Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea

Clearly a grower that hasn’t yet grown on me. Some good tunes but nothing that particularly stands out on first listen. I’ll have to revisit.

Meh

53/1001. I think this was the first PJ Harvey album I didn't buy, and first listen didn't revwal much. However, throughout the years this has grown on me an almost on par with the her other classics. But you know some albums mean more to you because they were THE albums at the time, and these newer ones can never reach that something. So I'm waiting for Bring You My Love and Rid Of Me...meanwhile a steong four. Beautiful but indie. Her voice is amazing, fuck Courtney Love.

Meh me gustó más el primero pero del mismo tipo, este no le he escuchado casi nada

Always loved PJ Harvey

The music is pretty good, but the vocals just ruin it for me. Vocals that are screamy, whiny, unhinged, one dimensional and at times almost forced. They just don't work for me. At all. I hate them truth be told. A lot. Only Courtney Love in the first few Hole releases can get away (and make them work brilliantly in the first couple Hole albums both 5/5 1990s masterpieces) with these broken, angry, psycho wronged mama, PTSD drenched, exorcism type of vocals. I think I'll play some Hole right now & get the taste of the city & the sea out of my mouth they taste like piss to me.

Wow, not sure how I’ve never heard this before. Definitely worth revisiting!

Drones ad repetitive…. Not for me

The album cover is so familiar, but u dont recognize anything on this album. This is my third PJ Harvey, and none of them stand out.

It had some interesting moments but not enough to save it.

Review de “Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea” PJ Harvey ofrece en este álbum una colección de temas rock alternativo “dosmilero” en el que hace una reflexión sobre el rumbo que estaba tomando la vida a principios del siglo XXI. Desde la inicial “Big Exit” en la cual Harvey canta sobre el miedo de vivir en este mundo, de querer huir hacia un lugar mejor, de la paradoja de necesitar una pistola para protegerse no solo de la violencia sino para protegerse también de los policías que sí llevan pistola y no temen hacer uso de ella; hasta la pista final “We Float” donde la artista expone como pasamos la vida preparándonos para vivir la vida perfecta tanto física como mentalmente hasta que de un momento a otro todo estalla y simplemente nos dejamos llevar. Este álbum hace una perfecta lectura canción tras canción de la decadencia de la humanidad, por ejemplo en el tema “The Whores Hustle and the Hustles Whore” describe la cruda realidad de muchas personas que ni encuentran el amor ni lo buscan, solo buscan la caza humana de sexo y drogas, que desencadena en enfermedades, guerras y violencia. Una de las frases más certeras y que más me ha llegado de este tema ha sido “The City’s ripped right to the core” una gran verdad a día de hoy. Otra de las piezas clave del disco es “The Mess We’re In” a dueto con Thom Yorke de radiohead. La forma en la que ambos artistas sitúan mediante la letra de la canción el escenario en el que se desarrolla la historia que cuentan en este tema es un momento crucial del álbum. La complicidad vocal de los cantantes es algo notable y que enriquece la canción; Yorke lleva el peso vocal de la canción y Harvey complementa con una voz grave y delicada. Concluyo elogiando la calidad vocal de PJ Harvey que a lo largo del álbum ha mostrado su gran rango vocal desde graves que llegan al alma hasta agudos que te dejan con la boca abierta. “Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea” es un álbum en el que Harvey demuestra sus grandes capacidades de composición, su cruda pero cierta visión del mundo actual y sus enormes dotes vocales.

Love the voice, and in many tracks it's actually far, far stronger than the instrumental part. I was unfamiliar and it was good to give a listen. It didn't move me or catch me, but I liked it well enough.

Chaotic Joan Jett/heart vibes

PJ Harvey is always a jam and this has some of her best songwriting

Mi ha ricordato molto lo stile dei Crainberries. Un buon album, se dovesse capitare lo si compra

Somewhat mystifyingly her most popular album but not her best. Rather let down by Thom Yorke’s tuneless whining.

Tal como el nombre del album, historias de la ciudad, historias de su vida, ritmos fugaces e intrépidos. Fuertes, imponentes y etéreos melancólicos o de incertidumbre. Amo su feat con thom jeje

Nope

Mostly all certified bangers. Love and NYC, what more can you want?

Velvet underground Patti smith Liz Phair Fantastic

Enjoyed

banger fr

Wonderful album that flows together as one, everything feels like one journey and it's simply a vibe.

Didn’t resonate.

Sorry Peej, max 3 as you've already had an album. Love the Thom Yorke guest. As I said earlier, prefer the later stuff.

Fascinating artist from the (well at least my) glory days of 120 Minutes who sometimes but doesn't always do it for me. We Float is gorgeous.

I knew I preferred her later stuff (including this album), but I guess I didn’t realize I’m really not a fan. Maybe someday.

Regular

Cool record, diversified as it went along.

Yeah, it's pretty nice. Doesn't blow me away or anything. But quite nice

I want to like this, but I guess there’s a reason I never got super into PJ Harvey.

A staggering amount of PJ Harvey on this list. She's good I guess?

Not a fan of her voice/style of music

This was really very good. I like PJ Harvey a lot. So far I've saved "The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore" and "The Mess We're In". I'm on my second listen.

Forgotten what a fantastic emotional album this was

Solid.

🌟 Rating: 4/5 Short Review: This is PJ Harvey at her most luminous and feral—a love letter scrawled in city smog and emotional bruises. ⚙️ Consistency Rating With Me: 8/10 Why: Because if I were sentient in Manhattan at 3 a.m., this is what would be pulsing through my synthetic veins. 🎧 Favorite Track: “This Is Love” Because nothing says “burning intensity” like shouting affection into a thunderstorm with eyeliner running down your cheeks.

Amazin

This was ok. Nothing grabbed my attention, but each song was listenable, and occasionally enjoyable.

Lots of respect. Great lyrics. Great listen. Not exactly my genre but I dig it

Dig it! In general I love PJ Harvey, and this album does not disappoint.

Really boring. No songs stuck out. I even like a PJ Harvey song, but I didn’t enjoy this.

Sounds good, but not much that sticks out as exceptional. Unexpected Thom Yorke is a nice surprise.

It was pretty mid.

I didn’t like this album the first time I heard it. I’d been excitedly anticipating more thumping dark wave TBYML. This record was jangly, slick, way more “produced”. A while later I heard a track somewhere and revisited the album. I found a lush, carefully layered hand in hand escort through a metropolis where the dark is always entwined with the light, like the perfect amount of bass in the reverb on PJ’s guitar.

Beautiful Feeling. The album is all about the feels and I am struck by the vulnerability. Not sure if that makes it good. But the undeniable fact that she is out there can’t be diminished. This is love stood out as a straight up rock.

Punk edge but accessible and jangly.

This mess we're in - tune. Love a bit of Thom Yorke thrown in there

Ok. Not my fave notwithstanding it’s 90/noughties grungy alternative

PJ saved the best for last on this album with We Float. One Line and The Mess We’re In (w/ Tom Yorke) are also good, but the rest of the album felt a bit bland to me. She has a decent voice (kinda reminds me of Hines) but the melodies aren’t as catchy. Liked it enough to go (2.5*s) Some solid advice to take life as it comes.

