Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea

I almost did an exit when Big Exit was playing but I stuck around to listen to the next song and I'm glad I did. Nice voice and good songs and music but a few didn't attain the level of most.

She's so cool, but these songs are charmless. the exception is We'll Float but that sticks out like a sore thumb.

I'd rather listen to Ani or Liz Phair but very much enjoy PJ Harvey.

Aangenaam om naar te luisteren!

Dit was leuk!!

Love pj, love the album. 89/100

It's fine but forgettable

Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea is good if a bit on the slow side. Love the maximalist, spacious production, the guitars sound great, and the best songs ("The Whores Hustle and The Hustlers Whore" and "Kamikaze") sound a lot like Prime Patti Smith. Liked it quite a bit and looking forward to her other albums.

4/10 - way overrated, could just be one song plus another with Thom Yorke

Started out pretty promising and I liked the guitar sound, but after a while the album started blending together for me and I zoned out.

New one for me, and I'm still not really sure what I think of it. For the most part, I enjoyed the vocals, but there's a quality to them that still slightly puts me off. Not really sure what it is. The backing also gave me mixed feelings; I liked the somewhat heavy sound, but the riffs were really uninteresting to me. The mix is pretty generic indie and although there's a bit of variation in the sound, there's not really any variation in instrumentation so it all pretty much just blurs. A lot of the tracks are really just quite dirge-y. I don't hate the sound, but I don't think I'd want to listen to a lot of it. The album was getting quite stale for me by the end. I did enjoy Thom's vocals where they featured, and the Radiohead connection makes sense because the styles are somewhat similar. Didn't hate it, but also didn't find it all that special.

I'm a sucker for powerful vocals. This reminds me of sonic youth's less dissonant songs like teenage riot. Her vocals reminds me of Kim Gordan's sorta spoken/shouted word style. Generally enjoyed everything in here and some songs were incredible so we bump up to a 4.

Conheci a PJ no dueto dela com Thom Yorke em This Is Mess We’re In. Ali já tinha uma impressão bem positiva dela. Não sei por quê, mas tinha uma visão de que ela seria uma Patti Smith da vida. Achei a capa bem na vibe do filme Mesmo Se Nada Der Certo: aquela coisa caótica e mundana da cidade.No início, fiquei intercalando com outras músicas, então não me apeguei logo de cara. Mas, na primeira vez que escutei o álbum sem nenhuma outra faixa misturada, confesso que me apaixonei. Gosto quando escuto algo novo e ele me faz lembrar de alguma coisa, sabe? Um filme, uma memória e, muitas vezes, um álbum ou uma banda.Quando ouvi Big Exit, parecia que tinha colocado por engano alguma faixa do Sonic Youth — mas com um caos diferente. Não era a barulheira (que eu amo) super intencional do Sonic, e sim o caos mundano das grandes cidades.

Just a super strong collection of songs. This is a super famous album I’ve never gotten around to, and I’m glad I finally did! It’s as good as people say it is. The strongest PJ Harvey album on this list (thus far), and there have been MANY PJ Harvey albums on this list already. Great lyrics, great production. A fantastic NYC album, really feels like the city in 2000. Listened to it like three times yesterday. Goes down real easy. No complaints! Loved it!

Didn’t like her singing voice that much and nothing special musically. Shoutout to the surprise Thom Yorke appearance though!

nice enough

Che atmosfera

Didn’t blow me away, but some decent tunes.

tykkäsin! mutta tykkäsin loppupuolesta enemmän, alku ei oikeen imassu. mutta tajusin että tykkäsin ehkä vaan thom yorkesta. unelmieni mies.

En oo oikein kuunnellu PJ Harveya mut tää kyl uppos! Hyvää kitaran kolinaa ja Thom Yorken featti yllätti positiivisesti. Biisitkin oikein hyviä, mut ehkä jäi vähän nelosesta itellä.

Tää oli hyvä! Kuuntelin kahdesti ja pidin. Ei muuta.

Kaunis, kuulas ja ajankohtaisen kuuloinen levy. Tykkäsin siitä, miten riisuttu tuotanto oli. Persoonallinen ääni ja Thom Yorke -fiitti vakuutti!

3.5

2.5

Jag lyssnade inte supernoga om jag ska vara ärlig, så ta min review med en nypa salt. Jag tyckte albumet var bra och det var inte riktigt vad jag väntade mig. Jag gillade det men det var inte helt otroligt. Min favorit var låten med thom yorke. Jag ger albumet 7,5/10!

För mig är PJ Harvey en artist som jag länge har varit medveten om att jag borde gilla. Hon har rekommenderats till mig flera gånger och passar perfekt in i den typ av musik jag brukar dras till, men av någon anledning har det inte blivit av. Stories from the city, Storues from the sea är ett kärleksbrev av PJ Harvey till NYC. Vid den första lyssning tyckte jag inte att albumet var fantastiskt. Det fanns absolut några guldklimpar!! I och med ryktet och dessa guldklimpar så valde jag att lyssna mer, och för varje lyssning så blev albumet bättre och bättre!! Låtar som ”This Is Love”, ”Good Fortune”, ”A Place Called Home” och ”This Mess We’re In” är helt otroliga. Albumet fångar kärleken till New York på ett fantastiskt sätt, och produktionen är fin fint!! Älskar att thom york är med på detta album och det drar upp albumet ett snäpp, jag älskar den mannen. Därför ger jag grabbensomintekollarpåexplosioner detta album en 9.3/10

I think this is the best of her albums on this list. The Thom Yorke duet is the best track.

Grunge/punk late 90s not bad

solid 8 album, with no really skippable songs, but I couldn't find a banger either

A perfectly fine and fun album! Some 4's with interesting rhythms and intstrumentation, some 2's on the more repetitive side. Not many standout lyrics or songs.

This one a little bit better than I expected... It sound pretty pretty nice and the one with Thom Yorke was quite a surprise honestly

Fantastic

Good vocals, good production, I only knew ‘This Is Love’ and was pleasantly surprised by the more moody tracks.

Really vibed with this! Angry when it needed to be, introspective when it needed to be. Very catchy songs, and great variety. What a treat!

Surprisingly good. Sounds like Bjork if she was born in Bushwick

If someone wanted to know what the year 2000 sounded like, I would point them to this album. I’ve never heard of PJ Harvey before (and am so glad this introduced her to me!) because she is quite the badass. And Thom Yorke on a few songs?! That just made this even more insanely awesome!

Never listened. Expectations: High - Verdict: Very Good - I really enjoyed the previous PJ Harvey album on the list so I'm looking forward to this a lot. Big Exit is immediately brighter than that record which reflects the different vibe of the cover. Good Fortune continues in a similar vein and is another good track. A Place Called Home is good and Beautiful Feeling has Thom Yorke's fingerprints all over it. The grungy sound of the debut is gone but the songwriting here is very strong throughout and there is a brightness to the guitars that make it sound very immediate and modern. The Whores Hustle And The Hustlers Whore is a great example of this. This Is Love is a really good track with a great breakdown. I really enjoyed this one.

Ощущение что PJ Harvey наигралась с сомнительными концепциями, вокруг которых построено всё звучание Rid Of Me, в котором мне понравилась одна единственная песня, и в конце концов, записала альбомчик с нормальным таким альт-рокешником, где нет странного баса на переднем плане и вот этих дебильных, неубедительных театральных игр голосом. Кста, нравится обложка альбома, надо бы стырить для референса себе. КОРОЧЕ, прикольно! ничё так, приятно слушать, есть интересные идеи, да и голос, как оказалось, приятный и даже вещи в сотрудничестве с Томом Йориком вполне ок.

paar leuke nummers, geen slechte nummers

(4/5) Harvey is just one of those artists I've been aware of, probably heard some popular tracks, but never got into because that "recommended artists" list that she's on is just too big. I've only got 24 hours in a day and a huge number of other things that take priority. Apologies to Ms. Harvey. This project has exposed me to a few of those and I'm glad we finally got around to her. I liked it, and recognized "This Is Love" immediately. In fact, I was enjoying it enough that when I got to that track (buried towards the end I might add..) it pushed my opinion to a '4'. A low '4', but justified because it's solid rock -- heavily 90s-coded -- and she's a woman. There's not enough women represented on the list as I've already bemoaned, so she was probably going to get a bump anyway. That track made it an easy decision. Additionally, I listened to all of it on YouTube which included some of her music videos and ... she's 'easy' on the eyes. 😉. Talented and good looking? That's a nice combo.

