Third
Portishead
2008
Album Summary
Third is the third studio album by the English band Portishead. It was released on 28 April 2008 in the United Kingdom by Island Records and a day later in the United States by Mercury Records. Portishead's first studio album in eleven years, Third moved away from the trip hop style they had popularised, incorporating influences such as krautrock, surf rock, doo wop and the film soundtracks of John Carpenter. After Portishead released their self-titled second album in 1997, band member Geoff Barrow put Portishead on hiatus and moved to Australia. He became uninterested in music, and efforts to develop new songs with guitarist and keyboardist Adrian Utley failed. They were inspired to create again after producing with the band the Coral, and restarted work with singer Beth Gibbons in Bristol, England. Third entered the top ten of several countries' music charts and was certified gold in the UK. It was named one of the best albums of 2008 by several publications; in 2013, NME ranked it number 330 in its list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
WikipediaJ'ai bien entendu toujours horreur de Portishead. Rien ne colle entre la voix, les instruments et la mélodie mais venons-en à l'essentiel. Vous savez probablement que la dernière mise à jour du générateur et sa fonctionnalité permettant de voir quels reviews étaient les plus "likés" du site a propulsé mon nom de robbelvédère en haut de l'affiche. Ma notoriété dépasse aujourd'hui très largement le cadre de ce site et il ne se passe pas un jour sans que l'on m'arrête dans la rue. "Robbelvédère ! Robbelvédère ! J'ai adoré ton review d'Abbey Road !" entendais-je encore ce matin. Et c'est là que ça coince. J'ai rappelé à la charmante demoiselle qui prononça ces mots que ma carrière ne se résumait pas à ce simple review et que j'en avais rédigé pas loin d'une cent-cinquantaine tous plus inspirés que les autres. Je me sens aujourd'hui comme doit probablement se sentir Jean-Marie Bigard quand on l'arrête dans la rue pour lui dire à quel point on aime son sketch de la chauve-souris. "Et mon sketch de la merde qui tombe dans la cuvette, c'est de la chiasse pour vous ?" doit sûrement penser l'intéressé. En bref, je vous conseille vivement de ne pas vous arrêter à mon "hit review" et de lire les autres avec la même attention.
This album is so cool. What else sounds like this? It's bursting with ideas! To me this album has a clear point of view, it sounds like impending danger, like fear of the future. It's dark and anxious. I love it
One of few albums I've heard being so weird yet really pulling it off. Industrial, apocalyptic yet soft. 4.5 on first listen.
Such a cool and unique sound, so much anguish. Every song can be interpreted differently by everyone. There are some very sweet moments like Deep Water. Singing isn't the most controlled, but contributes to their authenticity
Familiar with Portishead's early material but never got around to this album. Happy to say it holds up for me, this will enter my regular rotation.
A faixa inicial me surpreendeu, já que começa com uma fala em português. A banda é inglesa. Falava sobre a "regra dos três". Li que é de um capoeirista de Bristol. O som é incrível! A fala também. Várias experimentações sonoras. Rico demais.
Talk about bleak... this seems like the perfect accompaniment to my increasingly frequent moments of despair. The lead singer ranges from worn to desperate accentuated with occasional banshee moments. Some highlights: “The Rip” has a lovely vocal performance and really wonderful synthesizers. I love this song. Ends in such lushness. “Deep Water” is an odd ukulele piece in the album that still felt strangely in place as the most positive-feeling song here. I like it. “We Carry On” is a fast, relentless song that may be the best option if you wanted to dance to something on this album. I loved it. The out of tune guitar strumming leads into a section where the song feels on the verge of flying apart, but I found it very satisfying when it did not. “Magic Doors” feels like one of the more personal feeling songs on the album. I love its odd beats, the accordion, and the vocal performance. What a brilliant song! “Threads” closes the album with the lyrics “I am one, Damned one, Where do I go?” It’s got quite an ending with a lone bellowing, evil horn. Chilling. Where their debut album “Dummy” was something I could listen to as I worked, “Third” might be a little too ominous for that. It has now been 14 years since this album was released. I don’t know if Portishead will ever release another, but it would be interesting to see where they go from this dark place. I was very unsure initially how I felt about THIRD. On the second time through it came together for me and I fell in love with this album. THIRD is exceptional - and perfect for the world I’m living in.