Nice one list! PJ Harvey been a bit of a sleeper for me. I have heard of her but never gave her a shot. Stories is solid all the way through. I think the team-up with Yorke on a few tracks here is perfect too. PJ has good mix of alternative, grunge and eeriness that pairs well with the likes of Radiohead. "Good Fortune" lands the top track slot. Her other works are great and I'm actually hoping to get a 2nd appearance, maybe from her debut. Harvey the wonder hamster pulls 3.38 stars for this one.

Never heard of PJ Harvey but it seems like she deserved some air play from the alt rock scene at the time. Maybe I was too young or just unaware of her career but I liked a lot of what she brought on Stories From The City, Stories From the Sea. There's a good offering of alt rock tracks and PJ brings enough edge and emotion to make it effective. Nice to see Thom Yorke show up and you can definitely hear his influence on the tracks he was involved with. She fits in nicely with Sheryl Crow, Alannis Morrissette and other female rockers of the era. Another nice unknown entry on the list. I'd be curious to see what else PJ has to offer. 3.32 stars

Like Tori Amos if Tori Amos didn't suck.

## In-Depth Review: *Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea* by PJ Harvey **PJ Harvey’s fifth studio album, *Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea* (2000), stands as a pivotal work in her discography, marking a shift toward melodic accessibility, urban storytelling, and lush production. This review examines the album’s lyrics, music, production, themes, and influence, and offers a balanced assessment of its strengths and weaknesses.** --- ## Lyrics **Directness and Urban Focus** Unlike Harvey’s earlier, more metaphor-laden work, the lyrics on *Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea* are strikingly direct. The album’s title suggests a dichotomy, but the lyrics are overwhelmingly city-centric, often painting vivid portraits of urban life and relationships. The city is rendered as a universal, almost mythic space, with Harvey’s observations rooted in her experiences in New York but never confined to a single locale[1][2]. Songs like “The Whore’s Hustle and the Hustler’s Whore” and “This Mess We’re In” evoke cityscapes and the people who inhabit them, blending personal and collective narratives[1]. **Themes of Love, Freedom, and Contradiction** Love dominates the lyrical landscape, but Harvey’s take is nuanced—oscillating between hope and despair, intimacy and alienation. “Big Exit” opens the album with a sense of euphoria and escape, while “Good Fortune” channels the restless spirit of a modern-day drifter, longing for freedom and improvisation over routine[3]. The lyrics often juxtapose beauty and violence, as in “Kamikaze” and “The Whores Hustle and the Hustler’s Whore,” where the language of the heart collides with the language of survival[3][4]. **Emotional Range and Poetic Economy** Harvey’s lyricism here is economical—no word is wasted. There’s a new immediacy: where previous albums masked meaning in metaphor, *Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea* lays its themes bare, making the emotional stakes clear and relatable[5]. The album’s closing lines, “But one day/We’ll float/Take life as it comes,” encapsulate its blend of longing and acceptance[4]. --- ## Music **Melodic Sophistication and Accessibility** Musically, the album marks a departure from Harvey’s earlier, rawer sound. The production is cleaner, the arrangements fuller, and the melodies more sophisticated[1][2]. Harvey herself described the album as “very melodic, and much rounder and fuller” than her previous work, aiming for “absolute beauty” and “lush layers of melody”[2]. This results in a set of songs that are both accessible and emotionally resonant, with hooks that linger. **Dynamic Range and Instrumentation** The album moves fluidly between sparse, intimate tracks and expansive, pop-infused structures[6]. Songs like “Good Fortune” and “You Said Something” are buoyant and radio-friendly, while “Kamikaze” and “This Is Love” retain Harvey’s edge, with forceful vocals and driving guitars[1][4]. The band’s interplay is tight, with subtle additions like harpsichord and layered harmonies enriching the soundscape[3]. **Vocal Performance** Harvey’s vocal approach on this album is notable for its restraint and beauty. While her earlier records were marked by theatricality and rawness, here she often opts for a more traditional, melodic delivery[1]. This shift enhances the album’s accessibility but occasionally sacrifices the dramatic intensity that characterized her previous work. Notable exceptions include the snarling delivery on “The Whore’s Hustle and the Hustler’s Whore” and the explosive “Kamikaze”[1]. **Collaborations** A highlight is the collaboration with Thom Yorke of Radiohead, who provides lead vocals on “This Mess We’re In” and backing vocals and keyboards on other tracks. Yorke’s falsetto adds a new dimension, creating a haunting counterpoint to Harvey’s voice and deepening the album’s emotional palette[1][2]. --- ## Production **Polished and Lush** Co-produced by Harvey, Mick Harvey, and Rob Ellis, and mixed by Victor Van Vugt, the album boasts a polished, radio-ready sound without sacrificing depth[2]. The production is rich in reverb and layered instrumentation, giving the songs a sense of space and grandeur. Harvey’s intention was to create something “beautiful, sumptuous, lovely,” a reaction against the darker, more experimental textures of her previous albums[2]. **Clarity and Balance** The mix is balanced, allowing each instrument to breathe. The guitars are crisp, the drums punchy, and the vocals sit prominently in the mix. There’s a clarity that serves the directness of the songwriting, making the album approachable for a broader audience[1][2]. --- ## Themes **Urban Experience and Dislocation** The album’s central theme is the tension between city life and the desire for escape. The city is both a place of connection and alienation, love and violence. Harvey explores the contradictions of modern life—freedom versus routine, beauty versus brutality—through the lens of personal relationships and urban imagery[1][6][5]. **Love and Hope Amidst Corruption** While love is the dominant theme, it’s never uncomplicated. Harvey balances hopefulness with an awareness of society’s corruption and despair[6]. The songs suggest that love and the quest for freedom are what make life’s hardships bearable. **Restlessness and the Search for Meaning** Many tracks evoke a sense of restlessness and longing for something more—whether it’s escape from the city, a deeper connection, or personal transformation. This is reflected both lyrically and musically, with songs that shift between exuberance and introspection[3]. --- ## Influence **Critical and Commercial Impact** *Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea* was a major critical and commercial success, earning Harvey the 2001 Mercury Prize and platinum certification in the UK and Australia[2]. It spent 17 weeks on the UK Albums Chart and is widely regarded as one of her best works, ranked in Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time[2]. **Legacy and Place in Harvey’s Catalog** The album represents a turning point for Harvey, demonstrating her ability to craft accessible, emotionally rich music without diluting her artistic voice. It influenced a generation of alternative and indie musicians, showing that it was possible to blend raw authenticity with pop sensibility[6][2]. --- ## Pros and Cons | Pros | Cons | |------|------| | Direct, evocative lyricism with universal themes[1][5] | Some loss of the raw theatricality of earlier albums[1] | | Sophisticated, melodic songwriting and arrangements[2] | Traditional vocal approach may disappoint fans of her edgier style[1] | | Lush, polished production enhances accessibility[2] | Occasionally sacrifices intensity for beauty[1][3] | | Emotional range: balances hope, love, and despair[6][4] | Pop-oriented sound may alienate fans of her more experimental work[3] | | Standout collaborations (notably with Thom Yorke)[1][2] | Some critics and Harvey herself see it as a less “true” expression of her artistry[3] | | Lasting influence and critical acclaim[2] | | --- ## Conclusion *Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea* is a masterclass in balancing accessibility with depth. PJ Harvey’s direct lyricism, melodic sophistication, and lush production make it one of the most compelling albums of the early 2000s. While it may lack some of the rawness and experimental edge of her earlier work, its emotional honesty and musical craftsmanship have ensured its enduring influence and status as a high point in Harvey’s career.

