Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea

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

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

It was pretty mid.

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

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

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

Straight from the post punk files

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

5/10…indie / rock

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

Ok this is more like it

Idgi

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.

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

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

7/10

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

Decent

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

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

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.

Patti Smith for the 90s.

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

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

meh for me. kinda boring

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.

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*

That's not my taste in music - But ok

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.

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

Not my thing, was ok

Pretty cool. High 3/5

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

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

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

Not bad but not good. Solidly mediocre.

Angsty Brooklyn music.

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

It was ok. Nothing special.

Fine.

Alright album but she has better

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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 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.

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.

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.

Unauffällig.

She’s alright

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

Quite liked it. 3/5

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

3.5

Empieza bien, después se riquelmea un poco

This is a really interesting album. Lots of the songs had a 4+2 rhythm/feel (as opposed to 3/4), which I like. I probably have to listen to it a few more times to fully get it. The Thom Yorke collaborations were nice. Liked Songs Added: The Whores Hustle And The Hustlers Whore

Nunca había oído hablar de esta persona. Es bastante guay en general y lo volveré a escuchar, pero no creo que me vaya a acordar de ninguna canción.

2.5

Overall not too much of a stand out to me. Like it was a nice vibe to listen to, but wouldn't actively listen again (background music). But too much repetition and similar song structures across the album to be super interesting. Piano in A Place Called Home and layered vocals nice (contrast with lyrical and spoken word). Probably the best track on the album for me in terms of vocal and instrumental interest and variety.

"PJ Harvey...isn't she like an alternative rock chick? Pretty sure my friends who worked at the alt-rock station back in the day loved her." "PJ Harvey...wait, wasn't she in the Batman Forever soundtrack? That was my jam in middle school!" "PJ Harvey...is she like Liz Phair? Actually I don't know what she sounds like either." PJ Harvey is a name I'm familiar with but I can't for the life of me think of anything I've heard by her. For an album released in 2000, I'm a little surprised I haven't heard it, but then again I wasn't exactly seeking out good music my senior year of high school. I started this album, then, with concepts of an expectation. 90s alt rock, female vocalist. What I wasn't expecting was something that evoked Radiohead for me. This made a lot more sense when I had two more revelations: 1) she WAS on the Batman Forever soundtrack, so I had definitely heard (and probably liked) her before, and 2) maybe she gave me Radiohead vibes on purpose. Not only is it a similar era as some of their finest work, but Thom Yorke literally shows up on one of the songs on this album (and it's fire). You can probably see where I'm going with this: I really dig this album. It's moody, atmospheric and beautiful throughout; however, it did bore me at times and isn't quite a "masterpiece" I see myself repeatedly returning to. Not all of the songs hit me in good ways and sometimes I was either bothered by her lyrics or I couldn't understand them. I swear on "Horses in my Dreams" she kept saying "I poo myself." So there's that. But yeah, a solid offering and I'm glad I listened to it. I definitely won't be writing off Liz Phair, I mean PJ Harvey, in the future. 3.5 out of 5 for me.

I like this album more than some of the others I've heard from her.

Second half of the album is a lot stronger than the first.

Ok, but not more than that.

I think this may have to grow on me a little... I liked it though! I liked Let England Shake a lot back when it came out but I haven't really dug into PJ's catalogue!

She's cool! Perhaps the first album of hers I've listened to!

I really didn't like PJH until I heard Let England Shake, which I thought was amazing, dynamic, loud and interesting, this album takes me back to the Rid of Me and My Love albums where there just wasn't anythingn that I could grasp ahold of. Listening to Thom Yorke on a track was a nice surprise, but on the whole, I wasn't impressed or dissapointed. I was just meh with this one.

Better than I expected and much better than the other PJ album on the list. I particularly like the collaboration with Thom Yorke.

Now here’s a PJ Harvey album I want to hear again. When comparing this to the baseline of her 3 previous albums we heard, I almost gave an extra star. She said she tried to make this album more melodic. Yeah, more of this please PJ.

