this for a while now so I’m glad that this was put in front of me. 3.5/5

Ok I guess? Never really heard her stuff before, wasn’t blown away.

This is a great album. Lyrically, musically, emotionally all there. Her finest work and also I guess her most accessible. Great to hear this again. This morning I was sure this was a 4 star. It’s now my fourth listen today and it’s a 5.

7.5/10 Jamais decu de PJ

Tough to say where I land. Really well produced and enjoyable. The album is cohesive but aurally interesting. I’m not sure I’ll really listen to it entirely again

Album was solid enough, but all I can remember from it is Thom Yorke’s whiny droning even though it is only on two songs

not the best pj harvey album but still one of the best we’ve had so far

Failed to grab my attention throughout its runtime. Unremarkable, but quality.

An ok album, the sound really wasn't my vibe and am struggling to comprehend how it made the top 50 in both UK and US with over 1 million albums sold worldwide. PJ Harvey looks like the Veronicas if they were cosplaying as an early 00s office-worker. Average album at best in my opinion. Best: This Mess We're In Worst: We Float

Big Exit- 4.2/5 Good Fortune- 4.3/5 A Place Called Home- 5/5 One Line- 5/5 Beautiful Feeling- 4.8/5 The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore- 5/5 This Mess We're In- 5/5 You Said Something- 4/5 Kamikaze- 5/5 This Is Love- 4.9/5 Horses in My Dreams- 4.7/5 We Float- 4.1/5 Total- 4.7/5

Sounds good, innovative. Not my cup of tea.

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

I liked this a lot more than I expected I would. It's a very 90s sound, but there's something very comforting in that.

Love it, very good

Nearly a 4, some good tracks on here. 7/10

It was interesting getting this album less than a week after 'Let England Shake' by PJ Harvey. I hadn't listened to her music before then but took a little time scanning through her catalog after that. This is a solid album and I actually liked it better than 'Let England Shake'. Again, I thought the songs got stronger as the album progressed. I don't know how much I'll listen to full PJ Harvey albums in my everyday from now on but I can say that I like her music and will continue giving her other albums a chance as well. Standout Tracks: One Line, The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore, The Mess We're In, Kamikaze, Horses In My Dreams

I enjoyed the first few tracks and then I spaced and then it was over. I probably owe it another listen but I guess it didn't super grab me. Not bad by any stretch though.

The best album ever made.

One of the coolest to ever do it, and 'This Mess We're In' is certainly one for the ages.

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.

Perfectly forgettable

I hate it. I want some.hip.hop!

Night and day I dream of making love To you now baby Love-making On-screen Impossible dream And I have seen The sunrise Over the river The freeway Reminding Of this mess we're in and The city sun sets over me Man, I fucking love New York too. She gets it. 4/5

Not for me. The same droning, dirge guitar on every track. Depressing. Didn't like her in the 90s, still don't.

Probably PJ Harvey's best album, along with "Let England Shake" (Maybe that one edges this out for me). This is an easy 5/5 for me; could listen to it on repeat. Best tracks: A Place Called Home, The Whores Hustle And The Hustlers Whore, We Float, but I don't think there's a weak track on it.

"we float" was by far the standout for me - not to say the other songs weren't great though. loved the thom yorke feature. i don't really know what to say. erm...great album. 5 stars!

I like some of Polly Jean's songs, some not so much. This album was no different. I think I prefer the smoother sound of this period than her earlier, noisier output, but The more upbeat stuff - Kamikaze, for instance - grabbed me a bit more. The voice of Yorke here gives everything another dimension, but I still couldn't quite get into this, bar a couple of songs. Three stars for This Is Love. One to revisit.

There's some great momentum behind many of the tracks here. They start at 50mph and don't slow down. Polly Harvey has a great technique at building up songs. You feel like you're being carried along with them. I love the voice and the way it matches the music effortlessly. I raised a smile when Thom Yorke waded in singing in a higher key.

Musik att sova igenom 🛌 oops!!

Great album. Probably my favourite PJ Harvey thing yet.

Tror inte jag riktigt förstår mig på P.J. Harvey... har int så mycket potenza. Låten med Thom Yorke är överraskande nog den bästa och typ enda minnesvärda för mig.

A solid collection of late-90s singer-songwriter tunes

A lot of these songs were just kinda rambling and didn't really grab me, but I didn't hate this album. The Thom Yorke feature was good.

A fine album. Not offensive but didn't strike me in any way. Maybe additional listens will spark something. The Thom York feature was nice

Yet another great PJ Harvey record. The duets with Yorke are good but she shines when center stage.

Really did not like this. I know I could give it another shot but nothing appealed to me. I disliked the singing and at most times it was too prominent to notice the music.

