Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea

I remember people suggesting this to me when it was new, and I tried it and didn't really dig it. I liked it better this time around!

Good. Maybe a bit too sad

An earth shaking, power house of an album by a storied veteran of the industry.

PJ Harvey makes guitar driven alt rock with punk sensibilities. Her strong vocals give her work a distinct energy; she presents vivid images, and her expressive voice brings them to life. This is a collection of songs written after Harvey spent part of a year in New York City. Some of the tracks could be odes to the Big Apple.

Excellent

good fortune one line this mess we're in this is love we float

Good

This is disappointing compared to the other PJ Harvey I've heard. Too much about New York. I bet in 2000 it seemed like a good idea to have Thom Yorke on your record, now it seems comically bizarre to have the guy from Radiohead sing when you could have PJ Harvey. All the same I don't want to downgrade it for being disappointing, and PJ Harvey singing over rumbly guitars is better than most of the stuff on this list. music: hated. (⌐■_■)

In its low points this comes off as kind of bland 90s alterna-rock, but in its high points it seems 10-15 years ahead of its time in a cool millennial indie rock way. The good out weighs the bad, though, and I especially dig some of the weird little backing instrumentation choices.

First PJ Harvey listen for me. I did not expect her to sound like this with a few songs being very "grunge-like" and other songs even sounding a bit like well-produced rock. I even enjoyed the songs with Thom Yorke, as I was not totally put off by his random whining/singing. I had heard "This is Love" somewhere and cannot place exactly where. For the longest time I thought PJ Harvey was a band, much like Lucius Jackson and Veruca Salt are bands. Clearly, I was wrong. We get three more albums from PJ Harvey, so I anticipate I may end up adding one of those albums to my personal list of favorite albums. If not, I will add her to a few playlists I have.

Slow burn. Wasn't expecting to grow to like it. Yorke was a good addition. Walker's vocals didn't always hit.

PJ Harvey is one of those people I’d heard of without ever really knowing why. Now I know. Decent. Simpsons: No

Decent.

Classic. Full of paradoxes, Loud / Gentle - Fragile / Strong - Defeated / Defiant. So many things that shouldn't exist together, but do. The sweetness of a lullaby with the guttural snarl of a wounded animal. It's everything laid bare. It's beautiful.

Actually enjoyed this, I can see why she gets plaudits

Muy bueno, algunos temas imprescindibles

Always enjoy PJ Harvey.

You know Rory Gilmore is cool because she likes PJ Harvey, and the guy who teases Rory because he likes her is lame because he doesn’t even know who PJ Harvey is. Also, he was an asshole and should’ve just been nice to Rory whether or not Rory was “into” him.

Real thin vocals out of the gate, gonna take a minute to get used to. Good Fortune has a particular hop to it that I really enjoy. Reminds me a bit of the Pretenders. I'm a sucker for the discordant, indie/post-rock vibe of Beautiful Feeling. One of the more interesting songs on the record so far (also seeing Thom Yorke on credits). Took a while, but back to back of Beautiful Feeling and The Whores Hustle has me vibing. Strong track with lo-fi production. A bit of a shame that they gravely bass is so buried; but I do love the atmosphere. Thom Yorke back on This Mess We're In. This time playing a more vital role in the vocals. He puts in a great performance (as usual). Feels like something that would slot well into OK Computer. Really enjoy the closing track. Something about it feels familiar, but I can't put a finger on it. Such a measured and tidy instrumental with the vocal harmonization carrying it through the first 2 minutes. For no real compelling reason, I think this punches at the 4 territory for me. Although I mostly had it in the background, this was a really pleasant listen. The vocals initially rubbed me wrong (a little thin relative to the instrumental) they grew on me. The production was varied and done to great effect. Standouts for me were We Float, and the run from Beautiful Feeling to This Mess We're In.

