Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea

An album being generated by this lady is just like a dentist appointment, I knew the day was coming but I tried to forget about it. I have heard a fair bit of this artist’s work as my bro is a big fan but it just doesn’t do anything for me. As I started listening this view was validated but then I heard “The Whores Bundle” which was wonderful and the “Mess We are In” with Thom Yorke was absolutely lovely, the spoken word bits sounding very much like the Tindersticks. Closing track “We Float” was nice too. Now I am actually interested to hear more.

Good fortune indeed

Vier albums moest dit boek aan haar wijden. Bij de eerste track gaat het al mis. Vervorming, geblèr en aanstellerij. Daarna trekt het bij. Niet alle nummers zijn slecht, af en toe heeft het iets van de Pretenders, en die meneer van Radiohead mag ook een mopje meezingen. En wordt het zowaar zoetgevooisde altopop. Dus vooruit maar weer.

Als ik het album aanzet denk ik kort een aflevering van Friends te krijgen. Tot mevrouw licht punk-schreeuwt om een vuurwapen. Het woordje 'licht' is wel een belangrijk woordje in de vorige zin. We kennen mevrouw van de zogenaamd kunstzinnige uitspattingen. Die vallen op dit album heel erg mee. Maar deze uithalen, als in A place called home hebben warempel een muzikale waarde. Wiki meldt over dit album dan ook dat dit wel een commercieel succes was. Overigens was er volgens wiki zelfs een eerder album van PJ, dat ook gewaardeerd werd door de luisteraar. Ik neem aan dat we dát album niet voorgeschoteld krijgen. Nóg een luisterbare plaat van deze mevrouw lijkt mij veel van het goede...

Ons laatste album van PJ als het goed is. De vorige vond ik helemaal niks. Dit album wordt gezien als een van haar beste en het bevalt mij ook een stuk beter. Het is iets toegankelijker, mede omdat het draait om de 90s sound en vnl elektrische gitaar. En dan is het voor mij erg fijn om te luisteren. Schrap 2 van die andere albums en hou dit in de lijst, helemaal prima, hoor je mij niet over. Het beste wat PJ te bieden heeft wat mij betreft.

I though this was pretty good

It's good so far, although not quite to my taste. It's pretty iconic to release an album on 1st Jan 2000 though, gotta say I'm jealous I wasn't around to see the beginning of a new millennia and all the art that came out of it. Back to the album, This Mess We're In is probably my favourite so far. I kinda feel like it's making me more depressed just listening to it (the whole album) though.

Interesting new to me artist. No songs stood out in particular and wasn’t familiar with many names she has worked with while reviewing her wiki page.

An absolutely fantastic album. Favorite track was This Mess We're In.

LOVE LOVE LOVE

hab ich sehr gemocht,“This Is Love“ sogar in die playlist gepackt

She so enigmatic in both her writing and her performances very captivating. PJ Harvey has cultivates such a clear path from soul to voice. A couple of Thom Yorke features on here, and they aren’t the best of the bunch honestly. I just feel like Harvey is at her best when she’s explosive and vulnerable and visceral in her performances, like sole of the vocal runs on “The Whores Hustle and the Hustles Whore”. An album thats the proper amount of challenging and rewarding all the way through. I have a lot of respect and not much else to say. Just go listen. 4/5

How does she have several albums on this list? There's just nothing essential about any of this. Clumsy lyrics, extremely generic music, very limited vocals. This time we get an atrocious collaboration with the Radiohead guy. Bleh.

AAAAAAA!!! I’ve been waiting!! I always thought I would like this, and today I found out that in fact…! It’s fine. The persona is a little bit irritating, a lot of the album doesn’t feel like it’s bringing enough to the table. That being said, the heights, such as “Big Exit,” “A Place Called Home,” “Horses In My Dreams,” et cetera, all make up for that. The production overall is nice, if nothing too phenomenal. The vocals are a bit of an acquired taste, but really good if you can get behind them. Pretty much everything’s great, except for the general persona of the album, which I personally can’t personally find a way to enjoy or relate to. Not saying it’s bad. It just doesn’t connect to me in that way. Also, a lot of the songwriting (especially on songs such as “This Mess We’re In” or “You Said Something”) is just a bit too vague for me to really like it much. All this being said it’s a very nice album. 7.9/10

*Strong lyrics but this mostly felt like mumbling over a grunge guitar *To be fair, this is not a favorite genre of mine anyway

Favorite Track: Big Exit

I reviewed this a while back and reading back, I was perhaps a little harsh. Maybe it just wasn't landing at the time, maybe it was disappointing when listening off the back off the earlier albums which I typically much prefer. A couple of years later and a fresher head and this is landing much better than previously, meaning I'll have to return to this some more. My previous complaints were the songs were a bit 'one idea' and the production a bit tame. I suspect that I was suffering a bit of hang up from the dirtier, grimier production of earlier albums and this sounded a bit polished in comparison. Essentially, I'm not comparing her to herself this time and it's sounding much better in that context.

Frábær plata hjá PJ. Ótrúlega góð tónlistarkona og textahöfundur. Áhrifin frá Patti Smith augljós.

Харви Дэвидсон, заводится с пол оборота

She had a great band when she toured this one. It's a shame she doesn't do live albums. I've got a great bootleg of her singing The Fall's Janet + Johnny + James from around then, maybe the next album. I like the uncharacteristic shiny simple production on this, as an excursion - everything she does is an excursion, but overall I don't think the songs quite match up to her best. This really becomes apparent when The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore hits because it is just so great.

Ik snapte dit niet denk ik.

The Good: Who doesn’t like stories? The Bad: What if we don’t like The City, or The Sea? The Ugly: The looming uncertainty if I have more PJ Harvey albums to listen to… We all have tastes that might not mesh with what the rest of humanity likes. I, for one, like to get really drunk every now and again, while my wife hates that, and she, for some odd reason, likes to clean the house constantly, while I hate that… Ying Yang some might call that. In the case of Mr D’s taste in certain artists, I don’t know if we can talk about Ying Yang… more like “just kick me in the nuts and let’s get it over with”. I’ve mentioned it several times before, one of these days I might just have to purchase the damn book so I can read the reasonings behind the, at times, nightmare I have to go through while listening to album #x of artist Y. This album started off okay… but then this singing thing was being repeated several times… and my finger started itching, and I was forced to hit next over and over again. According to my wife I am turning into a grumpy old man… maybe… at least I know who’s to be blamed… fucking Dimery. 2*

A bit of a mixed bag, but no real standouts

This would be in my top ten G.O.A.T albums

I've never really bought into the cult of PJ so I had low expectations coming into this one. I was pleasantly surprised how much I didn't hate it.

