Reviews (page 2 of 13)
Project 1001 #3 Pre thoughts - with Myles Davis i'd heard of him but never listened to jazz REM i'd heard of but never sat down with PJ i somehow have never heard of at all, yet she sits here with a top 1001 album on RYM. Post thoughts: Holy shit. Bumping Steps while an album like this came out the same time seems bizarre (even if i was 5 at the time) Even the first tracks that are your by the numbers rock tracks instrumental wise is still captivating. Then tom yorke comes in and its a sign of things to come which is "yeah we're gonna try some stuff out" Fav songs: All of them tbh
Fååk det var godt! Jeg ved det er godt når den 11 årige siger: "Den var du spillet for mig før, og jeg elsker den stadig!"
PJ Harvey formår at være både skramlet, intens, skrøbelig og smuk på en gang.
PJ Harvey is simply one of the best to ever do it. This might be her best album but I think I say that every single time.
I love Polly H but even I’m surprised that she has had three albums in the first 134 RPG, glad she has though and this is her very very best in my view, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!!!!!!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Tom.
This is the first artist that I have gotten that I know really well. I probably have played this album at least half dozen times before this re-listen. Even this time, I played it two and a half times and had a hard time making notes. Let me try and explain. The listening window for this album came around the time by personal life was exploding and then the world changed. Again. I'm not sure how much it affected my listening this time but the way I listened to music from about 2000-2003 changed. I wanted something to escape or so enrapt me in the analysis in a way that wasn't too serious. I don't remember much about the first go around here. This time, a lyric would hit and I would go off and think about it and come back. The song would almost be over and another line or two would push me away from the currency of the song. So good. Like a good lick of ice cream that slows you down so much that you can't eat it quick enough. "I can't think and I'm silenced" Or the 90s repackaging of particular sounds of Elastica and Luscious Jackson but in a new way on A Place Called Home. This is her beautiful sounds for ugly people. It marks a change in what she had been doing in terms of ugly sounds and anger. I hate to say mature because it is just different. It was the first of two Mercury's for her. I really appreciate PJ. While This is Love is one of the only kinda singalong here, the rest are well worth a listen if only I could keep my attention on the lyrics. Many listens are rewarding. This is why I think this is a 5 for me.
So delicate, excellent song writing, meaningful lyrics. Music composition by PJ and her band I regard as very underrated. Keeps things interesting and exciting
The beginning of the middle of her career…and it’s a triumph!
God she's so cool
Another PJ Harvey record and another great one. Thoroughly enjoyed it. 5/5
Awesome
diva
Day 263 Wonderful album I was not familiar with at all. Full marks. Highlights The whores hustle… This mess we’re in
PJ Harvey is cool. She has a great voice. I really enjoyed this album.
Tämä taitaa olla PJ Harveyn kaikista helposti lähestyttävin albumi, mikä ei kuitenkaan tarkoita sitä, että kyseessä olisi mikään tylsä pop-levy. Biisit ovat täynnä hienoja melodioita ja koukkuja. Kappalelista on niin hyvä, että parhaita on vaikea valita. Onneksi Polly Jeanilta on vielä tulossa kolme muuta albumia tällä listalla, vaikkakin loistava To Bring You My Love puuttuukin.
GORGEOUS album, incredibly well written stuff, and i thought thom's feature on this mess we're in worked so well with her voice. cannot wait to relisten sometime
heard this album countless times.. a place called home is one of my favorite songs of all time. i just want to go to nyc and run through the city blocks and listen to this album. new weekend plan just dropped i think. i love pj so much. easy 5 <3
CLASSIC.
THOM YORKE WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?? I've listened to an older PJ Harvey record - Dry - before this as my brother got it as his daily album so I knew this was going to be good right from the get-go but holy shit was I still blown away. A lot more artsy than what I've heard from her before with a lot more ear-candy and stories told through song rather than pure energy but I'm not complaining. Amazing instrumentation and such a strong voice to compliment it. I'm seriously mad at myself for never listening to PJ Harvey before. If I was stranded on an island and could only bring one artist's discography, it would definetly be Harvey's. Favourite tracks: A Place Called Home, This Mess We're In, Kamikaze, This Is Love, This Wicked Tongue 5/5
This is my first time hearing it in it's entirety and it's a miraculous album. Maybe because it's not as out there as some of her 90s projects, but still has her fierce grit to grab your attention. The only track I didn't care for was "Horses In My Dreams", but every other song on here was downright solid and emotional. (9.8) ★★★★½
Hard to believe this is more than a quarter of a century old, it still sounds as fresh and potent as it always did. No bad tracks and the good ones are amazing.
10/10 love
life in the city as a woman in my late 20s
This is a fine album of great songs...one of Harvey's best.
PJ Harvey is proof that music is an art form, and she shows it by being a multi-instrumentalist and talented songwriter. just about every song sounds different to each other a is able to reinvent herself on just about every album. This album and Bring you My Love are probably her best, and This is Love is probably my favourite song that she has done
When to listen: Sunny Fall Gilmore Girls day (duh.) Obviously new "One Line" from the show but really loved this whole album and understand why Rory liked her. Intelligent lyrics, interesting chords, all around a good listen.
Such a cool album
it’s like an emotionally mature grunge.
Can rate this without even listening to it. I bought it when it was released and still listen to it to this day. Great album and perhaps more accessible than some of her other stuff. Some great rock songs mixed with slower and at times a little more experimental songs. 5 stars
Over 800 albums in and finally my first PJ Harvey album! And what a one to start with, arguably her best with how much of a range it has. She of course shows some amazing moments where she really goes for it and rocks out, but doesn't ever shy away from showing the much calmer side of her sound too. The whole thing really is just so well put together, both in terms of the music but the lyrics too with her amazing storytelling abilities as she clearly had a lot she wants to say.
Holy crap. This was great! Took me totally by surprise, I wasn't expecting this to be this good. Didn't know much about PJ Harvey aside from the name, but this is a GREAT rock album, really solid all the way through. I'll be returning to this one for sure!
Excellent album! PJ is the 50 foot Queenie!
classic alt rock that i like :3
Great album by an amazing artist. Recorded over only 2 months with very sparse instrumentation. I saw Polly perform at Splendour in support of this album in the Moshpit one of my best ever gig experiences. Definitely 5 stars and then some. Great co production and performances by Mick Harvey, Robert Ellis and colab with Thom York
amazinggg
Every time I return to this I remember how masterful it is. A perfect picture of New York. Of love. And an album that show the world that alternate music was alive and well in the year 2000. PJ Harvey is an absolute all timer and so is this record. Everyone should own this on vinyl.
Fantastic to be back listening to this - it’s been to long!
The scream on “The Whores Hustle…” is glorious, banger. “We Float” is absolutely euphoric after the tense experience fostered throughout the rest of the album. Excellent pacing, 4 stars for now but can definitely see it growing on me. I’ll see tomorrow.
Love this album!!!