I'd always heard good things about PJ Harvey but had never really had any exposure. Came in expecting something between Tori Amos and Fiona Apple but with a Joan Jett attitude, but it actually leaned more post-punk than I'd anticipated. At times minimalist, at others raucous, it maintained an emotionality that was measured and and evocative, even if swaths of it (some of the higher pitched vocal gymnastics were very grating) were not really my bag. Still, it's a 3.5/5 that I'm rounding up, and it encouraged me to check out more of her surprisingly wide discography.

208. Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea - PJ Harvey (2000) 9.18.26 Variety: 5 Adequacy: 5 Listenability: 5 Uniqueness: 5 Emotionality: 5 = 5.0 "How did we get here?/ To this point in living?/ I held my breath/ And you said something" I saw PJ Harvey play the bulk of this album live as the opening act for U2 during their Elevation tour. And frankly, she blew them out of the water. They were good. I've only seen them live the one time, but by all accounts they pull out all the stops and deliver a good time, every time. But where their set was full of a lumbering bombast, Harvey's was immediate and electrifying. And despite being in a large arena, it felt intimate. It was her, the backing band, and a very simple light show. It felt propulsive and was sharp as fuck. She was magnetic a stage personality as anyone I've seen live, and easily and fully absorbed the attention of the crowd, even from several hundred yards up in the nosebleed section. She flew through most of the album without a pause in between songs, and they were as close to the studio versions as could be. Was very impressed, and always wanted to try and catch her live again, but it never happened. I was already primed though having listened to the album over and over a zillion times, and to be perfectly honest, seeing her in support was what got me and my future wife to pull the trigger on getting tickets. Several albums have popped up on the list that have gotten me excited, but few have been as sure thing as far as ratings go. I know this one back to front, and it's a rare no-skip album for me, if that gives you any hints as to my thoughts. THE TRACKS "Big Exit" - PJ Harvey is up in the top of my favorite rock vocalists. Even when she uses effects, like she does a lot on this album, the warm, smooth feeling is never lost. On this one we get a very tightly modulated echo that does a really good job of emulating a live stage presence, that along with the reverb on the guitar and the very upfront and dry drums really does a great job of putting me back at that concert I mentioned. This one opens with some decidedly 60's-ish jangly guitar sounds, and we get some trademark PJ Harvey yelling to start things off. When the bass kicks in we fall right into a groove that feels decidedly BIG for her. The dark, warm, personal vibe she is known for is not gone by any means, it's just writ large, and there's a tighter , more focused and melodic lean to things. I don't quite remember, but I think the album just previous to this one included a lot or orchestral, and dancey bits, and was MUCH more low key. This does not feel like an incredibly self-conscious stab at the mainstream by any means, but I think it ended up there accidentally. There are some stranger in a strange land vibes on this one, and that sense of paranoia and uncomfortably wary feeling will come and go throughout. Harvey's an old hand by this point at delivering when it comes to interesting lyrics, and here she's coming in full force with some great imagery to support this whole atmosphere. Favorite part is the bridge where it quiets down and she gets all menacing, and the utter professionalism and versatility of Mick Harvey ( of the Birthday Party and Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds fame) and Rob Ellis give her all the leeway she needs to go in any and all directions here. "Good Fortune" - Harvey I think has been the true heir to Patti Smith since the early 90s, but it's on this album that she most reminds me of her, down to the passionate delivery, yelps and the extended "oOoOoOoOo''s at the end of some lines. Even the instrumentation on this track in particular makes the comparison stronger than it is on other tracks on the album. It's not a one to one, and Harvey never loses her identity, but it's there. This one tackles the high of new love, but it's a more mature version that what you get in a lot of songs, where it can come off as naive or possessed of some goofy moon-eyed optimism. Harvey's version of this still retains a darkness, and a roughness around the edges that indicates this relationship has at best a 50/50 chance, but it's going to be interesting none the less. And on top of that it's a goddamn catchy song. For comparison - "Dancing Barefoot" by Patti Smith: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Z9G8BdnFGs&list=RD1Z9G8BdnFGs&start_radio=1 "A Place Called Home" - Harvey gives U2 a run for their money with a BIG MUSIC style entry. It starts off pretty and melodic with what sounds like maybe a harpsichord (?) underneath a piano. There's also maybe an accordion which comes in later as well ( and sticks around), which adds some cool earthy accents. This one feels like someone soldiering on through hardships, and while maybe not lying to themselves, at least being a bit more hopeful than circumstance might be willing to allow. The tone is definitely not cheery. The future is most definitely uncertain for this person, but it's not all foretold and it's probably not an easy journey ahead. "One Line" - Another driving BIG song. This time with a lover reaching out across time to consider a memory of someone to whom the connection was never fully severed. There's a quiet yearning here that bubbles underneath the enormity of the sound as it crashes down and comes back each time in greater strength, like a tide threatening to pull you out to sea. Thom Yorke provides backing vocals and apparently some keyboard work. Introspective as it is, it has enough sharp corners. And while the instrumental break before the outro gears you up for an explosive ending, we end on a quiet, very considered moment. Like the narrator has finished their cigarette, and their brief thought of old love, and has decided to walk back inside from the balcony, where it'll disappear from their surface thoughts but will linger on underneath, ready to return like some old injury that flares up every so often. "Beautiful Feeling" - We go small for this one. Small but INTENSE, with Mick Harvey's chunky, powerful bass work guiding the piece, and Yorke providing more background vocals once more. Harvey's vocals on this are breathy and drawn out and approach the beautiful side of delivery, getting smeared and gauzy in the chorus, with some processing that sounds like they reversed the feed on her mic so that the speaker was used as the microphone ( wild speculation on my part - but the Beatles pulled off that trick and think had a similarly buzzy, hissy effect), and a constant hiss suffuses the whole thing, created an atmosphere of languid infatuation. There's a notable absence of a percussion track on this, which lends it a ghostly, airy feel as well. "The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore" - The percussion is back in full force here as we get a wall of sound to open this impressionistic and paranoid snapshot of a decidedly carnivorous big city experience. Mick Harvey's got some sort of awesome feedback or pedal effect that sounds like it's doubling his bass line, but slightly off register so it kind of almost slaps up against itself, and adds to the disorienting effect that the lyrics seem to be trying to get across. Harvey also gets to deliver some of her trademark yelps on here, which is awesome, and the sound in general hearkens back to her earlier 90s stuff, but with a bigger, fuller sound. "This Mess We're In" - Yorke is back once more, this time for a proper duet. This one pulls off the neat trick of never feeling like a Radiohead track despite the fact that Yorke is so normally overwhelmingly idiosyncratically THOM YORKE that you would think it impossible for him to not just completely take over and make it his. But he's got PJ Harvey to contend with, and neither subsume the other with the sheer force of their personality, but instead meld into some sort of weird amalgamation that thoroughly works and feels like two intertwined inner monologues. Maybe from people who aren't even together. "Somewhere Out There" for disaffected Gen-Xers? Neither are stranger to being great duet partners, with Harvey having some great ones with Nick Cave, and Yorke most notably with Bjork. this works really well, with neither stepping on any toes. I even like Harvey's call and response spoken word parts. "You Said Something" - My favorite song on the album, and maybe the easiest to like for any newcomers. It's got notes that are bright and hopeful and beautifully nostalgic, and sweeping, without ever becoming too poppy or overbearingly positive. The instrumental bits on here are OUTSTANDING, with what I think are keyboards set to give an accordion adjacent sound, the giant bass as warm as could be, and little touches like the tambourine accents all adding up to a really emotionally effecting atmosphere. We get more snapshot memories of some city life, this time glimpsed as partial memories of a night (or a series of nights that maybe blurred together?) where the particulars of what happened or what was said are so much less important than the way the memory feels. "Kamikaze" - We get another bit of a throwback track, with the echoes of the Rid of Me era, with nervy guitar, and chunky frenetic bass work giving a sense of danger and threat. But again, the sound is BIGGER and fuller and Harvey feels so much more at home in her own skin, with everything feeling more tied together and the music not as sparse and overwhelmed by her delivery. She gets into the yips and yelps and powerful high registers but it's more integrated with everything else. She adds that flanged out, buzzy distortion to her vocals again which make the yells sound like some ecstatic, unhinged loss of inhibition. Easily the most cranked up, energetic track on the album. "This Is Love" - I specifically remember this one during her live set was the moment that I keyed in and was hypnotized, with the lights exploding in swirls of colors every time the chorus came in. I was able to find the set list for this show, and looks like this was second after "The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore". And apparently she played less of the album than I thought ( only 5 out of 11), with the back half consisting of some prior cuts. Despite not being the loudest or fastest song on the album ,this feels like the heaviest to me with the ENORMOUS bass, and Harvey in full Raw-era Iggy Pop delivery. Another tale of infatuation, this time full of sensuality and an overpoweringly manic feeling of loss of control. This one is Harvey showing off her raw power. "Horses in My Dreams" - And we need a rest spot after collappsing on teh floor exhausted after the last track. But this is no lazy ass 10 minute headlock in the middle of the ring. Instead we get some intricate, and showy catch maneuvering, with Harvey giving us a tiny preview of her White Chalk sound, with some gentle piano, measured guitar, and lumbering waltzy bass that's all very pretty, and slightly menacing until the chorus where we briefly come up above the choppy waves and take a big gasp of sweet air. And with a bittersweet feel that comes at us from the opposite of the norm. Where most songs that pull off this trick have a bright poppy sound, with dark lyrics, here we get positive lyrics, with a depressive tone. Beautiful stuff. "We Float" - This one almost sounds like a leftover from her previous album, with its dance beat drum loop. But the sparse piano keeps it grounded, and Harvey's multitracked vocal delivery keeps it fairly well integrated with the overall sound. It's when the chorus comes in with an uplifting boom that the song really lands. It's a similar bright moment to the one in the last song, but on sterioids. It ends the album on a hopeful if realistically beautiful note. In the same kind of way that Mike Leigh film might, full of ambiguity and unrealized but open potentiality. I'm reminded of the lyric from "Don't Let's Start" by They Might Be Giants - "No one in the world ever gets what they want and that is beautiful/ Everybody dies frustrated and sad and that is beautiful". * "This Wicked Tongue" - This one is a bonus track that was on some releases, and while not essential, is still very good. It's got a a much more pronounced faux-live sound to it, and feels the tiniest bit repetitve of stuff that maybe was done on the other songs, so it's easy to see why it was left off. HIGHLIGHTS - Every last part MIDLIGHTS - LOWLIGHTS - FINAL THOUGHTS Harvey has three more albums on the list, which I think is just fine. I would have chosen White Chalk over Let England Shake, but that's still a good one. I've heard most of her stuff up to Let England Shake, and can say she's got a pretty impeccable string going all the way back to the 90s. I think this is her best album though. It's a great synthesis of all of her earlier, more abrasive and full throatedly emotional and more rocking material, and her later more melodic and prettier stuff. This is the album I'd choose to introduce a new listener, mainly because it represents her at her most accessible, without misrepresenting her sound. White Chalk, while I love it is more ethereal and artsy fartsy, and would be advanced listening in my opinion. It's only been maybe less than a year since I last listened to this for pleasure, and have to say I did not get sick of it one bit, even with multiple listens all day long. It completely holds up and deserves its place in my personal canon of what I would consider to be the sort of grown up alternative rock that people like Nick Cave, Radiohead, Beck ( eventually) and few others were able to pull off in an era where the mainstream musical culture otherwise seemed to be descending into a mire of boy bands, novelty electronic music, and post grunge nu-metal. Harvey was one of the bright lights at a time when I was quickly losing enthusiasm for music in general, and did more than most to inspire me to hang in there through those lean years. This is easily a 5-star entry for me and while I'll admit her whole thing is not for everyone, no one can deny how well-crafted and accessible this one is, especially compared with her more ragged and jagged early 90s sound. She's one of those artists who evolved significantly with every release, and as a result remains one of the few you can listen to and never lack for variety. Possible turn-Offs might include: - the occasional bit of high pitched yelping - a mostly downbeat tone - some trigger-warning moments for Radiohead haters - more trigger warnings for dude-bros (I've seen user reviews from more than a few of these chuds) who can't abide strong, confident and mature women kicking ass in a rock space You Might enjoy this if you: - like good fucking music - tight, ultra competent playing and production and ear-achingly good arrangements - low key but catchy as hell melodies - a thoroughly bittersweet and often ambiguous atmosphere PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS - No notes. Perfect. FURTHER LISTENING Precursors: - Wave by the Patti Smith Group - Frank's Wild Years by Tom Waits - Anima Animus by the Creatures - Surfer Rosa by Pixies - All That You Can't Leave Behind by U2 Contemporaries: - Pod by the Breeders - Murder Ballads by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - XO by Elliott Smith - Dynamite by Stina Nordenstam - I See A Darkness by Bonnie Prince Billy - To Venus and Back by Tori Amos - OK Computer by Radiohead Descendants: - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood by Neko Case - You Are Free by Cat Power - My Woman by Angel Olsen - Titanic Rising by Weyes Blood