I've listened to this once before (primarily to listen to the Thom tracks) and remember liking it but not thinking anything crazy. This was also like 10 years ago so we'll see how I like it now! Initially it reminds me of a darker Alanis Morrisette and I love some Jagged Little Pill! I've always associated PJ Harvey with some dark sounds but this is pretty fun. I see on wiki they compared Good Fortune to the Pretenders voice which is spot on. Really digging Beautiful Feeling and can hear Thom in there with his wails. Yes please. Bass on The Whores Hustle sets a sludgy tone I love it. The Mess Were In obvs features Thom and his and PJ's voices mesh very well imo and the running bassline goes well over the talking section especially when they collectively come together. Love that. Cool song. Her voice in Horses In My Dream reminds me of another artists voice and I can't put my finger on it. This was a hauntingly beautiful album and from everything I've read this is less depressing and sad than most of her earlier albums, so I'll be listening to those. Solid 4.

Alt/indie rock. Great album. Really well structured songs, great mixing and production. I think it starts and ends strong but a little lacking in some songs during the middle. A good emotional performance from PJ, really tight vocals. I found some of the songs a little lacking one way or another though, maybe I just need to be in the right mood. This album at least feels like it could grow on me given enough time. I should revisit, feels like I missed something. 3.5/5

New to me. I enjoyed this album, her voice is great for this style of music.

Such a great album, effortlessly cool

Un 4 pour la belle découverte, la belle voix de PJ Harvey ainsi que la bonne chanson This mess we're in avec Thom Yorke.

Inspiring and varied album, a pleasure to listen to.

Very good 90s alt rock sound!

Very good.

solid

my mom loved pj harvey when she was young and i can't disagree with her. i've heard this album in full before, but it's nice to get an excuse to relisten. love pj's voice, the intensity and unflinchingness of the music, which makes it that much more satisfying when it gets tender for a moment. some of the tracks drag for me, but overall this is just a great alt-rock album from one of our art-punk goddesses. 8.5/10, fav tracks: big exit, this mess we're in, we float

Reminded me of Patti Smith, favorite song is This Is Love

4.2/5 Best Track: Beautiful Feeling

01) Big Exit - 7,5 02) Good Fortune - 9,0 03) A Place Called Home - 8,5 04) One Line - 7,5 05) Beautiful Feeling - 8,5 06) The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore - 8,0 07) This Mess We're In - 8,5 08) You Said Something - 8,0 09) Kamikaze - 8,0 10) This Is Love - 9,0 11) Horses in My Dreams - 7,0 12) We Float - 7,5 TOTAL: 8,08 (81/100) I had festival tickets and I could've listened to Polly Jean live a few years ago, but I've skipped that entire day. In retrospect, listening to this album, I can say I was probably wrong :-) "Good Fortune" and "This Is Love" are my favorites, but I also like Thom Yorke ones.

haven't listened to PJ Harvey before this besides a few tracks that spotify algorithm plays me from time to time and definitely enjoyed it. a solid (and seems like a rather accessible) album

This was nice and easy to listen to, even if not groundbreaking.

Fantastic. Never heard it before. Love it

Album 335 of 1001 PJ Harvey - Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea Rating : 4 / 5 The 3rd album from PJ Harvey that this generator has put out for me in just over 2 weeks. I'm not complaining. This is another great one. Possibly my favorite so far from her.

A place called home 👍🏻 Beautiful feeling 👌🏻 The mess we’re in ⭐️ This is love 👍🏻 Solid album. Love the style of music honestly. I really don’t have much to say besides I like it.

I wish artists like PJ were present today in the music industry. You can't seem to hear good old rock music anywhere nowadays. Good listen, but still not quite a five-star rating for me.

I find this more accessible than some of Harvey's earlier records. Plenty to enjoy on here and I think I'm more attuned to it now that I would've been 20 years ago.

Frábært og fallegt!

Meh. Not so much my speed but liked a couple of the mid-album tracks.

This album will probably need a few more listens to get a full opinion. So far, I really like the overall vibe. It feels grungy, but also not grungy. The lyrics are sang beautifully and have great meaning. I'd never heard of P J Harvey, but after looking her up the first article is about Dave Grohl asking her to front Nirvana at some point, and I can see why he'd want her.