I don't understand what it is exactly that I liked so much about this record but I couldn't stop playing it so I guess it's a 5
music is love
1: You Said Something 2: This Is Love 3: Good Fortune
LOVE
This was a great, great album. I've heard of PJ Harvey, but she is really not played on the radio that much, so I had no idea what to expect. I'd equate it to Fiona Apple, but more guitar than piano based. I ended up with more than half of these songs in my personal library. So many great tracks. Good Fortune, A Place Called Home, One Line, The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore, This Mess We're In (bonus having Thom Yorke), You Said Something, Kamikaze, and We Float were all excellent songs. 5 stars. Way, way beyond what I ever expected.
Weird how the best musical depiction of pre-9/11, Giuliani and gentrification NYC, that isn’t Illmatic, is from an alt-rock album by a goddamned Brit.
GOD
Vocals were good, but instrumentals were peak
Love it.
4,5
Absolute heater gonna be all I want to hear for weeks
Own this on CD, loved it when it came out and still today.
Always loved this one. 5 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Listen to this at least once a week.
Not really into PJs 90s stuff but this is very different - the fantastic cover suggests a more mature Harvey, backed up by the music, lyrics, instrumentation, production. Big Patti Smith vibes overall. This Is Love still a highlight but the keyboard/vibraphone combo at the end of One Line is brilliant.
Lush and beautiful
good
yes
Was torn on it but the final song ended up swinging me, loved this one. Wasn't familiar with her at all, and though there were a few misses like half the songs I really liked. That heavier late 90's / early 00's alt feel just wins me over, with similar vibes to say Alanis Morissette or Bjork.
Pretty much perfect
don’t think I’ll be coming back to it a lot because it’s pretty sad but objectively phenomenal record
fan-fucking-tastic. a guidebook for female indie rockers everywhere (me for sure...)
Oh my, my second favourite PJ Harvey's album!!! (My biggest favourite is To Bring You My Love and my third favourite is Uh Huh Her, both unfortunately NOT in this list. Shame, shame, shame. My biggest reccomendations to listen to these too if you liked this one!) Honestly, I think this is probably her best album. It all sounds so fresh, so cohesive and never boring. Every song is superb. Storytelling is great. I just love this album so much and for so long.
PJ Harvey has always been a known name, but I have never really gotten into her music; Just a song here or there. This has been an eye opener (or ear opener perhaps). It started a little slow, while listening in the car on my way to work, but after a while something happened. I slowly got dragged into it. It started around Beautiful Feeling, the first of two songs with Thom Yorke. I think his voice and presence pairs really well with Harveys voice. From here and out I really enjoyed the rest of the songs. I had a feeling that I missed out on the first half, so I had to do a second round. And I was right, now I really enjoyed the whole album. I am defintely not done with this record and I am looking forward to check out more of her stuff. Favourite songs: This Mess We’re In, You Said Something, This Is Love and Kamikaze.
2026.01.19. Az első női előadó, amit kaptam, legjobb eddig!
Varies excellence
Excelente álbum con un buen repertorio de canciones de inicio a fin.
PJ Harvey got herself glammed up and recorded her most polished set of songs, including some stunners like “Big Exit,” “Good Fortune” and “This is Love,” whose lyrics I adore: “I can’t believe that the axis turns / on suffering when you taste so good.” This is the album where she mostly set aside her more topical and pointed subject matter and aimed for the heart. In retrospect it was kind of a transitional album for her but man, it works.
speechless
- 10/10 beautiful voice - so moody - obviously Thom Yorke track is amazing but also loved Kamikaze and the more upbeat tracks - Horses in my Dreams lovely
Um disco arauto dos anos 2000 que pode ser descrito "como soava Nova York pré-11 de setembro". Big Exit é magnânima. Nunca falha em me por em um estado de mania por alguns minutos. Tantas outras músicas são incríveis, as quais escuto no dia a dia. O aspecto visceral incorporado em forma de música sempre... Ele está longe da definição de um álbum perfeito e de atender a todas as baboseiras estipuladas por críticos preocupados em masturbar seus egos, mas, sem sombra de dúvidas, é um disco que se destaca na premissa desse projeto.
Stella, magnificent flawless.
Her best record I think
T Yorke surprise. Best listened loud.
excellent album
Another one of my favorites. The vibes are perfect.
Fuck yeaaaaaaahhhh <33
LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! ICON, COOL, NOT A SINGLE SKIP, PJ I WISH I WAS AS COOL AS YOU.
I love this record
I really enjoyed this, the album is like a dark, moody, and maybe downright depressing version of Sex in the City captured in music. PJ Harvey has this sadness but also a power that reminds me of Sylvia Plath or Patti Smith. Sad, messy, but knows exactly what they want. I love the collaboration with Thom Yorke in The Mess We're In. I also really enjoyed We Float - there is a sense of something uplifting on the other side in this entanglement of messy, lost people.
I have no words to qualify this album. It’s all killer, no filler. Polly Jean delivers non-conformism, nostalgia, and drive song after song. These songs make me think I’m walking in New York during a cold night, fearless and eager for something, don’t know what, maybe just happy to be alive. It’s a perfect album
GIRL RAGE!!! And it’s braided with tenderness and excellent lyrics.
Brooklyn
An easy 5. My mate introduced me to this back when I was a teenager, and it still sounds as incredible now as it did back then. Often return to this as well as a few other PJ Harvey records and I genuinely think she is one of the artists of this generation. Not a bad song on this!
The kind of album you listen to at 1 am when you’re a drunken mess
Finally an album that I really love!!
Quite simply flawless.
Wow what an end to The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore. I enjoyed this album a lot.
My first time listening to this album and I was very pleasantly surprised. I am now a PJ Harvey fan and look forward to listening to her other albums. 10/10.
Great to hear this album again. Intense music of infatuated love and every song is strong! Loved the sparse arrangements and varieties of vocal styles. Was a great album 25 years ago and still sounds like it now.
Mega godt, elsker PJ
Super. Meni poznan in ljub album. "Big Exit" je super začetek albuma. "Good Fortune" je itak amazing. Sledi ful enih chill komadov. "The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore" mi je en ljubših. Od teh k je zraven Thom Yorke mi je "This Mess We're In" super. V bistvu skor bl deluje k a Radiohead song. Odličen duet. "You Said Something" je ful lep. "Kamikaze" žge, as it should, s tem naslovom. "This Is Love" mi je tud en ljubših. "We Float" je kul za zaključek albuma. Tak mal minimalističen, ampak efektiven - 'take life as it comes'. Nimam kj za rečt, I love this album, pozn je, večerjat bi šla.
Great Album, Alainis Morrisset meets Nirvana
Bra album, burde hør mer på PJ. Ekstra pluss for duett med TJ.
Banging indie rock, female vocalist, classic vibes, ultra cool. What's not to like?
Brilliant
Easy 5 for me. What a transition from punk to.. well.. I guess post punk. She has her own sound, her own universe. In the same spheres as Nick Cave, Radiohead. And it's not a surprise that they are so intertwined.