This one missed me by a mile. The year 2000 saw me, goofy young guy halfway down with college, immersed in Nu-Metal and Eminem. I wouldn’t have had the patience to give this album a chance. Which is wild because it is right up my alley. Not a good look for me, I guess, but an honest one. The songwriting is great and the sound is perfectly alt-tock. It comes in right at a 3.5 that I’m rounding up to a 4 because I expect to replay a few of these tracks in the near future. It’s an album I want to sit with just a little longer.

Love the voice against the guitars. Very strong sound.

3.5: kind of Jeff Buckley vibes. I really enjoyed it though nothing jumped off at me super strongly. Will definitely keep pj Harvey in mind going forward

twilight meets coldplay meets keane really liked this

This was quite underwhelming. I’ve always heard brilliant things about PJ Harvey’s music and recognised this album’s cover, but this isn’t what I was expecting. It’s definitely an enjoyable Alt Rock album, but there aren’t enough moments that really made me think that this was something special. ‘This Mess We’re In’ was the obvious highlight for me, especially Yorke’s vocals, but aside from that and the opener - ‘Big Exit’ - there wasn’t that much that interested me. I think I’ll give this album 4 stars on the 1001 Album Generator, but it’s definitely in the lower end.

Did not enjoy this

Pretty good average album on first listen only we float stood out to me

Another objectively not good album

Mom look, another 90’s act that spews Patti Smith vibes. I like this one. It definitely plays too safe and kinda stale at the start, but it picks up halfway. Thom Yorke shows up and it indeed begins to start slapping.

This is nice this is fun. So somber in some Places and radio head jumpscare. I don’t know if I understand Pj Harvey that well. It’s more a lyrics things I suppose I figure that is it. I really like this as an introductory listen to Pj Harvey I wanna revisit ride on me it seems to be the critically acclaimed one. These vocalists always hit it out of the park once and then coast Pj Harvey and Bjork are all over this list.

a artista que eu mais me identifico dessa época dela pela sonoridade e personalidade também e esse álbum sedimentou muito isso pra mim. mãezinha

3.5

It's the only PJ Harvey I happen to have listened to before. And it's got some great tracks on it. Easy 4/5

It’s alright. Expected more from a Mercury Prize winner.

Fine!

The kind of album you listen to when you are in college and you think you are listening to cutting edge stuff. It isn't.

The sound is a little dated to me, sounds of a time, but it still holds up and I like the vibe and message.

Meh

Great voice and some songs that I liked a lot as well as some generic Britpop ones. On the fence between 3 and 4 stars.

Ella es súper Cool, su voz, la forma en la que sacrifica la melodía para dar fuerza, lo disfruté bastante

The first word I could think of for this album is "Radiohead". Maybe my head remembered some review comparing it to PJ's contemporary. And as I was writing that I just got to "This Mess We're In" and Thom is featured. Makes sense now. In addition to that, the guitar work feels very late 90s/early 2000s alt-rock. Compared to "Dry", the last album I listened from PJ, it feels more introspective and "transient". Not sure how to put it into the words but the album cover evokes that evening/midnight feeling of walking around NYC and seeing people and lights coalesce into one. As always, I'm more of a sucker for the more simple tunes like "This Is Love" and "This Mess We're In". The second half stood out to me as sounding more different than the first half, which to me were just variations of the same rock sound (3-3.5).