She obviously progressed a lot since her debut album (nowhere to go but up?), and on first pass I can't entirely get a handle on whether or how much I actually like this one. Because every time I really like one song (e.g. "The Whores Hustle...") another song comes along (like "Horses In My Dreams") where her vocals are almost purposefully awful and distracting; that one could have been like a dreamy Radiohead song - HEY YOU JUST HAD THOM SING A FEW TRACKS EARLIER WHY DIDN'T YOU GIVE HIM THIS ONE TOO?!? Sorry for yelling. I feel like I really want to like this, and first pass through was frustrating because I know there's something here, it just hasn't hit me. Lucky for you Polly that it's a weekend album so I have 3 days to boost you (or ...), so let's see how a few more spins go here... ... and yes ok I definitely like it (3 listens and counting) much more than first pass... ... ...and even then I thought it just was going to end up at a solid 3 - I didn't think I was getting any chills from it (other than ... Thom Yorke singing "The Mess We're In").... until I really heard "We Float" to close the album. That chorus. And there it is. The positives were quite groovy and honestly the first ~7 cuts are a solid album right there. Funny - I absolutely would have given this a 2 or 3 had it been a weekday but it was the magical 4th listen over the weekend that got me. There are negatives - it occasionally veers dangerously-close to my low-fi indie hatebox (e.g. her first album) and there's that 4 song stretch near the end that I dislike (I still can't enjoy her vocals on "Horses...") but the fact that each time I'm listening to the album I'm hearing more and more is a huge pull. 7/10 4 stars

Vocals are great, instrumentation also solid. I liked the first few tracks most but the rest is also nice. Hihglights: Big Exit, Good Fortune, A Place Called Home, This Is Love

Uma obra-prima do rock, apresenta uma sonoridade única que combina guitarras distorcidas, batidas eletrônicas com a voz poderosa e emotiva.

I liked this album a lot. My favourite track is We Float.

This is way better than any of the other PJ Harvey stuff I've been subjected to. It actually sounds like an album as opposed to an angry open mic night.

I enjoyed this alot more than the last one, as it's a bit more rockier and captures the early 2000s indie vibe pretty well. Still not massive on her sound, though.

The Thom Yorke duet was cool. The rest of the album didn’t really grab me.

Pretty forgettable. Thom yorke duet was the best part. 2.5

I found nothing awful or exciting about this record

One of the most confusing artists on the list for me. Just can't understand it. I did like this more than the other album of hers I listened to. I feel like there is no melody in her songs. 2 stars because Good Fortune was alright.

Yeah I’ll listen to more PJ Harvey

I´m surprised. Good and well written songs.

A Revolution and eye-opener what Rock-music can be

This completely deserved its Mercury. smash THOM YORKE Everyone should listen to this at least twice before they die to fully absorb its magnanimity. 8.5/10

reminds me of patti smith so i’m extremely biased. do i care? hell no

Better than bjork.

Gritty guitar, with clear and precise vocals share a solid drums network, and produce really solid rock songs. I’m surprised that I’ve only ever just heard of PJ, but am happy to have finally experienced such a unique sound with this album. She definitely has unique quirks and definitely takes some risks on odd mixing of instrumentals and vocals, but she is super controlled and has a great ear for music. This is as if Hole was able to make a coherent record, just as punk, just as rock n roll, but without the trash instruments fighting one another for the limelight. Proof that you have to have a method to the madness. PJ is a true musician, and this is a true compilation of art.

She's actually just unreal.

pretty good! v unique, moody, a bit heavy at times. coulda cut a couple songs tbh but pretty good listen.

I enjoyed this, I like PJ Harvey

4.25

Maybe her most accessible album? Got some great tunes on this but also a couple of sleepers mixed into the tracklist just preventing it from being truly great