Album No. 0077 on my list. I’ve been aware of the existence of PJ Harvey, but I can’t remember ever consciously listening to her music. “Stories from The City, Stories From The Sea” really was a first for me. And one that I did enjoy! I like the music, I like her voice, I like the lyrics, I like the vibe! Cool record all around. I’m a huge Radiohead fan, so I enjoyed both collaborations with Thom Yorke as well. “This Mess We’re In” is indeed my favorite from this album, alongside with “A Place Called Home”, “Beautiful Feeling”, and “The Whores Hustle And The Hustlers Whore”. I’m a bit insecure about the final rating, but I’ve had a little streak of both mediocre and very bad albums and am in need for a very good one, so I’ll narrowly give the highest rating. 5/5 stars!
Never heard this before! And somehow PJ Harvey has only ever existed on the periphery of my musical knowledge. An "Oh, yeah, I think I've heard of her" figure who I couldn't name a single song by. Such a shame, this is one hell of an album. So many different dimensions she hits on. Moody, head-bangy, atmospheric, grungy, experimental in points. Just so awesome. Will be revisiting, and probably exploring her discography more as well. Great listen!
This is a very good album, “This Mess we’re in” is a masterpiece.
great pick. Had never listened before
141/1001 PJ Harvey - Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea Heard before? ✅ Revisit? ✅ This album will always be my go to PJ Harvey album. It was the album where it all clicked for me, having first heard her after winning her second Mercury Prize for Let England Shake and not fully appreciating it then, but there was enough to make me hear more. There's both lightness and darkness in this, without leaning too heavily into either. The standout for me is the combination of The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore next to This Mess We're In.
good indie/alt stuff + an awesome voice always works for me. her name is also fun to pronounce peee jaaaay harveeey
Very stoked about this one, what a week Thom Yorke jump scare <3
I will probably have a hyper-fixation on this for a while.
Fucking captivating
no, i don't have a artist ex who turn to using music as a therapy after we broke up but ultimately got out from it while still being friends with me. and yes, this is not the album that miss polly harvey made after she decided to broke up with nick cave because she just don't feel like being in the relationship. but i still put on my headphone and was in the town of a thousand friendships. they both moved out from the relationship: Polly making the more "heavy" and darker Is This Desire, and Nick creating The Boatman's Call as a way of healing. the next step, as you all see, is a stylistic shift. Nick shredded off his darker side and took up gospel influences while Polly also leans toward the brightness. she moved to the concreate jungle where dreams are made of. Stories is not like other of her albums. less black and while anger and more nightime walking through urban area, despite the sometimes throwback to her earlier sounds. because you see, everything will still be beautiful even though you are no longer young and pretty. so my spirit floats down 3rd street, across the brooklyn bridge, and returned back to an unsinkable manhattan. through the diamond streets and faint smells of pizza and coffee and the weird al concerts i missed, its at a few blocks away that i met a familliar figure. oh hello thom, i waved toward the creator of kid A. his voice floats like a spectre as usual above the alt rock arrangements which is always a delight to hear. he smiled and then vanished like the crypid that he always is. with his and polly's voice in my head, with the rage, the emotion highs and lows, the new feelings in a greatest love, i continue walking down the streets of manhattan pass my faint memories and vivid memories, into my uncertain future coming from the tides and back to those streets again. 5/5
Really good, stuff I did not know about this when it came out.
I super underestimated this album. I didn’t know anything about PJ before listening to this album but based off the two tracks featuring Thom Yorke I was afraid the album would be intentionally difficult/challenging and maybe even a little avant-garde. Thankfully that intuition was wrong. This album is surprisingly heavy and a little Rock focused. All of which I think helped the album become more accessible to me. That being said one of the four songs on the album that I didn’t end up saving/liking was one of the Thom features (Beautiful Feeling) and the other three weren’t offensive or bad, just underwhelming or forgettable. But honestly I really love this album. This is an album I look forward to finding and adding to my collection. Easily a classic of whatever genre you call this.
'I want a pistol / I want a gun / I'm scared baby / I wanna run'; 'Cause baby I'm just a scared and lonely rider / But I gotta know how it feels.' Polly, like Bruce, runs b/c she's scared and at the end of her rope. That feeling of a last-ditch effort pervades the entire record, simultaneously providing it w/ edge and flight, attitude and restraint. Despite the obvious comparisons to Patti Smith, Polly is a fresh and moving approach to the perennial tropes of popular music: love, sex, drugs, violence. Besides, if we're doing honest comps, this is Because-Of-The-Night-Patti (I know, more Springsteen, but that's where I'm at), not Radio Ethiopia or even Horses. Words like 'brave' or 'fearless' don't do this album justice: how 'bout 'destined,' 'staggering'?
The good old days when the best songs were the singles
Great
Never heard of them, but it really enjoyed this. One of the few albums that got a 2nd listen immediately after finishing the first.
Avaliei toda a discografia da PJ Harvey em uma época bem específica da minha vida, e tenho um enorme apreço pelo trabalho desta artista. Acho tudo que ela faz extremamente maravilhoso, e este disco especificamente está entre os meus favoritos dela. Uma produção imaculada e linda, a voz dela flutua sob esses instrumentais requintados e reservados. Seus vocais são consistentemente de tirar o fôlego, as letras traduzem muito bem as angústias da vida urbana, e se mescla brilhantemente com a melancolia romântica que todos nós sofremos. No quesito técnico, tudo é impecável aqui. Não dá para não mencionar as duas participações incríveis do Thom Yorke, vocalista do Radiohead. Ele eleva um disco, que já era bom, para níveis estratosféricos, e casa perfeitamente com o estilo que a PJ propôs para esta obra em específico. Ao todo, é um ótimo disco. Em poucos momentos eu acho que ele tropeça, ou engasga, em si mesmo, mas nada que seja o suficiente para diminuir sua nota, ao meu ver. É um disco quase-quase-quase perfeito. E ainda não é meu favorito dela! E sei que meu favorito também está na lista, então já estou ansioso para falar sobre ele. Mas por enquanto, bem satisfeito de re-escutar esse maravilhoso álbum. 5/5
Great album
I really loved this album. As much as I enjoyed ‘Rid Of Me’, this album feels like a step forward and for me sets itself apart as PJ Harvey’s best album. It feels far more substantial and accessible than her previous albums, and there isn't a filler track to be found. Each song has it's place and the incredible flow & variety of brilliant songs makes for a 5/5 review from me.
Beautiful voice beautiful lyrics beautiful guitars - love u
love this one
Oh thank goodness, absolute redemption from yesterday! Here we go straight into one of the great albums of all time! Every song is great with a lot of diversity and the track order works very well. Such great songs and vocal performances! This album is definitely one of my faves from her great catalogue.
i dont want to just hand out 5/5s but this is actually amazing
I always like her when I listen, but never actually listen
Eu amo
Love! Would listen to more of her
My favorite PJ Album
5/1001 - Call me Saoirse Ronan cause I'm that meme of her in Little Women looking emotional and just going "women."
Really glad it was this album cover which was stuck on my home screen for two weeks. PJ is the greatest.
Low 5
I used to think PJ Harvey was too shoegaze or whatever for me, but listening to this album as a whole and realizing how many single songs I love off of it (the thom yorke song haunts me always), I am now a full convert.