This album was boring. I like ambient beeps and boops, but these beeps and boops bored me
Do you remember that girl you noticed, The one in the city centre. She was dressed like Stevie Nicks meets Primark, In a crowed of 20 something olds. Shouting at a government with no general direction!. You walk up to this woman with your secret weapon of a medium Toffee latte from Costa. You pretend to care about what ever this collection of sandals are shouting about. You get woman’s name...it’s “Meadow” because why not. “Meadow” will go out for a drink but not for any old drink but for a drink to a little place she knows! . A little place with a band, a band filled with “Meadows” friends. You get to the underground bar literally..it’s a cellar in A 1960s St Katharine Docks ..Taylor Woodrow apartment redevelopment cellar. You sit with “Meadows” crossed legged on the floor, on a cushion, while an Ale in a jam jar is placed on the old cable drum table in front of us. As I start to feel out of place within the weed filled walls, Walls painted with that fidel castro silhouette all over ( because it’s 2009 and it’s original!...from the Gap ) I think even though “Meadows” looks the double of Mélanie Laurent, I can’t do this and her Ecology Degree I have to leave now before it’s too late. it’s too late. “Meadows” friends are on the turned upside down Biffa Bin stage. Celeste...Arlo & Ziggy are on!!! Celeste starts moaning like ET after too many drinks during a Quiet Man convention..Ziggy is kicking a broken wind chime & Arlo is banging his left nut on a burnt out old Tuna can with his woman’s Study’s degree. Just before I leave and go back to my natural resources consuming life, Drinking a Scotch and Back to searching for Tulisa from N-Dubs, “Meadows” informs me it is not about the music and it is about how it make you feel. I feel like Music is about the Music and I have to leave. This Albums makes me feel how you feel reading this about this album about how this Album makes me feel about Music or pretend to like Interstellar
Has some significance as the soundtrack to a romance of mine many moons ago that died on its ass, but that doesn't make me any more disposed to accept the dreaminess they peddle so insistently as anything more than a cloak for emotional inarticulacy they find too expedient to grow beyond and lethargy they're too comfortable disguising with bursts of what appears to be energy but only because they build to it from a near stationary starting point.
Another band I'd heard the name of but never listened to. I loved it. I think today I realised that I absolutely love trip hop. Looking at the list on wikipedia a bunch of artists on there that I love: Moloko, Everything but the Girl, Goldfrapp, Gorillaz and now Portishead. I absolutely adored this and it will be added into my regular rotation. I will definitely be checking out their other albums.
"Third" is the third studio album and first in 11 years from Bristol UK band Portishead. This is quite the intense listen. It was a move away from trip hop on their previous albums and influenced and incorporating Krautrock rhythms, breakbeats, cathedral, Morrocan drums, soft rock, doo wop and science fiction/horror soundtracks. I can attest to that; there is so much going on throughout this album. In a nutshell, it's experimental electronic music. The one constant is Beth Gibbons' vocals giving each song a mysterious feel along with the music. And, Portishead is Beth Gibbons, Geoff Barrow and Adrian Utley. Each band member seems to play every instrument at some point: various keyboards, dums and pecussion, bass, guitars and more. The album start with "Silence" and a Potuguese vocal sample and foreboding keyboards. Some sort of drum loop going on. Maybe about the Golden Rule. "The Rip" was the second single and begins with a weird acoustic guitar. The vocals are haunting and seem to be about a broken relationship. The music transitions with synthesizers coming upfront sounding like the "Stranger Things" intro music. The albums' second half has two more of their released singles. "Machine Gun" was the lead single and starts with a mechanical rhythm, definitely sounding like a machine gun, which eventually gives way and builds with synthesizers and keyboards. It has cryptic lyrics and appears to be another one about a broken relationship. Their last single " Magic Doors" has a weird drum beat beginning and background synthesizers which eventually come to the forefront. Beth Gibbons' vocals dominate the song and again have a mysterious, cryptic meaning...sexual orientation? depression? Every song is unique on this album; I think I could listen to this 20 times and find something different each time with everything going on. I found this album fantastic and recommend it to anyone willing to take a deep dive into experimental electronic music.