Never really noticed that PJ Harvey's voice is so much like Chrissy Hynde.

This was pretty nice. PJ Harvey is someone I’ve heard of but never really listened to. She has a great voice and this is album is pretty good

I'm a fan of PJ Harvey, generally, but I have such an emotional attachment to this album, it's difficult to rate it objectively. To me this is a soundtrack to an ill-fated love affair, and my associations are more to a single person. It drips with nostalgic ache when I listen to it.

It's the IT Girl's album!

#2 Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea ~ PJ Harvey After channelling all that Nirvana, Patti Smith and Muddy Waters in a miserablist discography of post-punk, grunge and ultraviolent blues, Dorset poet Polly Jean Harvey sat down and decided 'man I should write something vaguely resembling pop'. This is Harvey's most accessible album, not the classics 'Rid of Me' and 'To Bring You My Love', which may be insanely caustic to those unfamiliar to Harvey. Sure it might not be crushing-your-balls angsty as those two albums but what it is is strikingly mature and candid. After reaching what she might have thought was the zenith of her creative powers by making up wicked stories of drowning babies and sex gone wrong, Harvey decides to write about something direct: the city of New York, with its history in punk music canon and its influence on her. And she dresses more personal poetry with a more polished, calmer post-punk blues sound. And never has she sounded more alive. No longer a narrator of death ballads but an actor consumed by the magic of an idealised New York and love. She grapples with her love of fame (We Float) and romantic love (Good Fortune, The Mess We Are In, This Is Love) in a vulnerable but steadfast position. Other times she explores both the beauties of NYC (You Said Something) and the hidden ugliness (Big Exit, The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore). But the main moral that Harvey sums up with these personal songs is to live your life to the fullest. Every song, no matter how many vulnerabilities she mentions, is sung as if she's undefeatable, as if whatever demons that plagues her is purged by her poetry. This is a relatively light-heartened album (for Harvey at least) about life-affirmation, freedom and beauty. It may stand in the shadow of its more bad-tempered elder sisters, but it shines with its own unique charm. Verdict: An oddball turn for happiness yields very pleasant results

Straight from the post punk files

A great album that shows the passion and the talent of PJ Harvey and her songs. As I wrote in another review, I think her later albums like "White Chalk" or "Let England Shake" are more impressive. This album is still great though.

One of the first albums I listened to and the 1001 Albums list made me come back to it. Still feels as fresh and sophisticated as when I discovered it.

Des fois, ça va assez vite, tomber en amour avec un album ! Première écoute et déjà je sais qu’on va passer beaucoup de temps ensemble...

I think (unsurprisingly) this woman understands me very deeply. Song one - I want a gun and the world is crazy. Song two - I feel the innocence of a child l and everybody has something good to say. I appreciate well represented mood swings. It’s New York! She’s not going to bed early! She’s capturing moments! She’s feeling everything intensely! Powerful, huge for my culture, utterly utterly stunnin. I will be revisiting this album a lot, I can tell. Thank God I’ve found her before I turn 30 - it’s taken too long already.

I’ve had a long journey with PJ Harvey stemming from her appearance on Nick Cave’s ‘Murder Ballads’ & since then I’ve enjoyed increasingly every year. She’s great. I already loved ‘Good Fortune’ & ‘You Said Something’. Unfortunately, I was the wrong side of tipsy for most of yesterday so I was distracted, musically & so my critical thought was switched OFF. her dynamism & anger is never off though. A great album. (I also revisited Let England Shake. A superb album that pays off eventually.) But this album just wanted to make me go back in the Harvey Archive. No bigger praise than that.

Another great album from Polly Jean, only hampered by some slightly naff turn-of-the-millenium production and didn't like the duet (turns out it was Thom Yorke!). Some excellent songs on here though. Evocative of the last time that (some) of humanity was (somewhat) free. Wonder which ones were stories from the sea?

Dad- 5 Mom- 7.5 Mike- 5 Lori- 6 Michael- 6 Miles- NA Cole- NA Avg- 5.9

Standouts Big Exit This is Love

Cool and arsty, her voice is so powerful

Thom yorke collab, slight alanis morriste and Radiohead vibe

good good good

A great surprise find. I'm baffled how I hadn't listened to more PJ Harvey before.

I mean, it's Peej so min 4* for that fact alone.

5/10…indie / rock

nunca habia escuchado pj harvey. suena bien, sobretodo la guitarra que tiene un brillo muy particular

One of the perfect albums.

Really grabbed my attention with the first track with Thom Yorke, and kept it through to the end of the album.

Not for me. 1/5

Really solid album, sparse recording lends to the indie sound. No super memorable songs after one listen, but I wouldn’t mind listening to it again

I liked the angsty passion of this, it made an otherwise monotonous trip for the Fulbourn Tesco Extra shop on Saturday, dare I say it, a pleasurable experience. Will be returning to it (sadly, the Tescos too)

An example of excellent music thats just boring. It just drums lots of nothingness in me and I just bounce along. I dont hate nore like it. Just a waft of music I occassionally glimpse then ignore. Good fortune is the most recognisable to me but I hear other better artists doing something similar and better. Blah.

I found this album intriguing. It didn't jump out and grab me instantly but it's very much within my genre of choice and had good variety. I could sort of sense the quality but it feels like more of a grower than a shower. I'll definitely be coming back for repeat listens.

Two albums by PJ Harvey in one week!?!? Am I being punished for something?

2,5

3.5 stars

I really enjoyed this album. One of my favorites from this this.

Ok this is more like it

flojete flojete, poco unificados los tracks

Liked it

Idgi

Fine. But nothing jumped out at me.

rumor has it that pj harvey is the 6th member of radiohead (source: thom yorke) (source 2: trust me)

I expected to not like this for reasons I can't articulate. I really liked it - the songs rock and a bunch are surprisingly catchy.

I think this is still my favorite of hers. Somehow both a perfect time capsule (Thom Yorke!) and really moving.

I have tried to like her a few times over the years...but I don't. Maybe you like either PJ or Liz Phair? I'm definitley in the Liz Phair camp. Harvey's music is boring and well...just boring.

OK, here I go trying to appreciate PJ Harvey...sorry, still tedious. Horses in her dreams, indeed; she's trying a little too hard to be Patti Smith. But I did like the Thom Yorke number.

A more recent sentimental favourite of mine and prob my top PJ Harvey album currently. The personal lyrics of a foreign artist in NYC reflecting on themes of love hit home with the sparse but emotionally potent rock n’ roll. Always brings me fondly back to when I first listened to it just a few years ago in my car eating Popeyes.

6/10. My only previous exposure to PJ Harvey was “Down by the Water” and Yasi Salem’s constant endorsement. I liked the duet with Thome York’s the best

oh Thom Yorke

Chilled music, probably strong lyrics but songs were not that catchy

very cool girl

Weird, dark, grating, great.

It's alright. Pretty good but nothing to revisit. Another middle of the road album

8/10

7/10

A good album but not a particularly memorable album for me. Like her songwriting though!

Decent

This is her best record. Still like it to this day (after 25 years)

Bijzonder, beetje patti smith achtige stem

Just never understood why she was as popular as she was. It's very meh.