I've always wondered about the contents of Polly Jean Harvey's handbag on this album cover. First because she twirls it like a sling on the video for "Good Fortune", which was pretty hilarious--not necessarily in a good way, but still... good memories. And then, because NYC can be a rough place, and the Bri'ish lass might have felt the need to place some objects that would allow to fend for herself in the city. Maybe even a weapon of some sort. "A pistol", as she says herself. Her mind in all about love, but violence is never far from the picture. They're two sides of the same coin, like the titular "city" and "sea" (the latter never to be seen in the artwork, interestingly). Songwriting-wise, Polly Jean sure breaks out the big guns with the first four tracks at the very start of this LP. But as excellent as they are, "Big Exit", "Good Fortune", "One Line" and "A Place Called Home" are not the only gems in this record. You also need to mention the perfect rocker "The Whores Hustle and The Hustles Whore", "This Mess We're In"--a touching duet with Thom Yorke--, manic "Kamikaze"--which hearkens back to the bluesy riffs of *Rid Of Me*--and, finally, the atmospheric-yet-climactic closer "We Float". Sound-wise, the album is a 180-degree turn from the far more abrasive LPs PJ Harvey had recorded up to that point. There were four of those LPs already: the raw, demo-like debut *Dry*, a *rough* diamond, but a diamond nonetheless; the Steve-Albini-produced--ahem, I mean "recorded"--*Rid Of Me*; and the part quieter, part noisier (and even industrial-tinged, sometimes) *To Bring You My Love* and *Is This Desire?*. Compared to all these records, *Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea" is a more "streamlined" affair, with a production that is very calibrated. No funny business anywhere. At the time I remember being disappointed by those more "mainstream" sonic aethetics (foretelling most of what would occur in "indie" music in general during the naughts, unfortunately). Today, I'm at peace with those production values, however, and I can even understand why Polly Jean needed them at this point of her career: she had just written material that had potential to become instant classics in a certain rock tradition, so Polly and her bandmates Rob Ellis and Mick Harvey (co-producing the album with her) probably felt like they needed to put out a very cohesive LP to give justice to said material. And given how strong the songs are, it works. Plus, the vocal perfomance on this album is spotless, and also helps creating an "instant classic" feel to the whole thing. Harvey had often been compared to Patti Smith in the past, but on tracks like "Good Fortune", her voice naturally reaches the same iconic presence that Smith had for her own classics.. And the constant references to New York in the songs (and artwork) can remind the listener of this connection as well. It all checks out. In *Stories From the City..*, Polly Jean both looks backwards, to the past, *and* forward, to the future. And she draws on a most prestigious rock tradition to cement her status of an artist who's here for the long run, who's here to stay. Hence why that record needed to be here, on this list. I'm giving this album a perfect 5/5 grade. I have also done that for *Rid Of Me* and *Let England Shake*, and if it had been in Dimery's list, I would have done the same for *To Bring You My Love*. Please, Robert, take out one of those convoluted, half-baked late LPs by Elvis Costello or Paul Weller/Style Council, and give one more spot to Polly Jean. I know that *you know* she deserves it. Beware, because if you don't comply, I'll grab that handbag of hers and hurl it in your direction to smash some sense back into your head. Pretty sure she keeps some very dangerous objects in that thing. So be warned... 😀 Number of albums left to review: 545 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 220 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 105 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 132

Not my deal

One of the great deficiencies in my knowledge of pop music is female rock artists. Part of this is because they tended to be pushed into the background by the music ecosystem, and part of it is because I wasn't seeking them out. One of the really cool things I've learned from this list is just how many ground breaking albums were produced by women and then largely ignored. PJ Harvey got a fair bit of attention for her work, but I'd never listened to her until I encountered a couple of her albums on this list. This album definitely deserves its accolades. It's beautifully written, and her voice and lyrics are great throughout. Bringing in Thom Yorke for a song was a great move, and I love how his voice sounds when paired with a female vocalist 4/5

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

<3

This album was “grrrl riot” stuff for coffee shops. Not my thing really.

Alright. Enjoyed the song with Thom Yorke and 'We Float'. Solid 3.

Somewhat middleing, with a few Tricks that stand out and the rest not really being that memorable. I like the overall vibe and sound, but it couldn't Keeper my interest the whole way through.

4th album on the list from PJ Harvey. I don’t get it.

Deep.

Brilliant album

kinda generic I liked it, only 1-2 standout songs though

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.

Big Patti Smith energy

I just didn't vibe with this Idk why man Just not my style I guess 🤷‍♀️

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.

2nd album of PJ Harvey on the list. You can really feel the Radiohead inspiration. With Thom Yorke on one of the tracks, it just confirms that.

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

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.

Good sound,

Not usually a big fan of PJ but this album had its moments

I didn’t click with any of these. Rambling

Thom Yorke on a pj Harvey album?!? Sign me up!

Yeah man. Mix Nirvana's In Utero album with Patti Smith's Horses and a smattering of late Jeff Buckley, then you might get something like this album. Plus Thom Yorke. 3.5 rounded up to 4.

My favorite PJ Harvey album. Tons of memorable catchy songs with a sweet jangly sound. Love her voice (reminds me of Patti Smith) and the production. Hated how quiet her early albums were (at least on Spotify), but this doesn't suffer from that. Her collaboration with Thom Yorke points out how similar the two artists actually are, with her quiet melancholic vocals and mystical jangly guitar contrasted against a rougher bluesy guitar reminiscent of both Radiohead's and Jeff Buckley's works. A few tracks I'm not too crazy about, but I enjoyed it all.

This album was okay. I like the song with Thom Yorke

OKish. Probably not going to listen to it ever again, but it wasn't offensive.

Oh, That woman. "There mess we are in" was my favorite for a couple of years, but then I played it to death. The huge album!

Sexy, scary and magnetic. Rocky and loud. There's something about this Polly Jane.....