Glad to have a chance to delve into this one a bit more. I'm a bit fan of Dummy but don't know their other albums as well. I really enjoy the experimentation on this one! It is a bit jarring in places, but in a good way! Beth Gibbons is an iconic vocalist, one of the all time greats. This album really sets a mood and sticks to it.
A bit 'whiny' at times I think? Not bad. (Wish I had actually written better notes right after I listened yesterday.)
Never really listened to this genre or heard of this band. The album has a good amount of variety in sounds, and I would listen to it again.
This is the first time playing this one the whole way through and it’s a little jazzier with less turntables than older PHead. Heroin music
I really enjoyed it. The only thing I'll say is that none of the songs stood out. Everything kind of merged together. But it was still really cool and different, and I'll probably listen to it again.
An eclectic album. Not exactly for the everyday but I'm into it. I can see someone like FKA twigs being influenced by their sound.
Ambient, somber, disjointed, abrupt, weird harmonies and counter melodies. First track has a really abrupt ending which kind of sets the tone for the album. Favourite track: Magic Doors
Tercer disco de Portishead. 11 temas nuevos que llegaron pasado un tiempo y que se entienden y disfrutan más como un conjunto y como continuación de los anteriores. Un sonido más denso y oscuro. Imperdible. Especial atención The Rip y Plastic.
The sound of the end of the world. Smiling sweetly, Portishead stuff this album full of a claustrophobic sense of impending doom. And yet there were flickering rays of sunshine, largely through the vocals contrasting the soundscapes of oblivion. It’s a compelling combination, and one worth further delves.
I get Radiohead, NIN, Björk, and Cure vibes from this. Chill, but cool arrangements. Almost menacing at times. I dig!
I like the simplicity to the playing and the uneasy, eerie feel of the album. the vocals are great yet annoying at the same time. stand outs: Nylon Smile, Plastic,
I thought I was going to hate this but it's actually awesome! Super weird, creepy, reminds me of Radiohead just a little bit.
This was great! Love it, defo on the list! Chilled out ambient trip hop! Gibbons voice is amazing as always!
I am surprising myself now that I think back about this album because I really enjoyed it. Wasn't the best thing I've ever listened to, but the album flew by. Machine Gun is a great track so is Plastic.
Beetje depri maar brengt toch goede herinneringen naar boven. Ideaal festival materiaal voor de tent of het kleine podium
Helaas niet hun beste album. Toch een hoge waardering omdat ik hou van deze sfeer en hun album Dummy is echt mega goed.
A schizophrenic album full of anxiety of what is to come. This is a radical departure from the trip-hop they had led a decade prior, and it's a departure I'm thoroughly impressed by. I really like the haunting vocals that match the nerve-wrecking sounds of doom. Love the album from front to end. Even tracks like "Deep Water" are calming short interludes that maintain sanity even for just a moment. Favorite track is "Machine Gun" (very dub-like), but songs like "Silence" remind me of Public Image Ltd and "Plastic" of Radiohead. I'm a sucker for experimental music that isn't excessively loud or annoying, and this does the trick for me. I'll be listening to this from time and time again when I'm sick of the usual genres.
Probably a bit too experimental for me to listen to again but appreciated how complex it is. So many sounds packed into one record and her voice is incredible. There were a couple of specific songs that stood out, namely Small and The Rip.
Favs: Small, The Rip, Hunter Mehs: Not big on the opening to Silence This is my least favorite Portishead album, but I really love their stuff. I like this, but it's not as lush. Beth Gibbon's voice is still one of my all time favorites, even as it gets more downtempo and bleak here. Their other stuff has a hopeful aura paired with Gibbon's longing keen, but this album never soars to me like their other songs do. Small gets closest, I think.
Quite like Portishead's album Dummy, but never have listened to any of their other stuff. Also very much like this, but slightly different vibes with less electro influence. Strong songs like The Rip.