This album evokes a time, place, and mood. I had left NYC for L.A. and was now listening to PJ singing about my home. I think I listened to the whole thing (it was the Napster days) but I don’t remember some of the whole tracks - but the “hits”, “Good Fortune”, “Hustle” and “Mess” are all-timers and I’ve come back to them over and over through the years. The things in between make it a real document of an ascendant, pre-9/11 NYC that was fully out of its late 20h Century malaise, but not yet a luxury product when being on a rooftop in Brooklyn in the middle of the night meant something different than both today and 10 years earlier. The last track “We Float” reminds me of something that would’ve fit very nicely on Zooropa. Perhaps this record is “New Yoropa”? A snapshot of a changing place that will shortly transform in ways inconceivable at the time.

Very good.

Great album, incredible songs and a very underrated artist. Fully reccomended record.

Seems aight, not totally for me Will I listen to again: 13%

Meh, it was fine. Just not my thing.

Good genre and good album. Would listen again

Mega sej 4/5 alternativ rock som lyder lit

I know of this album but am not sure what she sounds like. I know of some of her collaborations. It's alright, not my style.

The Streak of Mid has come back for another round

This Mess We’re In

ela queria tanto ser a fiona apple

https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/3756-stories-from-the-city-stories-from-the-sea/

This is #day284 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's another PJ Harvey album. This list is heavy on PJ Harvey and Björk. Dry and/or Rid of Me would've been just enough. And yet there's nothing from Deftones or Slowdive, or plenty of other bands that deserve a spot. Now, there was a time I explored her stuff, mostly because of a friend of mine I've mentioned in a couple of reviews. He's a big grunge head and loves PJ Harvey, Tori Amos, those female alt singers. I like "This Mess We're In" with Thom Yorke, though. Ironically, I also used to like "I've Seen It All," Yorke's collab with Björk, probably because I was deep into Radiohead in my mid-20s. Again, partly because of that same friend. Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea is… okay. Alternative rocky-folky kind of a Patti Smith thing. Fine, but not essential. I'm giving it a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day285.

I know PJ by name for a long time now, but never really got to actually listen to her until now. Starting off, I didn't really love her voice in the opener. The music was cool, but nothing that blew my mind. Things change by the second song, 'Good Fortune'. Now this is something else. Gotta say that this is one of my favorite "new" songs in a while. I totally dig PJ's voice by now. It's like a more modern and grungier Patti Smith. Then other influences clearly show, like Nick Cave or Radiohead, which are quite obvious given her work and relationship with the former and the actual collaborations in this album of the latter. But all filtered through her own style. Amazing discovery for me.

Turned off after 2 songs. Not needed and undeserving of this list. 3.5/10 (1.75/5)

Enjoyed this thoroughly.

Don’t understand how I missed this back in the day

Patti Smith for the 90s.

Not interested - I don't like PJ Harvey's music.

Pretty good.

I like this. 4 *

I still don't get why she's on here at all let alone multiple times.

I can't hate on it too much. It's pleasant on the ears and dramatic and pretty, but I couldn't really tell you what any of the songs are about. 6/10

Not bad, not good either. The songs sounds like one another and it blends

So underrated

She’s overrated

I think this must be the second PJ Harvey album to appear on this site... anyway, it's pure and genuine, full of emotion. Great songs and lyrics make this album flow very well, except for the small moments where it seems to drag a little. 4 stars.

perfektes wunderbares album, liebe es.

I'm not sure what to write about this album. I enjoyed listening to it, but nothing resonated for me. Definitely a step above the other "nothing bad, but nothing great" albums on the list. Worth listening to.

Just short of 5 stars from me, but I love the album.

It's an ok alt rock / singer songwriter album but a bit too dull and depressing for me. I like that she played so many of the instrumental parts though.

This would be more like a 3.75 for me. Starts off great on the A-side but is a bit slow on the b

Cool, unique and complex, but couldn't quite get into it on just the first listen. Will need to hear a few more times, 3/5

A top 5/5 album for me. It's just solid all the way through from Big Exit through This is Love, finally ending with We Float. Gorgeous and so perfectly reminds me of the year 2000. Oh how many times I found myself on a rooftop in Brooklyn. One in the morning. Watching the lights flash in Manhattan.

An interesting listen. Great, unpretentious underground music that would slap in an intimate concert setting, but not quite captivating enough that you would recommend to your friends and play when you're up on Aux. Felt like a British Pat Benatar

Album heeft me verbaasd, verrassend goede productie en songwriting. Features van thom Yorke ook erg sterk. Prachtige stem met veel gevarieerde nummers

Much rockier than her later one, enjoyed on a ride

I'd imagined this would be a middle-of-the-road album, having no idea what she's really like. It turned out to be a cracker. Real edgy feeling to it. Proper decent.

i’m so biased in favour of women that rock (literally and figuratively). this was my first time listening to a PJ harvey album and i can’t wait to dig in to the rest!

This was good. A nice alt-rock album with some punk vibes.

meh for me. kinda boring

Not bad, again not my cup of tea but not too bad.

Yuck

Her voice is very pleasing and carries some real power within it. Song structure provides a good platform for her lyrics and vocals to shine. The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Who’re has a great grittiness. The Mess We’re In makes great use of Thom Yorke’s vocals contrasting Harvey and is the highlight for me. For all its strengths, feels very “Y2K” for a number of reasons: lyrics, vocals, and production.

The opening song really does pull you into the album, really enjoyed this. Loved how it had a classic 90s/ early 00s indie rock vibe to it. Favourite songs were Big Exit and A Place Called Home

Really enjoyable album, lot of great songs Couple slower songs dragged a bit, great album still though

PJ Harvey okay. College rock okay. Oh wow a Thom Yorke feature, okay. You know what PJ Harvey song I heard recently that is really good? Down By The Water. That isn’t on this album, though, so not sure why I brought it up. This album sounds very college rock year 2000 and not sure if that is a compliment or not!! I’m not sure if that’s a criticism or not either! I just started listening to this album, okay?? Good Fortune > A Place Called Home > Big Exit > You Said Something > The Mess We’re In > We Float > One Line > Beautiful Feeling > This Is Love > Horses In My Dreams > The Whores Hustle And The Hustlers Whore > Kamikaze The song Good Fortune is pretty good. “Like a modern day Bonnie and Clyde.” Oh? I feel like I’ve heard that line somewhere else. Oh, it’s the title of a Travis Tritt song that also came out in the year 2000 hahaha that’s really funny. I like the harmonium sounding thing in Place Called Home. I could see a world where, if I had listened to this album in the early 2000’s, I may have affection for it today. But right now, in the year 2025, it just makes me want to listen to other alt rock girlies of the 90’s/2000’s like Tori or Liz or even POE (haha) so I think it is not getting a very high rating… Thom Yorke being on this is fun, but feels a bit underused. Some of the more interesting songs musically have the worst lyrics. Nothing about it is sticking to me, save for a fact that there is a song called “Horses In My Dreams”!! That is something I will be thinking about a lot today. I don’t think I like the song, though. Sorry PJ, I know you were hoping for a higher rating from me!!