Respect, but not my thing

Excellent from front to back. Not sure it stands out enough to be an essential listen, but if you are looking for a guitar rock record from that era to listen to then this would always be a good choice.

Loved the music. Solid vocals and very nice guitar work

Some songs we cool, others were fine. By the end I had lost interest in listening to the album.

Indie alt rock

Really didn't enjoy the first 2 intro tracks but really dug everything after that.

Pretty good. A bit samey at times but good vibe and enjoyable lyricism. 3.5 stars.

All around a pretty good release from PJ. All around I found the songs pretty homogenous. Thom Yorke was of course a pleasant surprise. All around not bad. 3/5

another case of it’s not really my thing but i can appreciate the musicianship. it’s just soooo abstract-y idk i can’t really grasp the music well

Not very interesting 6/10

Okay, but it didn't make me feel anything

I dunno, it's good I guess, but it also just doesn't resonate or stick with me at all.

Maybe the most “made for portable cd player” album ever. Feels like a product of its time but also feels like it inspired a lot of the women of today in the rock/punk space. Didn’t love it but I respect it. Favorite Song: this mess we’re in Saved songs: this mess we’re in, good fortune

This album didn't really hook me but I thought it was interesting which by my history usually gets a 3. This one was hard to rate because it really is slow and moody a lot of the time and really blends into the background in a good way I think. It's like a candle but kind of a post punk indie candle.

I've definitely heard a few PJ Harvey songs before but never really sought her music out. This album is a decent one, and it's got a good mix of brooding songs vs relatively poppy rock songs. I think I like the former more, especially the ones with Thom Yorke. That isn't necessarily because of his performance, but because the songs are just better. "Beautiful Feeling" is my favorite just from the songwriting perspective. I think the 4 or 5 tracks on the album are the best and it tapers off after "You Said Something", though "Horses in my Dreams" is a great low burn. Solid indie/alternative all in all, I'd listen to more of her stuff if it came around. Wish I could give it a 3.5.

Wish I liked this more.

I didn't enjoy this. I don't care for her singing. Can't say any of the music really grabbed me either. 2.5* rounded up.

Day384 - this is one i might need to listen to a few more times to see if i like it or not

She's bold and brassy, nice

This album tells me that I might like PJ Harvey on albums of hers that have less repetitive chords and wailing. I hear that. I just don't fully like this one.

A very decent album. Strong throughout

It’s alright, not great. Some creative rhythms but nothing that really lands for me. I think it’s a weird energy somewhere between emo and late 90s female singer-songwriters.

Not bad.

Recently in a neighborhood shop, I recognized Thom Yorke’s voice on a song I had never heard, and I Shazam’d it - The Mess We’re In. Good song. I dabbled in the rest of the album at the time and found it a little less interesting, felt the same on this listen through. You Said Something is good too. In the end, I think St. Vincent plays a similar game with catchier songs and better guitar work.

not really my thing, liked place called home and whores hustle - Kamikaze was mad but I liked that too. Wouldn't go back for another listen but only cos it's not really my genre

Brooding

Strong female act

Interesting alternative album a few songs a liked quite a bit a few others I did not.

I’ve always had trouble getting into PJ Harvey. Maybe her music is more directed at the female gaze, though I don’t have trouble with Laura Marling, Sia, and other modern female singer-songwriters. Maybe I’m just more of a Joni Mitchell guy rather than a Patti Smith guy. PJ is definitely channeling her inner Patti Smith spirit on this album. Also, while I dig Thom Yorke, he felt woefully out of place, even though I like some of his input. I don’t know. This is an album of conflict for me. 3.4/5

Hard to believe this is 25 years old. It’s doesn’t sound it. This is good. I’m just not in the mood for it. In 2000 I’m sure I would have loved it.

I was dubious when it started, but it really grew on me. The songs are interesting both musically and lyrically, and even though it’s a little harder than I prefer I really liked it. We both think it could be a 4 after a few more listens.