Malgré les coups et blessures portés par robespierre à Portishead, ces derniers ont su garder la tête haute et nous proposer un album qui - bien qu'inférieur à leur immense classique écouté quelques mois plus tôt - ravira tous les fans de trip-hop. Je tiens a remercier Robert qui m'a préparé une sacré liste d'albums pour mon retour de vacances, puisque c'est déjà le 5ème 4/5 consécutif que j'attribue. Robert a essayé de tester notre fidélité au générateur en nous proposant des albums tous plus nuls les uns que les autres à plusieurs reprises, mais maintenant qu'il connait notre docilité, il n'hésite pas à nous recompenser quand l'opportunité se présente. Merci, Robert.
A dark, challenging, sometimes even disturbing album that haunts you long after it ends. It maybe the most haunting listening experience since Kid A, or perhaps even Joy Division's Closer. Ultimately it proves rewarding and bears repeated listens to come to appreciate it's substantial charms. Substantial is an excellent to describe the experience of listening to this album. 4 stars.
This is a cool ass sound! So unique in its blending of electronic and acoustic instruments, and so melancholy yet danceable. I feel like I'm in Tron.
I've owned this for years and initially was a bit 'meh' about it, which I now realise was completely unfair. Having grown up a bit it now speaks to me much more.
First time listening to this album, I’m a big fan of Dummy, I don’t think this is quite as good, but still a very good album.
The greatest secret about Portishead is that all of their albums are really good, not just the first one. 14 years since this last one, must be about time for another?
not at all what i was expecting, heard so much electronic stuff borrow from this or this borrows from so much electronic stuff. idk but either way it's very cool and unique and I've never really heard it's like in pop before. I really enjoyed this.
Классный альбом, не слабее Dummy. Очень понравились: We Carry On, Machine Gun, Small, Magic Doors
Cool, unique & creepy sound. Still recognisable as being Portishead while sounding completely different from Dummy
Full of surprising guitar tones and production choices, this LP caught me off guard as I haven't been a fan of Portishead's earlier works (which I found to be mired in unexceptional instrumentation and mumbled lyrics). The whole band seems sharper here, as the production brings out challenging, unresolved chord progressions that highlight the simmering emotion in Gibbons' vox.
3.5/5. This was better than I initially thought it was going to be. At first, I heard the first few songs and was not really into it, but then I started to get into the weird electronic sounds. The is different and it is good.
No momento certo para aproveitar o trip hop, já que agora tenho a maturidade para apreciar.
It's pretty amazing they went away for 10 yeats and came back with this. Much more adventurous than their 2 90s albums, there's nothing that really sounds like it
It's relentlessly bleak, even the jolly little ukulele number. But wonderful. Like the first freezing night in autumn, icy but warm. Standouts are Machine Gun and The Rip.
Genre: Electronic 4/5 Another rather pleasant surprise, and my first dip into the Electronic titans Portishead, their third album, Third, is very good. A mix of experimental electronic and rock sounds, vocalist Beth Gibbons lets rip on some of the most interesting soundscapes of the decade. Some jagged and tense, and some with brief but impactful moments of beauty, it fills up its 50 minutes of run time fully with great production and interesting and bold musical arrangements. While the biggest hits from this album, The Rip and Machine Gun, are both very good examples of what Portishead sounds like, and what they execute well, those tracks don't come close to my favorites on this one. The intro, Silence, a 5-minute heavy, experimental rock record that grabs your attention immediately with its dark, anxious sound, is one of my favorite intros I've heard throughout this exercise. Small, another track with heavier rock influence, is another ominous track, full of great guitar work and fantastic vocals. There's no real sag in this album, as the tracklist entertains the entire way through, staying experimental all the while and providing us with some very unique musical twists and turns. Will certainly come back to this one. Very good.
Massive fan of this album...Its a relentless bleak affair. On this (3rd) album they have lost all connections with trip hop and plough a epic sweep of electronica and Beth's vocals sound like she's on the edge of a breakdown. Some of it is downright terrifying. Not for the weak of heart. Great stuff. 4.
My second favorite Portishead album! There are some really good tracks on this record.
Not as even an album as the first two, but after a near decade's gap still a remarkable return.
So familiar with Dummy but have never given this a listen (knowingly). I could see it being written off as Portishead is is an acquired but I know this is a great album, just need a few more listens to bed it in
A banger! I like this album a lot. In fact, Machine Gun was the last song that played on my MySpace page before MySpace died.