Awesome
This album won me over. I was NOT a fan at the beginning. It was just not what I was expecting. But by the third or fourth song, I understood. This is a gritty, emotional, breathtaking album. And it's not supposed to make you feel good. But it IS good. I ended up loving the album for all it is and all it isn't. I can't believe I had never heard of PJ Harvey before this.
Everything I love about 90s alt dialed up to 100. One of my favorites of all time. Polly Jean the woman you are!
Haven’t listened to this in a while, forgot just how good it is. I mean it has 2 Thom Yorke features!
banger
great album
Pj harvey, the only 2 times winner of the Mercury price (as of 2024) I find the Mercury prize weird, theres great winners: Suede, pulp, Arctic monkeys, Franz Ferdinand, English teacher. But some I really don’t like: roni size, badly drawn boy. But I still think it’s a great capsulation of styles. On ‘beautiful feeling’ I was literally just thinking, sounds like Radiohead, thom york is literally on there… and he’s on another ‘the mess we’re in’- which is a very good song (possibly the albums best), weirdly this is the closest he’s got to a mercury prize is this album. I like the heavy ones a good bit ‘big exit’ and ‘the whores hustle and the hustlers whore’ and ‘kamikaze’ great examples of this, on the latter two PJ also goes to an incredibly high register, respect for her there. Good fortune is a great single and this is love (even though I don’t find the latter to be one of the most exciting on the album as a whole). If it was between this/ dry and rid of me I’d pick this
Fabulous album
PJ Harvey with Thom Yorke is one of the best things that’s ever happened
Gentler listen from PJ Harvey. The album has both light and shade, and a couple tracks featuring Thom Yorke. Thoroughly enjoyed this one.
жесть крутая тетя, я уже фанатка кажется she was pregnant with st vincent here
Amazing, some songs were a little too slow but overall it's a amazing. 5/5
So great
Not a hardship to listen to this one as it's only a few days that I did in "normal" l know that PJ was not happy with this one as the sound was too slick and mainstream for her, but the songs are so strong and the overall mood so cohesive, that it's power and brilliance is impossible to deny. In my favourite three albums of hers with Rid Of Me and Let England Shake.
PJ goes mainstream whilst still maintaining her integrity.
thom yorke jump scare
HEY!!!!
Its so hard to review someone who is the coolest person alive, no matter what she does. Like if she cooked me a plate of noodles it would be 5 stars just because its PJ. So, who am I to give anything but 5?
This will be my third PJ Harvey record on this album journey, following her early 1990s output. I already heard the single "Good Fortune" last year and liked it. How does the rest of Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea compare? Simply put, this is a very exuberant alternative record, capturing the sort of joy and raw beauty that PJ must have felt towards the turn of the century. From the pursuit of love on "Good Fortune", to the positivity shown where she was at the time on "A Place Called Home", to outright confirming her sentiments on "Beautiful Feeling", her energy, complemented by the brighter textures in the guitar melodies and reverb, made this album come off very warm and pleasant to listen to. While an argument can be made that Stories was her "mainstream" record, the album still retains darker undertones and experimentation to keep it above a typical commercial pop sound. Opening with PJ's own observations of gun obsession on "Big Exit", the rat race of bustling city life on "The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore", the implied aggressive sexual act on "Kamikaze" while dealing with the emotional fallout on "This Is Love", all culminating in the sentiment on "We Float" where the bid is made to make the most out of what life has to offer before our souls move on to the afterlife. Along the way, there are some abrasive guitar riffs on tracks like "This is Love" and "The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore" to match the grittier tone, along with notable contributions from Thom Yorke of Radiohead on tracks like "This Mess We're In" and "Beautiful Feeling" to add dimensionality to those tracks from having the male counterpart for the relationship exploration she delves into. Even more sobering is the piano-led ballad "Horses in My Dreams", where PJ recalls some vivid imagery in her sleep that could be interpreted as her free spirit, unburdened and able to roam wherever she wanted to. Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea was an impressive record. I know that PJ was already well-established as a singer-songwriter by this point, but even then, this album feels superbly ethereal in its sentiments of a moment of bliss, so frail and fleeting, yet it came when it needed to.
one of my favorites albums of 2000s. fuck it, it's 5/5.
I love PJ Harvey. I hate I've given a couple of her other albums 3 stars on here, she's one of my favorite all-time artists since I did a deepdive of her. This is probably my third favorite of hers behind Is This Desire and Dry, but each of her albums have their own feel. This one definitely makes me the happiest out of all of hers. The Thom Yorke cameo works so well, love the album art as well. 18th perfect album, 782 albums in. Rating: 5.0
I enjoyed this album. There is a timelessness about her voice that I love. I really enjoyed this album and will be returning to it over time
Absolutely fantastic album.Unique and fresh.Most of the songs are amazing!
THAT WAS SO FUCKING GOOD BRO 9.3/10. Like I have no idea what I was expecting but it had so much variety and some of the songs went so insanely hard. Like dear GOD the best on "We Float" is so mad. Absolutely AMAZING album I fucking loved it sm
It was nice hearing a female voice after do many male ones. Really good album. It even encouraged me to listen to some of her other songs. Added a coule to my playlist
What a great Album
I think PJ Harvey's vocal intonation and chosen production style for this album go together very well. The Thom Yorke contributions are crazy to me since both Harvey and Radiohead feel like such singular artists who exist outside of the tides of the music industry (which isn't true since both Harvey and Yorke have always drawn attention from critics whose praise was conditional on how 'experiemental' each new album was, with comparatively mainstream-sounding albums such as this one being snubbed as sellout-bait.) I am giving this an honorary 5 on account of To Bring You My Love not being on this list for some reason.
BANGER
Wow!!!! I REALLY love this album!!!! Had never heard of this group before. SOOOO GOOD!!!! Every song is a WIN!!!
tom yhorke es mi novio
Ja.
masterclass. flawless
This is my first PJ Harvey listen and it is exquisite. Big Patti Smith energy, punk sensibility, layered with beauty. A sublime piece from a singular artist.
9/10
PJ Harvey is always a jam and this has some of her best songwriting
Velvet underground Patti smith Liz Phair Fantastic
Enjoyed
banger fr
This was really very good. I like PJ Harvey a lot. So far I've saved "The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore" and "The Mess We're In". I'm on my second listen.