6/10

-mega am schreie leider

She's got some cool stuff going on here. Feels like a great NYC cultural artifact that does a really nice job of catching the vibe and feel of the city before 9/11

PJ Harvey is incredibly consistent throughout her career and I like just about all of her stuff but it never sticks around in my head

Three-leaning-four

This album sounds like it's made specifically to listen to it while on a road trip, it's melancholic but not really sad, it feels like whoever made it is passionate about music. Not a 5 stars because it's not my kind of music, but it's still a banger.

On peut pas mettre 2.5 c'est chiant.

Banal

Casi casi un no skip

Love her!

7/10

Good, very 90s poetic

To be honest, there aren't enough women in alternative music and rock so I was glad to listen to this album. Super unique with great vocals (imo) and music, not to mention an amazing song with Thom Yorke.

Rock chick par excellence, full of gritty tunes about her new love L, it’s joys and insecurities

Played this one quite a bit in my record store days. Nice hearing it again. Always liked it, but haven't heard it in ages.

I feel like I enjoy her early work better, but this got me through the morning commute on the train.

I do see it, liked it, just didn’t feel in the mood for it

es un buen disco, hay que decirlo.

This was very entertaining and I enjoyed more than her previous releses.

Amazing. Really want to give this a 5 but my heart says I can’t. Love the fusion of Patti Smith with the alt grunge

I might be biased by nostalgia here, but I like this record a lot. I had forgotten how much I used to listen to this when I was a teenager, but the songs came back to me quickly. It rocks surprisingly hard, the guitars sound great, PJ's voice sounds great. But it also has a kind of arty urban chic to it, which is probably what first attracted me in high school. Overall, good shit.

I get it, you're hard like that, like an angrier Florence and the Machine. Nah.

Album #186: PJ Harvey – Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea ⭐⭐ Unpopular opinion time. Just to set the scene here, I am a lifelong PJ Harvey fan. She’s literally one of my all-time favourite artists. I listen to her all the time, and I know this is one of her most popular albums. For me, though, this is an album I’ve never, ever warmed to. I really thought today might finally be the day. I’ve had many, many goes at giving it another chance, thinking eventually I’d warm to it, and sadly it just hasn’t happened. This album annoys me for a number of reasons, chiefly among them the fact that she won the Mercury Prize for it. It was critically lauded enough that this was apparently the album where everyone decided, “We better reward her with something for this one, because this is next-level.” I just couldn’t believe that, with everything she’d done before this album, this was the one. It shows the banality of music awards, and maybe that’s apt, because I think this is a really banal album. I have loads of issues with it. Sonically, I think it’s her least interesting album. The aggression of Rid of Me and Dry is gone. The experimentation of Is This Desire? is gone. Instead, you’ve got very straightforward, stripped-back, fuzzy alternative rock. That might be perfectly fine in the hands of another artist, but it’s just not enough for her, in my mind. The standard is too high. I get what the album is supposed to be about. It’s an album of lost love and gained confidence in New York City. But just because you can name skyscrapers, different boroughs in the city and set a few scenes on rooftops doesn’t make for a very lyrically interesting album, unfortunately. Her lyrics here are among the weakest of her discography, in my opinion. She doesn’t say anything particularly interesting for pretty much the entire album. She repeats herself a lot, and it’s often fairly obvious where the next lyric is coming from. Her vocals are great, because her vocals are always great. But she’s not delivering anything interesting with them, and it brings everything down. This is the woman who once sang a song about cutting her lover’s legs off if they tried to leave her. Now, am I asking her to make Dry 2? Am I asking her to make Rid of Me: The Sequel? No. On Is This Love, she sings, “Does it have to be a life full of dread?” No, Peej, no. It’s obviously a more positive album than her earlier work. But it’s just very, very vanilla for me. She has a great band behind her, with Rob Ellis on drums, who’s one of my all-time favourite drummers, but his drums are so muted on this thing as well. Very few moments where he expresses himself. And I get that the production is meant to be slick. It’s New York. It’s slick. It’s cool. It’s a cool-sounding album. But, it lacks rawness and character. I actually think the precursor to this album is A Perfect Day Elise from Is This Desire? It’s a similar style of tune. A Perfect Day Elise could easily have fit on Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea. But, Is This Desire? is much more lo-fi, but it’s also way more experimental and way more interesting. The weirder tracks on that album are vastly more interesting and enjoyable than the weirder tracks on this one. If you liked this album, or if you’re only really getting into PJ Harvey, I would strongly recommend listening to Is This Desire? It’s my favourite PJ Harvey album and her most interesting, in my opinion. I think she was ascending into the stratosphere of quality there, and she took a big nosedive for me here. There are three moments on this album that I really like and actually come back to quite a lot. This Mess We’re In, where Thom Yorke comes in and saves the day and makes things a bit more interesting. It’s a beautiful duet between the two of them. Kamikaze, which is a little more old-school PJ Harvey and has this creepy quality that, to me, almost feels like an eerie foreshadowing of 9/11, which was right around the corner. There is a level of intensity that the rest of the album doesn’t have. And We Float, which is a beautiful song despite having some of the lyrical issues I have with the rest of the album. She goes a little more electronic and atmospheric on that one, and it’s much better for it. But overall, the atmosphere is stunted. I’ve tried this album a hundred times. Some of my favourite album reviewers love it. I see it lauded all the time. I don’t think anyone in the comments, or any other review I’m going to read, is going to save it for me. This is PJ Harvey’s weakest album, in my opinion. It’s two stars for me every time I listen to it.

First PJ Harvey and there's definitely some cool shit on here but overall I'm a bit meh

This was some of her better work for sure.

I wasn't sure what to expect going into this but it was solidly fine. I probably would have enjoyed it a lot more had I heard it back when I was a teenager/at a more formative age but I can see why it made the list. I did particularly appreciate the surprise Thom Yorke so an extra star gets added for that.

lush and multi-layered. 4/5

Really strong album. I always liked the song "To Bring You My Love" from her first album, but never listened to much else. I will be listening to this one multiple times.

One of the things I'm glad this list is finally getting me to listen to is all the cool women in rock music that I've been sleeping on. Some nice alt. rock on this specific record, and I really love "A Place Called Home" in particular. 8/10.

This was mostly excellent. An evolution from her earlier work but no less original. Normally anything that includes Thom Yorke post OK Computer would lose points because of his insufferable nature/voice/attitude, but I’m not going to let him ruin what is a great album. Her third album “To Bring You My Love” is still my favourite, but I really enjoyed listening to this again.

I had never really engaged with PJ Harvey properly and this was an interesting first time. Some stand out tracks (Good Fortune, This Mess we're in) makes this hard to ignore while the rest navigates between good and pretty good. Overall I'd give that another listen if I fancy some naughties rock while not being obsessed with it. Maybe more like a 3.5?

This is my 2nd album from this artist in 4 days, and while it was (unlike the previous one) at least tolerable, it wasn’t anything to get excited about (her voice is annoying to be honest). As I said in the previous review, praise from critics is not the same as successful musician- and sing her praises all you want, the low sales speak louder than the critics. Real talents are lucky to have even 1 album on this list, this one definitely doesn’t deserve 2. Oh wait, silly me, she’s British so that’s why she gets on the list. 🙄

it's nice. i like it. i especially like the songs with radiohead guy

She has a big voice but I remain fairly unengaged.

Better than other PJ Harvey records.

Not my style. Vocals and rhythm were good just didn't click for me though.

Knew PJ Harvey, but never actually listened before, legendary status confirmed, this one's genuinely good. Get why it's called one of her masterpieces, feels like her most accessible and melodic work. Bonus points for the Thom Yorke collab since I'm a Radiohead fan, that track hit. Might come back to this one someday.

Didn't expect anything and came out disappointed, I guess good vibes ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

A fun album. Almost like Radiohead was a girl.

Probably her most accessible album. Have loved this for years.

ok

This album starts off with an absolute bang. Despite its title, 'Big Exit' instantly draws you in, and the rest of the record never lets go. Harvey joins a long line of London artists totally mesmerized by New York, using that energy to inspire an amazing record. I had heard of her but never actually listened before—I'm so glad this popped up. A fantastic album.

Chill

For me, PJ Harvey constantly shifts along an axis between moody introverted poetry and visceral extroverted lyricism. Each album challenges me to re-establish my relationship with her lyrics and music, although my preference continues to be for her more dynamic performances, and… …and yeah, what a load of pretentious twaddle. What I’m trying to say is, I still really like the shouty bits.