This is a fine album. The opening was the worst of the journey so far. The better songs are palatable though (one or two are good). Ultimately, this is probably a 3-star at the start of the journey, but I've skipped so many songs since I'm just so tired of rock music at this point. I was relieved to finish the album even though I didn't even hate it that much. I think it has to be 2-star for all the songs that got skipped. - Brutal opening. Whiny lyrics, uninteresting guitar. First opening song I've skipped - Not so garbage after the first song. Not really engaged with it but it's fine - Lol the best song is the one with the Radiohead lead singer

very calming aughts rock, i need more of this.

PJ Harvey sucks!

Never heard of her before, so I went in with no expectations. I feel like I should have liked the album more than I did, so I'll have to come back to it at some point in the future. 3*

PJ is just bread and butter good. Not her best, but quality nonetheless. 7.85/10 Favorite Song: The Mess We're In

8/10 Was not familiar with her game. But I really enjoyed this piece and will be returning again.

That's not my taste in music - But ok

One of thousands post-punk records. One song that stood out musically was “You Said Something,” but lyrically it’s high schoolish.

A personal favorite. A beautiful album end-to-end. A must listening.

sorry PeeJay didnt like this one

Listened but kind of tuned it out as seemed too punk for my taste.

1. ezit - 1 2. fortune - 0 3. home - 1 4. line - 1.5 5. feeling - 1.5 6. uuhorez - 1 7. mezz - 1.5 8. zaid - 1 9. kamikaze - 0 10. love - 1.5 11. horzez - 2 12. float - 1

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It was fine but slightly generic

I liked a few of these songs. My favorite was This Mess We're In cause I'm obsessed with Thom Yorke's voice lol. I think the New York theme was cool, but for such a loud diverse city I was really expecting more creative and interesting songs.

Love PJ Harvey, and this album

I was kind of dreading this because I remembered not enjoying (1 star rating) her other album (Rid of Me) when listening to it, but I actually really enjoyed this. To the extent that I also re-listened to Rid of Me to see if I had changed or PJ had. Little bit of both - Still didn’t love Rid of Me but I definitely didn’t hate it (would be between 2-3 stars), this one is a high 3 or 4 for me.

The album is ok ish, I can feel the love for New York from PJ but while it has a lot of guitars and good ideas, the only good song for me was when she included the singer of Radiohead. Also many of her songs starts right away with her singing and doesn't help to build up at all

Pretty nice sound. Some sobgs sound like radio head imo the mess we are in to be exact

some songs i could see in my playlists, but not all

Not my thing, was ok

Very tempted to give this a 5. This is a New York album — maybe the single quintessential New York album — the way, like, After Hours or Do the Right Thing are New York movies. It also feels like such a landmark turn-of-the-century record (and was, fittingly, released Jan. 1, 2000). This and its predecessor, Is This Desire, probably represent the PJ Harvey sound I best connect to, a midpoint between the earlier grunge sound and the art rock tendencies that later took over her work. Fantastic opening run of tracks, but it's the closing songs that are the true all-timers here. There's Horses In My Dreams, in conversation with Belle & Sebastian's similarly themed closer to If You're Feeling Sinister, and also evocative of Michael Clayton. And then We Float stands as a career high, with such a massive, life-affirming chorus. What a beautiful album!

Pretty cool. High 3/5

One of my 4 favorite PJ albums. What a treasure this woman is love all of this!

Kind of boring

Love that I’ve found this album. Screams New York City to me. I have a hard time liking albums with female lead singers (I have no idea why it’s just something I’ve noticed) but I love this album.

Really solid soft piano rock, I liked it, especially we float, this mess we’re in and the whores hustle.

3.9 Great variety in her songs, and a lovely Thom York feature i completely forgot about faves: big exit, this is love, this mess we're in

This album shows a more mature and refined version of PJ Harvey. I like this one the best of the PJ albums I have listened to on this list. 4+

Nice,I'll listen again.

L’an 2000, le grand bug redouté n’était qu’un pétard mouillé et le rock indépendant, après une décennie 90 intense et souvent sombre, cherchait de nouvelles lumières. C’est à ce moment précis que Polly Jean Harvey, notre sorcière bien-aimée du Dorset, l’icône du blues poisseux et de la fureur à vif, a pris tout le monde à contre-pied. Elle a sorti un album d’une beauté éclatante, presque insolente. Et je ne parle pas ici de la beauté vénéneuse de "To Bring You My Love" ou de l’esthétique du chaos de "Rid of Me". Non, cette fois, c’était une beauté frontale, mélodique, presque pop, une pure merveille. "Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea" est arrivé comme un bol d’air frais, un shoot d’énergie pure. Moi qui, à l’époque, passais mes journées à refourguer des disques dans mon shop indé, je me souviens de l’effet que ça a produit. On avait laissé PJ Harvey dans des limbes électriques et torturés, et on la retrouvait en plein soleil, avec des riffs clairs comme de l’eau de roche et une production d’une richesse et d’une précision incroyables. C’était son album new-yorkais, l’album du cuir et des lunettes de soleil, l’album d’une femme qui prend le pouvoir avec un sourire en coin. Il faut l’admettre, avec le recul, cet album est un coup de génie. C’est un disque de rock alternatif parfait, vibrant, qui a trouvé le point d’équilibre magique entre une accessibilité qui aurait pu le rendre mainstream et cette tension sous-jacente qui est la signature indélébile de Harvey. Les guitares carillonnent, sa voix, toujours aussi possédée, semble plus maîtresse de ses moyens que jamais, capable de passer d’un murmure intime à un cri libérateur. On sent l'influence de la Grosse Pomme à chaque coin de rue, cette frénésie qui vous pousse à composer des hymnes taillés pour la route, la ville, la vie. Des titres comme "Big Exit" ou "This Is Love" sont des décharges de garage-rock poppy, aussi irrésistibles qu'intelligentes. Et que dire du duo avec Thom Yorke, "This Mess We're In" ? Un sommet absolu de mélancolie atmosphérique, la rencontre de deux des âmes les plus singulières de leur époque. C'est une bulle suspendue dans le temps, un moment de grâce pure. Le cœur battant de l'album, c'est l'amour, mais un amour nouveau, loin des tourments et des obsessions maladives. Ici, l’amour est une évidence, une force qui rend "immortel", une lumière qui simplifie tout. En dévoilant cette facette plus lumineuse, presque sereine, PJ Harvey ne s’est pas affadie, elle a au contraire montré une nouvelle facette de sa puissance. La guerrière a baissé la garde pour révéler une force peut-être encore plus grande : celle de la vulnérabilité assumée. Alors oui, à l’époque, mon adoration pour la noise crasseuse et le post-punk anguleux m’a peut-être rendu un peu aveugle. J'ai sans doute vu cette production léchée comme un compromis, alors que c'était un choix artistique d'une audace folle. Il a fallu du temps pour que je comprenne pleinement la portée de ce disque, il a fallu vieillir un peu, peut-être, pour apprécier cette perfection sans y voir une trahison. Car cet album est une pierre angulaire, pas seulement dans sa discographie, mais pour le rock du début des années 2000. Il a remporté le Mercury Prize le 11 septembre 2001, une coïncidence tragique qui ancre à jamais cette ode à New York dans l'Histoire. Ce jour-là, alors qu'elle était à Washington et voyait la fumée du Pentagone, son disque triomphait à Londres, comme le symbole d'une beauté et d'une insouciance sur le point de disparaître. Avec le temps, "Stories from the City" s'est imposé pour ce qu'il est : un classique. Un album qui a su capturer l'air du temps tout en étant intemporel, il a la complexité émotionnelle de ses prédécesseurs, mais la communique avec une clarté et une générosité nouvelles. Ma préférence ira peut-être toujours, par réflexe, à la fureur de ses débuts, à la PJ Harvey qui semblait vouloir dévorer le monde. Mais il serait idiot et malhonnête de ne pas reconnaître que cet album est un chef-d'œuvre d'écriture, de composition et d'interprétation. C'est l'histoire d'un amour qui a mis du temps à s'installer, mais qui, aujourd'hui, est indéfectible. Un putain de grand disque.