It may be that I’m just growing into my appreciation of PJ Harvey, but this album was pretty good! Not a whole lot of analysis I can give, it just struck me better than our previous PJ album.

i was very pleasantly surprised by this! didn’t know i liked pj harvey but really enjoyed it

While some tracks don't quite hit the mark for me, and lyrics at points are too on the nose, there is something magnetic about this album.

Not previously familiar with PJ Harvey, this has taken a few listens. But it has grown on me and I can hear elements similar to Nick Cave, Jeff Buckley and even Robert Plant. What I didn't previously realise is what a beautiful, soaring voice that PJ Harvey has - this really elevates some of the songs, that would otherwise not be so special.

This was tough, as we previously had a PJ Harvey album we really liked (Let England Shake), and this one was sort of a letdown where no song was really bad, but it also doesn't have any songs that really stand out.

Realmente impresionante

Polly Jean at the height of her confidence. Like Bowie in Berlin, NYC serves as a massive creative refresher.

Awesome album! Will be listening to this again!

Brilliant! Back in the day I thought this was a bit moany and screechy, but over the years my tastes have changed and I love this now. Need to revisit all of PJ's other albums.

Fantastic record. PJ Harvey is a great storyteller and here is a superb collection of songs. Musically lots of variation - PJ likes to shake up time signatures, and the input from Mick Harvey and Thom Yorke is great, especially the latter's vocals on "This Mess We're In".

I've mentioned in prior reviews I didn't really track Harvey's post-millennial career. I think I liked this best of what I've listened to so far. It doesn't really forge new ground vocally or lyrically, but the music goes in really interesting directions. How well she meshed with Thom Yorke was a surprise.

Overall a solid album with some interesting ideas, I was close to rating this a 4 but I think there's just not quite enough there to tip the scales.

Love love loved this album. 4.5/5

A decent PJ Harvey album. There is a lot of her on this list

Pretentious and self-centred. No thanks

Own on Vinyl

Bit slow to start but gets definitely picks up by the end. if you're a fan of crooning, boy howdy is this this the album for you!

Pretty uneventful and forgetable, there were a couple of points where songs were going at 6/4 which added a bit of difference but they were pretty much just flashes in a sea of dull.

Another album I never heard of and was pleasantly surprised by. PJ Harvey’s voice is wonderful - she’s a great singer. A surprise appearance by Thom Yorke was very nice. Big Exit is a very good opening track, as are the first few songs. But the album lost a little luster in the middle before picking up again with Kamikaze, my personal favorite. Really enjoyed listening.

Peej's pop album. Great. We Float is beautiful.

Coole plaat. goeie artieste ook

3/3- Driving to school

I really like this album. Most definitely will listen again. Thom yorke feature was also really cool. Songs that stood out to me, Good Fortune, A place called home, One line, The Mess We're In, You said Something, Kamikaze

Had some songs that were good. enjoyed the radiohead feature. It was ok for me. just in the middle

Det var ikke så meget mig, men sangen med Thom Yorke var meget god. Hvis jeg skal være fair, så lyttede jeg måske ikke 100% intensivt efter. Anden gennemlytning: Der er flere gode sange. - A Place Called Home - This Mess We're In

I’m already a PJ Harvey fan so this may be kind of biased. I love this album and I love PJ Harvey. “This Is Love” and “A Place Called Home” are outstanding. The worst song on this album (Beautiful Feeling) is still good. Fav tracks: The Whores Hustle And The Hustler Whores, A Place Called Home, This Mess We’re In, You Said Something, This Is Love, We Float, Kamikaze, Big Exit, Good Fortune Least fav: Horses In My Dreams (because I am scared of horses and certainly do not dream of them), One Line, Beautiful Feeling

One of the best PJ Harvey records

My 2nd PJ Harvey album, and the better one. I think this is just mixed a lot better than 'Rid of Me.' Really reminds me of Patti Smith, but a more accessible Patti Smith. Struggled around the midpoint to stay engaged and fell off. Maybe this just needs a few listens to click.

beginning was mid but once thom yorke shows up it goes crazy

Jeez, this was great. PJ Harvey is such a hole in my music knowledge that I’m continually enjoying filling.

Cool stuff.

Hmm. Well, I kinda liked “This Mess We’re In” with Thom Yorke. He was a welcome parachute when I was rapidly falling from the previous tracks on this record. Maybe he lost a bet and had to record with PJ? Maybe a triple dog dare gone bad? Her voice is a bit grating, kinda like a modern Yoko screaming softly, but I’m sure that’s what her fans like because it’s harsh and raw and true and authentic bla bla bla cue ‘artistic expression’ as we all sit back with amazement listening to her genius. Not sure why this made the 1000 tbh.

