Review
"Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea" by PJ Harvey, released in 2000, is a vivid departure from the more murky, experimental waters of her earlier albums like "To Bring You My Love" and "Is This Desire?". This album beautifully captures Harvey's reflections through her brushes with New York, packing lyrical love letters like "You Said Something" and "This Is Love" that dance alongside the city's energetic hum. Instead of the darker undertones she once explored, she here unleashes shimmers and layers that redefine her muse, saying goodbye to the grit while embracing a grandeur of reverb-heavy rock melodies.
One can't overlook the alchemical touch that Thom Yorke of Radiohead brings to the project. Songs such as "This Mess We're In", "One Line", and "Beautiful Feeling" are injected with Yorke's unmistakable vocal hue. The duet "This Mess We're In" particularly stands out, forging a moment that feels intimate yet expansive — almost an echo of Coleridge's deeper yearnings. It showcases two musical titans collaborating with an understanding as profound as Hemingway in his lighter moments.
Musically, Harvey navigates the vastness of big-chorus, arena-friendly rock, which not only opens her universe to a wider audience but retains the poetic grace characterizing her artistic essence. Owing to this approach, "Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea" doubled up on success markers: hitting number 23 on the UK Albums Chart, clearing the million-copy mark globally, and even skirting prestigious accolades like the Mercury Prize. Where one's shadows linger, songs laced with vulnerability and complexity, such as "Horses In My Dreams," expose PJ Harvey's storytelling mastery in stark and gentle hues. Every note of this album echoes Harvey's artistic courage—a testament, indeed, akin to the lasting legacy of a well-fought novel. - Josh