Meh, mid

2.92

some of the songs i liked and thom yorke being on there was a bit unexpected but overall it was ok some songs i wasn’t the biggest fan of

It was an ok album. I like some of her songs but the album dragged somehow as a composition.

как всегда нет на ПиДжей Харви, но 1) не так тяжело как предыдущие, 2) услышала много Хейли Мэри основополагающего

This felt tedious. Not for me. 2.5 stars.

I mean it's alright, Patti Smith soundalike, but that album cover is fucking clickbait man it does NOT reflect at all what the album sounds like. If anything the album cover sounds better, does that make sense?

thom yorke was involved in this cool I dont have much to say about this i like it though On horses in my dreams it sounds like she keeps saying that she pooped herself thats funny

She has a nice voice. Good variety and energy on these tracks. Not my cup of tea but I'll likely revisit this album and maybe some of her other work.

Decent album, nothing special.

New York girlie but I preferred the sea stories

Bueno

Mixed feelings about this, stated thinking it would be another ‘girl and guitar’ albums that bore me but midway through started liking it, peaking at ‘This Mess we’re in’. After a few songs though it swelled to its flatness. 2.5 if I could, rounding up to 3.

I thought I would like this more than I did. Feels a bit self-involved.

Pretty much exactly mid. Don't particularly see the reason this album is on the list.

It's all right. But not incredibly memorable. I did quite enjoy the collaboration tracks featuring Thom Yorke.

The tracks I like, I REALLY like, but the tracks I dislike are unbearable. Thom Yorke was fun to hear though. Music was definitely not what I was expecting based off the album cover.

Indie Queen

A new a couple of the songs and like them. The album follows the sound and feel of the singles.

Previously rated: Dry (3/5) ************************** I liked Dry a lot better. This was more mellow, flirting with being boring. A low 3/5.

“Stop begging. We have Patti Smith at home”

Not bad but sader and more whiney than I prefer

could i write poetry to this? y

Almost every song has the same guitar tone and lack of vocal melody. Good Fortune and This Mess We're In stand out from the crowd.

For some reason I thought this would be like KT Tunstall and wasn't expecting much. Very pleasantly surprised. Probably not the kind of music I'll come back to often but it's honest enough

It's okay.

Jumped out of my chair when I heard Thom Yorke

Way better than the other PJ Harvey one I had. Production has gone a long way to fleshing out the artist's sound.

Kinda boring. Diet version of herself, Fiona Apple and Patti Smith.

PJ Harvey paints a landscape of New York City and love via her songwriting here. This is different than the PJ Harvey content that *I've* heard, which is to say that this album is probably more accessible than her previous works. It somehow feels more personal, despite not being as abrasive or in your face as, say, "Rid of Me". Although on that note, nothing really stood out after the 47 or so minutes went by. Harvey's voice gets to shine a bit more here though, I guess.

Not a big PJ Harvey fan, but this seemed like a decent enough album.

This album builds and becomes better as it goes.

3/5 Some interesting stuff in here.

Not a huge fan

It's alright, but nothing really stands out to me. The second half of the album has some more interesting stuff (Thom Yorke collabs, some odd time signatures). But ultimately it was pretty forgettable.

Found this a little disappointing compared to the other album's I've heard from PJ. It's quite lowkey, and I don't really feel like there are any standout songs from this. A banger or two would have bumped this up a star from me. Maybe it's more of a slow burn, who knows. But I have had this on repeat and it's just washed right by me. Best Track: Horses in my Dream Worst Track: Beautiful Feeling

Thoughts before listening: PJ Harvey is on this list a lot, and she has certainly been pretty universally praised from music journalists over the past 20+ years. I usually find one or two songs per album that I enjoy and the rest is just okay to me. I look forward to seeing if this album will be any different. Review: As usual there were a number of songs I liked and added to my playlist: "Good Fortune", "This Mess We're In", "Kamikaze", and "This is Love". As a whole the album was a nice listen while I walked to get groceries but probably not something I will go back to. I did actually recognize a number of these songs so I believe I had listened to this album before, probably on a playlist made from a best albums of the 00s list. 3-stars