Jeez (I thought). If the algorithm is throwing up a second PJH album in less than a month, there are maybe a few more to come. Which boded badly given the last was an impenetrable mess of noise. But yet… this is undeniably much better than her last entry - more tuneful, rocky, and less angsty. And it was starting to sound like a Pretenders/late 90s Radiohead mash up (a good thing), when Thom Yorke showed up as if to prove my point - so an extra point awarded for that. Hope her other albums are more like this one than the last one.

Yes, this please.

I liked this a lot more than I thought I would!

Surprised me a lot, I really enjoyed it :)

I got into PJ Harvey with her Rid of Me album, I prefer her more raw, heavy a gritty music. This is a decent album, a lot more melodic, but I wouldn't consider it exceptional. The subject matter is still pretty dark at times. The duet with Thom Yorke was surprising and a nice touch. I might add this to the collection if I could find a cheap copy but I prefer her earlier work.

3 of these albums so far on the list. The other two got a 2, and I am on the fence on this one. Okay, 2 it is - the streak continues

Pas mon style

love this album, but _to bring you my love_ better be on this list as well. as should _dry_. pj was pretty unstoppable through 2000. and pretty much her entire career. forgot how good this album really is and also forgot that thom yorke guested on this one.

powerful voice and lyrics. pretty basic instrumentation.

Liked ... Big Exit

2.5/5

Another hit from PJ Harvey! The atmosphere on this album is impeccable, and Thom Yorke perfectly serves the two songs he features on as well.

This was fine. Not bad, not amazing.

PJ Harvey is an immensely polyvalent artist and I respect her so much for it, but the alt-rock direction she went for on this particular album really didn't speak to me. The Thom Yorke collab invites the comparison: a lot of the material here has the same dullness I disliked about Hail To the Thief. Out of curiosity though, I queued up 'Is This Desire?' after this and actually adored it! Sad that it's not included in the book. Every record I've heard from her has gone in a totally different direction from the last, so perhaps we all just need to find our right PJ Harvey album. Standouts: One Line • You Said Something

This is kind of about you; this is kind of about me... I love this album so much, but it definitely won't give up its secrets on a quick listen. You need to really sit down and take in what she's saying. The way that she varies her voice from low and husky to clear and high adds so much texture. Her duet with Thom Yorke is something I never would've thought of, but having heard it I want ten times more. The only complaint I could muster about this album is that Horses in My Dreams drags, but following it with We Float to close the album is a slam dunk.

Cool enough but no head bobbing hits. Sets a mood but that's about it

PJ Harvey – Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea (2000) On Day 235, I experienced a solid, polished indie-rock LP. The overall production and atmosphere were great throughout, but the absolute highlight was the vocal work; I especially loved both PJ Harvey's and Thom Yorke's performances across the record. Their collaboration on the project added a fantastic dynamic to an already strong, melodic body of work. A great, memorable turn-of-the-century alt-rock listen. A solid 4/5.

I had heard of PJ Harvey before this project, but had never actually listened to any of her music. Loved the first album I got and immediately went out and listened to more (including this one). Love this.

Wow, this really clicked for me on the second listen. It has the nostalgia of early-2000s grocery store soft-pop-rock, except with more abstract, complex melodies, really exposed & powerful vocals, and a broad sonic landscape characteristic of all my favorite albums. Love love love. Plus the album cover is kinda sick.

Thom Yorke jump-scare got me good.

#1035. You Said Something was good. Miss me with the rest of it. 2/5: meh

Overall very pleasant album. We float is my stand out favorite. It has the airy melancholic feeling that hits the right spot. The other songs range from excellent to pretty good. Big Exit was also very nice! Would listen again

Un disco maravilloso

Apparently she's got an MBE for services to music and a NME award for an outstanding contribution for music. Really? I found it all a bit bland and boring.

PJ Harvey is one of my discoveries from this project. I knew the name, but had never listened to her before. I have enjoyed every album the list has to offer and some it doesn’t. This is probably my favorite album of hers, having only heard it for the first time this morning. I’ll give it another listen this afternoon and may amend my rating to a 5.

I've heard some PJ Harvey but this would be my first full length. Solid overall but from my understanding not as dark as some of her earlier work which I'd imagine I might prefer. Some nice collaborations with Thom Yorke of Radiohead, a band that I've heard some earlier albums but nothing more recent. All the tracks seem to fit together as a whole and the singles didn't really stand out to me. Interested in hearing more of her work in the future.

I enjoyed this album.

4/5 https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/pj-harvey/stories-from-the-city-stories-from-the-sea/ I remember saying before that I prefer the 'newer' PJ Harvey sound, but this album might change my mind somewhat. Nice Patti Smith influence on some songs (The Whores Hustle...), positive Thom Yorke jumpscare, and generally a bit more approachable than Rid of Me. This will definitely benefit from repeat listens that I will give it.

Super, good songs, arrangements production. Has aged great, main complaint is that Horses in my Dreams should have been the album closer. 9/10

A blind spot in my listening history, PJ Harvey is actually pretty solid. Catchy tunes, perfectly fine writing, and a sound that is perfectly encapsulated in that turn of the century sound. I'll be back to this.

skipped a couple, didn't love her voice but some songs were catchy

Album Cover: 5/5 (Classy) Best Tracks: Big Exit, Good Fortune, This is Love Big Exit is a great opening track. Rating: 5/5

I think I can best summarize this as 'not my thing'. I don't think anything was outright bad but didn't really like it.

Very solid 3. Nothing I hated, not much that grabbed me either. Her voice is nice though, and I enjoyed the variety in these songs.

Just missed the 90's

A bit dull

Boring. Don’t like it.

The mess we’re in was instantly not just one of my favourite songs on the album but of all time and I’m so scared each time I listen to it that I’ll get sick of it and it can’t capture that magic feeling of the first listen, I was playing subnautica listen to this album and the atmosphere of the album fit perfectly with the feeling of being at the bottom of a vast dark sea. A somber peacefulness with a perfect pinch of sadness and dread.

I should listen to PJ Harvey more. 4/5.

idr

First impression was "ah sounds like some decent radio rock" but it quickly improved from that. Very fun and pleasant listen, strong 4; I'll stick with this one, but it didn't "wow" me quite yet for a 5.

Way more rock than I was expecting. I like it, but considering the 2 day delay in writing this review I'm struggling to expand on it. Will relisten.

Not her absolute best but that’s just saying this is a great album

Didn't set my world on fire. PJ going soft, all muted tones and hushed vocals. It's pretty, but pretty like a rainy day that you'd rather skip pretty. Where's the fire? Where's the raw power that usually grabs me by the throat? I'm left wanting more grit, less lullaby. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions - Good Fortune - This Mess We're In - This Is Love

Solid album, and did I hear a Radiohead duet? Didn't have that one on my bingo card today.

Really good. Had never heard of her before.

This wasn’t bad. It just wasn’t for me. And that’s okay.

Most female singers are like beer. PJ Harvey is usually like whiskey. In this outing she's a little more like wine rosé at the beginning and a more robust Bordeaux towards the end. It's more subtle and not better for it in my opinion. The tunes are there the lyrics are there but the rawness is sadly lacking.

I like that the guy from Radiohead is there too

fav songs: one line beautiful feeling this mess we're in this is love alt, atmosphere, melodic 70/100

Mercury Prize winning Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea is easily my favorite work I've heard from PJ Harvey. Written about her love of New York City, it's suitably majestic, a little grimy, and often frenetic. The songs are well-crafted, the production is crystal clear, and there's zero reason to skip a single track. There are even Thom Yorke appearances in a few tracks, as if things weren't good enough as is.

мне она не нравится

Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea isn’t PJ Harvey becoming less interesting. It’s PJ Harvey becoming more emotionally open without becoming less dangerous. And that’s probably the album’s greatest achievement. “This Is Love,” “Good Fortune,” “A Place Called Home,” and “You Said Something” are Harvey at her most immediate—and the fact that she could make songs this accessible without sounding remotely generic is why this record deserves its reputation.

Not really for me.

This was great! Somehow another artist that I haven't really dove into. I liked this a lot, and I'm excited to get into some of her other, more "experimental" work.