Nice. Good vocals, some nice bangin' rhythm guitar, a variety of moods, pace, textures - this is pretty good work. I listened to it twice which says a lot.

me copó un montón 8.5/10

Excellent, almost haunting music. The instrumentation is sparse but varied. Her use of a variety of time signatures and polyrhythms in One Line was fantastic, and gave an uneasy feeling throughout the whole song.

Man ser nästan på omslaget att det är från tidigt 2000. Jämför med Avril Lavignes Let Go. Påminner om Joan Jett, fast lite mindre rock. Väldigt liknande gitarrspel i alla låtar. 4 / 5

• Stilmässigt ser det ut som år 2000, ser också mycket ut som New York • Låter som mer alternativ Hannes musik • Låter lite som Audioslave, A Place Called Home påminner vagt om I Am The Highway • På tal om York(e) • The Whores Hustle And The Hustlers Whore = rätt bra • Påminner om mycket 90-tals rock • This Mess We’re In har man hört förrut, bra låt Betyg: Rätt bra ändå, ligger nog runt 3,5 men kan avrunda till 4/5, lyssnar hellre på det här en Bossanova

Mysigt album ändå. Trodde det var färdigt och gått in på radio men då var det ju Thom Yorke som var med på en låt. Påminde lite om hans musik med. Intressant album

I loved this album when it came out and listened to it all the time. I had listened to her before but this album really pulled things together in a complete package. So many great songs. I'm not the biggest punk fan but there's something about her that's emotionally affecting. Her voice and playing are really raw and authentic.

Nostalgic sound and pretty good overall.

Pretty good album, like the vibe of the music. Pleasant surprise to hear Thom Yorke. 

Because I'd read that this album was inspired by PJ Harvey's affection for New York City, I decided it'd only be fitting that I spend my first listen to the album staring at video of someone driving around Manhatten. And somewhere during that, I just had to imagine the women—of course the badass kind in my mind—who relaxed by driving the long stretches of road under the bridges, just outside the jungle of buildings... It's sunny but coming on sunset, the top's down, and this album playing as the soundtrack... Yeah. It just hits right. Frankly, if I ended up getting bored at any point during the album, it was only because the footage ended up going into the city itself and, lordy me, you can't go for five seconds without havin' to stop at another light. Goodness me.

It's the type of album that just makes you feel like you're in a specific place, taking the sites in and seeing what it has in store. It is some Good Stuff. (also Thom Yorke jumpscare on track 7 lmao)

Me costó un poco entrar, pero me acabó gustando bastante.

This was really good. I recognized the name but never listened to the music. I'm glad the 1001 called this one out. 4 stars for me.

Nice

solid 2000s sound

Pure rock n roll attitude. PJ is a stud. Really good album

I really liked this album a lot. It was a very consistent sound and feel throughout the album, almost concept like.

Polly Jean is so damn good and each of her records has something new while retaining what makes her great. Raw and unfiltered lyrics, compelling guitar, and strong vocals.

It's hard rating PJ Harvey because I really want all her stuff to be like "Down by the Water". That said I enjoyed listening to the album. Much more straight forward rock then some of the other stuff of hers I've listened to.

I enjoyed this. More mellow than I was expecting and a quite a bit more pop, but I don't have a problem with that. A few songs almost sounded like The Pretenders? I'll listen to this one again.

This is realllyyyy good. Wow. Love the thom Yorke song. Love how her guitar sounds and when they bring the baritone out.

Sinceramente me recordó mucho a las canciones de Dido. Canciones para estar relajado, y escuchar de fondo mientras estás con amigos en una partida de juegos de mesa o cenando.

touching

A great record actually, one I’ll add to the rotation for sure. Only gets marked down for a few tracks that feel too different in tone from the others in order to truly feel cohesive throughout

Reminds me of Patti Smith, which is always a good thing. Also Nick Cave to a certain extent. Very provocative and thoughtful songwriting, pretty instrumentals, and soothing vocals. Was surprised to see Thom Yorke pop up in this album, but he did a fantastic job on the 2 tracks he was featured in. Great listen. Fave tracks: Good Fortune, Beautiful Feeling, This is Love