It was better than i thought, enough to keep listening till the end

Composite of cool Alternative poetry Pulsating power

Song with the guy from Radiohead was definitely a stand out along with the later half of the album in my opinion. Kind of felt Courtney love/Janis Joplin-ish

Rock, 2000 -> 3

I didn't like this as much as I thought it would, especially considering I've heard it before. I listened to it a few times, and I like a good chunk of the songs, especially the closer, but stuff like the vocal effects on the opener and really Thom Yorke's voice not really fitting well on the song he appears in hold this one back for me.

Very fun listen, clean polished and beautiful lyrics , right at great short of amazing a very solid 3

My initial thought when this popped up: Ugh. Not looking forward to this one. Let’s get into it. It starts off horrendous. Big Exit is a trash song that seems to go on forever, but it picks up a bit — a *slight bit* over the next song, and then One Line is actually good. A bit of a meh Beautiful Feeling, but then The Whores Hustle is pretty catchy. The Mess We’re In is FANTASTIC, though that’s mainly because it’s a Thom Yorke song. Back to meh for You Said Something, but then Kamikaze is a rocking good time. This is Love is OK, I guess (slightly above meh), and Horses in my Dreams is dreadful. Overall, better than I was expecting, but my initial reaction is still a bit justified. I kinda liked half the songs, so it can’t be less than a 3 star rating. I’m trying to decide whether I would rather listen to this again, or yesterday’s Iggy Pop, and I can’t really decide. Some good songs, some filler. Honestly, despite being 20 some-odd years apart, they’re not that different.

Album étonnant car j'ai toujours cru que PJ Harvey et Alanis Morissette étaient une seule et même personne. Après vérification, la seconde sonne quand même bien mieux que la première.

Deep, dark 90's music.

Never been a huge PJ fan. I like a few of the tracks here but others are just too dreary for me. Fave Tracks: Good Fortune, We Float 3.3/5

OK

Pretty good

Another 3 star, neither here or there really. This is Love is a standout.

Pretty good.

14/10/24 An okay album.

decent but a bit long

I wasn’t sure how I felt at first but this really grew on me. I liked the song with Thom Yorke a lot. The album kind of reminded me of a more chill Liz Phair

Solid

Quintessential ‘just a young girl tryna find her way in this crazy town’ playlist vibes. The thom yorke appearances were a pleasant surprise.

Vähän taiteellista indie / alt rockia. Thom Yorke yllätysfeatissa kahdessa kappaleessa. Osa kappaleista vaikempia kuunneltavaa ja osa helpompaa. Parhaat: You Said Something, The Whores Hustle And The Hustlers Whore, Horses In My Dreams

pretty good, didn't really stick with me though honestly or jump out at me like crazy

It is well-made and smart punky poppy rock like all PJ Harvey's work. It just doesn't do much to move me in any way.

Solid 3. Good Album.

hey the last PJ Harvey album I had my biggest criticism was she was too quiet and it was a little too melancholy. she definitely fixed those issues for me with this album. Clear concise lyrics with a bit more professional sound. One Line captures it pretty well. Still not really my jam but enjoyable!

Liking PJ Harvey makes you cool. Shame the music isn't that good. Skip to We Float then turn it off.

ok but nothing special. preferred the second half of the album to the first.Nothing to get me excited about in this album but pleasant enough to listen again.

Never heard this before. The guitars sound fantastic! This record demands volume. To play this at a normal volume feels like driving a race car under the speed limit. I bet she's a powerful live performer. I feel like there's this tradition of New York albums, and this is definitely one of them. Harvey is a decent singer but the songs themselves are not particularly catchy and I don't know if the awesome guitar sounds are enough to get me to invest the time to learn to love them despite the lack of hooks. Ask me in a year.