Love any excuse to listen to Polly Jean. What a consummate artist. I really don't listen to her enough, to be honest. This is a fantastic record, by far her most accessible, and she loses little by going a little more tuneful, a little more direct. Thought I may prefer, her noisier, artier outings, this fits right into her discography. Not quite a masterpiece, but PJ can do little wrong in my eyes.

Oooo. This was *THE* PJ Harvey album I listened to in college. Almost every mix tape had songs from this. Still put tracks on playlists to this day. A Place Called Home, This Mess We're In, and We Float are my favorite PJ tracks. They are conveniently all on one stellar album.

5⭐️

I don't often get gender euphoria, but goddamn if PJ Harvey doesn't make me thrilled to be a woman.

First time listening to a full PJ Harvey album. Was really solid and enjoyable.

This was ok. A little repetitive and nothing really standing out.

She’s a goddess and this album is a masterpiece.

Got some jams, probably the most accessible PJ record

Neither here nor there. Forgettable songs and a generic style they doesn't leave an imprint.

Previously known.

Massive fan from the very start. Polly Harvey is up there with the best singer songwriters ever. Always pushing the boundaries, always doing her own thing. This is a truly great album from a list of great albums.

Fun to revisit this classic, good stuff.

One of the albums of all time

Recently got into PJ Harvey and enjoying it.

4.5 never heard of her before this but nice vocals and great song writing

Hyvä levy mutta ei mikään mestariteos. Tuntuu, että levyllä on iso nippu sinänsä vahvoja biisejä, mutta ne ovat kuin yhdestä puusta veistettyjä ja ehkä siksi levy ei ihan lähde lentoon. This Mess we’re in, Kamikaze ja This is love erottuvat edukseen. Jotenkin jäi fiilis, että potentiaalia olisi ollut jopa loistavaan albumiin mutta jokin muuttuja on väärin tai puuttuu ja näin ollen arvosana on ”vain” hyvä. 3/5

Starts strong, peters out then the hidden track strikes back hard.

This was good

Didn’t vibe with it.

I only semi-liked 3 songs from the album. Of course I’d heard of PJ Harvey before but was never really impressed with what I heard. All I kept thinking throughout this was Patti Smith 2.0. 1.5

Not a PJ Harvey fan before this album. Still not one after. Annoying, monotonous, dull.

I admire PJH but it’s not really what I want to listen to. And I’m sorry about that.

Standard rock, don’t like her voice.

Heard Before? Not in years, but I've gone through a PJ phase more than once. Notes: - first listen was fairly uneventful. the tracks i remembered ("Good Fortune", "You Said Something", "We Float") jumped out, but a lot felt like filler. - production is part of the problem: the mix is all vocals and rhythm guitar, with all the nifty extra touches buried. even the piano on the piano-led numbers is oddly quiet. - on second listen I got a better feel for the songwriting and was as impressed as I've ever been with her. - the decision to cede lead vocals to Thom Yorke is a real momentum killer, like throwing a wet blanket onto the album. yuck. - thankfully it bounces back with two of the most engaging tracks, and the whole second side is then terrific. Verdict: This really seems like her fourth or fifth best album. Still exciting and vital, but not innovative or definitive. Listen Again? Unlikely. But good to revisit. And this time around I really dug "Kamikaze".

Sounds a lot like Patti Smith. Not the same level of artistry though. Best song is This Mess We’re In. Not into it though.

I genuinely don't understand why she's in here. Her music is so boring and flat. The lyrics are meandering. And the music and lyrics never seem to sync up, which is probably on purpose, but it works to its detriment. I've gotten two of her albums so far, and I just don't see what the appeal is. And there's two more waiting in the wings. Even Thom Yorke can't save this mess, although This Mess We're In was the most enjoyable track. I had Rid of Me before, and I found that album more unpleasant than this one. So here's hoping she steps it up on the next one.

This was perfectly enjoyable. Even hearing Thom Yorke lend his vocals to a couple of the tracks was a nice surprise. But by the time you’ve reached the fourth PJ Harvey album on this list, Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea no longer feels especially distinctive. It’s a solid listen, yet it never rises above simply being another good PJ Harvey album.

This is The most palatable of her four albums on this list. Only one of which should have been here if at all.

i miss new york :(

Tyttöenergiaa ja naispuolista näkökulmaa

Great album. Moody and pleasant.

Pretty ok!

Mid

This has been pitched to me as 'PJ Harvey goes more accessible' and it delivered on that front. I've struggled to get into Rid of Me and Let England Shake, this felt like a better entry point

Actually quite good, never heard of her before this but will definitely look around at some of her other stuff now

3.5

These records aren't really for me, but I always find a way to enjoy them. The album features a variety of time signatures, which was unexpected for the genre. Pop records like these are very lyric oriented with the instrumentation not being too unique, but it manages to stay interesting almost the whole listen. That being said, the lyrics are also great, and they kept me quite engaged. Thom Yorke also appears on two similar tracks, which I obviously like. Unfortunately PJ's vocals are a little inconsistent, and on some songs I straight up think they're bad. However the majority of the album has pretty good deliveries. There's just nothing crazy special about anything here, and it's a high 3 rather than a low 4.

I've tried this record several times, Pj is very cool and just seems like the sort of thing I should like but I has never hit for me. A couple of the songs sounds like maybe they would be a promising demo of a great song but never quite worked them to that point. It just feels flat to me, musically.

5/5 because it’s just that fun

Y'all actually like this? Maybe I'm the dickhead here but I can't get into this. It just feels like a walmart version of Sinead O'Connor, someone who could actually say something. Sure, there is talent here, but this just feels like a nothing burger, singer-songwriter slop of an album that goes on way too long.

Oh, I sure have heard it before. I adore this album. This is probably PJ at her most mainstream but she's still great.The songs make you want to walk outside swinging a bag around like Polly in the Good Fortune music video. Not even Thom Yorke appearing on one song can make me rate the album lower because even though I don't like him he somehow fits on the song he's on 5/5

Nostalgiaferatu

It was a good listen, soft yet bold and I liked her voice although her lyrics may have been repetitive

I liked A Place Called Home and The Whores Hustle. Thom Yorke is whiny and PJ can be kinda whiny too. Overall this was alright, very hipster. Bet it would have been great live. (3)

I somehow missed this when it came out, but its great It's not too often that the 1001 Album challenge delivers something this wonderful But would have been even better without Thom Yorke's vocal contribution I would buy this album just on the strength of the song This Is Love

I value deep lyricism, this just doesnt have that for me. But I do like indie rock, sooo....

Though easy to see that the chaotic nature of this album is a shortcoming, by going all over the place, PJ Harvey returns to a sort of more raw version of herself, as she tells her city stories, remembering everyone in this album how good of a storyteller she is, even in this more advanced stage of her illustrious career. An LP filled with great songs, though it carries low points alongside it.

Don’t get it

Big Exit - 4/5 Good Fortune - 4/5 A Place Called Home - 3.5/5 One Line - 4/5 Beautiful Feeling - 4/5 The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore - 4/5 This Mess We're In - 4.5/5 You Said Something - 3.5/5 Kamikaze - 4/5 This Is Love - 3.5/5 Horses in My Dreams - 3.5/5 We Float - 4/5 I wouldn't say there's anything that really stands out about this album, but it all definitely feels cohesive with its execution. It almost feels like a bit more raw and indie version of Radiohead, mainly due to Thom Yorke appearing on here once or twice. I wouldn't say this is one of my favorites but I definitely enjoyed enough. Overall: 4/5 Favorites: This Mess We're In

Unmemorable

This was close to a 4 for me it does a lot of things that I feel like I could return to and dive a bit deeper in. But at the same time it wasn't fantastic Standouts The Whores Hustle And The Hustlers Whore The Mess We're In This Is Love 3/5

Was alright

4/5

Polly on her usual arc

8/10

Uno de los mejores álbumes de PJ Harvey, emotivo, entretenido y muy disfrutable.

2,9 Highlights: This Mess We're In, We Float

It was alright not really

A little gloomy for my liking, and the vocals didn't necessarily work for me. That being said, the instrumental stuff was good, especially on big exit. Kamikaze is probably my favourite. I like this is love. We float was a good ending to the album.

I like how dark this album is at times. There are some great moments, it is brought down by the end of the record though

So good 90s nostalgia. Mostly harmless.