I definitely enjoyed this more than the previous PJ Harvey that was on the list (Let England Shake). This album is more raw and powerful. There are emotional highs and lows and a more personal feeling to the tracks. There is very obvious channelling of Patti Smith in here, but I think it works quite well for Harvey. The features of Thom Yorke were a nice surprise, his voice works wonderfully with this style of music. Fav Tracks: Big Exit, Beautiful Feeling, You Said Something, This Mess We're In, We Float

PJ Harvey's sixth album, "Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea," unfolds as a captivating exploration of urban experiences, blending the hermetic life on the English coast with the vibrant pulse of New York. From the opening notes of 'Big Exit,' where the nervy guitars echo the spirit of Television, the album emerges as a traditional New York record, rich in texture and imagery. Harvey's incisive lyrics, as exemplified in 'The Whores Hustle And The Hustlers Whore,' delve into gritty topics like heroin, speed, genocide, and greed, evoking a palpable sense of the city's energy. The clarity of electric guitars, skilfully played by Harvey, Rob Ellis, and Mick Harvey, rekindles a love for elemental rock. My favourite track on the album is the collaboration with Thom Yorke on 'This Mess We're In,' where there's a poignant convergence of talents that sparks reflections on the stark beauty akin to 'Kid A.' While some might split hairs about the album's grounding in the New York sound of decades past, the sheer invigoration and joyous celebration of love, sex, and life make any argument null and void. PJ Harvey invites listeners to take a walk on her wild side through this musical journey.

Nice

I really enjoyed this album. She has a great voice. I will definitely listen to this one again.

RAWK CHICK. Never quite probably made it onto my radar, despite being the "correct" genre and timing for her to be a teenage obsession. Great stuff though (even with Thom Yorke wibbling around)

Oi, that is guitar playing. "I'm immortal when I'm with you." I love the way PJ Harvey changes her voice--singing lyrically, talking to the listener, shouting. Reverb, layers, echoes. Her use of Thom Yorke's voice for some of the tracks adds even more. Music and voice capture emotion in a rawness that many try to achieve but do not. Less dark than "To Bring You My Love", the soundscape is also broader.

Fortune - 6/10 this one could grow on me for sure. Very upbeat...I think the swirling words will grow on us A Place Called Home - 7/10 I like how she sings "One day there'll be a place for us"

Her voice really carries a lot of emotion and makes you pay attention in my opinion. I have heard of PJ Harvey, but had never really paid that much attention. I will be digging into her catalog after this listen.

excellent grungy songwriter. genius album so late in her career

Good album!

This Is Love one of the admittedly few standouts on first listen. Closing track We Float is excellent however. Listened again - Big Exit is a good opener. There's other strong tracks too and the Thom Yorke collabs are interesting. I liked the more energetic, driving songs best though.

Tough call, solid 9/10 but can't bring myself to call it a 5*.

Great album.

Yesterday I spoke about how Big Star’s debut felt like a defining record of the sound of the 70’s. I’ve never heard of PJ Harvey before, but this record, which came out around the turn of the century, feels like everything that 2000’s indie music was meant to be. I think I was slightly deceived by the opening track. It just came off as a little basic to me, but it picks up considerably going forward. The one thing that was immediately apparent is Harvey’s presence in the song. She is a great vocalist, but she is also a really powerful and evocative one. She somehow displays energy and lifelessness through the same delivery and cadence. Thom Yorke is even featured on two songs here, which obviously piqued my interest. His work on Beautiful Feeling is solid, and I like how much room he gives Harvey while he acts as simply just a backing vocalist. I wasn’t so fond of the other song, as his vocals are just as much the focus as hers are. And while I like the dynamic they have of going back and forth with one another, it just wasn’t as interesting as the previous song. You can definitely hear the Radiohead influences though, especially with The Bends, on songs like Big Exit, The Whores Hustle and The Hustlers Whore, and Kamikaze. This album’s theme is built on the months that Harvey lived in New York City and her love for that place. And while this is quickly made apparent from the title, you can really understand that love through the music. It’s the same feeling I describe when listening to Illmatic, and how that album was intertwined with Nas’ relationship to NYC. But instead of showing your respect for the place you originated from, it’s admiration for a place of new and unique emotions and experiences. Ones you have never had before, and will never have for the first time again. Rating: 8/10

Great stuff. Thom York fits like a glove on his feature.