Love this album! Discovered it probably 11 years ago <3

Harvey's songs often carry time and place, and the collection from this city prove no exception. Nothing let me down, but in the end I feel the lack of some kind of spark; Chalk it up to New York's absence in me, maybe. I wanted to like Songs, and the poppy veneer was hardly a negative. There are many love songs in a row, but that doesn't form any more of a reason. Listens are sometimes puzzles I feel the need to explain.

Not sure why there’s so much PJ Harvey here. I thought this was fine.

It's good, but there's more than 1000 more essential albums. Favorite song: Kamikaze.

Es como un Arcade Fire bastante menos edgy y sin esa onda brutal que tienen. Me gusta mucho el theme que tiene el disco en general, de describir New York por todos sus aspectos, hasta si cierro los ojos me puedo imaginar la ciudad y la gente, junto con los recuerdos de PJ Harvey (despues buscando en wikipedia descubri q la mina es inglesa en realidad asi q estoy hablando al pedo con respecto a los "recuerdos" ajajaja), a su vez que intenta olvidarse de sus breakups o whatever. 7/10 side note/rant: Hay un paneo muy falopa en "The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore" que ponen tipo 100% en la izquierda una guitarra y AAAAAHHHHH me hace doler el oido AAAAAAAAA

Buen album de Rock SUCIO. La artista lograr un aire de confusión, malhechora y energia que es raramente atractivo. Kamikase es un hit SENSASIONAL! Sin embargo, creo que el componente musical en sí es bastante debil, y si bien creo yó, que no es su foco, soy un degustador de melodia y harmonia y su ausencia relativa me descepcióna. Kamikaze es un temón, y en el que aparece el que canta como Damon Albarn tmbn. El resto es medio olvidable. 3/5 - Sued

discazo q conoci recien el año pasado me gusta todo me gustan mucho los temas con thom yorke y la voz de pj harvey pd gran disco del 2000

no lo escuche de nuevo pero lo escucho frecuentemente y es un discazo estoy en la playa bye

This album feels like a combination of Radiohead, the Pretenders, a splash of Fiona Apple/Karen O/Amy Winehouse. In general, solid, but somewhat forgettable. Will I ever return to this one? I kind of doubt it.

This is my third album on this list from Ms. Harvey. I'm not sure if this is my favorite or runner up of the three. Only a few songs jumped out at me initially but the one constant thought I had was that it never annoyed me, it was never bad. I'm giving it a 3 because a 4 would be too much. 3.5 would be ideall.

Very strong

I enjoyed this more than I expected to

This could be her best work, loved the second half of this album.

I've never been a huge PJ Harvey fan but this album was more approachable than others and went down pretty well.

3 stars, some cool moments.

Alku on vahva ja tyyli hyvä, omanlainen. Hitaat biisit jättävät vähän tylsistymään. Temaattisuus kyllä vetoaa. Kokonaisuus.

Ensimmäinen biisi on todellinen saavutus, vaikka se todella onkin "exit", koska mikään muu tällä ei yllä samalle tasolle. Mutta tarkkaan kuuntelemalla alkaa erottua muutakin kuulemisen arvoista - sinkkubiisi alkaa päästä oikeuksiinsa, ja lopetus on balladina vetävä. Jokin selittämätön viehätys tässä on, mikä kertoo potentiaalista kulutettavana tuotteena.

Twas alright

Good album with a lot of melodic guitar riffs (I can feel Good Fortune in my soul). There’s just a nice sound here, which makes for a pleasant listen. The only thing that I didn’t really care for on a first listen was how it kinda felt repetitive/dull at moments. Thom Yorker’s collabs with PJ Harvey were a high point for me, they gave the album a level of depth that I think doesn’t really exist without it. Faves: This Mess We’re In, You Said Something, A Place Called Home, The Whores Hustle And The Hustlers Whore, Beautiful Feeling, Good Fortune

Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea is a decent listen, fine energy, some edge, catchy but never truly memorable. Think it gets a low 3 because I really liked The Whores Hustle And The Hustlers Whore and This Is Love.

Much better than our previous PJ album. Doesn't feel like it overstays its welcome even at 53 minutes, got some punk energy too it but some tuneful melodies and thoughtful lyrics too. This Mess We're In with Thom Yorke is a really lovely song, I like A Place Called Home too. 3/5.

I really liked some songs on here, but overall I found the album only ok.

I’m not sure I really get it with PJ. On first listen I feel like the best tracks were not much more than Patti Smith covers and the rest was fairly dull

Have been listening to this and Dry a bunch since they popped up on this challenge. Pretty happy to give this a 4 - thoroughly enjoy the early 2000s rocky vibes combined with a good lyrical sensibility. Thom Yorke jumpscared me on first listen. Just really find her whole vibe very engaging, this album makes me feel like I am gliding through new parts of a massive city in a coach. For clarity, that's a good feeling! Favourite songs: You Said Something, The Mess We're In, TWH&THW, Good Fortune

It was alright but dropped off for me after some solid openers.