ABİ ALGORİTMA ŞAKA MI NİYE HEP FAV ALBÜMLERİMİ ÇIKARIYOR PJ HARVEY QUEENDİR.

I get the appeal but was not for me

Couldn’t even finish it, sorry PJ

Not as dark as her earlier albums with plenty of lush reverb. Reminiscent of Smith, Sioux and Hynde which it a pretty good league. Worth a listen or two

I actually really loved this album, but it took me a few listens to really fall in love with it unfortunately. I will also say that the sounds themselves feel pretty generic, but aren't done poorly. 8/10

Brilliant work. Proper 2000s, lonely but cool woman vibes. ‘No one understands me’ type shi

Pitchfork strikes out again

‘Big exit’ turned out to be a weak opening track as the album got so much better (for a bit) after that initial track which felt flat and forced. After that the album had 5 or 6 great melodic rousing tracks including the two with Thom Yorke on. Unfortunately there were 4/5 tracks that went back to a basic boring, nothing special state of mind, a shame as the makings of a great album were there. I really enjoyed the tracks ‘you said something’ ‘this mess were in’ ‘one line’ and ‘this is love’ however my favourite track was - ‘good fortune’ Worst track - ‘kamikaze’ in the end. Overall felt so mediocre by the end but it did have those great tracks mixed in so a slightly above average 6/10.

Pj Harvey Lazy track by track review (ones not there I didn't really notice 🤔) The opening clarion call of chiming guitars announce a brighter more upbeat Polly. Not one I have ever been used to but I really enjoy this. Good Fortune - "threw my bad fortune of the top of a tall building". Fuck me, where has this optimism come from? 😄 Sounds a lot like a Chrissy Hynd song. Maybe Polly showing her influences but this is an absolute banger. One line - one dimensional The Whores Hustle - bit directionless to these ears. This Mess we're In and You Said Something - kind of ran together in my head but both occupied some kind of space of longing. Enjoyed! But what was the "something import"? Kamikaze - sounds like a demo that got on the album by accident This is love - nah it is but when it comes to explaining the uncontrollable desperation of lust and desire then this is spot on. The come down of Horses in my Dreams a welcome change of pace and tone. Even then it feels like Polly is right there in your face. Demo like feel of We Float opens up into a soaring Kate Bush like chorus of "one day we'll float, take life as it comes". A perfect optimistic closer. This Wicked Tongue continues to prove my theory that hidden tracks are hidden for a reason. Best Track - This is Love Worst Track - Kamikaze 7/10

Tracks from this album have been with me probably since it was released. But I don’t think I have ever listened to the album. PJ Harvey really was at top form here. This is really quite a work. I just don’t find it consistent. But certainly the whole is worth more attention. 4 Boolean: yes, Beverly glad to have heard before I dir

chill af. her singing is a little inconsistent. very tasteful variance in instrumentation too. 4/5

FOUR PJ Harvey on here, seriously? It's alright until she starts singing 😏

No. I'm sorry. The man who wrote this list obviously loves pj harvey. I don't blame you guy, if I was writing this list of course I'd put all my favourite albums. And haven't bothered to do that so I can't really complain.

MOTHER POLLY JEANNNN. was so psyched to see this one on here. her most patti smith album. was the first one i ever listened to that my mom recommended. love every song in this one.

it was pretty good, i think it was better than the first album she had because it had less weird sounds (like a car sound in the last album). I overall think it was actually pretty good and now im honestly enjoying these albums

Favorite track: Kamikaze

Sounds equal parts fragile and confident.

Good, simple Rock

This is really cool. Feels almost timeless, effortless, yet delicate.

At various times, PJ Harvey’s voice reminded me of Exene Cervenka (of X), Laura Nyro, and Bjork. The duet with Thom Yorke is cool. And while I enjoyed the album fairly well, it hasn’t really stuck with me. A decent entry, but one I’m unlikely to think about in the future.

- i've listened to 8 songs and i'm not sure i like this album -This mess we're in is not too bad but only bcs there's thom yorke - her singing melody never changes and it's just too bland for me + she loves to shout in the high nots (not enjoyable) - 2/10

The intersection of Patti, Joni and Neil.

This was the album where I really got PJ Harvey - I'd heard bits and pieces off her previous albums, and liked them OK, but never delved deeper. But this one grabbed me, hook, line and sinker. It's the sound of Polly Jean in New York, and in love. Alternates between tender and loving (A Place Called Home, You Said Something, This Mess We're In, Beautiful Feeling) and rocking out hard (Big Exit, Good Fortune, Kamikaze, The Whores Hustle and The Hustlers Whore, This Is Love). It's all fantastic and I love it.

Love you PJ, you gorgeous genius

I’m sure she is a wonderful person.

Don’t love the voice

I really want to like PJ Harvey but it just doesn’t DO IT FOR ME

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

dark and moody, generally good album. Falls off a bit toward the end.

Big Exit 3.3 Good Fortune 3.4 A Place Called Home 3 One Line 3.2 Beautiful Feeling 3 The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore 3.4 This Mess We're In 3.6 You Said Something 3.4 Kamikaze 3.4 This Is Love 3.5 Horses in My Dreams 3.2 We Float 3.4 Score: 3.316666667

This is the second of her albums I have had in just a couple of months. The Thom Yorke song was good because it sounded like Radiohead This Is Love was tough to get through. I'm not finding too much to like here, and honestly, I'm looking forward to the end ⭐⭐.49

Almost a comeback album. Great Patti Smith references

Was fully invested from start to finish on this album. A unique blend of pop and driving rock. I find her vocals get stretched out a little too much but gotta forgive her because of how strong this album is. The wide range of instruments is fucking impressive

I love her first 3 albums so much. This one falls off a touch.

It's not that every song sounds exactly the same, albeit many of them do, it's that every song just isn't very good. PJ's voice can generously be described as "soulful", less well-meaning listeners would call it "willing but not able". It's just a rather boring but not horrible album.

Probably be told I'm not Gen-X enough cause I was never a big PJ fan. I get told the same thing when I say I don't really like the Pixies.

Good at what she does and this album showcased her talent well.

I think 2 good songs - This is Love and You Said Something, rest kind of boring to me although I'm sure the lyrics are impressive

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.

900th PJ Harvey album on this list, all of them are 2.5

Oddly enough I've not heard this one before. But it was definitely solidly in the region of albums I would have liked at the time. Especially liked the Thom Yorke duet.

This is a good album. I would rate it 3 1/2 stars. The lyrics are the strong point of the album. The good songs are A Place called home, One time and Kamikaze. If you are a PJ Harvey you might want to pick this album up.

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.

This is a great album, one I used yo listen to a lot but not heard for a while

Wonderful album - We Float is one of my all-time favourite closers. Very nearly a 5 but I'm going with the strongest of 4s

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.