Forgotten what a fantastic emotional album this was
Amazin
## In-Depth Review: *Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea* by PJ Harvey **PJ Harvey’s fifth studio album, *Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea* (2000), stands as a pivotal work in her discography, marking a shift toward melodic accessibility, urban storytelling, and lush production. This review examines the album’s lyrics, music, production, themes, and influence, and offers a balanced assessment of its strengths and weaknesses.** --- ## Lyrics **Directness and Urban Focus** Unlike Harvey’s earlier, more metaphor-laden work, the lyrics on *Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea* are strikingly direct. The album’s title suggests a dichotomy, but the lyrics are overwhelmingly city-centric, often painting vivid portraits of urban life and relationships. The city is rendered as a universal, almost mythic space, with Harvey’s observations rooted in her experiences in New York but never confined to a single locale[1][2]. Songs like “The Whore’s Hustle and the Hustler’s Whore” and “This Mess We’re In” evoke cityscapes and the people who inhabit them, blending personal and collective narratives[1]. **Themes of Love, Freedom, and Contradiction** Love dominates the lyrical landscape, but Harvey’s take is nuanced—oscillating between hope and despair, intimacy and alienation. “Big Exit” opens the album with a sense of euphoria and escape, while “Good Fortune” channels the restless spirit of a modern-day drifter, longing for freedom and improvisation over routine[3]. The lyrics often juxtapose beauty and violence, as in “Kamikaze” and “The Whores Hustle and the Hustler’s Whore,” where the language of the heart collides with the language of survival[3][4]. **Emotional Range and Poetic Economy** Harvey’s lyricism here is economical—no word is wasted. There’s a new immediacy: where previous albums masked meaning in metaphor, *Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea* lays its themes bare, making the emotional stakes clear and relatable[5]. The album’s closing lines, “But one day/We’ll float/Take life as it comes,” encapsulate its blend of longing and acceptance[4]. --- ## Music **Melodic Sophistication and Accessibility** Musically, the album marks a departure from Harvey’s earlier, rawer sound. The production is cleaner, the arrangements fuller, and the melodies more sophisticated[1][2]. Harvey herself described the album as “very melodic, and much rounder and fuller” than her previous work, aiming for “absolute beauty” and “lush layers of melody”[2]. This results in a set of songs that are both accessible and emotionally resonant, with hooks that linger. **Dynamic Range and Instrumentation** The album moves fluidly between sparse, intimate tracks and expansive, pop-infused structures[6]. Songs like “Good Fortune” and “You Said Something” are buoyant and radio-friendly, while “Kamikaze” and “This Is Love” retain Harvey’s edge, with forceful vocals and driving guitars[1][4]. The band’s interplay is tight, with subtle additions like harpsichord and layered harmonies enriching the soundscape[3]. **Vocal Performance** Harvey’s vocal approach on this album is notable for its restraint and beauty. While her earlier records were marked by theatricality and rawness, here she often opts for a more traditional, melodic delivery[1]. This shift enhances the album’s accessibility but occasionally sacrifices the dramatic intensity that characterized her previous work. Notable exceptions include the snarling delivery on “The Whore’s Hustle and the Hustler’s Whore” and the explosive “Kamikaze”[1]. **Collaborations** A highlight is the collaboration with Thom Yorke of Radiohead, who provides lead vocals on “This Mess We’re In” and backing vocals and keyboards on other tracks. Yorke’s falsetto adds a new dimension, creating a haunting counterpoint to Harvey’s voice and deepening the album’s emotional palette[1][2]. --- ## Production **Polished and Lush** Co-produced by Harvey, Mick Harvey, and Rob Ellis, and mixed by Victor Van Vugt, the album boasts a polished, radio-ready sound without sacrificing depth[2]. The production is rich in reverb and layered instrumentation, giving the songs a sense of space and grandeur. Harvey’s intention was to create something “beautiful, sumptuous, lovely,” a reaction against the darker, more experimental textures of her previous albums[2]. **Clarity and Balance** The mix is balanced, allowing each instrument to breathe. The guitars are crisp, the drums punchy, and the vocals sit prominently in the mix. There’s a clarity that serves the directness of the songwriting, making the album approachable for a broader audience[1][2]. --- ## Themes **Urban Experience and Dislocation** The album’s central theme is the tension between city life and the desire for escape. The city is both a place of connection and alienation, love and violence. Harvey explores the contradictions of modern life—freedom versus routine, beauty versus brutality—through the lens of personal relationships and urban imagery[1][6][5]. **Love and Hope Amidst Corruption** While love is the dominant theme, it’s never uncomplicated. Harvey balances hopefulness with an awareness of society’s corruption and despair[6]. The songs suggest that love and the quest for freedom are what make life’s hardships bearable. **Restlessness and the Search for Meaning** Many tracks evoke a sense of restlessness and longing for something more—whether it’s escape from the city, a deeper connection, or personal transformation. This is reflected both lyrically and musically, with songs that shift between exuberance and introspection[3]. --- ## Influence **Critical and Commercial Impact** *Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea* was a major critical and commercial success, earning Harvey the 2001 Mercury Prize and platinum certification in the UK and Australia[2]. It spent 17 weeks on the UK Albums Chart and is widely regarded as one of her best works, ranked in Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time[2]. **Legacy and Place in Harvey’s Catalog** The album represents a turning point for Harvey, demonstrating her ability to craft accessible, emotionally rich music without diluting her artistic voice. It influenced a generation of alternative and indie musicians, showing that it was possible to blend raw authenticity with pop sensibility[6][2]. --- ## Pros and Cons | Pros | Cons | |------|------| | Direct, evocative lyricism with universal themes[1][5] | Some loss of the raw theatricality of earlier albums[1] | | Sophisticated, melodic songwriting and arrangements[2] | Traditional vocal approach may disappoint fans of her edgier style[1] | | Lush, polished production enhances accessibility[2] | Occasionally sacrifices intensity for beauty[1][3] | | Emotional range: balances hope, love, and despair[6][4] | Pop-oriented sound may alienate fans of her more experimental work[3] | | Standout collaborations (notably with Thom Yorke)[1][2] | Some critics and Harvey herself see it as a less “true” expression of her artistry[3] | | Lasting influence and critical acclaim[2] | | --- ## Conclusion *Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea* is a masterclass in balancing accessibility with depth. PJ Harvey’s direct lyricism, melodic sophistication, and lush production make it one of the most compelling albums of the early 2000s. While it may lack some of the rawness and experimental edge of her earlier work, its emotional honesty and musical craftsmanship have ensured its enduring influence and status as a high point in Harvey’s career.
I'm a fan of PJ Harvey, generally, but I have such an emotional attachment to this album, it's difficult to rate it objectively. To me this is a soundtrack to an ill-fated love affair, and my associations are more to a single person. It drips with nostalgic ache when I listen to it.
It's the IT Girl's album!
One of the first albums I listened to and the 1001 Albums list made me come back to it. Still feels as fresh and sophisticated as when I discovered it.
I think (unsurprisingly) this woman understands me very deeply. Song one - I want a gun and the world is crazy. Song two - I feel the innocence of a child l and everybody has something good to say. I appreciate well represented mood swings. It’s New York! She’s not going to bed early! She’s capturing moments! She’s feeling everything intensely! Powerful, huge for my culture, utterly utterly stunnin. I will be revisiting this album a lot, I can tell. Thank God I’ve found her before I turn 30 - it’s taken too long already.
I mean, it's Peej so min 4* for that fact alone.
One of the perfect albums.
I think this is still my favorite of hers. Somehow both a perfect time capsule (Thom Yorke!) and really moving.
A more recent sentimental favourite of mine and prob my top PJ Harvey album currently. The personal lyrics of a foreign artist in NYC reflecting on themes of love hit home with the sparse but emotionally potent rock n’ roll. Always brings me fondly back to when I first listened to it just a few years ago in my car eating Popeyes.
Bijzonder, beetje patti smith achtige stem
This Mess We’re In
So underrated
perfektes wunderbares album, liebe es.