Just sublime.

Not letting this one stop me. Feels like a late nineties soundtrack. I find a lot of the sound to be a little repetitive but I like the composition/business of A Place Called Home also Duo with Thom Yorke 2.7 Good fortune / A Place Called Home / this mess we’re in (Thom Yorke)

Love PJ Harvey and this is one of her best records, so a clear 5. Good Fortune is best song, just.

One of the best artists composing and performing from the UK in the last 30 years. This is a stand out album, up their with her best, and hence one of the greatest albums

PJ Harvey's first two albums have left a legacy larger than herself at this point, but this is one I am less familiar with. Thom York makes an appearance, I thought that was nice. I don't think I can consider myself much of a PJ Harvy Fan. She is a talented songwriter and has maintained her forward-thinking style of music, though it doesn't click with me.

Some pretty basic indie rock. Not bad but not too interesting. The songs with Thom Yorke were interesting. It’s amazing how just his voice can elevate a song.

Welp, never have dug into her, no time like the present. A raw and emotional pop album. The album is a clear through line from Patti Smith and Chrissi Hynde to St Vincent and Miya Folick

I had never heard or PJ Harvey before but this was decent! The only song I really didn't like was "Horses in my dream", however the album compensates for that song by ending on "We float" which is a banger with great vocals on it. Without that song I would probably rate the album a 2/5. Instead this deserves a weak 3 rating.

She’s in love and I’m delighted for her. My heart could explode hearing ‘Good Fortune’, but cliche drama like ‘The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore’ and ‘Kamikaze’ lack the sincere rage that made her earlier records so potent. Good for her.

Girl rock!! 3.5

Incredible!

A good reference for where alt rock was at the start of the 21st century. Less raw, more polished and Thom Yorke cameos.

This era was peak PJ. On her previous albums she would toggle between distortion infused rockers and ballads that were barely there. On this album she has shined up the ballads a bit which elevates those ballads.

I would think PJ purists wouldn't have liked this album, which is more mainstream and less raw than her earlier efforts. But what it lacks in edginess it makes up for in song writing. The 1st song (which is pretty raw actually) I couldn’t get enough of the 1st time I heard it and it keeps me bouncing off the walls, much like “Dress” from her first album. The 2nd song is a definite hit, with full-on Patti Smith channeling. Of the remainder, I lean toward the rockier numbers like Whores Hustle and This is Love, not so much Radiohead influenced ballads, although the duet with Tom York is right up there with the best Radiohead songs. I've been listening to a ton of PJ since 1001 and this might not he my favourite album of hers, but I think it's the best that we have been sent.

If Patti Smith and Nick Cave had a love child, it would be PJ Harvey. Also, TIL that PJ stands for Polly Jean. I find this album to be a exercise in contrasts, the more introspective songs such as We Float, Horses in my Dreams and and particularly the ones featuring Thom Yorke such as This Mess are excellent. But when she rocks out its a completely different vibe for me and I have a hard time liking those songs.

One of the most beautiful albums of the early 2000s and in my personal top 3 of her discography: impressive!

Cool album. Could see her influencing Sleter Kinney. Loved the surprise Thom Yorke. I imagine she thought music was low on new ideas when writing this. Not sure where the thought came from but idk that made sense to me

Cool, but I didn’t find a lot of it memorable

Even when I was going through my PJ Harvey phase back in 2021 I still found her voice to be somewhat annoying. Not for me, I completely get the appeal though. 2/5

I definitely have a soft spot for this type of early 00s late 90s female-led alternative because this wasn't nearly as good as that Elastica album but I still mostly enjoyed it. It was a pleasant surprise to hear Thom York on a song that also happens to be my favorite on the album. This is a low 4 btw

Meh

5/10

Definitely the intermediary point of Harvey's discography between the ferocity of 'Rid of Me' and the somewhat more radio-friendly and less memorable 'Let England Shake.' Some of my favorite individual tracks of PJ's live on this album, but as an album, I'm not sure they cohere well enough over the 40-minute span to make the collection more than a sum of its parts. That being said, there's a wealth of excellent musicianship and songwriting here that plays with fast and slow, loud and soft, and Harvey's other favorite extremes to create standout tracks that I've listened to time and time again.

This is way better than Harvey's other album, Dry. The music is super compelling. The lyrics are a bit distracting, but overall it's pretty good. It keeps getting better. This is a surprisingly excellent album!

Cet album m'a rappelé certains autres que j'aime beaucoup, et je suis contente de les retrouver avec une voix de femme. Je réécouterai certainement pour l'apprivoiser et l'apprécier davantage.

3/12, 25%

Meh

Even better than I remember it.

Mehl

An unexpected slay

I think this is her best record. Great songs, and a solid band!

