Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea

This seemed like one of those albums where I could put it on in the background and wait for that "single" track that speaks to me. Unfortunately I didn't hear anything this time around. I don't think I really gave this one a fair shake so I might give it another listen.

Not bad to start but went downhill fast. Was better when the lady was singing

Not really my thing and sounds a bit dated/shows it's age in a bad way. I know her name and that she was huge alongside other 'alternative' female artists of her time. Maybe I need to give it another few listens, but it didn't truly grab me

I like a lot of PJ Harvey. For me, her best work contains a fury that is missing here. Perhaps the production is a bit too slick. Maybe she mellowed a bit. In any event, when I reach for PJ Harvey it is rarely this one.

I have to admit that liked this more than I expected to. I usually think of her as a bad Patti Smith but this was better than that. I might listen again

I can't believe we heard two albums by her before hearing one by the Rolling Stones, the Who, Aretha Franklin, Led Zeppelin, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Marvin Gaye, the Clash, or Bob Dylan. This is fine, but I have no clue what the makers of this list are getting out of PJ Harvey's music to put this on here to the exclusion of so much great hip-hop and R&b.

My favourite PJ Harvey album

R.E.M. cover band provides the backing for yet another indie singer vibe about NYC

I'm sad it took me so long to check this album out. Perfect vibes.

First time listening to PJ Harvey. "Big Exit" was a promising start and had me excited for what was to come, unfortunately, with the exception of "The Whores Hustle..", the rest of the album was a letdown. The songs were either too poppy for my taste, or lacked the energy of the two aforementioned tracks. Not bad overall, but two good songs do not an essential album make.

Loved this so much, no clue how I missed this until now. This is the first album that I’ve added to my library on Spotify, I adore the sound. Makes me oddly nostalgic.

Really good

honestly the first real miss for me. Like the vibe just couldn't enjoy the actual music except for that song with thom yorke but that's just bc I love radiohead

Looks like something I would know or listen too. Maybe my mood but I find it irritating

Haven't listened to this for a long time. What an accomplished and accessible album! Classic peej wrapped up in blues pop indie crossover. One to listen to rather than have as background music. Deservedly won awards.

The album certifies hot stormy lyrics with raw guitar. Have always loved a few of these tracks

4/10 I liked her voice, for the most part, but out of 12 songs, I could almost finish listening to one! Not my sort of thing, I'm afraid.

Haven't listened to PJ at all before, knew the name and the big single Down By The Water, so this is completely new territory for me. I'm enjoying the grittiness of this album. The vocals are excellent, and the music has a sinister quality to it that pairs well with the singing and lyrical themes. I like it. I don't know that I'll go out of my way to listen to it on my own, but I like that I have a better sense of this artist now. Also, I love that PJ is looking like Rashida Jones on this album cover. Gorgeous!

Pretty solid

Really enjoyed it. FIrst LP i've listened to. Will do again

Quite nice

That crooked mouth Speaks to me

Every track is gold.

I'd love to be more into this, and I can completely appreciate why people would be, but it doesn't press enough buttons for me. Still good though.

Not bad

I finally found a PJ Harvey album that is not absolutely boring. It's still a little boring, but with 2 or 3 nice songs.

Good Fortune is one of the top rock songs of the decade You Said Something is my favourite song in the history of music This is my 10th relisten and I love Polly Jean Harvey This Mess We're In was gutwrenching but I am not a fan of the other duet

This is always the record that I use to introduce people to the wonderful world of PJ Harvey. This is all a bit lighter, rockier and poppier than much of her other work. Although it does a lit less to me than much of her other albums, it is not inferior in quality and always a pleasure to put this on.

I love everything about this album and have since I first heard it.

Not for me I don't think. Had its moments but mediocre at best.

PJ était jusque-là mon élève préférée, redoublant d'effort après chaque mauvaise note, jusqu'à atteindre un quatre sur cinq à la dernière interrogation. Je suis cette fois-ci un peu déçu et ne peux lui donner plus de trois pour ce projet. Ne pas relâcher les efforts entrevus jusqu'ici !

Je commence à en avoir sérieusement assez de PJ Harvey, heureusement que notre ami de Radiohead est venu relever le niveau de cet album insipide.

Cool and moody, tough and tremulous, this is gold-standard indie rock of early 21st century, or any era, really. Awfully Big Apple for a non-New York record. “Good Fortune,” “The Mess We’re In” and “You Said Something” are all major tunes. “Horses in My Dreams” is haunting and austere and “We Float” about as hopeful as the uncompromising PJH does. Sounds both very much of its time and timeless.

A name I've known forever but couldn't have named one of her songs. Sounds a lot like Patti Smith (which I later discovered to be her first Fans Also Like artist in spotify. Not my every day listening but I enjoyed it.

An excellent bridge between the ‘90s and ‘00s alternative. Harvey’s voice is so eloquent but really quite excellent. Strong songwriting and storytelling makes this a great surprise!

Pollys best album. this is love is gigantic but there is some draggy songs on it.

I once shagged her in a greenhouse. It was blummin' hot I tell ya.

Ahh Pajamas Harvey you've done it again 🍾

Pretty much as close to perfection as alternative rock gets.

I'm a big PJ Harvey fan, but I've never managed to get into this one.