Bonus point for the Tom Yorke collab

Here we have an album from an artist that I really didn't know anything about prior to today. Needless to say, I was definitely intrigued to see if PJ Harvey's music was anything that stood out to me. Fortunately, I think that this album is pretty good. I think the singing is very interesting. She's got quite a bit of range, which is never a bad thing. She also gets Thom Yorke from Radiohead to do the verses on one of the songs, which is pretty neat. The sound is nice. It is some solid alt-rock if I do say so myself. There's definitely variety in the tone of each song. The writing is good as well. Love is a common theme throughout the album, but it's not too repetitive and the songs do stand out from each other. Overall, this is a pretty solid album and I'm intrigued to listen to more of this artist's albums later in the project. Light 4/5.

A surprisingly good album. Going in I didn't expect to like this one as much as I did but here we are. The last track "We Float" is damn good, I can definitely see myself listening to more PJ Harvey in the future.

Not bad, kinda like a female Nick Cave

Excellent

4.0

Yeah, this album is fucking cool. If I would’ve discovered this in high school, I’d have been the baddest kid on the block. But sadly, that is not the case. And even sadder, I probably wouldn’t have liked this back then. PJ is criminally underrated as one of the best alternative songwriters of the 90s. And this record spans a great wavelength of sounds and styles. The Yorke tracks stand out in particular here, but everything comes together cohesively.

Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea, PJ plus NY equals magic to me.

Incredible album. The back to back of The Mess We’re In and You Said Something is just phenomenal. I got this on a Friday and I listened to it all weekend

I just spent several days in The City but am not sure if I was inspired enough to be moved by the theme of duality. Either way, the songwriting is excellent, and Thom Yorke is never an uninvited guest.

A very pleasant surprise after my meh feelings toward Dry, and a confirmation of my impression that she had a lot to offer despite that. A great turn-of-the-2000s rock album with melody, grit, and heart. Best song: A Place Called Home

Comments: Wow, I love PJ Harvey! Haven’t heard of her before. Favorite tracks: Beautiful Feeling, The Mess We’re In, We Float Rating: 4/5

she’s awesome

I wür ihre nöd e gun geh IMBM. Joo de thom!! Horseys i ihrem traum. Het mich am afang mit chli sehr generischem 2000er alt rock gschockt. Denn aber recht positiv überrascht. Ich lieb de Thom, aber au die meiste lieder ohni ihn hani schön gfunde.

It's fine. Not my style but kind of cool and she has an interesting voice. Good mix of songs, doesn't all sound the same. 3.8.

A really great singer-songwriter indie rock album. Top notch quality, and I love the general mood of the album. No hits, but it doesn't matter because the album is very cohesive.

Certainly her best album. I really enjoyed it, compared to her more "grungy" approach.

Smooth, rocky und berührend

I love her raw sound and don't give shit attitude. Not something I actively choose to listen to, but always enjoy when it's on.

I've always got time for PJ Harvey! This is her at her slickest, and is very much an excellent listen.

Second album I listen to from PJ Harvey, and for the second time I thoroughly enjoyed it. I should probably listen to more of her albums even once I'm done with those suggested here.

Was a nice listen for sure… Didnt expect thom yorkes voice

I love this. Feminime, powerful and vurnerable.

Good sound, had never heard of her before but I like it. Easy listening.

Pretty good. 4 stars

PJ Harvey hold one of those special places in my heart that reminds me of the peak of grunge. I love how her voice music has that sinister vibe to it. Dark and Evil. There's also some Patti Smith vibes in her style. Oh cool one of their songs features Thom Yorke. This Mess We're In. That was good. I guess I'll give it 4 stars.