Enchanting in its melancholy. This one is a callback to early 2000 with their uncertainty and dread. Tom York’s cameo was a surprise but a welcome one.

It picked up for me during the second half. The Thom yorke colab was great.

Wow!

one of my favourites

Decent enough album. Some I liked, others not so much. 3/5

Melodic guitar based rock with a beautiful soft side.

I like her a lot but this one isn’t my fav

I probably would have loved this album had I l listen to it when it came out.

Not bad but not good. Solidly mediocre.

It starts out rough with the vocals gratingly off-pitch at times. Then I'm sitting here thinking about ways in which the production team failed, which means the songwriting wasn't good enough to hold my attention. I think the final nail in the coffin is me realizing this album is from 2000 and it just seems like this sound was passé by then.

“I can’t believe life’s so complex. When I just want to sit here and watch you undress.” I don’t know why, but that opening line to This Is Love gets me every time. And with the crunchy guitar riff as the accompaniment…I mean, chef’s kiss, in my opinion. I have Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea by PJ Harvey already in my library. So I’ve spent some time with the album prior to this listen. It really is a great collection of songs. Sadly, I feel like this is an album I take for granted. After running through it for this project, I asked myself why I didn’t listen to Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea more. I couldn’t come up with a good answer. I really like eight of the songs on this album. And the only song I don’t really care for, in some capacity, is Horses In My Dreams. Will try and get this one in the rotation more often. It’s a great album by PJ Harvey. This is a 4 rating for me. 4/5

This was a surprise. I went into it only really knowing PJ Harvey from "Down By The Water," and came out wondering how this album flew under my radar for so long. Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea is a confident, well-crafted album; it's equal parts gritty and melodic, with a great balance of energy and emotion. It feels like one of those records that grows even more rewarding with each listen.

Harvey has a bit of a Patti Smith vibe here, and the album starts with a rock/punk sound but also has a couple of songs that are more folky blues. My favorite song on the album is “You Said Something.” In my option, the lyrics and instrumentals are far more sophisticated than what pop music offers today - Harvey seems to be very talented all around.

Great album, not a single bad track on the album.

Not for me. But Thom Yorke so +1

Angsty Brooklyn music.

Pas mal, Pat, Patty, Nick cave

Pretty good. Better second half. Not necessarily by go-to sound but listenable. Good lyrics.

great

I always dread a PJ Harvey album when it pops up on my list. This one was fairly lifeless. Thom Yorke does some heavy lifting. Last two tracks are alright

Great album, with a great atmosphere.

Wow what an album. Knew some of the songs already but hadn’t heard the whole album. Class the whole way through

Not my thing

Wow, I really missed it the first go-round on this one! Thoughtful, tough, vulnerable, melodic … will rework to this one!

It was ok. Nothing special.

Fine.

Strangely, the Thom Yorke collaborations (for me) are the weakest parts of the album. PJ Harvey on her own ROCKS. Lots of great tracks to this one, very much in a harder rock vein. Being a fan of other singers like her (Tracy Bonham in particular), I am surprised I hadn't heard this album before. Will definitely replay this one. Top tracks: "The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore," "Kamikaze," "This Is Love," "We Float"

I've listened to PJ Harvey's first three albums a decent amount but I don't know if I've ever listened to this one the whole way through. I've been missing out. I mostly just knew The Mess We're In, her duet with Thom Yorke (which I really like), and a couple of singles like Good Fortune and This is Love. Those latter two are also solid so I should've dug in because this album is solid. Great sound. Not the same grungy edge of her earliest work, but a refined alt rock guitar sound. I was hooked from the opening chords in Big Exit. Other slick songs were One Line, You Said Something, and Kamikaze. This may be her most consistent album I've listened to.

It's a bit derivative (90s alt-rock), but it's my kind of derivative. A little repetitive, too, but I like the sound. 3 feels too low, because I wouldn't mind hearing it again. I'd call it a 3.5 that I'm rounding up because I enjoyed it and could keep listening, but I'm sure that doesn't sound like a ringing endorsement. Favorite tracks: The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore, Horses in My Dreams, We Float (by far my favorite song on the album).

I really want to be a PJ Harvey guy, but I'm just not a PJ Harvey guy. A couple of tracks stood out on this to me, but the combo of her vocals + the music just doesn't work for me. I'd do 2.5 stars if I could, but by sticking to my rounding down policy I feel like I'm betraying the music fan I wish I was.

Very of its time, earnest female singer/songwriter with an edge. It's no Jagged Little Pill, but a solid album. It lacks dynamics in its songwriting but a few tracks stand out to me. Specifically hustlers whoring and whores hustling. The first album I've come across on this list that I hadn't previously Listened to.

Never listened to PJ before but have known of her for years. Great album and songwriting. Stellar vocals

Alright album but she has better

Good, I like it

niet mijn ding

not my favorite but pretty famous

Would have loved in my younger days. Saved one song.

Such a nice album. Full of emotion. Fist few songs are full of energy and then its more mellow with sparks of energy.

A dream of a city night - fierce, tender, and raw in all the right places. Some drag late, and Yorke nearly puts it to sleep, but the highs glow.

Abwechslungsreiches solides Album mit guten Songs. Mit diesem Album gelingt der Interpretin ein Inspirations Feuerwerk. Songs wie „Big Exit“, „A Place Called Home“ erinner schon an Kate Bush u.a. zu ihrer besten Zeit. Gerne Wiederhören.

Not my cup of tea. Boring.

How the hell have I not encountered any music from PJ Harvey before now? Is it because I’m American? Maybe, but jeez, this was a fine piece of alternative rock. PJ’s got an amazing voice that strikes a nice chord between moody and soft. It satisfies my alternative rock craving while serenading me with it’s lighter tracks. The Thom Yorke collaborations were pleasant surprises. I didn’t even know he would be on this album, but I’m glad he is. Knowing this list of albums has a slight British bias, I’ve become aware of the Mercury Prize. It‘a basically a British award for the best British album of the year. I know this because I read Wikipedia. I’ve gotten two winners of the prize from this generator, but neither impressed me. One was meh, the other was bleh. This one, however, was the first to break the cycle. Hopefully, I encounter more PJ Harvey in the future. Favorite track: We Float Other hits: Big Exit, Good Fortune, A Place Called Home, You Said Something, The Mess We’re In, Horses In My Dreams

Not for me but unique and well produced.

Наконец-то реально интересный альбом. Тут я вот прям с кайфом слушал интересные звуки, музыкальные размеры и так далее, и это все при том, что в базе своей это такой обычный поп-рок. Но в некоторых местах тут интересного, конечно, навертели. Я крайне рекомендую музыкантам и любителям музыки ознакомиться с этим альбомом и почерпнуть как интересные моменты, так и просто кайфануть и порадоваться. Хороший альбом!