One of two albums to have won Polly Jean Harvey the Mercury Prize (incidentally, a feat no other artist has achieved), “Stories from the City” is firm, tough, lean and urgent. It’s also, in Harvey’s words, “beautiful, sumptuous, lovely”. Ultimately, it’s difficult to disagree. It may not be a perfect album, but it’s unlike anything she’d done previously, and shows off her tremendous range and evolution as a songwriter. It evokes the grittiness of New York City in one song, and the mystery and beauty of the Dorset coast in the next. When it goes hard, “Stories” really goes hard. The riffs are spoken for with crunchy, buzzy open chords, thrashing away insistently underneath Harvey’s dark and theatrical vocals. The drums are simple, punchy, propulsive snares driving each song headlong into battle. “Big Exit”, “Good Fortune”, “The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore”, “Kamikaze” and “This is Love” are all stellar examples of this. Not content with hard-edged rock, Harvey adds real warmth and depth elsewhere. “You Said Something” is wistful, open-hearted and personal, resembling Alanis Morrissette in the best way. Better still are “One Line” and “Beautiful Feeling”. Haunting, hypnotic and stark, the latter really gets under the skin on subsequent listens. It’s hard not to mention Thom Yorke, who’s understated contributions on backing vocals (and then lead in album highlight, “This Mess We’re In”) gel perfectly. Of course, though, this is PJ Harvey’s show, and it’s impossible to get through the album and not end up entranced by her as a singer. She snarls, sneers, howls and cries her way through each song, perfectly balancing passion and technique. There are so many great vocal stylings: the soaring high notes amidst the melodrama of opener “Big Exit”, the yelping siren after the second verse of the brilliant “The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore”, the hushed backing vocals in the chorus of “A Place Called Home”. If anything lets the album down for me, it’s that I’d have liked the “concept” to hold together a little more. The title and background reveal a fascinating premise to paint a vivid picture of New York, and capture the two worlds Harvey was caught between, which the music evokes well, but sometimes it slides into a set of tangentially related songs. It falls away especially at the end with the slow and brooding “Horses in my Dreams” followed by “We Float“, with its jarring switch to an electronic beat and piano riff, and then non-sequitur hidden track “This Wicked Tongue”. It’s an interesting final stretch, but doesn’t really feel like the grand closing statement to tie everything together on. Still, the rest of “Stories…” is a really solid album. The lyrics walk a satisfying line between personal and abstract, specific and elliptical, while the music ricochets between savage and soothing. Well deserving of its place on the list.

PJ Harvey is a good singer and her songs are melody and fine.

Ahhh yeah I've never cared about PJ Harvey beyond one point in the early 00s where I pretended to because I was trying to root a girl who liked her. I can't remember anything about it though, was a pretty half-arsed effort. This is bog alt rock, could be better, could also be a whole lot worse. 3/5.

Alright, but the band has better albums.

Hmm okay, not sure why PJ Harvey is on the list so much. Surely there are better albums out there.

Alright.

Probably the least of her albums on this list but still excellent, 4.5*

Not doing anything for me. Seems pretty out of date, punky grunge in 2000? I had it over the weekend end, listened once on the Friday and had no desire to listen again.

Pop music through a glass darkly.

stories from the sky?

Ciao PJ! Prefs: Big Exit, Good Fortune, The Mess We're In, You Said Something, Kamikaze, This Is Love, We Float Moins pref: Beautiful Feeling

Eigentlich eine 4.5

Thom Yorke cameo

This was a well made album, musically really tight. Harvey's vocals are fantastic and Thom Yorke was a welcome surprise. Fave Songs: This Mess We're In, A Place Called Home, The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore, Horses in My Dreams

Another easy 5, it's seems all my other reviews cover what I probably would have said here. Faves: all of it.

There's some great songs here. Particularly in the latter half. But I find this reasonably boring compared to her later stuff. Just instrumentally less fun and less space.

Awesome album! PJ is a badass singer/songwriter.

Interesting but didn’t blow my socks off, or even halfway down. I’m not sure if I have some sort of aural disability with PJ Harvey, but I don’t seem to dig her sound.

🥰🥰🥰

Fine while listening but no lasting impact.

A pretty solid album, really just reminds me of a 21rst century Patti Smith. Started out strong, but really started to fade during the end. Almost a 4

Brilliant, one of my favourite albums ever, and Good Fortune one of my favourite songs ever. Noting fantastic production by Mick Harvey (ex Bad Seeds).

I feel like PJ Harvey exists at a higher level than I'm capable of understanding.

Some years ago I tried to listen her early albums, and it was terrible. Now I thought I give it a 2nd chance with this album. It is much better, and Thom Yorke in that two songs is brilliant.

Another great one here! Fresh and serious lyrics guitar indie rock

4.5

I was never there, but I feel like this album captures the feel of a moment of time, that moment being New York immediately prior to 9/11. The glossy and flowing sound of this album is unique and PJ Harvey’s presentation is enticing. One of my favorites

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: This is love, This mess we’re in

Eh. Was happy to hear Thom Yorke. Not great not awful.

I feel like I'm in the Bronze in Sunnydale CA dancing with Buffy.

Talking about love and New York City, PJ Harvey's "Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea" not only sounds but also feels like a alternative rock album. A much more melodic effort compared to her previows records, it has great songs like "Good Fortune" and "This Is Love" but is not as powerful as previos releases, like "Rid of Me" and "To Bring You My Love".