Sweet album, liked the one with Thom Yorke

She’s pretty good. I don’t think I have listened to female rock artists before.

6/10 I saw PJ Harvey play at Reading festival in 2001, coincidentally in the wake of this album’s release, and wasn’t vastly impressed. That being said, I was, at the time, a 16 year old, very much uninterested in indie-coded music. She’s often referenced in circles of musicians that I have subsequently come to love, so this should be an interesting experience. Tonally, this album falls quite nicely in the slot between grunge and indie, but with an edge of pop music flair to the melodic side of things. There’s a decent amount of bite, some really nice elements of orchestration and sound design, and for the most part, PJ’s vocal delivery is great, with dollops of swagger and attitude, blended into sweet and clean tones too. The songwriting is by and large pretty good too, with songs like The Whores Hustle And The Hustlers Whore and This Is Love showing the strength and weight of her compositional skill. The instrumentation across the album is varied and carefully balanced too, with sparse, almost ambient sections making way for full-bodied, distorted riffs and cool, evolving synth lines. While those elements of the record tick a lot of boxes for me, things did fall down on the fact that quite a lot of the rhythmic choices on the album were very rigid and repetitive across the course of full tracks. The crotchet snare pattern of Big Exit, for example, really jarred with me due to its persistence whenever the drums were involved across the track. It wasn’t just the drums, either. The strumming pattern of Good Fortune being another example of something that felt quite inflexible, plodding and relentless. When more range was delivered within a track, or even when the rhythms became a bit more fluid, I did find myself warming to this quite a bit. It did feel a touch long, and the quality of the work did vary a little over the course of the album, but the general vibe, production and balance of the album was actually very good, and it’s clear that she’s a good songwriter. While I’m unlikely to spend too much time with this record in future, it has at least tempted me to check out some of her other work to see if it offers something a little more my style. Big Exit - The atmosphere and attitude to this is good, but rhythmically, it’s quite rigid. There is a nice breakdown in the middle eight, but I don’t think there’s enough variety in the composition, so things get a bit repetitive. I do like the vibe, but each section sounds fairly similar and all of them sound like build up, rather than payoff. It feels like we’re going somewhere, but we never arrive, like some kind of sisyphian composition. Good Fortune - Similarly to the opener, this is quite repetitive and rhythmically rigid. There are changes to the underlying chord structure through the different sections, but the plodding pulse and inflection remains consistent throughout, so it becomes a touch draining. Again, tonally, this is really good, and the swagger and attitude of it is cool, but I just find it a bit too repetitive. She does add variety through the instrumental choices as the track progresses, but it’s just not got enough range for me. A Place Called Home - There’s another nice atmosphere here, and the wash of instrumentation creates a really nice, thick pad of tone with arpeggiations drifting in and out of focus from the mix. The beat gives this a solid and infectious groove too. While this is still rhythmically quite rigid, there’s enough range in instrumentation and arrangement to give this a bit more depth. It’s perhaps still not as musically developed as I’d like, but it’s definitely better. One Line - A slow burn now that deals well with atmosphere. It broods and smoulders until things start to kick in. The groove is good, but again, the rhythm is quite rigid and static in nature, not feeling particularly free-flowing at any point. It’s another that constantly feels like it’s building to something. I quite like it, but it doesn’t really feel like it ever actually gets anywhere. Beautiful Feeling - There’s more rhythmic variety in this, just from the guitar and vocal and it feels less plodding as a result. It’s quite ethereal and sparse, but pretty because of that. It’s slightly unfocused, but in a purposeful, drifting way. It’s very pretty and well performed. Nice. The Whores Hustle And The Hustlers Whore - This is way better, too. It has more distinctive sections and has rhythmical and dynamic range that the early tracks didn’t offer. There’s a darkness and brooding to this that’s really engaging. It sits well in the hinterland between grunge and indie, with good pace, intensity and a touch of grit that gives it extra weight and power. The effects use and atmosphere is also top notch, and the groove is great. Really solid. This Mess We're In - And here comes Thom Yorke. He must have heard that the album has started to get quite good! This continues on the brooding theme, with a nice dip in and out of vocals and drums in different places. PJ and Thom’s vocals work quite nicely together and the vibe for this is great, but it does fall a touch back towards the somewhat relentlessly repetitive rhythmic flow of earlier tracks. It’s saved a bit by the nice harmonic composition, but it is still a little one paced. You Said Something - This has more nice melodic and harmonic writing, but I still find it to be rhythmically quite plodding. There’s a bit more range in there this time, and with some of the instrumental sections, she does pull things a little out of the standard shape, which is nice. There’s a decent range in intensity across this track, and there’s some of it that I really like, but I just wish there was a bit more of a fluid rhythmic base. Kamikaze - Like this! Now we’re (kind of inexplicably) leaning into a drum and bass style of breakbeat. The intensity and range of this is so much better, and reminds me a touch of Skunk Anansie. It’s heavy, pacy and powerful and the soundscape that she creates is deep and interesting too. It also gets the job done in two and a half minutes with attitude and intensity. More solid stuff. This Is Love - This is the single that I know best. It’s a great vocal melody and this sits nicely somewhere between L7 and The White Stripes. It is a touch rhythmically repetitive, as with quite a bit of the record, but there’s way more range in the instrumentation, arrangement and vocal performance on this to give it more depth. It’s a great song with good drive , interesting harmonic work in the cleaner high frequencies, which blends nicely against the gritty, beefy main riff. It’s hooky as hell too. Another really good track. Horses In My Dreams - Back to a pretty, drifting effort now. When things start moving, it’s again very stilted, rigid repetitive from a rhythmic point of view, and it’s melodically quite unfocused and rambling. There’s some elements of beauty to this, especially the vibe and general construction of the slowly building soundscape, but I do find that relentless pulse to be quite distracting from the nuance of the sound design and musicality of the composition. It’s a shame really, because there’s a lot to like here, but the flat insistent nature of the groove just doesn’t quite vibe with me. We Float - It takes a while to shift out of its holding pattern of the first couple of minutes. The chorus is very spacy and melodic, which lifts things. Again, it’s rhythmically quite repetitive, but at least the groove is more fluid here. It’s another that’s got a cool atmosphere and vibe, and shifts really nicely into the chorus, but it’s ultimately a little too flat. It’s almost ambient indie in a way, but there’s probably not enough subtlety of arrangement or hypnotics focus for it to completely work on an ambient level. Very nice, very pretty, but just a touch bland.

PJ Harvey is an artist I've always loved. I've been lucky enough to see her live several times over the years, and she's one of those rare artists whose albums I've consistently enjoyed throughout her career. From the raw emotion of Dry and the ferocious energy of Rid of Me to the brilliant songwriting of Let England Shake, she has an incredible ability to evolve while still sounding completely and unmistakably like herself. That makes Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea a serious contender for her best album. Song after song lands perfectly, with hardly a weak moment to be found. These are great rock songs, full of purpose, emotion and confidence, delivered by an artist operating at the absolute peak of her powers. The music is fantastic throughout, balancing moments of intensity with quieter, more reflective passages, while PJ Harvey's storytelling remains as sharp and compelling as ever. There is an immediacy and energy to the record that makes it incredibly easy to connect with, but it also rewards repeat listens as more details begin to emerge. What impresses me most is how effortless it all feels. The album never sounds like it's trying too hard to be clever or important; it simply delivers one excellent song after another. For me, it's one of the standout albums of the early 2000s and another reminder of just how remarkable an artist PJ Harvey is. PJ Harvey is superb. Favourite tracks: There are so many great songs here, but "A Place Called Home", "One Line" and the excellent single "This Is Love" are particular highlights for me. Least favourite tracks: Honestly, everything on the album deserves its place. Album artwork: A classic PJ Harvey cover — simple, striking and instantly recognisable.

Dang I guess I am too picky about my turn of the century woman singer-songwriters...

Good writing, solid music

I love PJ Harvey’s writing, especially how she chooses a very set identity for each album’s sound and instrumentation. I wish this one had more textural variation though, got a little monotonous sounding.

Once again, I’d prefer a ten point scale for this. This isn’t quite a 3 but it’s definitely not a 2. I’m gonna give it a 3. It’s not a bad album, but I wasn’t into it. Kamikaze was decent.