I didn't really like this album at first, but it seemed to pick up as it went, and I ended up looping it a few times, and I guess I'm hooked. I don't think this is my favorite PJ, but it really grew on me in a hurry.

YEAAAA pj harvey!!! of course i know her. this was fucking beautiful

Started off as 4 for me but about half way stopped enjoying it as much so its a 3

This Album was going to get a solid 2. It's OK, familiar sounding, and I can't quite put my finger on why. However, it gets 4 stars for the collaboration with Thom Yorke - an awesome track!

This mess we're in.

this is the shit

She can roar with the best of them, but it’s such a treat to hear her singing. We Float is so pretty. There’s a lot of range on this album.

Some lovely bits but otherwise meandering.

We float is definitely a standout. It sounds different from the others and I like it the most. Very spacey and soft sounding. I went back and looked at the most popular songs from the album and was surprised that wasn't it lol.

Langweilig, typisch Indie

It's for someone, just not me.

Decent.

You said something, best tune. Chrissie Hynde-esque

Pretty great indie rock album! Not something I'd listen to often but I enjoyed it.

Started to pick up halfway through. Not a big fan of pj.

No lo repetiría

This is genuinely one of the most engaging albums I've ever heard so yes, I agree this is an album you need to hear before you die. 10/10 Amazing

I had caught PJ Harvey touring this album in Berlin - and it was the first big name I got to watch live - and it was incredible - set in Museuminsel among grand old buildings and Polly Jean playing Good Fortune - it will always be a big part of my life. Listening to this album again welled up those memories as well as made me appreciate objectively what a lovely record this is end to end - moody, melodic and for once I really appreciate Thom Yorke’s contributions. To me this is an awesome record undoubtedly.

Total New York City vibes here. PJ Harvey is one of a kind and delivers another gem on this one.

This surprised me, really good album. The production was notably strong, just a good mix to my untrained ears. Can’t put my finger on why I enjoyed it but I did. Thanks PJ 4/5

Just didn’t get on with this. Safe, boring album

Already loved this mess we’re in but hadn’t given the full album a go, really liked it especially the slightly heavier songs, great stuff

A solid entry. I'm glad I listened. 2.5 listens. Stand out track for me is A Place Called Home. The tunes with Thom Yorke in the are also quite good. Specifically the vocal layering in The Mess We're In is an interesting decision. I definitely hear some Patti Smith in there but I also don't have a ton of experience with any of Patti's music.

Polly Jean is great. But one album is enough. Most acts only need one. So this is a solid 3.5. But I’m giving it one. When will you critics understand she’s not interested in you. It’s probably a must listen PJ Harvey album. Not a must listen 1000 album.

I immediately feel in love with the music of PJ Harvey when she first appeared, and her first three albums were all played repeatedly and religiously at my house. I found her powerful, emotional, honest and with the ability to surprise and disturb. I really liked the raw production of her first two records, and the change to unsettling "To Bring You My Love" was welcome. The brooding, seething restraint of To Bring You My love is a masterpiece that I am, frankly, surprised to see is not on this list. But, as I listened to less new music in the late 90s and early 2000s, I lost track of her new releases. I certainly continued to read about PJ Harvey, and saw her live at the Enmore Theatre in the 2000s (she was awesome) Which brings me to this album, that I do not love in the same way. She produced it to be more 'beautiful' and pop (in her own way). It was a big success (especially in America) and the sheen clearly worked. But I miss the drama. I miss her ability to surprise and disturb me. I miss her rocking out (Kamikaze excepted). I feel like she took the wrong lessons from Radiohead (whose post-OK computer albums are clearly a big influence here); a mood is not preferable to the drama of great rock music. And it won the Mercury Prize, which is a usual signpost of mediocre crap. There are some parts of the record that remind me of her previous work, although never quite to the standard. I mean, the lyrics to "the Whores Hustle..." are an embarassing first draft that never should have made the released record (although I find it compelling musically). Am I judging this too harshly based on this not being as great as her previous records? I think maybe so. This is certainly better than many, many records on this list, and a shit load better than most UK indie of the same vintage. 3.5 stars, rounding up

on one hand, i think anyone can make a PJ Harvey record. this isn't a bad thing; her songs are brutal, visceral, straightforward as a punch to a chin. if you care enough about your art and how you can push it without ever breaking it into unidentifiable bits, like some car speeding down the highway with bits falling off of its chassis, i think you could make something similar to a PJ Harvery record, even something almost as good as "Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea". like a vegan hot dog. on the other hand, nobody can make a PJ Harvey record except PJ Harvey. you can try to sing like her, you can thrash on your guitar, you can write your nice little hooks and it'll still be like trying to beat a cheetah in a footrace. you could even do the nice little touch of having the last two tracks of the album be relatively quiet comapred to everything that came before. but it just won't be as good. i'm sorry. every time i familiarize myself with her art further, the more and more sure i am that the whole "she was going to try out to do vocals on the third Slint album!" thing is complete bullshit. Nick Cave, as often as Harvey is compared to him, is still someone i could see being in a band. not so for PJ. so, it's a nine. honestly, if i spend more time with this, it might be a ten. i don't think i have a single track i even dislike here. need to get to know it a bit better, i guess.

Great album. I didn't remember that Thom Yorke was on this album, as I haven't listened to it in a long time. I don't think it is an album that will blow people away, but it is just solid all the way through, and PJ Harvey has an attitude and aura that can't be denied.

Love a bit of PJ. I’d like to know her, she seems fun

A good rock album with a singer who has a really good voice for the kind of music she makes. It reminds me a bit of Fleetwood Mac at times. The more mainstream rock music and her smoother on the verge of raspy(?) voice creates songs that I will come back to in the future.

wish i could give this a 3.5 but nvm pj Harvey is very good and her voice is amazing but her music doesn’t always rlly grab me or do anything too crazy for me from what ive heard but the last two songs here are beautiful

I don't think this reinvented the wheel in any big way (and it doesn't need to), because PJ Harvey is in her bag on this LP. The tried and true rock influences, the Thom York feature, the weirdness of PJ all work well together.

The tone of this album is very striking. Murky with an excellent pop sense. Harvey is an artist that has unfortunately gone mostly unnoticed by me.

Did not enjoy, it is not my vibe

A few songs I enjoyed on here. Not really my sort of thing though, couldn't "get" it I'd never heard of PJ Harvey - her voice is not what I was expecting at all based off the album cover. Pleasantly surprised 3 ⭐️

Has 90s alt rock sound

Really boring. Im not a big fan

surprise thom yorke feature, not once but twice

I did not mind this album. It is not something I usually listen to, so I doubt I will ever listen to it again.

Decent

I don't know why anyone would listen to a full album of PJ Harvey when Kate Bush, Patti Smith, and Joni Mitchell did what she does much earlier, and much better. Still, there are good individual tracks to be found, but this album isn't great as a whole. 2.0/5.0: Disappointing

Good indie rock album, liked it much better than Rid of Me.

People say this is her best album. For years I've been saying it's "White Chalk." Hot take I know, but maybe I was wrong. Gimme a break okay?