Un piacevole sottofondo musicale per lavorare, non si spinge oltre.

Better than "Let England Shake", but at times it just doesen't feel like music, it's that boring. I absolutely love the albumcover though. Ok I take that back. Second half picks up. 4

If I heard this when I was 13, I would have really liked it, and would still like it for the nostalgia of that time. As it is, I'm 31 and it really doesn't resonate with me. It feels well-crafted, and the Thom Yorke feature was nice.

Still walking the fine line between calm and chaotic, although maybe a bit more refined in places than prior PJ Harvey albums. As I've said with other artists that have multiple albums on this list, I don't understand what makes this one substantially different from PJ Harvey's debut album, such that she merits double billing. It would make more sense to me to just have a shorter list, then continuing to fill it with multiple albums from the same artist that basically represent the same thing.

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

Not bad but didn't really pull me in

Not bad. Didn't think any songs were great.

Chill good times

I'm a feminist so I believe that women should also be allowed to create boring generic rock and roll.

It’s kinda ok

Liked the album had some grunge, rock, punk vibes

I didn't realize I knew / had heard so much of PJ Harvey's songs. Cool album. Easy to listen to. Remnants of the 90s all over the place. Can definitely hear heavy influence from The Cranberries. Angsty. This is the album that you play on a road trip and end up falling asleep while driving.

The bass lines are the most interesting part. Unfortunately, I don’t mean this as a compliment. Some tracks are lyrically rote and lacking vocal dynamic variation. There are a few nice ones nestled in. I’m scratching my head as to why I need to hear this one before I die though. 1.5 stars.

Good album overall, early 90s melancholy tock

Another day, another album that is just fine.

Not as sexy or raw or poetic as most of her other albums

This was great. One extra star just for the song with Thom Yorke.

I'm getting late period U2 vibes off this album. I mean, it's ok, but mostly it's super conventional dad-rock. And Thom Yorke singing "all day I dream of making love to you" is just creepy.

Meh it was okay. Kinda like a British tori amos I guess? Forgettable.

Solid

nja

Really like this new-to-me artist. Bought the album.

What an album! Right from the opening track, PJ Harvey hits off firing on all 12 cylinders. Between this album and To Bring You My Love, I argue Harvey brings forth a damn excellent case for best female vocal performance ever in terms of the emotions it triggers in me (which, in my mind, implies best vocal performance ever, period). The fact this performance is closely tied to recording technique does not hinder, but rather further supports to prowess of this multi talented musician.

One of my favourite albums from 00’s

Very good album. I will be exploring more of her music going forward.

4/5. Very Patti Smith, kinda U2 too. I dug it

I bought this album when it came out because of all the hype. I wasn't blown away by it then and I'm still not.

Like the guitar, lyrics, her voice. Brilliant.

Meh

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

I have heard Good Fortune. Never knew that I knew this song, but it instantly brought me to a certain time/place. Reminds me of REM meets Pretenders. A Place Called Home is a lost Cure song if you ask me. Really good stuff.

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

Quite liked this album. Is it indie-punk? Alternative? A little dark and a little grimy.

Fav Song: This is Love

Really not a fan of her voice or the music... It wasn't awful but I didn't enjoy myself.

Good music, nothing amazing 3/5

Absolutely blown away by how good this is, for years I’d been aware of PJ Harvey but I’d never thought to listen to any of her music, despite knowing that several bands I like cited her as an influence. Glad this one has been added to my library. A solid 5/5.

3rd Polly album in the list, can't be too many more? Supposed to be her best, I think I prefer the edgier stuff - couple of good tunes on here. Not likely to go into my listening rotation though

NME called it ""a magnificent, life-affirming opus". I prefer "a fun jaunt".

This mess we're in....

very cool

It's a really good album. The second PJ Harvey album I've been served by this list and I've really enjoyed both.

Definitely an interesting album, very listenable but hard pressed to call it "great," I think "pretty good" would be about as far as I'd personally go. Vocals are brilliant and love the instrumentation, but as a whole it's very dated and not in a nostalgia-inducing way. Maybe I just missed the moment for this one or else I don't love NYC as much as PJ does.

-"Big Exit," "The Whores Hustle And The Hustlers Whore," and "Kamikaze" are the strongest tracks. All are cool alt-rock jams. -A strong 3, but nothing really stood out. No crazy guitar jams, or radical drum beats, just generally nice music with quality singing, so nothing grating. Much preferred to the other PJ Harvey album I had, which was very boring.

People I respect love PJ Harvey and I understand why. But it's not for me. One extra star for the places in Good Fortune where she reminds me of Chrissie Hynde.

I hadn't heard of PJ Harvey before, ended up really liking this album. This Mess We're In (with Thom Yorke) was great, but my favorite song was We Float, last one!

Decent

PJ has dated quite badly since the 90s but this is her most mainstream effort. It's quite a few bangers mixed in with her terrible poetry about horses and a genuinely moving final song

Too 2000s-y, too boring, too similar, too much not for me

I got through 2 songs before I started skipping. There wasn't anything exciting happening at all.

The first few songs on this album gave me very late 90s/early 2000s teen movie vibes (which I LOVE) but then it got redundant. I would listen to a few songs here and there again for sure, but the whole album is a bit of a chore.

Meh...