Well, now I'm halfway through the PJ Harvey albums in this collection (previous was her debut "Dry"), so that feels a bit like an accomplishment. And this one seems a bit more lively and interesting than "Dry", thankfully. I'm not sure why, exactly, but I don't find myself getting sucked into her music as much as I'd like (it may just be that there's not a lot of variety within an album, likely due to not really working with a full band), but I did enjoy "Big Exit" and "You said something" more than the others. (Her video for "A place called home" made me think of a VR game, "The Under Presents", although without the puzzle-solving aspect of needing multiple incarnations to proceed.) And while I didn't particularly enjoy the collaborations with Thom Yorke, I liked it that they worked together for a few of her songs, with "This mess we're in" providing a bit of that elusive variety.

I thought this was okay but many of the tracks seemed quite flat. Didn’t want to turn it off but wouldn’t seek out again. 3/5

Not a terrible album. Has a great start but somewhat underperforms after that.

I liked this more than I expected, I’m not going to follow her tour and become a Harvey Head or anything, but it’s catchy.

Not bad - wasn’t exactly what I was expecting. Pretty mellow overall.

Thought this would be better than this. It was ok.

Most memorable song for me was the Thom Yorke feature mainly for his voice

Pretty cool alt rock. But I probably won't come back to it. Still a decent listen.

I listened to this like 4 times and I dunno. I want to like it? It's probably great? It didn't really stick with me though.

Melancólico, único

A couple of good songs early on. I like her more upbeat, catchier songs. I don't care for the slower, quieter ones.

It’s good, but I don’t enjoy it. I appreciate the quality and creativity of this album, but yeah it just doesn’t excite me like her earlier releases, it’s kind of missing the punk edge.

I don't really have anything to say about this one. It was fine.

PJ is talented but inconsistent. I can do without about half of these tracks.

I feel like Kat Stratford would’ve enjoyed this. It was alright. Not horrible. Not my favorite.

Enjoyed more than I remembered enjoying it but still not a huge fan.

I was totally thinking that Mick Harvey might be involved with this album.

I'm kind of surprised I am not more into this since it seems like the type of thing I would gravitate towards. I think maybe if I had heard it younger I definitely would like it more. There are some songs I really like on here, "This Mess We're In", "Kamikaze", "This is Love" and "Horses In My Dreams". Otherwise it didn't grab me much. Worth a listen though.

Not bad

HL: "Horses in My Dreams", "Kamikaze", "Big Exit", "The Whores Hustle...", "The Mess We're In" Looking back at the other PJ Harveys on this list, I'd say Let England Shake was my favourite, but Rid of Me, representing 90's alternative, has the most reason to be on this list. Stories is in an interesting midway point between the lower-fi Dry & Rid of Me, & the more melodic Let England Shake. It's not a huge departure from her 90's stuff musically, just smoothed over with hip, easy-on-the-ears production... until it isn't ("Kamikaze") Perhaps as a result of knowing its enduring critical popularity, I let my expectations run too wild and found myself (a teensy bit) disappointed in the album I got versus the one I built up in my head. Though this may be the last I see of PJ Harvey on this website, the enigma remains as to why I can't get into her more, despite all 4 albums being really good in one way or another. Guess I gotta keep listening to her then -_- 3.5 Still September 5, 2024

Not that cool, all sort of blended in and was fine but not displeasing

Enjoyable but I likely will not revisit.