A top 5/5 album for me. It's just solid all the way through from Big Exit through This is Love, finally ending with We Float. Gorgeous and so perfectly reminds me of the year 2000. Oh how many times I found myself on a rooftop in Brooklyn. One in the morning. Watching the lights flash in Manhattan.
A personal favorite. A beautiful album end-to-end. A must listening.
Icon
Love PJ Harvey, and this album
One of my 4 favorite PJ albums. What a treasure this woman is love all of this!
one of my favourites
Great album, with a great atmosphere.
Wow what an album. Knew some of the songs already but hadn’t heard the whole album. Class the whole way through
Wow, I really missed it the first go-round on this one! Thoughtful, tough, vulnerable, melodic … will rework to this one!
Such a nice album. Full of emotion. Fist few songs are full of energy and then its more mellow with sparks of energy.
Наконец-то реально интересный альбом. Тут я вот прям с кайфом слушал интересные звуки, музыкальные размеры и так далее, и это все при том, что в базе своей это такой обычный поп-рок. Но в некоторых местах тут интересного, конечно, навертели. Я крайне рекомендую музыкантам и любителям музыки ознакомиться с этим альбомом и почерпнуть как интересные моменты, так и просто кайфануть и порадоваться. Хороший альбом!
YEAAAA pj harvey!!! of course i know her. this was fucking beautiful
this is the shit
She can roar with the best of them, but it’s such a treat to hear her singing. We Float is so pretty. There’s a lot of range on this album.
This is genuinely one of the most engaging albums I've ever heard so yes, I agree this is an album you need to hear before you die. 10/10 Amazing
I had caught PJ Harvey touring this album in Berlin - and it was the first big name I got to watch live - and it was incredible - set in Museuminsel among grand old buildings and Polly Jean playing Good Fortune - it will always be a big part of my life. Listening to this album again welled up those memories as well as made me appreciate objectively what a lovely record this is end to end - moody, melodic and for once I really appreciate Thom Yorke’s contributions. To me this is an awesome record undoubtedly.
Total New York City vibes here. PJ Harvey is one of a kind and delivers another gem on this one.
on one hand, i think anyone can make a PJ Harvey record. this isn't a bad thing; her songs are brutal, visceral, straightforward as a punch to a chin. if you care enough about your art and how you can push it without ever breaking it into unidentifiable bits, like some car speeding down the highway with bits falling off of its chassis, i think you could make something similar to a PJ Harvery record, even something almost as good as "Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea". like a vegan hot dog. on the other hand, nobody can make a PJ Harvey record except PJ Harvey. you can try to sing like her, you can thrash on your guitar, you can write your nice little hooks and it'll still be like trying to beat a cheetah in a footrace. you could even do the nice little touch of having the last two tracks of the album be relatively quiet comapred to everything that came before. but it just won't be as good. i'm sorry. every time i familiarize myself with her art further, the more and more sure i am that the whole "she was going to try out to do vocals on the third Slint album!" thing is complete bullshit. Nick Cave, as often as Harvey is compared to him, is still someone i could see being in a band. not so for PJ. so, it's a nine. honestly, if i spend more time with this, it might be a ten. i don't think i have a single track i even dislike here. need to get to know it a bit better, i guess.
The tone of this album is very striking. Murky with an excellent pop sense. Harvey is an artist that has unfortunately gone mostly unnoticed by me.
People say this is her best album. For years I've been saying it's "White Chalk." Hot take I know, but maybe I was wrong. Gimme a break okay?
i felt so much and yet im struggling with actual words. this is p much exactly how i think Guitar Music should sound, just an unbelievable production job on this...its not ornate or lavish, its still got some grit to it, but its so lush and beautiful in its sound and melodic ideas. ik pj harvey is a rly chameleonic artist (one that shamefully this was my first real sit-down listen with!) so i dont expect all her records to be the same way but regardless of what her other music is like i cant imagine a more appealing introduction for Me Specifically...just smooths out my ears and head and heart, the combination of mystical vibes and down to earthness evident in everything from its words to its timbres. one of my fave new listens in the whole project probably
YES. I have been sleeping on this for a while, because wow its much better than I thought. I think I have passively listened to this before, but I didn't realise just how good all round it is. It has a great mix of her earlier abrasive heavier rock sounds, and also some singer-songwriter/soft rock type ones, like the Thom Yorke ones, which are both great. Nothing bad whatsoever. The abrasive singing could be bad for some people but I think it makes some songs. Favourite songs: ABSOLUTLEY ALL OF THEM (not in a lazy way). Overall around 9/10
Up until this moment in her discography, there have been certain PJ songs that I’ve loved for their killer guitar sounds. Others, her incredible vocals. Some for her songwriting, melodically and/or lyrically. Some for solid arrangements and production. Literally every single one of those aspects is on full display on “Big Exit”, continuing her streak of outstanding opening tracks. The soundscape is wonderfully big without ever feeling bombastic (I especially love the textural piano), and everything sounds appropriately clear without feeling overly sheen. It’s the perfect opening to what I think is a pretty perfect album. Not only do I think it’s consistently her strongest record yet as a lyricist, I also think it’s her most musically rewarding. The way she’s able to juxtapose the jangly guitars on “Big Exit” and “Good Fortune” with their overall darker soundscapes and subject matters is so damn cool; I also love her channeling of Patti Smith’s vocals on the latter. I love the melodica on “A Place Called Home”, the vibraphone on “One Line”, Thom Yorke’s effective backing vocals on “Beautiful Feeling”, the relationship between the acoustic guitar and piano on “Horses in My Dreams”…everything just *sounds* perfect. And the balance of rockers - “The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore”, “This Is Love”, and the extremely frenetic “Kamikaze” are my favorites - and mid-tempo songs/ballads is also solid. Practically every song is a highlight; I can’t not mention “You Said Something”, which features one of my all-time favorite melodies and set of lyrics from her. Her vocals at the end of “The Whores Hustle…” are just otherworldly. “We Float” is a solid closer. No matter how many times I hear this record, I end up noticing another musical element or lyrical nugget that blows me away. There’s no doubt in my mind that this is her best album. 5/5
Fabulous album
Like a musical walk through a city you can't help but love.
Great album, have loved it for over 20 years
One of my absolute favourite albums. No notes. We Float is perfection. The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore remains one of the most exquisite live experiences of my life. Just pure love.
i want to lick her hairy armpits 😍😍😍
A surprise smash
Legend
Great transition album, from sexy punk goddess to bard/poet
4.8/5 this was my introduction to PJ Harvey a while back and i absolutely love this album! i needed to change my perspective some at first and after that i really started loving it. my fave songs are probablyyy… - this mess we’re in (feat. thom yorke) - we float - one line
While listening to the first song, Big Exit, I thought I was going to really dislike this album because of the heavy rock yelling/screaming-like singing but I ended up liking her actual singing a lot more. Towards the end of Big Exit, I really liked what I was hearing - cool rock vibe. I loved the vocals with Thom Yorke (okayyy feature, love him always) The Whores Hustle And The Hustlers Whore - love the electric guitar Fav: The Mess We're In - love thom yorke's voice and her voice together, his vocals are so good love the piano and guitar too like how it switches from slower to faster more rock-like melodies Really like the female rock voice and sound Fav: This Is Love
Definitely, PJ's most accessible album by far, but make no mistakes Harvey's artistry and songwriting are absolutely on point. When I originally heard SFC,SFS I felt disappointment. I felt that Harvey had compromised her artistry to make this straightforward rock/pop album, but the longer I lived with the album the more I appreciated it. Upon listening to it again today I see the absolute ridiculousness of my original assertions.
masterpiece
Incredibly consistent, fantastic, instant classic
A perfect album. Love it.