I've really gotta listen to more PJ Harvey, because this was really good. This is one of the albums that I think most effectively translates the early '90s alt rock/grunge sound into the 2000's. And PJ Harvey pulls it off just by embracing an honest approach, and a sound that emphasizes both low polish muscle, and melodic sensibilities. She is gruff and convincing, and her lyrics are both to the point and really cool poetry. For the best of what this has to offer, check out Big Exit and Horses In My Dreams; two very different, very good songs. But this project ends up really tight and consistent. Mostly though, this experience told me that I just need to spend more time with PJ Harvey, this is really cool stuff.

tolle stimme und melodien

Dark and bright in equal turns, full of energy and personality. Huge, lush sound for essentially a rock record. I’m a true PJ Harvey believer now. Thom Yorke sounds great on “This Mess We’re In”.

I'm not sure i liked it as much as I did as a teen; it plays differently now. A bit clunky and disjointed in places.

Idk why this is on this list. It’s not crazy good and it’s kinda just eh. 2 stars

I kept avoiding it all morning. When I did listen, I liked it. I was pleasantly suprised

The Radiohead fanboy bias has definitely bumped the score up a bit here with the tracks featuring Thom Yorke. Overall a really good album. 8/10

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.

A slightly darker, simmering PJ Harvey is something I apparently really like.

Fine, I don't think I really get PJ Harvey

meh

A three is a bit low… but I find it a bit uneven.

I think this is a moment in time kind of album. I know people worship PJ Harvey, but it kind of just sounds meh to me; like the same two chords, back and forth for most of the album. I enjoyed the Thom Yorke features!

So delicate, excellent song writing, meaningful lyrics. Music composition by PJ and her band I regard as very underrated. Keeps things interesting and exciting

Ok

viby:)

The beginning of the middle of her career…and it’s a triumph!

I know some things about PJ; all of my music loving friends had and loved this album back in the day. I have maybe heard it all before, but have definitely heard some of it, blasted at house parties, cars, nights in/out etc. I don't remember any of those songs. She has a large mouth. Playing this I instantly remembered at least three of the songs and mostly enjoyed the entire thing. Sure it doesn't have a huge amount of musical variety but the vocals and punch carry things through. While Thom Yorke pops up, the whole album has a Radiohead feeling - specifically those clanging moments when Radiohead rock without really wanting to, but do anyway. You'd know what I meant if you were in my brain.

PJ Harvey is another case of "Want to like it more than I do" for me. I like her but the music ultimately is a bit boring to me. It's not bad, but it's also nothing that I would select conciously, I guess.

Moments of sparkling greatness like the opening track, but buried under just too many songs that sound like filler, meandering about and going nowhere. I understand that the album is supposed to be about New York, but too much of the lyrical matter sounds like the romanticizations of a newcomer from the suburbs.

The second try has me still hating the vocals, but the lyrics and messaging are intriguing.

Didn't love the vocals, but some good lyrics.

Fell on love with her voice watching the music video for Good Fortune on MTV2. Never listened to the rest of the album until now. Thom Yorke was a nice surprise.

I liked the song about whores and hustlers

I was pleasantly surprised. Sort of sounded like female Radiohead for a decent amount(makes sense with the song This Mess We’re In being written for Thom Yorke). Not sure why I like this less than smashing pumpkins (Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness), because it feels just as varied and high quality in terms of instrumentation and productions, this being a little more produced. I guess I’m just getting a bit sick of this alternative style from this time… Pretty good, and will listen to more of PJ.

Whiner than a vineyard tour

My first entry into PJ Harvey, good place to start.

+1 for the Thom song

God she's so cool

This didnt really hit for me. Some good tracks and beats, but overall it sounded older than it is. A couple tracks I was suprised I already knew like the This is Love song.

It was good

I fucking love PJ Harvey. It's nice that the randomizer spun up this particular album, which is the one I probably know the least. But maybe I know it least because I like it the least? Mmm, I think that's true. For me it doesn't have the blow-your-socks-off musical violence of the first albums or the stronger subtle songs and arrangements of later ones like Let England Shake and Hope 6. Does that make this album bad? Fuck no, I love PJ Harvey.

Another PJ Harvey record and another great one. Thoroughly enjoyed it. 5/5

15/05/26 nessa primeira música me parece muito que no geral ela pega bastante da Bjork, e me lembra muito a Mitski que vem um pouco depois não que seja bom, mas as duas outras artistas anteriores tem um pouco mais a oferecer no sentido do vocal o dessa mulher é estranho demais, n colou com o instrumental na segunda colou mais, acho que era questão de acostumar, embora eu tenha achado o instrumental mais legal essa repetição de vogal foi de fuder, ficou bem legal mas aí a próxima música começa e a sensação foi de que a música não mudou, repetitivo sempre nos primeiros segundos é assim esse órgão adiciona uma textura bacana, a voz dela é tão all over the place (elogio) que se sobressai muito e desbalanceia com o instrumental esse pianinho ficou zika, os agudos delas são legais, pena que nesse projeto ela não aproveitou isso não lembro do primeiro beijo não, não tive isso esse álbum muda o clima do jeito mais caótico bom possível one line a melhor do álbum fds, bem Radiohead essas vozes de fundo Thom Yorke 1 tá me agradando mais do que eu esperava, o álbum a faixa tbm é zika, esse baixo minimalista na próxima colaboração ele canta, foda diferencia um pouco do que o Radiohead faz, fica mais creep vibes essa é a melhor música desse álbum mesmo one line fica em segundo o resto é meio o que eu já falei sinceramente esse som experimental total eclético (tipo rock psicodélico meio “”clássico”” eu gosto, aqui a gama dos instrumentos é maior e o ritmo é inconstante. é uma qualidade admirável, mas não é pra mim) não é meu estilo, mas reconheço que a PJ traz coisas muito interessantes, incluindo sua sonoridade experimental meio rock, com um sucesso merecido pela inovação que traz. minha nota honesta seria 3.5/5 / 7/10, e essa seria uma nota perfeita. dá vontade de arredondar no unidunite

My first proper album from PJ Harvey, and I’m still not completely sure what to make of her style. 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘦𝘢 has a clean, direct sound and a really strong atmosphere running through it. A few tracks stand out immediately, and the whole album feels very confident and self-assured. At the same time, a lot of it starts to blur together for me after a while. I can appreciate the mood and songwriting, but I don’t fully connect with it emotionally. Still a good album, just not one that completely wins me over.

Really difficult one to rate this. At times I was certain it was just okay, but then a track would come along where I’d find myself enjoying it. Guitar driven alternative pop is how I’d describe it, and the last hidden track is possibly the best one! It’s probably a 3.5, so I’ll give it a low 4.