The album was ok. It wasn't fully indie music but it was close. I was not familiar with the artist or any of the songs.

Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea is the third album I've listened to from PJ Harvey, and it's the one I've enjoyed the most. PJ Harvey is on my list of artists who I wonder why I don't like more. People who share similar interests to mine recommend Harvey. I've tried exploring some of her work on my own, but I've never been drawn in. Sometimes Harvey's vocals detracted from the overall experience, but the album was still okay.

Need to listen to this a lot more

Like it

Good late 90s alt rock sounding album

Really enjoyed it. Harvey’s vocals are great, and the songs were good

Kolejna PJ Harvey, dzien zrujnowany, tym razem piaty w dyskografii krazek, ktory wychodzi poza wyspiarskie tematy i przenosi bohaterke do hameryki, dokladniej do nowego jorku, gdzie troche posiedziala w tamtym okresie, co przeklada sie na liryki tego krazka, na tytul, czy nawet okladke, ale nadal przewijaja sie typowo popowe tematy romansowe rejpowe, nadal pisane jak przez podlotka, a przeciez w tamtym czasie, to juz bylo stare urwisko w tym biznesie, nadal pani PJ ogrywa sporo instrumentow, ale zdecydowanie bardziej melodyjnie wszystko brzmi, miks jest na o wiele wyzszym poziomie, wiec wokale juz nie blenduja tak tragicznie w instrumental jak na ostatniej plycie, a sumujac to wszystko, tak wlasnie brzmi rok 2k00 w muzyce popularnej alternatywno rokowej, czary goryczy przelal jeszcze glowny featur krazka, czyli pan z radioheada thom yorke, ktory na kilku trakach jest dodatkowym wokalem, a na this mess we are in jest glownym wokalem, fanem nadal nie zostalem, ten krazek przez swoje pelniejsze brzmienie brzmi jeszcze bardziej nijako niz dry i raczej, gdy zobacze nazwisko PJ Harvery, to pierwszym skojarzeniem bedzie dry, a nie te opowiesci z miasto morza, na plejke tradycyjnie rejp song, tym razem podtytulem kamikaze

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

Gritty. Simple but catchy guitar riffs Gritty voice and attitude. Pass on Thom Yorke appearance.

I really enjoyed this one and will be revisiting it. I enjoyed every single song. I think due to my age, I missed out on a lot of things, and I'm so happy to have discovered this one.

What a great inside look to the women’s rock scene of the late 90s and early 2000s. I really enjoyed this one.

Un dels millors discos del canvi de mil.leni i la primera gran obra de PJ Harvey, que barreja l'experimentació dels primers discos amb el posi madur i més melòdic del que havia de venir en el futur. Aquí exceleix en tots dos aspectes, marcant canvi de rumb i la cúspide de les seves dues maneres d'entendre la música. 'The Mess We're In' és incomensurable, i altres temes com 'Good Fortune', 'You Said Something' o 'We Float' són del millor que va donar el rock aquells anys

I liked the layers of the rhythm guitar, bass and drums with the jangly lead lines on top. Catchy vocals and very nice to hear some vibes on a couple tracks, enjoyed it.

The best of this album IMO: - Good Fortune - Beautiful Feeling - This Is Love I like the singer's vibe. I didn't know her before this list. She sounds iconic. 3.3/5

Didn’t listen to the whole album. She had a good voice and instrumentals are great but every song had a similar tone

Had never heard of PJ Harvey, 5/5 rating though!

Buen detalle la aparición sorpresa de don ojo cheche

Along all the crap she records, this one is at least listenable

Muy buen disco!

Probably some of PJ's best work, serious themes and some cracking tunes. Love "Big Exit", "One Life" and "Beautiful Feeling". Love it and rightfully on this list.

This was solid alternative rock with a strong female voice. I liked it. I was happy to discover that I was familiar with the enjoyable "One Line," which had been on the "Gilmore Girls" soundtrack album. I really liked the duet "The Mess We're In," and the lead single "Good Fortune." I didn't find the something, however, that made this album stand out from the crowd for me. But I will be interested to see where else she may take us down the road.

I’ve heard of PJ Harvey, but this is my first listen to an album. It was good. The music and vocals were more impressive to me than the lyrics…maybe I need to listen more carefully.

Didn't know much of PJ Harvey aside from 50ft Queenie, which is a great punk song but I didn't know how I'd feel about a whole album. Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea was a wonderful surprise. This is solid alternative rock with a grown-up point of view. During my first listen, I favorited half the tracks. During the second, I favorited the rest. I love this.

I’ve heard of PJ Harvey but really had no clue what sort of music it was. As I started to listen I got a Pretenders vibe. The first half of the album I was liking well enough, but nothing was grabbing me or making me want to hit that “Add to Library” button. Wasn’t sure this was standing out amidst several weeks of standout albums… When “The Mess We’re In” came on I stopped what I was doing and just listened. I’m a big fan of Thom Yorke and recognized him instantly and really, really loved the song. Now the album has my full attention. “You Said Something” took me back to New York. “Kamikaze” with the vocal delivery and drums. “Horses in my Dreams” with its shambling, dreamy feel. And “We Float” with it’s great, spare verses soaring chorus ended things on a high note. On the second listen I realized how great this album is. Standouts this time included “A Place Called Home,” “One Line” and “The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore” - really fantastic. How had I glossed over these the first time? I guess I needed that Thom Yorke kick in the ass to get me to pay attention. The music is as cool as the album cover. Really great album.