80/100: Never heard of this group, but I’ll say it—I’m intrigued. This album was interesting. I say interesting because I still don’t know how I feel about it. This albums is so different than any other album I’ve ever heard. Usually that sentiment accompanies an album that’s hard to listen to. “Different” can often be difficult to enjoy; however, I didn’t really find that to be the case with this album. Without even realizing it, I found myself three listens deep into this album. There are a lot of unsettling parts of this album. The bass blaring at the end of “Threads” in particular sticks out in my mind. Maybe it’s because it sounds vaguely siren-y, like a sound you’d hear at the start of the purge. Despite feeling deeply uncomfortable during that portion of the song, I couldn’t for the life of me skip it. I think I love this album? But maybe I hate it? I don’t know. It feels like a soundtrack fit for a movie or maybe a long drive at night? That’s it actually, I need to listen to this song while driving on the highway at night. All in all, strange album, but I plan on revisiting this group in the future.
Admittedly, I'm already a big Portishead fan, given my 30 or so listens to Dummy (which I highly recommend, though it's probably already on this list). This one is a bit more experimental and... jittery? Idk how to describe it, just way less chill. I still love it, though. Standouts: Silence, Nylon Smile, The Rip, Deep Water
Portishead is just SO sad. It's almost unbearable at times. Like when I need something really sad, I might come back to this, but it's not even peaceful to me, just sad. That said, it's very well done and I'm sure it deserves a 3.
Never listened to them at all or even knew what genres they covered. Unique soundscapes, not bad!
This album immediately grabbed my interest right out of the gate. I had listened to tracks from this band from a past album, and the intro track really set my hopes high. Ultimately, there were several tracks that delivered, but what derailed the album for me was that several obnoxious "washing machine" measures were scattered amongst this otherwise hauntingly beautiful album. I would be flowing with the music only to be jarred out of the vibe with the various parts throughout. It may be something that would ease after a few listens, but it cost them a couple of stars after one listen.
nesten fire stjerner. Syntes hele sullamitten var litt lang. Fint stilmessig, gøyalt med blandingen ambience og dance. Klager ikke på de tekniske komponentene, produksjonen virker sylskarp, men blir noe mutt i lengden. Mangler en rød tråd, eller noe som virkelig bryter den noe kjedelige kontinuiteten. Kanskje ikke overraskende at "The Rip" var platas høydepunkt og beste låt.
Creo que no aporta nada nuevo a lo que conocemos de Portishead, no hay un Misterons, All Mine, etc. Se clavan mucho con el uso de Distor y sonidos de peliculade terror de los 50s
Good enough but lacked the emotional connection of Dummy. Apparently lightning does not strike twice. Disappointed overall due to expectations.
kind of quiet, atmospheric electronica so-so probably improves with more listens didn't like the singer so much, but the sound is ok 3/5
Eu achava que já tinha ouvido mas a fala em português no começo provou que não. Bem pior que o segundo que é pior que o primeiro.
I love the vibe and instrumentals of Portishead, but the vocals are a bit grating to me, much in the same way Bjork's voice irritates me. Even though I don't necessarily like the vocals, I can appreciate the Avant Garde nature of them.
Spooky vibe to it. I like the tone and the style. A mix up of good and soft vocals and electronica. Interesting and certainly unique or at least for that time.
Portishead's latest record, and perhaps the final as it has been 13 years, goes further in experimental rock, with Krautrock's hypnotic rhythyms and ambient influences. Here, I must admit that I dislike the lead vocals on most tracks, when they are too isolated, dreamy and hypnotic. However, the instrumentals with searing synth leads and punchy synth-brass are so extremely good in some tracks that they make them enjoyable. Examples being The Rip, Plastic, Machine Gun, Magic Doors and Threads. A 3/5 is therefore deserved.
De muziek is weinig bijzonder. Beetje drum-and-bass ritme met af en toe een akkoord. Soms, heel soms een beetje een "Ennio" of "Kill Bill" gevoel. Zang is redelijk, maar beetje vermoeiend om naar te luisteren. Het begin van Deep Water is zelfs zo vals als een zieke hond. Heerlijke muziek als je vroeger naar "de mat" of naar "de zig" ging. Op dit moment val ik echter in slaap op mijn werk. Ik begin bijna de reclame van Spotify interessant te vinden. Hee, daar is dan toch ineens een interessant riedeltje (The Rip). Beste lekker "elektro" nummer eigenlijk. Dat wordt meteen een sterretje meer!