I never actively choose to listen to PJ Harvey, just never really grew up with any exposure to her work, but I usually always enjoy it when I hear it. This is probably my favourite of her’s that I’ve listened to though, only real gripe is with the best track on the album being a hidden bonus with around 90 seconds of silence in front of it. Hidden tracks were always neat in a Tape/CD era but in a streaming one it means I’ll never add those tracks to a playlist for regular listening, even if I love them.

Dope

Not bad, I've heard worse! 3.25 rounded down to 3. Favorite tracks: This Mess We're In, Horses In My Dreams, We Float

Ten un sonido moi interesante, non me encanta pero gardei a de This Medss We're In en favoritas.

we'll float, it's a good listen

Liked this a lot more than I expected to. Maybe not my exact aesthetic, but I have been wanting to get into more female rock musicians, and this was a really fun album from an artist I'd never really thought of listening to before. Just the right amount of grunge influence and lyrics that only rarely cross the line into goofiness or cliche. I'll definitely come back to it.

Wow. Ive been Polly Jean adjacent for a number of years and enjoyed some singles without ever getting into it. How I regret that now! This is great fun. The energy and drive at the top of the album hits hard and then it gives way to the great lyrics, the beautifully balanced vibes and the more spacious sound. I listened to this 4 times in a day and will keep doing so around engaging with her back catalogue

90s alt rock- big gwen/no doubt energy.

Like radiohead, but boring. Or like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, but boring. Maybe like oasis but boring?

She’s a cool girl

I knew I'd like this and in the end I was right. Pretty great album. I think my standout was The Whores Hustle And The Hustlers Whore, but really they're all solid songs. Maybe if I had one issue it's just missing that one big standout track that really makes me go "holy shit", but overall a good album.

Pretty great alt rock, good energy, not as forceful as Dry but a good album

Not a lot of opinions on this one. It was good, had some good listens,

I mean it's alright... Doesn't match the same intensity as rid of me and I think this record just doesn't play to Harvey's strengths as well but she still does okay in this more contemplative state

Awesome

punk rocks

I don’t love PJ Harvey, but I kind of like the post punk sounds of this one. Especially the opening track. It kind of echoing post punk, grunge and even early hardcore. The Thom Yorke collab on the album is really cool though. Feels very Radiohead.

I like it. The city vibe. The story telling, it’s very fitting and reminiscent of the time it was created.

4.3

It is an Alternative Rock album released on 1 January 2000. Enjoyed the “Good Fortune”, “One Line”, “This Mess We’re In” and “This Is Love”.

#122/1001 🇬🇧 Simply perfect. I love Polly Harvey and this sits with Rid of Me at the top of an astounding body of work. It's without a doubt her most accessible record. From the beauty of You Said Something to the banshee's yell of Kamikaze, this record twists and turns in all directions. Thom Yorke guests on 2 tracks but this album truly owes more to collaborators Mick Harvey and Rob Ellis. Best Tracks: The Whores Hustle...., You Said Something, We Float, Good Fortune, This Mess We're In.

PJ is one of my all-time favourite artists, and this is my third-most listened to of all her records according to lastFM. But my top two are, unforgivably, not on the 1001 list, so this is getting 5* in their stead. Not that it's not worth it: Harvey has a Bowie-like ability to change her sound with every album while still being recognisably PJ Harvey. This is her take on classic rock and is perhaps her least "interesting" record but also her most melodic and soulful, crammed with great riffs and a powerful sense of yearning.

She’s never lost her distinctive melodic lurches and vocal swerve, though I miss the rawness of the first two albums. A pretty good PJ Harvey album, which means it’s excellent.

Pretty good, although her most straightforward record, and her most Patti Smith-inspired (in a good way; the excellent "Good Fortune" echoes "Frederick" nicely). Spoiled partway through by the atonal whinings of a gammy-eyed ogre, as was fashionable. Scrapes a 4 overall.

Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea may seem basic in it's style but underneath all of that PJ Harvey oozes talent. Stories is a lot different from her heavy and grunge inspired Rid of Me, but that doesn't mean that this project is bad by any means, sometimes the best solution is the simplest and if PJ can ace that simple style then she's golden. Thankfully she does that and so much more, I also think it was a bold choice to have Thom Yorke on the album as he very much bounces off of PJ's dry delivery. If you are going into this album don't expect anything new or out there but instead expect a very vanilla sound fined out to the sharpest and best degree.

Bueno

This album may have actually made me a fan of PJ Harvey! It felt polished, but still retaining some of that rawness , but with the experience of a woman who knows exactly what she wants to say. This is Love, almost borders on psychedelic rock, while the song This Mess Were In with Thom York almost felt like Radiohead, if Radiohead was a woman. I listened this album twice and feel like I need to listen to it again I’m impressed!

Random thoughts: * I don't have much to say about PJ Harvey. * The Whores Hustle and Mess We're In were my favorite tracks from this album. * Hey! It's Thom Yorke! Obviously lends some cred to PJ for having Thom show up here. I don't think he's done much cameos like this. * There is no way we need 4 PJ Harvey albums. And they don't even have the one with her most streamed song "Down By the Water". * Anyway, I'll keep listening to PJ Harvey. Seems like she might be a slow burner that I need to spend more time with.

It never dawned on me until Thom Yorke was featured on this album that PJH is the female Thom Yorke.

I don't get why so many 5's or what critics found appealing. What I hear are three note melodies and dull, repetitive, angsty lyrics. "We Float" seemed like the only one with some redeeming musical qualities but even those were embedded in dah dah de dah notes repeated over and over and uninspiring lyrics. Sorry, another 1 from this listener.

La collab avec Thom Yorke était inattendu et très agréable. génialement poétique.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t my kind of music.

Good album. Definitely has a lot of 90s vibes to it. Seems like it has some Radiohead sound, even before I saw Thom Yorker were on a couple of songs. Vocals sound almost 70s/80s with the rest of the music being from the 90s.

Ok

diva

Very enjoyable.

Entiendo el momento en que salió, pero ya a hoy me aburrió.

PJ is not my particularly favorite singer but the music is fun. My glorious king Thomas Yorkenshire is feature so that adds .5 stars. 3.5/5

Should've listened to this sooner, she's great.

I like her voice, the music and the song with the Radiohead guy. Just can't decided if I would actually go back and listen to the album or any of the songs again. 3.5/5

It hits a certain mood like I'm in the backseat of a taxi on a rainy night. Very New York indeed. Also a sudden appearance from Mr. Radiohead himself Thom Yorke! It took a few listens, but I say this is solid enough (8/10, 4/5 on this scale)

Bored me.

I can't enjoy it. It's like noise to me and her voice is aggravating.