I didn't really like this. I just don't like how it sounds. I find it very hard to listen to.

8/10

A lot better than the other album on here, actually sort of enjoyable. Still, probably wouldn't listen again.

A LOT more enjoyable than the previous PJ Harvey album I got on this list (Rid Of Me). Has some genuinely good songs (according to me), like Big Exit, Kamikaze, This Is Love.

very cooolll didn’t quite hit the same as rid of me but still good and love the song with thom

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

PJ Harvey is one those artists that has been on my radar, as I know a lot of people that think she's great and a very talented artist, but I've actually never have listened to her. My first impression is that I like the songs and enjoy their sound, but it didn't give me that feeling that it was anything beyond a solid album. I was expecting maybe something more edgy or unique that would stand out above other similar artists from the 90's. This record is critically acclaimed and according to many critics it's her best album, so I'll give it more listens and while I'm at it explore her earlier catalogue which to me looks more interesting.

I remember this won the Mercury music prize and I liked it at the time but it's actually fairly boring compared to her louder stuff. kamikaze is still really good

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

thom yorke go brrrrrrrrrrr

This is ok.

great

Liked this more than her other one

Voice is very grating

not my genre

I thought it was great and artistic, i can respect her vocals a lot too. I like the different themes of the songs. I'm not the biggest fan of this brand of alternative rock, but this was cool and worth a listen

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

Kinda boring, very influenced by ok computer and probably Joan jet. The song “you said something” in particular reminds me of subterranean homesick alien. The thom Yorke feature surprised me. I doubt I’d ever go back to this though.

Somewhere between boring and annoying. I don't like it

Worth to relisten

enjoyable background music 3.4

This artist is clearly talented and has a lot to say. Unfortunately, it's really not my cup of tea today. I think the genre of this album is alt rock, and it probably fits there, but it doesn't resonate with me very much. I'm giving is 2 stars, but might be convinced it's worth 3 at a later date.

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

An equal mix of cool inventive style and just kind of bland slog. A very inconsistent listen for me, which made it hard to really engage. Overall I think I lean toward positive; it wasn’t bad, I just didn’t really care for it.

Fantastic Millenial angst. I think it wasn't quite as good as Dry, but I did quite enjoy it.

this feels like it should be transition music in a 00s rom com

Pretty standard, has good alternative rock vibes tho. Additional plus for nice female voice and featuring Thom Yorke.

Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea by PJ Harvey (2000) These songs are edgy enough, and sometimes as dark as their New York-themed atmosphere, with about half the tracks consisting of love songs that produce emotional harmonic overtones in the hearts of male listeners. There’s nothing formulaic about these frequently striking compositions, although there’s sometimes a disjointed relationship between the meter of the music and the meter of the lyrics. She’s fond of 6/8 time. In “Kamikaze”, for instance, she can make 6/8 rock—not a conventional approach. Lead vocal melodies are inelaborate, and styled like Edie Brickell-esque lazy loops. Harvey does not have a naturally strong voice. There’s a tremendous difference in quality between the sultry lower stretches and the weak and sometimes off-pitch upper regions of her contralto range. The syncopated 7/8 (over 3/4 on a single tone) on the verses of “One Line” is hypnotic—difficult to pull off, but she succeeds. Harvey excels on this album when she steps away from convention. Her more ‘pop’ compositions are okay, but the songs “One Line”, “Beautiful Feeling”, and the fittingly hopeful closing track “We Float” are all very good. They have an analgesic vibe. Her guitar playing is not flashy, but it sustains interest, with variety in chord structures and deft use of effects. It calls to mind The Edge of U2. The chief artistic merits of this album are PJ Harvey’s guitar and piano colorings, and their expansive tone. It is interesting. It’s nice. And good. I think I’ll listen again. 3/5

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

Where do they get this list of 'must hear' albums? They must be generated by a suicidal computer because there is no cheer or life in any of these albums.

I had heard of pj before, but never actually heard her. Was expecting something different. This was great, exciting, rocky, had a good esge to it. Will listen again

Rock alternativo.

Consistently good

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

Eh

I used to have this album. Maybe I still do (somewhere). I think I prefer "To Bring You My Love", but this is pretty good.

This is my 2nd PJ Harvey album since starting and the first one was a very easy 1 so I was pretty bummed when this popped up. That said, where the other album was very experimental, weird, and overall just hard to listent to; this is just more of a straightforward rock album. Really reminds me of Garbage or some of the more grungy female artists from the 90s, would fit right in with that era though I guess 2000 isn't that far behind. This Mess We're In has Thom Yorke out of nowhere. Not only was this album not a 1, I downright enjoyed it.

Very listenable. I do not know all the back stories, but glad this Thom collaboration happened.

PJ, eigenlijk vroeger nooit echt geluisterd, nu vond ik het echt eens lekker en mooi om te horen

Was even vergeten hoe briljant PJ is. Je moet haar een beetje op het juiste moment horen, maar als het je mood matcht is het zeker 5 sterren waard!

Mooi album, ook de duetten met Thom Yorke. Wel zwaar op de hand af en toe.

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

Enjoyable album

Bland, boring and repetitive barbage.