Ein merkwürdiges Album. Irgendwo zwischen elektronischem Bombardement von Beats auf einem Wandteppich aus renaissanceartigem Gesang. War auch irritiert als 2-3 Songs einfach abrupt enden. (6/10) Favourite Tracks: Hunter, The Rip
I normally like Portishead pretty well. Apparently I like older albums more than newer, but this one was alright enough for me to listen to again. It's still electronic ambient, mostly, but more experimental than my caters to my taste. 3 stars.
Surprisingly good Achei que tinha colocado o álbum errado quando o cara começou a falar em português kkkkkkk
-"Silence" is not silence smh -Some very Black Sabbath sounding notes in "Hunter" -Why is "Small" silent for like 3 minutes I literally checked did it was paused like 5 times -The synth riff in "The Rip" sounds like "We're Finally Landing" by Home, which is the song Summoning Salt uses in his videos -"Plastic" seems like a relatively strong song out of these. The cool drum fills and swooshy back and forth sounds and big bass-y synth are all solid. -The drums in "We Carry On" really help change the feel of the song even if the rest of the song is relatively similar to the rest of the album. Just the chugging drums behind it make it seem more stressed or maybe scared than relaxed -"Machine Gun" is also a lot cooler with it's drumline as well -This album was probably gonna be a 2 but "The Rip," "Plastic," "We Carry On," and "Machine Gun" saved it. The first half or so of the album was incredibly boring
Some of the sound effects were grating but otherwise I enjoyed this album. Prolly under Dummy
It's ok. There are just much better synth/doom albums. Some good songs but overall not enough variety for me.
This album was really a mixed bag. I was hoping for some nice triphop and then quickly disappointed. Then after a couple of songs of not really feeling this aIbum, it started to grow on me. I really loved The Rip. But then I started to feel like I've had enough of this album again. It's honestly sort of depressing in the way it drags you down as it slogs along. The best parts of this album are 4.5 stars for me, the worst parts of this album 2 stars.
Very cinematic but something I will revisit. Maybe Dummy and Glorybox were of their time. This sounds a bit clunky to me.
First listen through was great, the second wasn't the same. Has a dark and moody atmosphere that suits a cloudy day. Silence and The Rip were my favourites here to play. The singles Magic Doors and Machine Gun were okay. The album itself is alright, but goes on a bit too long. Good rhythms and beats are found plus the vocals here are strong. Just trim a couple of songs and it would be a stronger set. Or even cut some out, then Third would be a threat.
A lot of the same trance-y, etherial qualities of the earlier stuff but just didn't hold the same punch. Wasn't listening critically here but just felt watered down. Still decent.
Dummy is one of my all time favourite albums. Despite this I hadn’t really listened to this. It is probably suffering from huge expectations that I’m placing on it but this was a disappointment. It’s not bad but it’s not an amazing. No real stand out tracks for me.
Not as good as Dummy. Some of it was solid, some a bit dull. I probably need to engage with it more. I don't think I gave it quite a fair shake today as I wasn't particularly receptive to this style of music today. I'm giving it a 3 for now I guess. I will almost certainly give it a fairer assement at a later date.
I think the smokey, atmospheric nature of this album would be great for listening if you're in a certain mood, so the fact that I listened to this during late morning on a work day probably wasn't the best occasion for the initial listen. So it's a "3" during the day, probably a "4" at night.
After excitedly waiting what felt like years for this album to come out when it finally came out it was a bit of a let down. I remember discussing it with a friend after I'd brought it and lent her the CD, never bothering to get it back. It just doesn't feel like an evolution from Dummy 14 years earlier and music, especially lad back trip hop electronica had moved on. Listening to it again after another 14 years it is unquestionably a good album but I am still just not that excited by it? PS: suddenly halting the songs mid note was a @#&*ing terrible idea and not clever like the band throught it would be
There's lots of ground for more than Gibbons's voice to grow. While it remains a unique project, Third lacks the placiness of Portishead's earlier efforts.