It's just a little meh.

Triple blind. By and large this album didn’t leave much of an impression on me. I was prepared to give it the 2-star treatment, but the final song “We Float” gave me the same haunting vibes as something by NIN. I think this band is worth additional exploration.

Soft, slow, and wimpy. Not the way I like my 90s rock

Im excited to know PJ is on this list multiple times because I know that this isnt her best album, but what an album it is. I first knew of PJ through the desert sessions, not the most typical introduction but I was struck by her voice. This was actually the first solo album I listened to of hers, and I wasnt massively impressed because it all seemed a bit samey. I then listened to Dry and Rid of Me, and I understood it, every album has an intentionality behind it, and once you understand that this was a step away from the harsh sounds of her previous work, and instead a lush soundscape, it should make sense. Anyway I love this one but this isnt perfect.

I liked this one a little more than her last album I listened to since it was more rock heavy than grunge. Likes: Big Exit; Good Fortune; A Place Called Home; The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore; The Mess We’re In; This Is Love

Okay, turns out I rather like PJ Harvey. Cool! Good to find out!

Damn. I really wanted this to go somewhere. The album opens on a strong riff, seemingly pressurized to explode into something that could captivate for its full runtime. Each time I expected the groove to drop, we crossed the barline and landed on... nothing? The opening number ends pretty much how it begins (much like the album itself), and although I maintained hope that its momentum would carry to the second track, it instead zigs where it should zag. Thom Yorke materializes about halfway through and nails this coffin shut, effectively prophesying that no rock will be had here. Although "Kamikaze" finally reaches for the heights I hoped would emerge in the first two minutes of this album, it's too late to salvage the lost potential. 1/5, reminds me of my first lay. Full of promise up front, digresses into awkwardness for a half hour, then finally achieves two minutes of long-awaited engagement, ultimately leaving all involved disappointed that the whole hour wasn't like that.

Solid if uneven indie alt rock album. Some high points, skippable tracks, and plenty in between. Not for me but far from the worst thing I've heard. Top tracks: A Place Called Home, Beautiful Feeling, We Float

Day 263 Wonderful album I was not familiar with at all. Full marks. Highlights The whores hustle… This mess we’re in

This was my third PJ Harvey album here out of only 116 albums. Of the three I found it the most polished and enjoyable, if with a softer edge.

4 star

Definitely not a sleeper

Fine but nothing wowed me

Just your average 00s pop-rock album—I don't have much to say about it, and I don't really like it much either.

PJ Harvey is cool. She has a great voice. I really enjoyed this album.

Muy normalito tirando a mediocre, que no irremediablemente horrible, una pena porque la tia es muy chula y se la ve potencial. Una sorpresa la aparición de Thom Yorke.

Enjoyed this album.

Escutei duas músicas. Me lembra trilha sonora de filmes da década de 80 e 90.

Would rate it a 3.5 tbh. But I'll give it a 4 since I believe I would enjoy it more on a second listen.

Achei legal a vibe do álbum, só talvez não seja um álbum que eu reouviria por ser mais cadenciado

Ich mags nicht

boring ass new wave shit plus some fun

het begon allemaal zeer goed.. toen trok Tom Fucking Yorke zijn bakkes open en was alles om zeep, zeker toen PJ zelf de zeurderige zaag begon te spelen... waarom PJ waarom?

good album.

impressive vocal performances and writing (albeit with lyrics that range from quite good to rather terrible), but it's placed over some of the most boring and predictable rhythm section work imaginable.

It just didn't land properly on my ears today. I absolutely love the Thom Yorke track and there was maybe one more that stood out in the later half. For so much of the record though I just couldn't figure out why it should be interesting or especially good to listen to. I know I'm wrong - I've loved pj Harvey stuff in the past when I've given it more of a chance. This just felt kind of dry to me today most of the way through

I liked it! I liked the variety of music in this album and I really like her voice too.

High 4! One of the greatest and most innovative female rock artists of our century......

PJ Harvey is such an amazing songwriter and performer. Even her "weaker" recordings are at least good, which makes it especially hard — and somehow pointless — to attach a plain number to Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea. This album is often hailed by critics as one of her very best, but I'm not entirely sure I agree. The second half falls a little behind in terms of melodies and instantly memorable songwriting. Sure, the album has many brilliant moments (like Good Fortune — what a tune!), but does Stories... truly reach the heights of Rid of Me, To Bring You My Love, Is This Desire?, or Let England Shake? Hmmm. It might be a matter of personal preference in the end. I'd say it's on par with the equally stunning White Chalk (second tier, but nonetheless essential listening). My best guess is that this album marks PJ Harvey becoming more accessible to a wider audience, smoothing out some of the rough edges that made Stories... a great fit for its era. The eerie, strumming Beautiful Feeling with its dual vocals perfectly captures the collective sense of unease around the turn of the century, which is why it might have resonated so strongly with critics. Much like Kate Bush, it's hard to overstate the genius of PJ Harvey. I'll repeat what I said when rating The Sensual World: This would be a clear 5, if PJ Harvey hadn't already created even more towering works. In the bigger picture, Stories... serves as a transitional work between PJ Harvey's early masterpieces and the more understated, melodic approach to songwriting that she perfected on later albums like Let England Shake.

Way better than I expected!

Not bad, not wow.

All the songs sound the same to me and I really dislike her voice

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.

artist has such a narrow range. Music is one dimensional

ballsy! definitely keeping this in the rotation, one of the best finds for me in this project to date (n=60 albums)

Just the kind of cool interesting music I hoped I would find! ✅

I listened to this twice (something I don't usually do) because I had such mixed feelings. If I described it, the album should be something I loved. Alternative rock sound. Strong female vocals. But I just couldn't get into it. I feel like I didn't sit up and pay attention until Thom Yorke started singing on This Mess We're In. That song, and We Float, were the standouts for me.

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.

Such a nice spectrum from poppy to grungy to melancolic rock and always with such a vigorous voice, creating this unmistakable PJ Harvey-Atmosphere.

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

3.5

3.5

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

I miss some of the grit of the early PJ Harvey albums. Still good! 4 stars

There's a couple PJ Harvey albums I prefer to this, but it's a very good album nonetheless. I think it's probably PJ's most accessible album and there's some cool tunes, including "Good Fortune", "A Place Called Home", and "This is Love". 4 stars.

4.5

Her best album. Takes her scruff Nick Cavish hollerings and adapts them to a more polished, radio-friendly U2 setting therefore making this a good companion album to All That You Can’t Leave Behind. Some slight tinges of Coldplay’s High Speed on This Is Love as well. No successful Radiohead tinges though as the tracks that Thom Yorke mewls through are easily the worst ones.