OK, probably worth another listen but not yer converted

You said something gayet guzel ama baska acip dinleyecegim sarkisi yok gibi sanki

PJ Harvey is explosive just at the right moments. She strikes a balance between thoughtful contemplative desperation and passionate and energetic anger, and manages to create a memorable and engaging experience with Stories from the City to the Sea. The record flows well and most tracks are cut off just at the right time, with the small exception of the last two. It is a difficult feat for most artists to have a song be engaging for more than a couple of minutes with today’s average attention span, and unfortunately these drag on for too long. As a Radiohead fanatic, Thom Yorke’s presence could never degrade my listening experience. However, his first feature is wasted on ‘Beautiful Feeling’, which sounds like an inferior version of the track that came before it, ‘One Line’. It tries nothing new, and does not have its tight instrumentals or energy. The quality continues on ‘The Whores…”, though I would gladly skip the last 30 seconds to escape from the annoyingly repetitive screaming. When Yorke returns on ‘This Mess We’re In’, it results in something that is hauntingly beautiful, narratively fascinating, and easily the best cut on this album. In the last couple of tracks, ’You Said Something’ and ‘This is Love’ further stand out as great moments. 4/5.

Fairly easy listening from PJ

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

A true album that is more than just a collection of songs. I need to give it another good listen.

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

Decent rock and roll.

Rockig

This is a fine album from a favorite of mine. Favorite songs ...A Place For Us, with some striking rhythm guitar work and a stellar pj vocal performance. The haunting It's the Best Thing. The muscular guitar chords of The Whore's Hustle and the Hustler's Whore. The beautiful duet with Thom Yorke on This Mess We're In and my favorite song the absolutely gorgeous You Said Something with a melody that will haunt you for days. Kamikaze sounds like it could have been straight from the Rid of Me sessions, and the closer We Float is as beautiful a ballad as Polly has ever penned. A solid 4 🌟 album for me.

Confession: although everyone seems to recommend PJ Harvey, I've only heard Let England Shake and I didn't like it. This one is better, but still not a big hitter for me. It takes some of the better sounds from alt-rock and steers it back into the mainstream of rock music. I like the unexpected Thom Yorke feature. I like Harvey's voice on the more lyrical tracks and when she uses more of her range - but not so much in the straight-ahead rock moments.

She has a great voice, but overall just didn't get this

I have three accounts, and this is the third listen for me. The first two times I gave this album a 3/5 stars rating. I had never heard of her before. Now, I'm kind of a fan. This album is pretty great. Solid 4/5 now.

pretty boring

An album full of highlights - and it's not even her best!

pj who meh

Oldschool Alternative Rock, dessen gute Songs vor allem von einer dichten Produktion mit ordentlich Gravitas profitieren. Nach mehrmaligem Hören kann selbst das nervige Sirenengeheul von „Kamikaze“ nicht den guten Eindruck versauen, den dieses kurzweilige und mit fluffigen Singles gespickte Ding erweckt. 3.5

If Phoebe from “Friends” had an album.

So great.

Thoroughly liked this one. I love turn of the century alt rock, and this is no exception.

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

Wow! Ladies with unusual voices! Vibey rock.

Late 90s/early 2000s sound. Me back then wouldn't have liked it back then. And me now isn't that into it now. But me now probably would have really liked it back then.

It's a good album, but I'm wondering if I don't know where it fits historically/contextually with it's time period. Today, it sounds like a very standard post-grunge era rock album. I've never been particularly into grunge in general. Favorite Songs: One Line Least Favorite Song: Beautiful Feeling

Solid, but just not hitting me as much more than that on first listen. The only other album of hers that I've heard is Let England Shake, and that was more of an immediate impact. It's still clear that she's one helluva musician and songwriter.

An interesting album, with some influences from Patti Smith, Radiohead and Bjork. (6/10) Favourite Tracks: This Mess We're In, Good Fortun

Very 90s despite 2000 release. First track: mismatched vocal with accompaniment. Second track Patti Smith clone. Gets better. Needs to be accompanied by something other that generic 90s alt guitar.

I like it

2nd listen. Really liking this album.

Properly enjoyed this album. Grungey feeling at times, and always a good level of rock music with strong vocals. Highlight was probably "This Mess We're In" with Thom Yorke or "This Is Love". Will probably listen again, and will have a look to see what else PJ Harvey has done.

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

great - better that my expectations. Good vocals and lyrics but the guitars are the best

Ok but not something on my everyday list

VOTI "Big Exit" 3 "Good Fortune" 1 "A Place Called Home" 3 "One Line" 3 "Beautiful Feeling" 3.5 "The Whores Hustle and.." 3 "This Mess We're In" 4 "You Said Something" 2 "Kamikaze" 4 "This Is Love" 3 "Horses in My Dreams" 3.5 "We Float" 2 AVG: 2.9 Pros: Thom Yorke e alcuni arrangiamenti mi sono piaciuti di più delle linee vocali, tipo "Kamikaze" oppure "Horses in my Dreams". Cons: Secondo me PJ Harvey ha un estensione vocale che non è adatta alle linee vocali che scrive. Per esempio in "Kamikaze" canta in falsetto e secondo me ci vorrebbe qualcosa di più potente. Mi è capitato di avere la stessa sensazione con altri pezzi della Harvey, tipo "Hardly wait" reinterpretata da Juliette Lewis secondo me rende di più. Conclusione: forse meriterebbe più un 2.5, ma considerando la media matematica e aggiungendo il bonus Thom Yorke arriva a 3.

