"Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea" is the fifth studio album by English singer-songwriter PJ Harvey, released on October 23, 2000, by Island Records. Recorded between March and April 2000, the album explores themes of love intertwined with Harvey's feelings for New York City.
The album marked Harvey's second major commercial success, following her breakthrough album To Bring You My Love in 1995. Upon its release, it received widespread acclaim from music critics and earned her several accolades, including the 2001 Mercury Prize. It spent 17 weeks on the UK Albums Chart and has been certified Platinum in both the UK and Australia, often being regarded as one of her best works.
In 1998, while filming in New York, Harvey felt inspired by the city and began writing songs, some of which ended up on the album. In 1999, she lived in New York for nine months, although she clarified in interviews that it wasn't solely "my New York album." The album was recorded at Linford Manor in Milton Keynes, co-produced by Mick Harvey, Rob Ellis, and PJ Harvey, and mixed by Victor Van Vugt. It features a duet with Thom Yorke of Radiohead on the track "This Mess We're In," along with his backing vocals and keyboards on "One Line" and "Beautiful Feeling." Harvey expressed her interest in having another voice on her record to add a different dynamic.
Musically, Harvey aimed for a more direct sound, describing it as melodic, rounder, and fuller compared to her earlier albums. She sought beauty in her music, contrasting the darker themes of previous works. Pitchfork compared her voice on the lead single "Good Fortune" to Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders, while the Los Angeles Times noted its resemblance to Patti Smith and Siouxsie Sioux, emphasizing a sexuality that transcends traditional rock sensibilities.
The album was released on October 24, 2000, and promoted with a video for "Good Fortune," which reached number 23 on the UK Albums Chart. It was certified Platinum in the UK, selling over 300,000 copies, and debuted at number 42 on the US Billboard 200 chart, with sales reaching 357,000 copies in the US by 2003. It has also been certified Gold in France and sold 1 million copies worldwide.
In February 2021, the album was reissued on vinyl as part of a campaign to revisit Harvey's back catalog, accompanied by a collection of unreleased demos titled Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea – Demos.