Big Exit is a terrific opener to the album. I’ve never been to NYC, so I don’t immediately connect with the album emotionally, but nevertheless can appreciate this albums themes. The duets with Thom Yorke are enjoyable.

Very punky!

To Bring You My Love era is probably my favourite PJ Harvey period because the southern gothic element is so compelling. However, this is pretty close with a slightly more mature, radio-friendly sound. Big Exit, This is Love and We Float are all incredible. One key question remains from the Good Fortune video though - what is Polly Jean's go to order at the kebab shop?

Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea might be the weakest of the PJ Harvery albums i have looked at so far. It isn't bad but it doesn't really have the cool, hard grit of Dry nor the masterful and layered production that Let England Shake had. Its in it's own spot of doing both the things the other two albums did but not doing either of them as well as the other albums. There are still some good things about this album, the music itself was still pretty solid and PJ Harvey herself did a good job on vocals and songwriting. Thom Yorke also appeared on a few tracks and his presence is appreciated here too. Its still a decent album, it just doesn't hold a candle to the other two PJ Harvey works i looked at. Best Song: One Line Worst Song: Kamikaze

Average alternative album, good background music, nothing popped.

Gof I hated this. Just noise

One of the first Indie albums I ever listened to. Really made me a PJ Harvey fan. The song she does with Thom Yorke is awesome.

Thom Yorke really did show up in the most random places in the 2000s. He did vocals for a Flying Lotus album a few years later. Him being on two songs here is fine, although I never want to hear someone with Thom Yorke's voice say "lovemaking onscreen" the way he did ever again. Anyways, this album doesn't do much for me. All the songs sound pretty similar and I can't think of much of note with the album.

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.

Despite living through the 90s, I never really got around to listening to PJ Harvey. This album is a recollection of NYC in 2000, where her life crossed with love and hope. She has a dynamic voice suited for rock, soft at times, belting in others. Plus three tracks with Thom Yorke can make any album intense. "Good Fortune": How a new love arrives and puts you where you seem to draw blackjack on every hand. "A Place Called Home": discusses love as a metaphor for home "You Said Something": puts the listener on that rooftop in Brooklyn.

i think its good i didnt get it actually

Burnas canciones

10/10 love

interesting and worth additional listening

Me pareció música de película de los 2000 y todas las canciones más o menos similares, aburre un poco la voz de ella

Day 16 Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea by PJ Harvey I really like some of her newer stuff, but I’ve never really explored her earlier work, so I was excited going into this. It actually started out a bit boring for me, and I wasn’t sure where it was going. Then suddenly I hear this beautiful voice… and it’s Thom Yorke. No idea how I didn’t know he was on this record. Those tracks are easily the highlights. “This Mess We’re In” especially has that emotional In Rainbows kind of vibe. “This Is Love” is another standout, and overall I think the second half of the album is a bit stronger. That said, I feel like this is one I need to revisit. The songs that didn’t land for me just felt like pretty standard 2000s rock and didn’t really do much. But there’s clearly something here, and I could see it growing on me with more listens. Food pairing? Something simple but a bit elevated. Maybe grilled chicken with a fresh salad, or a light pasta. Feels like that kind of album. Wine pairing? A clean, slightly sharp white like Sauvignon Blanc. Nothing too heavy, but still with a bit of character. Vinyl? Don’t want it. First listen? Yes. Overall 3 out of 5.

I liked this and I could hear how it inspired artists from the 2010s and on that I really enjoy!

Take it or leave it

One of the best ever opening songs to an album. I also really like Thom Yorke’s appearance. Some great songs and some boring ones, but the good ones outshine those.

Good

I didn't know this album when it came out, but it certainly sounds of its time now. I was thinking to myself that there was a definite Radiohead vibe when Thom Yorke's voice appeared as if by magic. That's not a complaint.

It felt like all the pieces were there but this didn't quite click for me.

Solid alternative album through and through. I’ve previously gone through PJ Harvey’s discography and really enjoy her music, but don’t return to it as much as I probably should. I completely forgot about Thom Yorke featuring on this album. Their duet works really well and you can definitely feel his influence on a couple songs.

i love pj harvey occasionally

enjoyable 7.4/10

Scattered rythm, but good voice. Songs are sooo long and for what.

- sounds like it should be from like. 1978 or 1990 - i was honestly not paying close enough attention to have favorites - rating: 2.5/5

really lovely vocals, pj harvey the influence u are highlights: good fortune, a place called home, this mess we're in, kamikaze, we float 3.5/5

Not for me

Love PJ and never heard this album. It doesn't hit me as much as Let England Shake, but I like it! Maybe a 4.5?

Really nice singer-songwriter album. Cool to hear two PJ Harvey albums back-to-back on the list and hear how much her sound has developed and changed over time. But even mid-career with a more melodic focus, she still rocks pretty hard on roughly half this album. The guitars can get pretty gritty. And she’s got a great rock wail.

I think I liked this second PJ Harvey entry more than the other (the other being "Rid Of Me"), but I'm not too sure. As I listen through I find there are cool moments and ideas, and I like the inclusion of Thom Yorke throughout, but I'm not really finding myself blown away. It's as if these songs keep getting close to being ones that I like and enjoy, but they are far too often missing that one special thing that takes them to the next level. That might sound negative, but it's not entirely. These tracks and this overall sound is good, just not really great for my personal tastes.

I think I really enjoyed the lyrics of this album, and it's story, but I don't think I enjoyed the music? Maybe I wasn't in the mood, I definitely think this is the kind of album that could grow on me but right it feel like not for me

life in the city as a woman in my late 20s

This is my second PJ Jarvey album. The first one was not my cup of tea at all, but this one is much more accessible and inviting. You can hear clear the references of Patti Smith in the way she sings and in her poetry but she made it quite easy listening and interesting. The first 3 songs are really good an cohesive but Thom Yorke presence made some songs really Radiohead in the production and in the poetry as well. I will give it a 4 bedcsuse it made me intrigued and I will certainly go back to this album 4/5

Ноу

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

This album has some interesting sounds but is overall pretty forgettable. Some of the earlier tracks have some very unique vocal work, which is technically impressive but not very pleasant to listen to.

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.

179/1001 First listen. No part of stuck out in my mind as any better than the rest. I’d like to know why I needed to listen to this. 4/10

What exactly is alternative here? This is female fronted pop-rock, there's not much else going on. It doesn't feel different, it feels standard for the 2000s. It's incredible how a little bit of Thom Yorke makes it feel slower, more odd, but that's just the eeriness of his voice. As a first time listener for PJ I'm not super impressed, but I don't hate it. 2.2/5

Don’t think I’ve ever listened to this. Really good. I was coloured by “Let England Shake” which I really don’t rate at all. This one really demonstrates her unique voice and writing style.