Big exit 4/5 Good fortune 4.5/5 A place called home 4/5 One line 4.5/5 Beautiful feeling 3.5/5 The whores hustle and the hustlers whore 5/5 This mess we're in 5/5 You said something 4.5/5 Kamikaze 5/5 This is love 5/5 Horses in my dreams 4/5 We float 4.5/5

This Mess We're in isch eis vode Schönste Lieder wos gittt. D Radiohead Stimm mit PJ Harvey Rock paaret -> es ganz es hübschs Musikalischs Chind! und au de rest vom Album absolute ohreschmaus. Abrgundet 4 Harvey Davidson

Harvey’s most musically conventional record, the one you’d play for those just getting into her (at times it feels like a bit more aggressive Sarah McLachlan) but the songs are so well-written and exciting that any eccentricity lost is more than made up for. As good as this is, it’s good she went back to weirder stuff afterward – there is a lot of music that sounds like this. Best track: “The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore”

Definitely had some good moments, surprise Thom Yorke feature was fun, ‘We Float’ near the end was a bit of a banger. Decent bit of filler though and I’ve got nae time for ‘Hidden Tracks’ that are just normal songs with 5 minutes of silence first.

Nunca he entendido el culto alrededor de PJ Harvey y este álbum de lo confirma. No está mal pero pues no es algo que le vuelva loco o que quiera escuchar más de ella.

Meh

What an album! Almost every song is a banger, with such emotional, animal emotion. I'll definitely be putting this on for frequent repeats

I’ve never been a great fan of PJ Harvey. I like the occasional song and enjoyed listening to Let England Shake. I recognises a couple of songs that get frequent plays on 6Music, but I didn’t warm to this overall. It’s exactly of its time sadly. Lots of plodding guitars.

This was pretty good, but got a little boring after a while.

Horrible, I can't see why anyone would listen to this crap more than once. Ugh. 1.5/10 Top song The one with Thom Yorke, because Thom Yorke is in it.

i’m not use to it

got better as it went on

3.5

tues i had we shake england or whatever, fri i have stories from the city oh yah no if the whole album is like this then i'm not listening to the whole thing and it's getting a two, so here's to hoping it gets better. the instruments are *fine* her singing is like sandpaper good fortune--yah nope "EEeeEEeeEEeeEEee" i am not doing that is she trying to cause physical pain to my ears???? 1/5

Haunting and beautiful, but not an album that has me drawn to return.

Excellent album, with the cameo of Thom Yorke being a particular highlight 5*

I loved the fact that she sounds like a 2000s version of Patti Smith, but i wouldn't consider this an 8/10 album. Obviously there are some grat moments here and there, and I wouldn't consider the consinstency a problem of this record, but there's just something missing, it's an inner feeling I've been dealing with for the entire listen, and i hate it when i can't use the right words to describe it. Perhaps i need to try this again another day, but for now i didn't quite click with it.

Okish

I liked the Thom Yorke duet especially.

Está divertido pero es demasiado denso, no se cómo explicarlo mejor. ME parece que ela compreisón del sonido me cansó. El resto no está mal pero tampoco destaca.

Better than expected. Some annoying vocal affectations

It's not bad. It's just so boring.

i didn't hate this album, but unfortunately i didn't resonate with it very much at all. i'm not a huge lyricist though and i've heard that's a large part of the appeal, so maybe that's the problem lol.

it's like I'm being told a story but i forgot what it's about

It's ok. Not great, not horrible

Kinda sounds like if Nick Cave was good.

PJ Harvey makes me think of Fiona Apple but if she was more upbeat. Overall I really can’t get with a fast paced Fiona Apple.

Didn't love the singles but a better album than I remembered

Nothing really hooked me. Favorite was say something.

Mere velkendt, end jeg havde regnet med. Rigtig godt album.

Really good, love the Thom Yorke appearances. Listened a few times in a row, definitely need to go further down the PJ Harvey rabbit hole.

She's in a world of her own. Or a galaxy. And then to bring Thom Yorke as a side show? Very well done.

It was alright. Will not revisit honestly.

Great

3,92 1. "This Mess We're In" 2. "Good Fortune" 3. "A Place Called Home"

pj harvey…… so effortlessly cool. this is a great album with really beautiful songwriting

Beautiful. A departure from the early albums. This is the last album of hers that I really loved

do not love

Highlights: Big Exit, Good Fortune, A Place Called Home, This Mess We're In, Kamikaze, This Is Love, We Float Sonically this one isn't anything too special, but it was an enjoyable listen with good energy in some of its tracks. I'm not a fan of the slower tracks on the album as they honestly just bore me a bit and there are unfortunately quite a few of them (the exception being the closing track). I definitely feel like this album could have taken some bigger risks and produce more unique sounds. Also a feature from Thom Yorke of all people was a nice surprise.

2,5

Gets better in second half. Would go 2.5 stars if that was an option

Liked this one a lot and will return for more listens.

аврил лавин вайбик такой. Кому нравится женский вокал подрочить пойдёт. Художественная ценность минимальная

Her voice is fine, but this strikes me as just more generic guitar strumming rock. I think this is meant to be carried by the lyrical work, but nothing felt that groundbreaking or unique to me.

New to me artist. Well done album. She's quite varied in her songs. I'd like to hear more.

Somewhere between 2 and 3. I'll go 3 because it's a sunny morning.

The music was a bit better than I had expected. But overall, I'm pretty indifferent to this album.

Solid PJ album. Digging the tunes. A good candidate for my music library to go along with Dry.

PJ Harvey's finest hour in my opinion. The grungy, distorted guitars give way to clean, post-Britpoppy tones that are not that dissimilar from stuff like pre-Kid A Radiohead, but with an extra airy feel. Thom Yorke himself even shows up at one point. Timeless, and yet very of its time. Key tracks: Big Exit A Place Called Home This Mess We're In This Is Love

Fucking tedious, and boring

6/10 Tranquilo, sin molestar, no me llamo la atencion nada pero tampoco decepcionó

Second time for this. Before this exercise it was an album I don’t think I had ever listened to, though I was extremely familiar with a number of tracks from it. This is one of the reasons I am totally in with the exercise, despite the issues with certain albums contained on the list, etc. My natural inclination is to think of artists in terms of their albums, to think of songs existing in the context of an album, even if I know I am not actually familiar with that album. I’m so glad for the opportunity/ motivation to listen to albums and keep contextualizing the songs they contain. So today I’m even more impressed with this. PJ Harvey succeeds in creating a world, an experience for me. 5 Boolean: True

First listen

not really for me

I’d never heard of PJ Harvey before, but her voice and song writing are enjoyable and new (to me at least!). 4/5.

It was ok

PJ is an artist I’ve long respected more than I loved. I first heard her when Let England Shake was released and topped many album of the year lists, but while I liked that album it never penetrated my brain like SFTC,SFTE has. I’ve read that it’s some people’s favorite Harvey album, and now I’m firmly in that camp. What a record. The entire record is great, and there are some highlights in Big Exit, The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Who’re, The Mess We’re In, and This Is Love. However, the track that really penetrated my brain is the closer We Float. It’s easily my favorite PJ Harvey song and it’s been tough to remove its chorus from my head since I heard it.

PJ Harvey? The Denver Broncos running back?

One where I like all the elements but have never been able to really get into the final thing. Crunchy alt rock guitars, dissonant chords and dark timbre, moody and expressive, great dynamics, and vocals that range from grunge angst to Jeff Buckley falsetto wail. No hooks, earworms or really standout riffs to hold onto though.

The kind of melancholy music I typically like but didn't really hit right. May be worst a relisten

nice listen, but a bit of too repetitive for my tastes. middle of the album was a highlight

I felt like this album was supposed to evoke emotion in me but it didn't really. Except for This Mess We're In. Banger. 3.5/5

I like this album alot. Maybe not as unique as some of her other ones, but this def has some of my most listened pj Harvey songs.

Pj Harvey is really good

Not my cup of tea

You can hear the influence as PJ sounds just like Chrissie Hynde, especially in the gritty first few songs. I didn't really enjoy the Thom Yorke songs as they added a softness that she didn't really need. Loved the strong female punk aspect of this as well.

Really weird, some songs are nothing more than childish rhymes and thrown together whilst others are quite good.

Oki

I kept thinking of the word “bracing”. Every song feels like the most emotionally thrilling night you could have in New York City. This is why I started this challenge, so that I could have an excuse to finally listen to albums like this.