Cool collab with Thom Yorke Good instrumental

The mature side of Britpop. Closer to Radiohead than Blur or Oasis. It’s little wonder Thom Yorke duets here. I saw Polly Garvey supporting U2 on their Zooropa tour. Illuminous pink jump suit and shouty songs it did nothing for me. Yet 2 or 3 years later she produces this, one of my favourite albums from the era. The songs are string and well structured. Jangly guitars with just enough left field darkness to keep it all interesting. I thoroughly enjoyed digging out my CD to listen to this again.

I think this is the first time I'm listening to these songs and they're pretty good! Rating 3.5 rounded up to 4.

This is an iconic indie rock album that brings me back to high school when it first came out. Not every song is great, but the album paints a beautiful picture of 2000 NYC, like an impressionist painting. Also there's a syphilis reference.

Weird album

This was actually quite good!

PJ Harvey is a name that keeps coming up in my (limited) musical world and I’ve always felt like she’s someone I should like. But when I’ve intentionally tried individual songs of hers it just hasn’t clicked for me. Listening to a full album is a different experience. There’s a coherence to the sound, the lyrics, and the grittiness of the overall feel. I don’t like all of the songs, but I love the ones I do like: One Line, The Mess We’re In, You Said Something.

Fun surprise, really enjoyable. Little raw, which is nice.

Enjoyable all the way through

Nice. A very refreshing authentic sound. Hearing Thom Yorkes voice is always a nice surprise

Great. Musically amazing, vocally not as much, still great.

Liked it, felt like listening to St. Vincent

An interesting artist that I definitely enjoyed more and more as I listened

Favorite songs: Good fortune, this mess wer're in.

I really enjoyed this one when it came out and it's still a good listen today. I loved the Thom Yorke tracks.

Had never heard of PJ Harvey and liked this more than I expected. Semi-edgy singer-songwriter with some acoustic and electric blend. Getting a little bit of the grunge sound from the 90s but you can see her moving to other sounds as well. Cool to see some Thom Yorke collaborations, I think he’s a fantastic artist. “This Mess We’re In” was a standout. Loved the monotone monologue from PJ toward the end with Thom dancing all over it with the same lyrics in a terrific minor delivery. A fantastic duet! Listened to it twice in a row. I think it’s neat when artists play several instruments, write, and produce their own music and it seems like that’s largely what PJ did here. Props! Also a funny note- I used to have a coworker that looks just like a slightly older version of PJ Harvey on this album cover. Three and a half stars, but I’ll give it four because of that one fantastic song.

THOM⁉️

Pretty groovy for an ugly person

Great except two songs I didn’t enjoy

Great album!

Very 2000s and the perfect blend of masc/femme. Hearkens back to proto punk and riotgrrl traditions.

Yeah, that was good!

Sin duda, uno de los mejores trabajos de PJ Harvey. El LP es bastante energético, con letras apasionadas y una producción muy nítida y definida. Además, a pesar de tener códigos sonoros de principios de los 2000s, el trabajo envejeció bastante bien, transformándose en una de las mejores piezas de época, siendo realzada por las tendencias actuales de la música pop.

I didn't enjoy this as much as the other PJ Harvey album but I liked it. I've been meaning to do a deep dive into her discography since she makes music I like.

I had only heard one other album by her and I liked this one allot more. This was pretty good and could benefit from a future listening

I don't know. I'm not sure how I feel about it. It was really great at times. I think I need a few more listens. I'll go four stars instead of 3 because it was a sincere effort in being original, which I appreciate.

Today is PJ Harvey's birthday and I wanted to listen to this album. Strange how things work.

PJ's first album to net a mercury prize and very accessible, comes close but like Let England Shake it doesn't quite get a 5 star from me though some of her other work probably will if it's on the list.

pj harvey is so cool dude. and then she brings thom yorke into it and it all j comes together

Probblay the best album select so far. It kinda made want check out here other stuff

Loved this and cannot believe I missed the boat on PJ somehow.

PJ Harvey's someone I should just dive into her music, listen to some things all in a row, bc she's been rock solid whenever she's come up on the list, but I feel like I'd benefit from like a closer career look. Thom Yorke showing up on one of this album's songs made something click in terms of, like, genre space mental sorting

Like the best PJ, it's the sound of danger lurking around the corner. Yet it's gorgeous. Simple soundscapes and infectious melodies abound, while the lyrics and vocal delivery keep the tension high.