No pude terminar de escucharlo, pero no porque fuera malo sino por cuestión tiempo.

I'm gaining a better appreciation for PJ Harvey, but I can't really put my finger on which of these albums I've liked more than the other and why. Also, going to start tracking favorite song on the album Favorite song: Kamikaze

Such a cool album

Okay

Album 159. Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea (https://open.spotify.com/album/0cJAiqO1obIJQGf4YI31q4?si=OuLjmAjJTBacGH18hSYmLA) — PJ Harvey (2000) Good enough, I like it. Not for regular listening, but I added a lot of songs to playlist for occasional shuffle. I don't get why PJ Harvey is called generation X's Joni Mitchell by some reviewer. But I have to admit PJ Harvey has some similarity to Patti Smith music. 3/5 Liked: — One Line — This Mess We're In — Horses In My Dreams — We Float

not a fan but i liked we float and love the aesthetic of the album cover

realmente me termino gustando, es un 3.5 o 4

"É só isso?" - Zoio, Everson

it’s like an emotionally mature grunge.

This album is so 2000s. I'm just not sure if I'm a fan of PJ Harvey's style, I'm not huge on her voice and the songs didn't really hit for me. There were a few Thom Yorke collabs which also dated this album to 2000. For me, it's just okay.

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

It’s got that early 2000s timelessness. Really makes me feel nostalgic for a different time

Some very solid song writing and performance

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.

Had a bad run of albums lately but this one brought me back. Thanks PJ

Zone out a fair bit. It's meh

Really enjoyed this one

Great. 4/5

didn't expect Thom York to show up all over this album, cool little surprise.

1001 Albums Vol. 0029: Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea ============================================================ Introduction: Alright! This is more like it. After two of the oldest albums on this site back-to-back, we finally have an album that I would consider to be "modern". I put that in quotes because...somehow this thing will be thirty years old in just four years....Yeah, time sure is something. Anyway, this album, Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea, was released by PJ Harvey, an artist I've literally never heard of before, in 2000. As for what m-...yeah, I don't know what makes it influential. I say that pretty much every time, I know. However, from what I've read, this album is supposed to be influential due to a mature blend between Indie Rock and Pop. Huh...that actually sounds quite pleasant...maybe this album had influence on a certain band that I can pretty much guarantee is on this list even though I haven't seen or heard anything about them yet?...I wonder. Anyway, this album apparently features Thom Yorke on it. As you may already know, I believe that he is literally one of the best artists of all time, so any song that features him automatically gets a 10/10 by law....Unless...you know, it deserves anything less. What the hell am I talking about? Alright, anyway, this album also seems to have a pretty generalized concept across its entire runtime as well. PJ Harvey apparently wrote the entire album to serve as a message of love to New York City....Yeah, I'll just go ahead and completely agree with her on that one. I've been there twice and I can confidently say that it is one of the coolest places I have been to in my life. I mean, there is literally something new and interesting to see around pretty much every corner....We just...don't talk about the state of New York now....I'll just go ahead and clarify that I'm not trying to make fun of its mayor or politics in general. I just have to throw that out there so that someone doesn't get pissed at me in the extremely rare chance that anyone is even reading this. So, with my love of New York in mind, I'd imagine that I'd probably be able to relate pretty well with this album. I'm sure there's going to be a few things here and there that I don't understand due to me simply touring the place for a few days, but I'd imagine I'll have a pretty good grasp on the general ideas and themes that this album presents. Let's just see. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Track 1: Big Exit: 10/10 Track 2: Good Fortune: 9/10 Track 3: A Place Called Home: 10/10 Track 4: One Line: 9/10 Track 5: Beautiful Feeling: 7/10 Track 6: The Whores Hustle And The Hustlers Whore: 9/10 Track 7: This Mess We're In: 10/10 Track 8: You Said Something: 8/10 Track 9: Kamikaze: 7/10 Track 10: This Is Love: 9/10 Track 11: Horses In My Dreams: 9/10 Track 12: We Float: 10/10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Conclusion: And...THIS! THIS is a really good album. THIS is one of the main reasons I even wanted to start this project in the first place. Masterpieces I've never heard before, such as this, motivate me to keep going through this project. Yeah, a lot of junk, masterpieces you've already heard before (not that this is bad), or just average stuff will rear its head along the way, but THESE kinda albums are undoubtedly the best part of this site. It's honestly a shame though that PJ Harvey isn't a bigger name in Pop. I mean, you can't tell me that...oh...wait...I don't know if I should bring HER up....You know what....You cannot tell me that Taylor Swift is better than this! I don't care if I get my door broken down! I'm just speaking the truth! You Swifties whining over your 8/10, what do you think about this statement?!...Huh? I'm still alive....I guess I'm alright...for now. Alright, anyway, enough messing around. So, what makes me call this album a masterpiece? Well,firstly, this is undoubtedly some of the best Pop material I have heard in recent memory, musically at least. To be fair, the music on this album tends to lean towards Alternative Rock as well, but the fact still remains. Every song follows a pretty typical Pop song structure: verse followed by chorus, second verse followed by chorus, bridge that removes most of the instrumentation and slowly builds back up to it, and so on. Basically, none of these songs really do anything groundbreaking or super unique with their song structures. In fact, I'd argue that some of these songs really use their own respective choruses a bit too much. That being said, every song manages to be extremely interesting and captivating through their entire runtime. This comes from a combination of factors. Firstly, most songs either add small layers of instrumentation throughout the runtime or simply change the already existing instrumentation to make the melody feel familiar yet fresh throughout the entire song. On top of this, there are some songs on this album that simply have angelic choruses...pretty much all my 10/10s. You'll know what I'm talking about if you were to listen to them. They're just moments that surprise you yet quickly reel you back in and make you feel...simply impressed. Now, on top of this too, each of these songs are just extremely well-written and easy to learn. Everything about each of these songs simply feels so tight and recognizable even on a first listen. Now, this in theory shouldn't work. You should be able to re-listen to a song multiple times and notice small details you missed before; however, these songs are just different in a way that I can't quite describe. A lot of these songs either convey an almost edgy or pleasant vibe to them that I felt I could fully absorb myself into after one listen simply because I already knew the melody. I think that is this album's biggest advantage it has over other Pop albums that would come after. It simply evokes a generally unique vibe that is easy to lose yourself in from song to song. It may be due to the presence of Rock throughout much of the album. I'm not entirely sure, but it's there regardless. Now, with this album's music out of the way, let's go over the lyrics real quick....They're actually pretty great. There are a lot of either love or breakup songs throughout this album. Now, I'm not typically a fan of either. Most of these songs either come off as whiny, stupid, or simply feel a bit...too obvious. Yet this album's songs just...work. It's probably due to generally well-written and thought provoking lyrics that take multiple listens to get a grasp on, but they...they just work. I don't know how else to say it. Apparently, We Float is supposed to be a breakup song about how two people will feel free again after breaking up. Essentially, they'll "float" after breaking up. The way that the angelic chorus kicks in presenting the main idea of the song, "We'll Float", backed by calmer verses describing the situation of that relationship in a vague way should be the perfect example of how this album's lyrics simply work in a beautiful way. As I literally just described too, the music only helps further add to the lyrics and vice versa. Now, on top of this, unlike what I said in the intro, I don't believe there is any song on this album that is directly expressing love to New York City alone. Some songs are clearly set there and show some form of appreciation for it, yet even these songs have a very general and personable meaning that one can easily relate to. Basically, no, you don't have to have been to New York to get the full experience of this album. I mean, it was cool to see some New York references, but that's pretty much all I felt from hearing them. The main focus of every song should be applicable to you no matter where you are. Finally, as I always do, I'll briefly mention PJ Harvey's vocals...they're extremely good. She can sound great trying to provide a rebellious and desperate tone to her voice as seen in Big Exit and This Is Love, she can sound great trying to sound like a typical Pop singer, and, like I said earlier, her voice is simply angelic in portions of the album. It's great...definitely one of the best voices I've ever heard in Pop....Oh yeah, and Thom Yorke's voice is obviously great too...just had to get that out there. Now, with all that said...yeah...this album is just a masterpiece. I will admit, I really am not that big of a fan of modern pop at all. I think most of the hits we hear nowadays are completely annoying or are too simple. That being said, and I know that this album is losing its "modern status" more and more everyday, this album proves me wrong. I can hear traces of modern pop throughout much of this album and it still managed to be enjoyable all the way through. Huh? It's weird to see an album that actually kinda changes my view on music. I mean, it's not a major change or anything...but...still a change regardless...Well, here's to hoping we see more underrated masterpieces such as this. =========================================================== Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea: 9/10 Song Average: 8.9/10