A case could be made for the necessity of listening to one PJ Harvey album. But there is no reason to need to listen to two. This album was okay at best. There were a few tracks where she sounded like she was more just yelling atonally instead of singing. Perhaps it’s a better album lyrically, but I just couldn’t get interested enough in it to care.

lastig album om te reviewen. Mijn eerste reactie is BAH indie rock achtige shit! Maar dat is een beetje te kort door de bocht... De zangeres heeft een geweldige stem, de instrumenten klinken ook ontzettend goed! Het doet me een klein beetje denken aan een eerder triphop album dat ik heb gereviewed voor de lijst, van Portishead. Dat was een ontzettend moody en duister album, en heel eerlijk; dit gaat een beetje de zelfde kant op! Het is alleen voor mij qua kwaliteit wel minder dan Portishead. Het is allemaal minder duister en interessant. Beetje jammer, omdat ik Portishead heel interessant en vet vond, vind ik dit toch een beetje wat saaiier. FAVO: This mess we're in

It was okay. Thom York was annoying as ever. PJ Harvey was annoying too at places

Skaplig.

Не знаю. Вроде мозгом я понимаю, что альбом хорош, но для меня он прям средний

Some songs had a Radiohead vibe. Not bad.

I feel like she should have at least one hit that played on pop radio stations too much and I assume its misogyny that she doesn't just so I can say her one single was good but the rest of this album is kinda meh, but instead I guess she just took some b side radiohead songs from the bends era. It's OK I guess.

I like it enough. Better than 2 stars. But not that memorable.

Classic PJ Harvey. Still don’t know my thoughts on her, it was pretty okay.

I've never got fully on-board with PJ Harvey, she has all the ingredients I normally like, but her music doesn't grab me, and I'm not sure why. This is fine but I don't feel compelled to listen again so 3*

Not a bad album. PJ Harvey collaborated with Thom Yorke on 2 songs on this record, and both of those are absolute garbage, but the rest of the album is fine. Fuck Thom Yorke, and fuck Radiohead man. Everything that moron touches turns to shit. All he does is moan. Favourite songs: The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore, Good Fortune, Big Exit, A Place Called Home Least favourite songs: Beautiful Feeling, Horses in My Dreams 3/5

Decent

dont love it, dont hate it 3/5 not bad at all imo

A bit uneven across the board but finds its footing in the last third. Not the best voice, but she uses what she has well, creatively beatmatching percussion at the end of certain musical phrases. PJ’s vocal control and range comes across much stronger when she takes a softer approach rather than the fairly toneless yelling on some cuts. The specificity — and oddness — of her lyricism conjures up very specific, evocative scenes, and there’s no topic deemed too taboo. Listened to: walking near Joe’s Pond. Favorite tracks: Kamikaze, The Whores Hustle and The Hustles Whore, This is Love

This was fine

This was fine, kind of like Patti Smith. Loved the Thom Yorke vocals.

Cool nok album med en håndfuld gode sange. Sej stemning på albummet men ikke alle sangene rammer helt og nogle gange føles det en smule ensformigt. Helt klart en 3.5/5 men nok tættere på 3 end 4 dog :)

Very passionate lyrics and vocals, a must listen if you're a fan of indie rock or if you've ever felt aimless in your heart, though I do feel like it's a bit too long and samey for my liking, it definitely peaks in the early tracks.

Eh I don’t like it.

Heilt ok

Certainly better than the noisy mess that was "Rid of Me," but "Stories..." doesn't strike me as a remarkable album at all. Kamikaze does rip, though, and We Float is a beautiful composition. Otherwise, this is generic alt-rock with songs whose length well exceed their content. Thom Yorke does his thing a couple of times, which is fine I guess, but doesn't move the needle for me. I know this album is a love letter to New York, but damned if it isn't a bit corny and heavy-handed.

Interesting listen, which I wasn’t expecting 3/5

It's a good album, but not really my style of music. Can see why people like it, though.

I don't like PJ Harvey as much as she deserves.

6.5

MEh

A little bit too alternate for me

3+ Stars (9/15)

So I haven’t listened to ‘more recent’ PJ Harvey for a while. Largely as I thought I didn’t like it as much as the really early stuff. I must have listened to this a reasonable amount before as I knew all the tracks. There is a load of great song writing, but I just found that even though I kinda wanted to I wasn’t really loving it. And then I got to Kamikaze and Is this love, and it was a total step change. Louder, dirtier and just works better for me with her voice. Basically, much more similar to the early stuff. So, trust your instincts kids. Maybe a slightly harsh 3*.

