Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea

A strong, powerful voice to listen to. The whole backdrop of New York gave the album a nice thematic consistency. Some of the songs didn't really grip me, though.

Best songs: One Line, A Place Called Home
Worst Songs: Horses in my Dreams, You Said Something

This is one of the greatest records ever made. A beautiful encapsulation of how it felt to live in NYC at the turn of the millennium right before 9/11 changed the city and the world forever. I still remember my friend Zoe telling me how good this record is right when it came out and man, how right she was! I think it makes me cry more than any other album whenever I listen to it.

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.

A good one. I didn't use to enjoy the clean production. Now, I think it gives the music a heft and weight. No filler on this, just loads of good songs. Her best album? I think so.

Love this album :)

I never fully got into PJ Harvey so I was happy to have this project force me to listen to an entire album by her. I've heard songs here and there and have generally liked what I heard, but this is a very cohesive album to listen to and at the same time the songs vary enough in sound to keep things interesting. Those are my favorite albums, where one song ends and leaves you excited for the sounds you're about to hear in the next. I never felt bored listening to this and the Thom Yorke duets were surprising as well.

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

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.

Love this...

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

Polly Jean is really on her game here, I've already had the raw shock of Dry and the later folksy poetical political Let England Shake, and this is the middle of those two extremes. Polished, but not overly so; rocking, but not overly so; accessible; but not overly mainstream...

Quite possibly her absolute peak. Was her "Good Fortune" slipping away?

I’ve listened to this before but never gotten into it, so I had in my mind that it was a 2/3 album. After listening the first time, I thought it was a 3/4 album. By the end of second listen, I was persuaded to give 4. Very enjoyable.

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.

My 1001th album, and it’s a cracker, probably my favourite PJ Harvey album, very accessible but also brilliant. Love Thom York appearance on this too.

Killer album. The production here is so lush but still never overshadows her amazing voice. I love the Thom Yorke features too as a Radiohead fan.

Never really got into PJ Harvey back in the day but on listening to this I’m not quite sure why. Much better than I was expecting and will now have to go and check out her back catalogue and see if I really was wrong to overlook her all those years ago.

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.

This wasn't nearly as bad as the other PJ Harvey album on this list. I still don't think I want to hear it again, but it was much less "indie experimental" than the last and a bit more rock oriented. 2.5/5

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

Into it. This was a pleasant surprise. Not sure what I expected, but this is a very competent release. Mostly hanging out in the indie guitar realm, but not afraid to hop the fence into a more garage/punk sound when the feeling arises. PJ's vocals fit all the music quite nicely. Ending the album on two lighter sounding pieces is something I'm usually critical of, but it works here.