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!

Today’s album was a collection of songs, each of which were a collection of notes, words, and rhythmic components. It lasted approximately 47 minutes. While better than some albums, it was worse than others. It featured instruments, including the guitar, bass guitar, drums, and voice. That’s all I really have to say. Perhaps significantly more active listening would be important. But it was quite uninteresting to me, so it became background music almost instantly. 4/10.

I enjoyed this one. It hits those alt rock vibes of high school in the late 90s and early 2000s sitting in coffee shops with the mismatched furniture, posters for local bands, and zines. I found myself swaying and moving to the music. Not in a frenetic way but a way that it moves me as I do what needs to be done. I appreciate the beats and the different instruments that came up and I like Harvey's voice and how it feels both ethereal and grounded.

I'm surprised I haven't had this album before. It's pretty good. Nothing that stand out as great, but nothing really bad either.

'salright. Def better than average 90's alt rock. Couple tunes sound good even outside their context of time & place. Mostly tho I think this can be left in the 90's. Disagree it's a "must." 2.75 stars

low 3.5. A produção é boa e tem composições legais, mas acaba sendo um trabalho um pouco safe demais para os padrões da PJ

Good enough

Excellent album! PJ is the 50 foot Queenie!

lindo, es chill para dejarlo de fondo buenas letras y buena musica

I viewed PJ Harvey the same way that I viewed the Faroe Islands, as in I knew she/they existed, but I didn't feel a need to know anymore. And that is a positive thing about this 1001 experience, because this is a good album that I'd never have otherwise heard. There are so many elements within this album, from the folksy A Place Called Home to the raw This Is Love. Good Fortune sounds Pretenders-esque, everyone has a good thrash around on Kamikaze and it gets pretty much wrapped up nicely with the beautiful We Float. It's all very serious and impressive, and probably more exciting than the Faroe Islands. I'll return to PJ Harvey in the future. A high 4 stars.

classic alt rock that i like :3

Great album. PJ, both voice and words, works extremely well for me. One of my favorite artists, and this album one of my faves from her. I'm going with 4 indie stars but question if I actually think it's a 5. Because along with Cat Power, I'm a big PJ fan and this is one of her best full albums.

Early 2000s alt style, kinda comparable to Stereophonics but not quite. Not my style but can see why people like it.

evie from which cursive singing hath evolved

3.5

I remember these songs from a while ago.

On a few tracks I was could hear Siouxie Sue crossed with Chrissie Hind, a combination that would normally have me rushing to put the album on repeat, however, it didn't grab me. One or two tracks were great, but that wasn't enough to make me reach for more.

Powerful, emotive, strong songs & duets with Thom Yorke definitely add value. Side note: That point when you realise that the album you were once assessing as PJ’s “new stuff” is 26 years old!

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

Like the rest of her albums, totally fine but doesn't hook me and have me coming back for more.

12313

Es un álbum para NPCs deprimidos

Mercury Prize winning fifth album from Somerset's finest featuring an excellent Thom Yorke duet (especially the second one) and the track 'This is Love' was familiar at the time. It has its grungey moments and PJ Harvey is forever associated with the alternative 90s scene, a darling of the music press form that era but this is a more varied collection overall. a decent listen today.

No familiarity coming in beyond Thom Yorke. Loved those tracks and found myself enjoying the energy and style overall. Will continue to listen and give more time in the near future. 2 listens

Expectation: -> Not sure if PJ Harvey is a band or person. After listening: -> Going to take me a while to warm up to this album. No standout songs after a couple playthroughs. Track ranking: Fortune Whores A Place Said Something Float This Is Love Mess Exit One Line Kamikaze Horses Beautiful

I really liked this one. I had heard of them but never gave them much thought when I was younger. I should have

An alt-rock album. One that feels like your inner thoughts escaping at times and makes you feel like a lone traveller going on an adventure

PJ Harvey is in the dictionary as "Criminally Underrated."

Mezcla entre patti Smith y Kurt Cobain

Not my type of music

Not my type

The hole album is amazing, what really sold me on it is the 2 final tracks

Review - my second PJ Harvey album. No where near as good as Let England Shake. The guitars are sort of droney in the first few songs particularly, a bit like Stereolab but less interesting. There are some songs where she goes for repeated high notes and her voice just isn't quite there. That said, she's obviously a good songwriter and some of the songs here are really good and well performed; more are really good and midly performed. An ok album. Rating - 5/10 Need to hear? YES

Only listened to half cause I got distracted. Didn't dislike it

Didn't really grab me, a few average songs and the rest just passed me by.

None of the songs really engaged me. The highlight was the track featuring Thom Yorke. Otherwise the songs kind of blurred together.

3.5, cool album