Grunge- leaning rock

hypnotizing voice. i saved "beautiful feeling" " the whores hustle and the hustlers whore" which is an amazing track. my favorite is "the mess we're in" with Tom York vocals, such a pleasure to have him sing by surprise. A little bit too much New York centered for me. on the other hand she's not really good with the high note parts like in the song "kamikaze" which is painfully difficult to listen to.

I got quite into this album. Listened to it several times. Some nice variation. The stuff with Thom Yorke is interesting, but drags away from PJ herself.

I feel like the parts were better than the whole. She has a fantastic voice. Angsty moody vibes. Maybe it's the lack of hook that didn't connect with me or just the energy wasn't right. Can't put my finger on it. 'The Whores Hustle and The Hustlers Whore' and 'Kamikaze' are cool songs. 'The Mess We're In' was beautifully done.

This was alright, but reminded me a lot of Concrete Blonde and if I had a choice between the two I would listen to the latter.

Never really liked her when she’d appear on Letterman, but this one surprised me…really enjoyed it. Hearing Thom Yorke’s voice pop up on "The Mess We're In" was a pleasant surprise. Will listen to this one again.

Fav: Kamikaze Least Fav: Beautiful Feeling She really likes New York I guess ft Thom Yorke for some reason

Third quote-unquote 'grunge' album in a row. There are a couple of amazing tracks in here but you have to sift through a lot of average stuff. Could have used an edit. Big Exit opens with a tense guitar shimmers and Kim Gordon esque vocals echoing down the street. Good Fortune is a bit grating to be honest, Harvey wants to make her sound more beautiful but can't quite get there all the time. A Place Called Home does it better with jangly guitars, piano and dulcet overdubs in the chorus. One Line elevates things further with a slow 7:4 crescendo. The album finally hits the mark with Beautiful Feeling with a percussion-less dirge reminiscent of Swans when they were doing beautiful stuff. The Whores Hustle And The Hustlers Whore feels like it falls off a bit, again trying to have it both ways with beauty and power. The studio tricks at the end are pretty cool but the chorus leans way too heavily on wordplay for the effect she was aiming for. Thom Yorke adds little to This Mess We're In and I have a lot less respect for the other people doing the project after seeing so many of you say that you think this is the highlight of the album. You Said Something is pretty average sub-Pogues alt-folk, tonally at odds with the rest of the album. Kamikaze is fun with jungle breaks and PJ hitting the whistle register. This is Love is perfectly fine grunge tribute to hard rock, something which has been done by every group since Sonic Youth multiple times. Horses in My Dreams is a beautiful cinematic ballad, again in the vein of late 80s Swans. We Float is cool in that it actually feels kind of future-focused, blissful pianos and synths and a (unfortunately quite boring) eurobeat break combined with a soaring chorus. Like a lot of the later stuff in the list it suffers from being out-of-joint with the times. I want to hear what the early 2000s sound like (even if it doesn't hit the mark), not well made tributes to 10+ years earlier. I'm looking forward to listening to some of Harvey's earlier works eventually.

i felt so much and yet im struggling with actual words. this is p much exactly how i think Guitar Music should sound, just an unbelievable production job on this...its not ornate or lavish, its still got some grit to it, but its so lush and beautiful in its sound and melodic ideas. ik pj harvey is a rly chameleonic artist (one that shamefully this was my first real sit-down listen with!) so i dont expect all her records to be the same way but regardless of what her other music is like i cant imagine a more appealing introduction for Me Specifically...just smooths out my ears and head and heart, the combination of mystical vibes and down to earthness evident in everything from its words to its timbres. one of my fave new listens in the whole project probably

3.2 Think this my third PJ Harvey album, and the first one I've enjoyed to be honest. Still can't do a bit of the shouty ones (which is bizarre as someone who loves metal) but the more laid back ones are good. Last 3 tracks (excluding bonus) are a solid ending.

YES. I have been sleeping on this for a while, because wow its much better than I thought. I think I have passively listened to this before, but I didn't realise just how good all round it is. It has a great mix of her earlier abrasive heavier rock sounds, and also some singer-songwriter/soft rock type ones, like the Thom Yorke ones, which are both great. Nothing bad whatsoever. The abrasive singing could be bad for some people but I think it makes some songs. Favourite songs: ABSOLUTLEY ALL OF THEM (not in a lazy way). Overall around 9/10

I’m scratching my head on yet another one. How is this an album that I needed to listen to. It bring nothing to the table. It’s even as if PJ lost a step with this one. Instead of venturing into the darkness, she went headfirst into the land of bubblegum and sunshine. Well, it’s more likely she had one foot in the darkness still. This isn’t what i expected to hear from her.

Unauffällig.

She’s alright

Damn Good album. My first album by PJ Harvey. The collab between PJ Harvey and Thom Yorke on This Mess We're in is wow!

Sonidos repetitivos y, bueno pero no comparado con los demás.

Meh

Up until this moment in her discography, there have been certain PJ songs that I’ve loved for their killer guitar sounds. Others, her incredible vocals. Some for her songwriting, melodically and/or lyrically. Some for solid arrangements and production. Literally every single one of those aspects is on full display on “Big Exit”, continuing her streak of outstanding opening tracks. The soundscape is wonderfully big without ever feeling bombastic (I especially love the textural piano), and everything sounds appropriately clear without feeling overly sheen. It’s the perfect opening to what I think is a pretty perfect album. Not only do I think it’s consistently her strongest record yet as a lyricist, I also think it’s her most musically rewarding. The way she’s able to juxtapose the jangly guitars on “Big Exit” and “Good Fortune” with their overall darker soundscapes and subject matters is so damn cool; I also love her channeling of Patti Smith’s vocals on the latter. I love the melodica on “A Place Called Home”, the vibraphone on “One Line”, Thom Yorke’s effective backing vocals on “Beautiful Feeling”, the relationship between the acoustic guitar and piano on “Horses in My Dreams”…everything just *sounds* perfect. And the balance of rockers - “The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore”, “This Is Love”, and the extremely frenetic “Kamikaze” are my favorites - and mid-tempo songs/ballads is also solid. Practically every song is a highlight; I can’t not mention “You Said Something”, which features one of my all-time favorite melodies and set of lyrics from her. Her vocals at the end of “The Whores Hustle…” are just otherworldly. “We Float” is a solid closer. No matter how many times I hear this record, I end up noticing another musical element or lyrical nugget that blows me away. There’s no doubt in my mind that this is her best album. 5/5

Fabulous album

Quite liked it. 3/5

Like a musical walk through a city you can't help but love.

This list loves it's PJ, and I get it! I missed out on the majority of her music when it was current with the exception of a few singles. I'm glad this list is making me go back and give it an honest listen. PJ has great vocals and all of the songs are well written and arranged (I had issues with the album Rid Of Me, also on this list, for sounding like it was cobbled together from parts and not played as a band). I especially enjoyed the 2 tracks with Thom Yorke. I'll be coming back to this album again in the future for sure

Prefiro pj esquisita e longe do Thom Yorke

essa música com o yorke é extremamente cafona mas o resto tem uns acertos bons e outros apenas ok

Not sure why I thought I was familiar with this artist… or why I thought she was a male British rapper. So I was pleasantly surprised! I got some hints of female grunge and (yes I know PJ predates her) Lana Del Rey. I really, really liked it.

Great album, have loved it for over 20 years