I wanted to like this album and some of it I really did enjoy. Some of it however I just can't get behind. I think that is the genre breakdown within the album, the experimental and psychedelic rock sides of it are great the electronica is where it loses me. I'm just conflicted on how to rate it probably needs more listens to appreciate it or hate it more.
Love their first album, but this was a bit more of a challenging listen, and i just couldn't really get into it.
This was a bit off the mark for me, and I was disappointed in that. There were some captivating moments, but they did not really last...and then there were quite a few grating moments.
I was curious to know where Portishead would go in the 15 years since their album I had heard previously. I initially felt some promise and excitement as I found the sound of this album intriguing and cool. However, as it dragged on it felt both ponderous and uneasy, as though I'd been slipped a mickey and was struggling to fight its effects.
It's like 50/50 good/bad. I want to like it but then each good song is followed up by super meh. Maybe I'm not the demographic anymore. 2.5
Initial confusion as I know that this is a British band, but the first track opens with spoken text in Brazilian Portuguese (as I am British but live in Brazil, this rather suprised me). The designation as trip-hop is misleading to those who don't know the style as it has absolutely no relation whatsoever to hip-hip, being more an updated version of acid-jazz. It is interesting, but listening to the whole album in one go is too wearing. Best taken in small doses. I got through eight tracks before I had to take a break
Gave this a few spins when it came out but didn't quite land for me, and I haven't been back until today. I think it started with them just cutting off the really great opening track as soon as it really gets cracking. Feels like setting out to make it an uncomfortable record to listen to for no good reason. Not many of the following tracks do anything much for me, not like the 1st two albums. Nice little motorik bit on The Rip. We Carry On is the standout track for me, absolute monster. Machine Gun is certainly arresting and interesting, do I want to listen to it much? I'm not sure. In fact, I could say the same of the entire album. I much preferred the Beth Gibbons and Rustin Man record from a few years earlier.
How excited I was for a Portishead album! But this is not the one I wanted. This is fine, I mean, but it's like when you ask the server for your second refill of cherry coke, and they come back with hot tea.
Remember that episode of Friends, where Ross is playing his "soundscapes" for everyone? "It's about communicating very private emotions...You should think of my work as wordless sound poems". That episode? Hilarious. This album...well, there are words. The album opens with some deep lyrics in Portuguese - you have to learn this lesson. Not what one wants to hear when starting an album. Remember when Ray told me to kick off my shoes? Thanks, Ray. Portishead, on the other hand, told me to lace up my combat boots and get dark and brooding, Lego Batman style. Now, a few important statements - I love Halloween. I love 90s paranormal TV shows (would love to see Buffy team up with Alanis to kick that last guy's ass). I love female vocalists. I love the dark, goth versions of Enya that you hear in the background of 90's paranormal TV shows. So, what does all this mean for Third? Well, if I thought of it as a female-led goth Halloween show background soundtrack, I kind of liked it. It was creepy. It was spooky. It was all together kooky. Does this mean I want to listen to this on the way to work in the morning? Not really. But a quick Wikipedia search shows that Portishead was one of the first groups to do the Emo-Enya thing. And since I like the background music in 90s paranormal TV shows, that earns them a 3 from me.
Listened Before? N I am familiar with Portishead from their earlier works, and knew someone in the past who exposed me to them. This album is okay. They're really not up my alley, but I can appreciate it. Good production quality, writing, and performance. Added to Library? N Song added to playlist: Hunter
Pretty cool and vibe you. I’ve only heard their live in NYC record and I remember liking that one. Off the bat I thought i was gonna like it a lot but by the end I kind of lost interest 3.5
Lots of great textures. Very vibey. I liked the whispery vocals but wish she had another different kind of voice (like a scream, or even spoken) that she could use sometimes to contrast. I had a hard time following lyrics sometimes. The music sets such a cool backdrop I wish I had more of a story or hook to grab on to. Favorite songs: Nylon Smile and Magic Door
I’ve never listened to Portishead before but I consider it to be a glaring omission from my aural collection. That said, I feel a bit disappointed that the ‘anti-Portishead’ album would be the first Portishead selection of which I discovered. I enjoyed the musical mood painting that this sound canvas had on me, but still I can’t help but hunger for what made Portishead Portishead.