This album probably doesn’t do it for me as much as it does for a lot of music critics, but I totally understand why they think so much of it. Harvey is a phenomenal song writer, with all kinds of range and lyrical complexity. I just don’t enjoy every track quite enough to give it 5 stars instead of 4. It’s a really great listen though!

Helt okej, fin - tydlig tidig 2000-tal.

good

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

Quite enjoyable.

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

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

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

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

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

4++

Pretty good, would relisten

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

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

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

Good

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

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

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

7.5/10 Jamais decu de PJ

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

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

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

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

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

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

Great album. Probably my favourite PJ Harvey thing yet.

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

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

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

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

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

Yeah I’ll listen to more PJ Harvey

I´m surprised. Good and well written songs.

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

She's actually just unreal.

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

I enjoyed this, I like PJ Harvey

4.25

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

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

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

Big Patti Smith energy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Realmente impresionante

Love love loved this album. 4.5/5

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

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

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

Coole plaat. goeie artieste ook

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

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

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

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

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

Very strong

I enjoyed this more than I expected to

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

4.5

Less experimental than the last pj Harvey But just as enjoyable

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

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

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

Clearly above average ;)

Very solid snd accessible PJ Harvey album, strong songs.

Sublime and beautiful.

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

Pretty cool!

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

thom yorke jumpscare

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

Great stuff.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Excellent stuff

Favs on first listen: Good Fortune A Place Called Home Horses In My Dreams We Float

El 2 mejor album de pj harvey, me encanta Best song: This is love Worst song: Kamikaze Calificacion: 81/100

Reminds me of a time living in London. Good album, not listened to it for a while. Is a bit front-loaded but the front half is really good. According to Discogs, it's one of my most valuable albums although when i went to check the current price, it wasn't there so either I've accidently deleted it or Discogs has somewhere along the line. Almost all my most valuable albums are from the 90s and early 2000s when no one was buying vinyl. I didn't get a dedicated CD player until 2007.

Had not heard it before but liked it quite a bit

I really like this record. It's a different side of PJ Harvey, at times channeling Patti Smith, at times her take on a pop song, and only one or two cuts that are traditional PJ Harvey rawness. My favorite: "You Said Something"

Good alt rock, was not expecting thom yorke

Don't like when she shrieks, but otherwise some good songs...

This is my first repeat artist in this project! I have heard many songs on this album a lot and really enjoyed it. The track with Thom Yorke's inclusion mid way through the album was a big turn off for me, but I did my best to get through it. Not as much fun as the first album of her I had on this list: "Dry." But obviously this is a bit more polished than that. Still great all around.

Awesome performances; great production; varied songs that kept me interested throughout the whole album. But I'm left wishing for something more. "You Said Something" is my favorite track.

Pitäs kuunnela PJ Harveyta enemmän. Joka kerta kun kuuntelen niin se jotenkin tempaa mukaansa. Tykkäsin generaattorin edeltävästä PJ levyst ehkä enemmän, mut onhan tääkin aika hieno! Oon kauheen huono tosin sanottamaan miksi tää on musta hyvää musaa 4/5

PJ:n helpoin levy ja toimii tämäkin. This Mess We're In on kyllä upea.

Alan lämmetä PJ Harveylle.

Oddly beautiful album.

Bjork was always my main music crush, but the more I listen to PJ Harvey, the more I'm starting to fall for her.

Encore une belle rencontre

Really good

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ahh Pajamas Harvey you've done it again 🍾

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

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

Pop music through a glass darkly.

stories from the sky?

Eigentlich eine 4.5

Thom Yorke cameo

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

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

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

4.5

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

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

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

Liked the album had some grunge, rock, punk vibes

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

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

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

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

Like the guitar, lyrics, her voice. Brilliant.

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

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

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

This mess we're in....

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

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

Good late 90s alt rock sounding album

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

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

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

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

Buen detalle la aparición sorpresa de don ojo cheche

Muy buen disco!

8/10

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

great

Worth to relisten

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

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

Consistently good