Still like it but not as much as when it came out

Not really my cup of tea, but she is good and I liked more as it went on. Chrissie Hynde/Patti Smith/Fiona Apple vibes in parts.

什么上古精神小妹

I briefly had a fling with someone purporting to be PJ Harvey’s cousin. He was a d**k. He refused to help me down some stairs with a pushchair because he didn’t want anyone thinking he was the father. Hope he steps on some Lego every day. Anyway - the album was good even if the family was crap.

Good guitarist. Not a bad songwriter. Her songs have a certain drive -- the opening sounds like a music for Scott Pilgrim series for example, and vocal reminds me of Jefferson Airplane. Which I like. But... this is the only good thing I can say about the album. Half of the songs have a very similar energy and arrangement, so that tracks don't sound distinctive to me. Except that one with Thom -- it was nice. Love Thom. PJ on the other hand...

Very generic rock. There wasn't really even anything memorable or standout. It's a decent album, I guess, but I can't really officially call it good. The songs were boring, with most being mediocre, a couple being good, and a couple being kind of bad. It's nothing I would choose to listen to when better music exists.

I’ve never really listened to PJ Harvey… which, based on this album, is a real shame. I’m happy to have listened to this

She had her moments for sure. I could listen to this by myself sometime.

its like a modern pop rock version of patti smith. im not the biggest fan of patti smith though. this mess we're in and we float were nice but outside of those this record was pretty mediocre. 6/10

This just didn't do much for me. I am not sure why. Maybe it's a vocal tone thing... there was some variety in the songs, but they all felt kind of same, somehow.

Nice record, thom yorke in the middle of it for some reason

As good as this album is her "To Bring You My Love" is even better

Awfully angsty and sounded mournful. I did enjoy We Float.

Good, but not terribly memorable

07/08/24 S Tier————————— A Tier—————————4 Good Fortune A Place Called Home B Tier—————————3 One Line The Whores This Mess Were In C Tier—————————2 Beautiful Feeling We Float D Tier—————————1 Big Exit Horses In My Dreams

Stories From The City by PJ Harvey Monday 7/8/24 1:51 A Tier————————— This Mess We’re In A Place Called Home B Tier————————— The Whores Hustle Beautiful Feeling Good Fortune We Float One Line You Said Something This is Love C Tier————————— Kamikaze Big Exit Horses In My Dreams

Random ass radiohead song in there lol

Pretty enjoyable.

weiss nicht so recht: harmonische songs und skurrile tracks - singer/songwriter-zeugs?! kann mich nicht wirklich zu einer bewertung durchringen ..

Need to revisit to really appreciate I think, liked what I heard….

glad to see thom yorke, good album but not coming back to it

Pretty good! Has Thom Yorke on it!

After not really liking the previous album from PJ (let England shake), this was a pleasant surprise and I quite liked it. Perhaps she should’ve done more with Thom Yorke.

Very representative of indie rock in the 2000, some decent tracks here and there bump it up to a 3

A little more waily than I like, but I enjoyed it well enough.

def more enjoyable than the Rid of Me album

I'll need to listen to this more. Definitely more accessible than "Rid of Me", the album fed to us just prior on our particular journey. But while Rid of Me was in my collection and was completely familiar, I'd never heard any of her later work, so while it was an easier listen, to me, it was still foreign. I want to listen more and suspect my rating would rise over time, but for now...

I thought I wouldn’t enjoy it but it really grew on me. 3

Decent. I like her other albums better

A decent album from Ms Harvey!

Pretty good. Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty good.

Interesting sounds loved by artists I love for reasons I don't fully get.

a cheeky thom cameo. i like the instrumentals but idk if her voice is for me idk what it is. low three

Encore une fois, correct mais sans plus

Decent album, but I'm not in love with PJ's voice. Overall a pretty good listen.