Never heard any of this before. Will be listening to it again. Really Liked: This is Love, This Mess We're in is creepy excellent, and One Line. Solid and makes me realize I missed out on a lot having stopped after To Bring You My Love. Foolishness.

When great is great. When not, meh.

listened to the first two songs...they were good?

T3B 1. This Mess We’re In 2. This Is Love 3. Big Exit

this is a good album, just not for me

About 10% of the way through this list and there’s a clear bucket of albums that are influential but not for me. This is another one of these.

amazing

Roger water...The wall we dont need no education part 1.... Suomessa ei tollasta kateltas....Isän halvennusta... SAMANLAISIA VITUN OUTUJA TUNNETILOJA TÄSSÄ... miten sitä suhtautuis.. Tunnetiloista olin ihan aluksi miettimässä numeroa neljä.. yksi kaksi kolme...... neljä.. Boldeja juttuja.. ku puhelin rikkoja Jerry rig everything... youtube kanavalla.. Puhelimet väännetään säpäleiksi... vaikka minkälaista efektiä tässäkin... Olis voinu miettiä...kannattaako... THOM YORKE!!?! MITÄ VITTUA!!!! hehheh Tom... hyvä että naikkonen pyytäny apua... ovenavaajaa... Miksei alkuun laittanu.m. Tomin avulla rahat... ja albumille.. nimi... nimikkobiisi heheh... Stories from Thom yoorke...

4.5

5/5 this album kicks ass! PJ Harvey deserves much more recognition, especially when she has albums like Is this Desire?, Cities, and Let England Shake. Favorite tracks: Big Exit, Good Fortune, A Place Called Home, One Line, This Mess We’re In, Kamikaze, This is Love, We Float

Don’t like her voice, music was okay.

Less experimental than the last pj Harvey But just as enjoyable

Love me some PJ Harvey. I'm more familiar with To Bring You My Love, so I was only familiar with a handful of tracks off this album before today. This album is maybe a little more polished and less avant garde than TBYML, so I think I still prefer that album, but overall I enjoyed this whole record quite a bit.

Decent album, but I wasn't super taken with it. It's nice, but I like Rid of Me more. 3.5/5

Long live Polly Jean. Maybe not her best LP but it has enough essentials to deftly recommend it, including the all-timer “Good Fortune” and my favorite Thom Yorke performance. B+

Clearly above average ;)

Very solid snd accessible PJ Harvey album, strong songs.

Last year Pitchfork 'rescored' this album from 5.4 to 8.4. Better late than never, I suppose. Excellent album throughout.

Perhaps my #3 PJ, after To bring you my love and Is this desire. Excellent songs, raw and accessible at the same time.

This was the PJ Harvey I was into. It's good, but I don't think it has the venomous bite of her earlier work. Also, Thom Yorke's cameos in this era just consisted of him repeating the lyrics (see also: El Presidente by Drugstore).

Sublime and beautiful.

Vraiment bon album, je ne m'attendais pas à ça. Son classique de fin 90s/début 00s, mais très bien fait.

One of my all time favorite albums. Hypnotic indie rock album full of outstanding songs. This song was formative, and I kick myself for not ever trying to see her live back then. Standout track: "You Said Something" is one of the greatest love songs ever written.

Decent rock/punk

"Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea" is the fifth studio album from English alternative rock musician and singer PJ Harvey. The album has themes of love and connections to New York City where she had been living for nine months. She purposedly made it more direct, more melodic and less darker than her previous albums. I'll agree with that; the first three songs are very melody driven. She does still have an harder edge going in a lot of these songs which I've always liked about her music. It did win the 2001 Mercury Prize for the best album released in the UK by a British artist. "Big Exit" starts the album in a straight-forward rockin' way. Nice guitar melody. PJ's vocals come in hard and strong. A song maybe misinterpreted as a suicide song; I think it's more about a reaction to being in an unfamiliar place. The first single "Good Fortune" has another strong melodic start. The urgency in PJ's voice. Simply, about falling in love. Great song. The second single "A Place Called Home" uses an acoustic guitar giving it kind of a groove. Another love song...one day there will be a place for us. Thom Yorke takes over as lead singer on "This Mess We're In." PJ in the background. Slower, more of a ballad. This song has grown on me a bit. They want each other but are obligated to someone else. A similar theme is in "You Said Something." Sort of an off-key guitar melody. The music and vocals build the emotion. Imagery to NYC and they want to be with each other but something is holding them back. Probably my favorite song on the album. PJ goes more punk and Patti Smith in the third and final single "This Is Love." Hard repetition in the music and vocals. An ominous start the to the album closer "We Float" with the bass, organ, drums and PJ's vocals. Starting out desperate and then optimism kicks in with uplifting vocals repeating "We Float." A great album ender. This album sounded great today. Really solid from start to finish. I'm a huge fan of early PJ Harvey. Yes, this album is more melodic and less dark but still has the edge of those albums. Highly recommended.