An emotional 5 star. This was a favourite for a long time.
Amazing!! Listened like 4 times in a day. She rocks.
this album was my ANTHEM when i was 13 years old, the title track made me so emotional as i haven’t listened to it in so long oh my god
PJ Harvey has a ton of range and it's all on full display here. Excellent album.
LOVE
great
10/10
I genuinely don't think there's anything I can say about this album that hasn't been said before, because it's so good and everyone knows it, but I will say this: it might be have the best album *title* ever. It's certainly one worthy of envy.
I said fuck it once, and fuck it again:
Love
This is still epic.
Not a bit of filler. Just perfect
This is one of her best albums. Every song is beautiful, strong and deep. I could listen to it forever.
One of my favorite albums ever!
horses LOVE
Good Fortune, A Place Called Home, One Line are great songs. The Whores Hustle and The Hustlers Whore may be the best song on the album. This Mess We're In is also great. You Said Something too. This Is Love too. I was already somewhat a PJ Harvey fan but this album sealed it.
Queen Polly Jean. There's nothing not to like about this -- raw feel, great playing, just tremendous sensuality in performance and songwriting. Pain, sex, longing, hope, dread, all balled up in this Irish punk pixie. 20+ years this has been out. Gads.
I didn’t expect to, but I really loved this. At its core, it’s impossibly simple good old fashioned rock and roll, but it’s got some nice ornaments too.
Have always loved this album esp "you Said Something" .. although weirdly has not acted as gateway to other PJ Harvey records yet.
Solid album. Great vocals. Really strong indie rock album. I'm glad I listened to this.
Have heard of PJ Harvey before and I loved this album. Really alt rock music.
PJ Harvey has a dark side that literally scares me. Because I’m afraid of the unknown. This album brings together all of her very best aspects - the over- the- bar line cleverness, the plaintive and urgent vocals, direct, distinctive; songwriting that somehow manages to be simple but dives deeply. She always bares her soul with a confidence you don’t get from anyone else. The duet with Thom Yorke emphasizes this: feels like Thom is always falling apart falling off a cliff. Until PJ comes along to pull him out of his quicksand. The woman is strong. I love this contrast. They pull it off. Great art. Some touching pieces. But not off putting or difficult (Kendrick I’m talking to you). I haven’t heard something in a long time that I had the sincere urge to hear again like “Good Fortune” or “Kamikaze.” Genius.
This rocks
Probably my fave Pj tbh. Just exquisite
This was my first favorite PJ Harvey album, and given how well-rounded it's capable of being in its less than 50-minute runtime, I've never really had to question why. Despite being easily her most accessible, this album also showcases everything that made her '90s run so legendary. This lady, in less than a decade, went from punk-rock to blues-rock to trip-hop—and on this record, there are hints of each and every one of those various dabblings. 'Big Exit' sounds like something off of 'Dry' but more melodically catered to the mainstream, and 'We Float' sounds straight out of 'Is This Desire' in all its trip-hop glory. The direct alternative single here 'This is Love', sounds like something off of 'Rid of Me' - especially given its more aggressive lyrical themes and performance. I don't want to reduce this album by calling it a "poppier" version of all her previous sounds. This is a very solid indie-rock album in its own right, in fact, it's one of the best of its time I'd say. 'Good Fortune' is one of my favorite songs of hers. It's so optimistic and nostalgic, and that chorus is such an earworm. "Nostalgic", in general, is a really solid way of describing just about everything here, 'A Place Called Home' effectively evokes that feeling of something missing, but you're not quite sure what. There are times on this album when it feels like it follows PJ's fixation on this one very pleasant moment in time, and her attempts to grow past it, all while still reminiscing on how complete it made her feel. I like to imagine that "moment" as a night in the city, spent with someone you love. 'Good Fortune' is maybe the most direct portrayal of this - capturing just how happy she was at that time when everything was perfect, though it almost feels too perfect as if she's glorifying the past. 'Beautiful Feeling' is on the complete opposite side of the spectrum, PJ sounds so defeated now that the special moment, and the person she associates it with, are gone. 'The Mess We're In', the second song here with Thom Yorke, captures that longing between two lovers who are now apart and grasping, again, to try to recreate something as meaningful as that one "moment". It's an incredible duet too, the part where Thom is melodically wailing and PJ comes in with her smooth "The city sun sets over me" is one of the most euphoric moments on this album. 'You Said Something' had to grow on me, but I do like it quite a bit, it plays a crucial role in establishing this album's themes, capturing that "perfect moment" down to an exact location, time, feel, smell, and set of words. I also really love the last two songs here, they're so mellow, and 'Horses in My Dreams' could haunt just about anyone with just how accurately it captures this idea of being forever free from something (or someone) that's been burdening you for far too long. And 'We Float' is just an incredible closer, it uses the same "Float On" metaphor as Modest Mouse (in 2004) to describe this idea of taking life one step at a time. This song makes me very happy. PJ Harvey's talents don't need to be stated, her vocal range is insane, and this album is easily the best portrayal of that. My favorite vocal performance has got to be on 'The Whores Hustle And The Hustlers Whore' which may even be the best track here, despite it not (really) playing into this album's overall theme. It's more of a commentary on the tortured lives of other human beings who've been cast down by a ruthless city. The chorus is incredible and her crying vocals closing it out are so mesmerizing - they give me goosebumps every time I get hit with them. Production-wise, I do wish it was more consistent at times, but then again that's only a gripe when I'm comparing this album to her other ones that do a better job of sticking to a singular sonic motif. For what it is though, the production here is luscious, endearing, and very soft (not quite soft rock soft though - thank god). A very unique and important album from one of music's most forward-thinking and layered singer-songwriters - and I'll always love it wholeheartedly for introducing me to her music.
i loved every song on this, didn’t expect it, i never listened to PJ Harvey but she is great
Wowzers.
My favorite PJ Harvey album. A great collection of songs that show off her range, but have a cohesive theme. The Thom Yorke cameos are the icing on the cake.
My wee face lit up when I saw this one. An old favourite. Love her. There is an edge to her voice here which really works. And of course Thom Yorke. Never grow tired of this album
This is one of the greatest records ever made. A beautiful encapsulation of how it felt to live in NYC at the turn of the millennium right before 9/11 changed the city and the world forever. I still remember my friend Zoe telling me how good this record is right when it came out and man, how right she was! I think it makes me cry more than any other album whenever I listen to it.
This was an incredible album that I am embarrassed to say I've never listened to.