More of a 3.5, but gonna round down. I liked it, but didn’t love it.

It was pretty good , the song with thom yorke was the best part

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

Lol

The third pj Harvey album and still not enjoying them. The mess were in is the best song I’ve heard yet from her only because thom Yorke sings with her. Still not an album for me. 2.6/10

maar wat saai & eentonig. Ik voelde hem niet

2.3 Ik vind het niet echt speciaal en eerder wat naar de zagende kant. Kon me niet echt bekoren. Its a nah for me

Ja, dat gaat Rustig album, ook mooi verloop. Ik ga zeker eens door haar discografie gaan

A bit boring

Strong 3

Second rate Fiona Apple

Stuck on what to give this cus I quite liked it, but a 4 star is maybe a bit too much. I will say I don’t think I heard the whole album, maybe missed 2-4 songs. She had a good voice, not much more I can think to say really. Maybe somewhere between a 3.25 and 3.5 star

Yeah, I mean this definitely feels like its from the 2000s. I can see how this influenced music, but the sound is almost too nostalgic for my tastes now. Probably because I didn't grow up listening to it, so I don't have the connection

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

Really enjoyed this. It definitely felt indicative of 90s music but also somehow felt fresh. Got New York City vibes throughout

Meh

Two songs in, I already love it. How come I'd never listened to this album before?

This Mess We're In: Io gli voglio tanto bene a Thom Yorke però quando fa le collaborazioni raramente riescono un po' come per tutti i cantanti con una forte identità artistica. In Conclusione: Questo disco mi ha messo un po' in difficoltà. Conoscevo i PJ Harvey solo di nome e non avevo mai ascoltato nulla. Al primo ascolto li ho trovati molto congeniali ai miei gusti e ho trovati alcuni pezzi interessanti del tipo "questo vorrei risentirlo" e la mia impressione generale era da 4, però qualcosa non mi convinceva. Al secondo ascolto credo di aver messo a fuoco cosa non mi convinceva: in questo disco i PJ Harvey sono un gruppo con una forte personalità, però mi sembra ci si adagino molto. I pezzi funzionano, l'atmosfera è coerente, però a livello compositivo sono tutti un po' scarsi, sembrano appunto il risultato del gruppo di musicisti che si chiude in sala a scrivere un pezzo, ognuno pensando al suo strumento e poi registra i pezzi cotti e mangiati. Non sembra esserci una visione olistica dei pezzi, magari è pure che non c'era un produttore a guidarli? (Non lo so perché non ho letto nulla a riguardo ancora). Comunque questa consapevolezza mi ha fatto rivalutare l'album ad un 3.

Inizialmente non avevo avuto una buona impressione poi con lo scorrere del disco è andata sempre meglio. C'è qualcosa che non mi convince nel suo stile però in generale è stato un ascolto piacevole che vorrò ripetere.

Tolle Frau, tolle Sängerin!

3/5

People who love the music I love adore Harvey, and think I should also. I do not love Harvey. It's another case of the voice grating on me, I'm afraid. I'm so influenced by that when enjoying music, and her voice really turns me off. It's a shame really because musically this could be pretty great.

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

My intro to Polly Jean. Still in my top 5 albums.

muito ruim

One of those artists that I've been aware of but never properly listened to. Elements of Patti Smith, Nick Cave, Radiohead etc. Very good. Would give it 3.5

2/5

I haven't really dabbled in PJ after the first couple of albums. Not as raw or barbed down as the earlier albums. This is a good album, with good songs.

Not come across PJ Harvey before. Unfortunately, I couldn't stand her voice!

My Absolute favourite PJ Harvey album, where many of her best songs were located, including: This is Love; You Said Something and Beautiful Feeling. None of her other records come close to the mastery she exhibits here for melody and lyrics. Boffo.

I don't think I've heard of her before and don't understand why this album has any significance. I don't think it's bad and it does have pleasant moments, but it just doesn't really seem interesting or innovative to me in any way. Sounds like radio-friendly background music to me. 2.5 rounded down.

Me gustó el álbum aunque necesito más escuchadas para profundizar en el por qué (?), pero así de rápido me gusto que suena como una Alanis Morissette gone dark(er?).

Ok but nothing that blew me away - enjoyed the alternative listen though

bleh. not a relisten. fine. 3 stars?

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

Unreal, very Patti smith

La primera parte de la carrera de PJ fue forjada bajo la cruz del blues. Acá yo, meco que soy, noto una onda más jingle jangle en la guitarra, mucho más melódica (esa línea de los Byrds que atraviesa los 80 y regala cumbres con R.E.M.) y arpegiada. Big Exit es una gran entrada (pun intended) para este disco. Good Fortune capitaliza ese sonido que intuyo. Brillante y muy emocionante, una de sus mejores canciones. A Place Called Home me remite a muchas cosas, todas muy cinematográficas, de esas de heroísmo pasional y romántico, también me retumba otra vez las formas vocales de Michael Stipe y en cuanto a sonido, las ondas pop de electrónica orgánica del Adore de los Smashing. Canta hermoso aquí. Puedo seguir con cada canción pero la neta mejor escúchenlo completo y díganle que lo haga a la persona que más confianza le tengan. Pd. La de The Whores Hustle.... le hubiera encantado a Kurt Cobain.