I always thought PJ Harvey was cool, just based on the music videos I had see in the past. Never dove into her catalog and wasn’t too into this release until track 6 The Whores. From that track on I really enjoyed the album so I’ll give this release a 3 and will check out her earlier releases

Pretty cool!

One of my favorites of hers.

Pretty good. Not blown away, but dig it well enough.

Try Hard

mid

A Place Called Home The Whores Hustle And The Hustlers Whore Kamikaze We Float Priyatniy vocal s krasivimi instrumentalami

Like a cat slowly dying from eating a rat that died from consuming rat poison.

A cap off to the 90’s, this album perfectly encapsulates the raw intensity that epitomized the era. An opener that grabs your attention leads into a collection of songs that are at times aggressive and other times soft and reflective. Standouts are The Mess We’re In with Thom Yorke and the show stopping closer We Float

Tjonge jonge, wat een geschreeuw. Een aantal nummers zijn niet zo schreeuwerig, maar het wordt nooit echt heel leuk.

thom yorke jumpscare

PJ Harvey has always been an artist I knew existed, but by whom I couldn't name any song. This album, then, was my first real exposure to her music, and it's a nice rock album. The best track is probably This Mess We're In, a duet with Radiohead's Thom Yorke. The worst song is the opener Big Exit, as I don't like the singing style on that track. The rest of the songs fall somewhere in between. I can clearly see myself listening to an album like that, but I doubt that I will ever be a big fan of this artist. 3/5

Good, but not my style. I’ve heard some of these songs before

This is one of my favorite albums. It was so prescient when it came out - it became one of those iconic albums which perfectly aligned with the zeitgeist. The songwriting is cohesive and so beautiful. The Thom Yorke tracks kill me every time. I know it isn't everyone's favorite PJ album but it's definitely my personal favorite.

Decent

Never heard of this artist before, not sure how! An interesting album with a melancholic but punkish twist. I like it Saved songs: Good Fortune, The Whores Hustle And The Hustlers Whore, This Mess We're In, We Float, This Wicked Tongue

Great stuff.

This is really cool!!

Starts with a fast-ish paced alt/radio rock sound before gradually mellowing out to more melodic and piano-heavy. Nice vocals that convey emotion. Doesn't shy away from raw, coarse lyrics. Standouts are "Big Exit", "You Said" and the duet "This Mess We're In"

Vaatisi useamman kuuntelun, kelvollista. We float on upea.

3 stars for the Thom Yorke feature.

A modern day version of some classic punk / post-punk. Better listen than I expected. 4/5.

Jai trouve moyen et ca ne ma pas rien inspire. 2.5

I really enjoyed "The Mess We're In". This album was a very nice surprise due to the first PJ Harvey album suggested by this site....sucked rocks. The songwriting, and delivery was great throughout. The last 6 songs were the strongest parts of this album. I'm glad that I gave it a chance instead of skipping it.

not bad actually

Tiene vibes de Lana del Rey y Fiona Apple, pero a la vez no, algunas canciones se sienten plan post punk, otras más rock, otras más pop, idk, es variado pero sigue el tema del álbum. I like it u.u

I wasn't overly impressed by this - nothing really stood out for me. Maybe with more plays it would grow on me, but...

It's easy to see why this was a critical and commercial success. Engaging and energetic, yet thoughtful and nuanced. With further listens I suspect this would be even more rewarding. Rating: 4.5/5 Playlist track: This Mess We're In Date listened: 10/10/22

Nothing special but overall good album

p865. 2000. 5 stars New millennium Chrissie Hynde. Great tunes, great songs, great attitude, great image. What's not to like?

This album was a snooze fest, exceedingly mid.

My favorite PJ Harvey album. I heard a lot of PJH in Patti Smith's Horses when it came up in the generator earlier this week.

good. Didn’t stick.

Not bad

PJ Harvey's music feels like thick, black tar. Bare, ashen, smoking... for the first time here, it's more like molten sugar: pretty, and you might want to touch it, but the smell of fresh bacon and the impending absence of your lovely skin should you do so reminds you that it's still PJ Harvey. An artist of immense vision, painting in brighter colours for once.

Preferred the second half of the album. I like the last few tracks. First half was uninteresting. Possibly overrated in my view.

Great stuff, it's in the rotation. Catch me on a different day it would be a 5. 🤷

Songs all sounded the same, maybe will be appreciated in 10 years time, couldn't predict when it would end

Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea, Stories I’d be happy to go without hearing again

Good album. I like PJ Harvey but not a lot of PJ Harvey

This is Love!

Good album. Also her collabs with Thom Yorke are great.

Excellent stuff

Fuck it. I love it.