Ok, interesting writing but not the nicest sound

🎸

Never heard any of this before but enjoy her sound

Pretty good

Lo escuché una sola vez y a medias. Un disco muy promedio, se deja oír.

Buen disco, tira para un 6,5 aprox Mejor tema: This Mess We'Re In Otros temas: You Said Something y This Is Love

I've given this album a lot of time, largely in the hope that it grew on me more than it has. I do like it, just not as much as I'd hoped. I've no real complaints, it just doesn't grab me as much as I want it to.

This album does not start off strong for me. The first couple of songs made me think this whole album might end up a miss, but there's a big swing at "Beautiful Feeling" and the album doesn't really look back from there. Beautiful Feeling is the peak of the album, but every song after that is much better than the first part.

The Mess We’re In is phenomenal. The rest is okay

some cool stuff, some pretty eh stuff. classic 3 star album right here

This is not PJ Harvey’s best album, but it’s probably her first great album. Her first few (Dry, Rid of Me) were more rooted in punk and even grunge, by Stories, Harvey ended up with a more encompassing rock sound, drawing from many different sides of rock, like punk, blues, indie, grunge, britpop, and (in particular on this album) folk. Easily my favorite album of hers until the masterpiece Let England Shake. The duet with Thom Yorke on “The Mess We’re In” is good, but the tracks where Yorke provides backing vocals are even better: “One Line” and “Beautiful Feeling”. None of these songs are even the highlights on the album though, “This Is Love” and “Good Fortune” are my favorites.

Just not my thing.

Olipas vaikea levy. Aamulla kunneltuna odottelin levyn loppuvan, että pääsee seuraavan pariin. Iltapäivällä kuitenkin toinen soittokerta ja toimi jo paremmin. Ehkä tähänkin lämpeisi paremmin kuuntelukertojen lisääntyessä, joten annetaan kivasta äänesä ylimääräistä ja painetaan kakkosen sijaan kolmoseen.

Very of the early 2000s -- high school me would have enjoyed this.

3 - Good stuff, but it doesn't hit me.

Other than the name, I didn’t know if she was a he or a group or a clothing store. I knew zero about PJ Harvey. Sounds a tiny bit like a female Lou Reed on this album.

An interesting journey. I liked a lot of this. Grungy and weird

I’ve gotten at least one other pj Harvey album, and I definitely enjoyed this one a lot more. I was bouncing back and forth between a 3 or a 4 for this one. I’ll definitely give it another listen.

I liked the songs that have the guy who spells his name wrong on them.

Some good songs but also several boring ones

Good Fortune and This is Love - two absolutely stonking tracks. Great when you’re in the right mood. The rest of it wasn’t quite hitting the right spot for me but I wasn’t particularly in the right headspace. Should be a 3.5 really…

STANDOUTS: Good Fortune One Line This Is Love I struggle with rock/indie rock all sounding so similar/not dynamic enough to notice a difference between tracks. The lyrics are incredible. But I'm such a pop hook/melody music listener. OVERALL: 3/5

Vibes: 2000s Rock Themes: New York

She has a nice voice and I like the rhythm of the songs across the album but it just really kind of melts into the background. I tried listening 2-3 times now and I enjoy it but I'm not like, super stoked about it. Enjoyable but not a huge draw for me.

3.1 love the Thom Yorke tracks

Patti Smith vibes, just not as good

A bit too weird, but not bad

Didn't hit me in the same way that "Dry" did.

- Paar echt nice Tracks drauf („A Place Called Home“ z.B. fand ich sehr stark) - Mega fand ich das Feature mit Thom Yorke „The Mess We‘re In“ - Insgesamt nicht verkehrt, bin aber nicht ganz in der Stimmung für das Album gewesen - Gebe PJ vllt. wannanders nochmal eine Chance Rating: 3/5

- Ganz coole Tracks dabei

Rätt tunt överlag. Tycker det är rätt generiskt. Det är aldrig dåligt men lyfter inte heller. Svårt. We float bäst.