What a fantastic album. Well, anything PJ Harvey is fantastic in my book. This album is one of her most accessible ones (that being said, I like the rawness of her first few albums a LOT). Every song is good, many are absolute marvels, and there is a nice coherence across the album. Fantastic musicians too and I especially like Thom Yorke's contributions. This Mess We're In, what a stonker of a song! Definitely a 5* for me.
Loved this, as I do just about all of her work. Perfect balance of her raw rock side and more low key moments.
Gran sorpresa. Sí que estoy de luto por haberme perdido este disco cuando probablemente más lo necesitaba. Como dicen, el siguiente mejor tiempo para hacer algo es ahora.
Powerful female alternative rock, UK artist, great voice. Nirvana influence. Outstanding alt rock, good amount of grit.
A gorgeous and enthralling album. I enjoyed it WAY more than Rid of Me, which wasn't entirely surprising, as I already had Good Fortune on my master playlist. I'm not sure why I hadn't explored the rest of the album. I loved the sound and the mood. She sounds completely in control and completely authentic. I'll definitely be listening again; it's right up my street. (Shout-out to the drummer, too; they're great.)
Fantastic album. From the first riff of Big Exit, to 'I can't believe life's so complex', this album is full of little surprises, nice details and hits. And this is not even the best PJ album.
Fantastische stem, heerlijk rauw en puur. Geweldig album. Dit is een 5, zonder twijfel
this one is sooo good. first heard of her in gilmore girls, and thought that I def need to listen to her in the future. now the time has come, only like 10years after I heard of her when tristan thought pj harvey was a man.
This was wonderful. I had heard of PJ Harvey before, but I had never heard her songs. I hear a lot of Fiona Apple, Chrissie Hynde, and Mazzy Star (Hope Sandoval) in her voice, and her style is very Fiona Apple-esque too. This was so good I listened to it twice. Five stars.
You Said Something on its own could give this album 5 stars,but the reality is that more than half the songs on this album standout. This album is a great mix between styles from To Bring You My Love and Rid of Me/Dry. I need to own the physical nedia of this album. This album is special
A great PJ Harvey.
This is and forever will be iconic. Already know and love the album! Fantastic mid dusky afternoon/autumn album
PJ Harvey's "Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea" is a refreshing dive into a world where city lights and ocean waves collide. Released in 2000, this album sees Harvey stepping away from her earlier raw sound to embrace something smoother yet still packed with emotion. From the get-go, "Big Exit" grabs your attention with its energetic guitars and Harvey’s powerful voice. Tracks like "Good Fortune" are catchy and full of life, capturing the thrill of love and chance with lyrics that stick with you. The album takes you on a journey, moving from the reflective vibe of "You Said Something" to the haunting simplicity of "Horses in My Dreams." A standout moment is her duet with Radiohead’s Thom Yorke on "This Mess We're In," where their voices blend beautifully to create a sense of longing. Harvey's storytelling is top-notch, making each song feel personal yet relatable. "Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea" is a brilliant showcase of PJ Harvey's knack for capturing the highs and lows of life in a way that feels both timeless and real. 10/10
got some strong lovin there
Love this album :)
Love this album, probably my favourite by PJ Harvey. An easy 5 for me.
I have learned to love PJ, thanks to this site.
I knew a few songs from this album, like This Is Love - I mean, what a fucking banger. I love this whole album so much, and I've been making up for lost time since finally listening to it by having it on repeat. The Thom Yorke collabs are incredible. You can really lose yourself in a trance listening to This Mess We're In. I think it's time for a PJ Harvey deep dive.
Simply outstanding. I bought this on vinyl on the strength of this listen.
I never fully got into PJ Harvey so I was happy to have this project force me to listen to an entire album by her. I've heard songs here and there and have generally liked what I heard, but this is a very cohesive album to listen to and at the same time the songs vary enough in sound to keep things interesting. Those are my favorite albums, where one song ends and leaves you excited for the sounds you're about to hear in the next. I never felt bored listening to this and the Thom Yorke duets were surprising as well.
this album is why I keep listening to other PJ Harvey albums and get excited when she releases new stuff… but it’s never this album
Iconic!
I didn't expect an album about NYC made by an English artist being so good.
I'm in love. I think I found a new favorite.
10 10 10
Love this...
Polly Jean is really on her game here, I've already had the raw shock of Dry and the later folksy poetical political Let England Shake, and this is the middle of those two extremes. Polished, but not overly so; rocking, but not overly so; accessible; but not overly mainstream... Quite possibly her absolute peak. Was her "Good Fortune" slipping away?
This was great, glad to have finally gotten to PJ Harvey. Very good album!
Killer album. The production here is so lush but still never overshadows her amazing voice. I love the Thom Yorke features too as a Radiohead fan.
Cerramos la semana con ésta mujer hermosísima y que amo. Dueña de un estilo rockerazo y súper sexy en todo, acá se anima a otros matices y a jugar con otros artistas como Thom Yorke. Arranca bien arriba con "Big Exit", con su voz tan particula que grita y se torna tremendamente sensual y se apasiona. Ya en "Good Fortune" se nota cómo se cuela la influencia de Patti Smith pero con la diversión que le da PJ Harvey. Luego, canciones como "Beautiful Feeling", con un Thom Yorke haciendo sutilezas con su voz..."This mess we're in"...¡"This is love"! Este disco es un 10 por dónde se lo analice. Gracias a estas mostras del rock por existir.
4.5☆/5 07.25.2024
This is good stuff
Pretty good. New York vibe.
I didn't really like it but the musicians are talented
This album is incredible. It is very easy to listen too and has many interesting songs. It seems like a pre-cursor to many of the female singer-songwriter albums I really like (Sharon Van Etten, Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker, etc.). Listened twice and will definitely listen again.
I hadn't heard PJ Harvey before, but I definitely will again. Great album.
This is my favorite PJ Harvey album, and I could listen to "Good Fortune" every day for the rest of my life.
Incredible I get the hype she is awesome
Absolute banger after banger
Polly hits the apex of her songwriting Big Exit, This Is Love, Kamikaze, Good Fortune, We Float are all tremendous songs
Has Polly ever sounded better than she does on this record? What a dynamo
Polly Jane. Undisputed queen of indie.
Amazing album. Played it 6 times today.
One review here suggests that you can judge PJ Harvey's credentials by the fact that Thom Yorke guests on this album. I'm going to suggest the opposite: that you can tell Thom Yorke's credentials by the fact that PJ Harvey lets him be on her album! She is a true one-off who has never stopped evolving creatively (as much as I love Radiohead, I do feel they get a bit samey after In Rainbows). I saw her in the early 2000s and then in 2023, just an all-round amazing artist who offers something new and exciting with each album.
at her best
Brilliant album. One of her most accessible albums? Got plenty of the dark melancholy edge but also has something much more joyous than I’d normally associate with her work. No bad tracks. The duet with Thom Yorke (This Mess We’re In) is standout, as is ‘This Is Love’.
P J Harvey's finest album. I love it. A moody, melancholic masterpiece. There isn't a bad track on this.
I first heard PJ Harvey on the John Peel show in probably 1991 and have long been a fan!
damn good.
Brutal
Love this so much