I thought this was pretty good, just a strong alt rock album. Her voice is great and it didn't fuck around with being super soft then loud then soft again like Rid of Me does. Like this more for sure

not my usual taste honestly but I did find one song I liked! This Mess We're In ft. Thom Yorke = good

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

Just like ya mate made an album and now you feel like you have to listen to it. This never really got me going and there were also a couple of shite songs.

Never been a fan of PJ Harvey, but I get the appeal. Was good to be forced to listen to an album of hers and I did like it. But I don’t think it’s converted me into a fan.

I enjoyed it, but no real standout tracks and I probably wouldn't revisit. 6/10

Pleasantly surprised by PJ Harvey. She gave me a Rashida Jones vibe. I give her album three Quincy's!

Pretty eclectic but not really my vibe.

Ace. Great voice and rocks when it rocks

Not my style.

Similar to other folks, its just a generic Indie sound and not one that I particularly enjoyed

Not a bad listen at all. Good background noise for when I was working. Nothing stood out as amazing but still a good album.

Good

Joni Mitchel's album was more varied than I expected, I really got into the atmosphere of her songs and the storytelling and that. I got more out of this than her Blue album. Listening to PJ Harvey while cleaning really helped with the cleaning. It had a lot of energy. Will listen again when I'm running or angry, or both.

Sounds a lot like something my dad would listen to. Nothing about this is really gripping me, i don't dislike it and the individual songs are okay though

Pretty boring. I don't usually say this, but the singer's voice started to wear on me a little.

Not bad, good background music. Pretty chill.

Aguante PJ Harvey! Un disco variado, sad, pesado, pegajoso, con ritmo, con depre, con melancolia. Tracks favoritos: this is love y kamikaze. Mood: viendo la lluvia escurrir por la ventana de un camión

3.1 + This one finds PJ Harvey with a sleeker sound, wearing an on-trend early aughts outfit on the cover and with guest appearances by Thom Yorke at his prime. I remember listening to this in 2000 and seeing her perform in Paris. The concert was blander than expected, and listening to this album again I can see why I found that show disappointing. What's all but absent here is the raw power, the angst and anger, the sexual ferocity. The album's look and sound are like a TJ Maxx version of PJ Harvey.

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

Mayormente rock instrumentista de una polifacética artista. Canciones con variedad de estilos en su interior, se puede escuchar bien. Le ha faltado algo, que quizás solo sea escucharlo más

It was alright. I liked the songs with Thom Yorke and I thought the songwriting was pretty compelling, but her voice was frustrating at a lot of points. Worth another listen at some point but generally just some okay alt-rock.

Haunting and soulful... Thom Yorke guest vocals... miss not listening to this album.

8/10 jiji

Polly Jean es una de esas artistas en mi vida que no están presentes todo todo el tiempo, pero que me encantan. Tiene una fuerza creativa muy chida, "Beautiful Feeling" fue por mucho tiempo mi favorita de este disco, aunque "This Is Love" y "This Mess We're In" también tenían lo suyo. Reescucharla con atención hizo que ahora me gusten mucho "A Place Called Home" y "Kamikaze" (con todo lo rockera que suena está última). La voz de PJ me encanta, tanto cuando se aloca como cuando canta tranquila, en calma. El disco abre enérgico y tiene un cierre más moderado. La quiero mucho. No tengo skips en este disco.10/10

Nice indie rock stuff, cool collab with thom yorke thrown in as well

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

Actually really liked this one. An album that was honestly a little heavier than I expected and would go back and forth from that to more of that singer songwriter vibe. Good stuff. Favorite Tracks: “Big Exit,” “Beautiful Feeling,” and “The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore

Felt overall like very average indie pop rock. I listened to it three times and never disliked a song, but had trouble connecting with anything.

Great one, never heard it in full until now

great

It was a good listen, definitely of a certain era/point in time in altpop music. I didn't love it, but no complaints.

meh

Fairly ambivalent about this album. Didn't dislike it, but didn't care either

Decent background music but nothing stand out.

Nice P.Js Simpson

Recordaba a PJ Harvey como parte de esa ola de mujeres del rock alternativo noventero con cierta actitud que me agradaban. De hecho quizá como una de las que más personalidad propia y fuerza tenían. En especial le recordaba un par de canciones del disco Rid of You que valían mucho la pena. Este disco... no es malo... es... promedio. Tanto las letras como la música pareciera que perdieron la pasión anterior. Este disco se siente mucho menos crudo, más maduro y vulnerable. Para muchos eso sería quizá algo bueno pero en mi opinión siento que pierde lo que le daba chispa y se siente ahora sí como una música medio promedio, aburrida del montón. La idea de las letras basadas en lo que le inspira de NY pues... bien... algunos coros decentes, a ratos pareciera imitando a PAtti Smith pero a final de cuentas sintiéndose medio vanal tanto musical como líricamente. Todo se siente promedio con algunos puntos que la levantan apenas lo necesario para no llamarle mediocre (Kamikaze se siente lo suficientemente honesta y This Mess es interesante) pero no suficientes como para salvar el disco. Una lástima que la recordaba como un artista mucho más interesante y en este disco pareciera que perdió su dinamismo.

i liked this one actually