Third

spooky and jarring but beautiful. although with every song, I wanted to turn it off more. made my anxiety skyrocket. not for me!

Was excited when Portishead popped up. I know a few songs from the radio, but they must have been on earlier albums cause this is horseshit

Too intense for me

Album de rock experimental com bons vocais. É bom...

Third is definitely a really interesting album. This album seemed to move away from the trip-hop that Portishead is known for and included quite a lot of other genres including krautrock, doo wop, surf rock and John Carpenter film scores. I definitely think its an interesting change which was handled pretty well. Granted, the album didn't quite find it's footing for a while but when it did, it really did. The part i enjoyed most about the album is that these songs added in so much that i was always curious to see what would come next. I still think i like Dummy more due to me having more of an affinity for that album's sound but this was still a really good one. Best Song: We Carry On Worst Song: Plastic

It’s good. Portishead always feels like a dystopian movie soundtrack.

Olipa taas erikoista ⭐️⭐️

Mielelläni kuuntelen vähän perinteisempiä harmonioita.

im not gonna be a Portishead fan... i just don't think its gonna happen. i have found that derivatives of 'Krautrock', just never really vibe with me. im good

Listened to this on a Friday and by the time I'm writing this on Monday morning, I've mostly forgotten it. I know I was thinking that I didn't enjoy it as much as the first Portishead album we had, and that it was a little strange.

Why is this album rated so highly? It's not enjoyable. It doesn't feel that creative. Is it just so people can say that they like weird music? Maybe I "just don't get it".

The strings and drum loops on Silence evoke movie soundtracks, not in a bad way. Vocals are on full display - plantive and full of emotion. The bass is so good, and when the drums come back in all the pieces fall into place. Hunter is good too, acoustic guitar now alongside the synths. The Rip is near perfect, an acoustic intro giving way to drums and a warm, thick, fuzzy bassline. Simple effective melody throughout. I love it. We Carry On goes even deeper. Now the synths are mechanical sounding, the melodies a bit dissonant. The machine is falling apart. But the bass drives us forward. Great distorted guitar riff too. It's not happy, but it's a powerful track. After an interlude, Machine Gun drives the oppression up to its limit, all harsh drums and industrial synths. It's an assault on the listener and I can't decide if I love it or hate it. Small is less aggressive at first, but still very unsettling, with a quite special layered synth melody halfway through. It sounds middle Eastern to me, or Egyptian - a pharoah marching to war. Threads is a nice mix of acoustic and intense sounds to finish, brooding and helpless. I was ready to deduct marks but I felt compelled to come back to this and more of it starts to click. There's not much filler - and where we do get quiet moments, it feels like space to breathe. I can't even tell what genre this is, but I'm here for it.

Portishead on itself it's a legendary band in the Trip-hop space. They are easily one of the most recognizable faces, and they have a decent discography that's interesting in how they only released music when they wanted. That's remarkable due to the high quality of all of their albums and the strong aura and energy that contains their music. It's dark. That's the best word, but more than that, the nocturnal, dreamy, loopy, sad and nostalgic vibes that Trip-hop usually has, is something that's well represented in their 3 albums. The interesting part to me, is how these 3 albums (and their perfect live) despite being trip-hop adjacent albums, are different and unique in its own ways. In short, the first is a quasi-perfect definition of what is a trip-hop album. The second, is most grimey, noisy, obscure and, I must say, alien in some way. While the first was very cohesive, this second one feels expansive and an exploration contained to what you could expect from them. And there's the third. I must confess that the first time I heard it, I didn't like it. Its such a big departure from everything that was done until this point that felt jarring and uncomfortable listening to it. But that's the crux of it: while the first two albums were quite sad and nostalgic, this one is another level. In a second listen, with a better pair of headphones and more concentration I realized that this album is the logical conclusion of what they were doing before. It's a sad, intense, discordant and heavy album. But at the same time, is based on loops, samples, minimalistic in some parts and has the haunting voice of Beth Gibbons, similarly to the previous 2. In some way, if someone asked what could Portishead say after more than 10 years, this is the logical answer: nothing gets better. The pain, the longing, the nostalgia, all of that remains. And some of it gets worse. I do not think this album is something accessible and its totally understandable if someone outright dislikes and hates it. It has such a dark vibe, that at some point i feel it has somewhat of a spiritually negative connotation. But, I think, that it's an honest and compelling artistic work, and that I don't see how the repetition of the same style and thoughts of the first 2 albums would be artistically good. And even if I don't like it that much for casual listening, I find it essentially, without flaw. That's why Portishead is so well regarded, I think.

This album is so good So tasty So clever It's one of the best release of the 2000! They stepped away from the classic styling of the Bristol sound because they done that already and yet it really still sounds like the same direction, a push foward. Maybe this is experimental rock, but it's a Portishead album nonetheless and it's great!

I might appreciate the moodiness a little more if there were more . . . musicality in the sound. 2.5?

I have not listened to any Portishead albums further to Dummy, so this was always going to an interesting listen. Really enjoyed this. A lovely mix of their familiar sound along with special effects pedals, fuzz and electronic tweaks. I preferred the more serene slower songs and small was the definite standout. it does end beautifully with the almost doomsday repeated sample on Threads which is another excellent song. 4 stars

Unknown band. I found most track were annoying. Bad album.

Not my favorite of theirs, but quite good.

Nice, moody vibes, but ultimately I preferred the melodies of the other Portishead album from this list (Dummy).

Thought it wasn't my style but actually jammed along a bit. 6/10

I want to be on Mars to this album ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 Highlights: "Plastic," "We Carry On"

Beetje vaag album, niet mijn ding.

This stressed me out

Decent album but no dummy.

Yawn

Wow

es muy coolll, te lleva a otra dimensión, pero no a una muy lejana.

On every listen I liked this album more and more. Its eerie, industrial, and very well made; I can hear the influence it's had for similarly sounding projects today (like FKA Twigs). 8/10 Fav Track - Machine Gun. Love the driving punchy beat

can't listen to "Magic Doors - Live" on Spotify. not entirely a fan of this style of music, especially when some songs had a different key/pitch from the singer and the instrumental. The Rip and Threads are pretty decent, though.

Another banger from Portishead. First few songs feint in a different direction from their earlier trip-hop sound, but it eventually gets there anyway. The beat on Machine Gun actually sounding like a machine gun is cool as hell

Decent.

lovv it

Buen disco, pero lejos de la excelencia de su primer long play.

I liked this better than I thought I would. It's mostly enjoyable trance/ambient music with some other elements mixed in. They challenged themselves and their listeners and worked hard to make an interesting record. It worked.

😎🎶🎶🎶

cool

I only liked Machine Gun when I was young, but this whole album is excellent. Bristol is the world's greatest city for music.

when portishead is good, they are AWESOME, but the rest is quite disappointing

This feels like the first time you go to a swanky speakeasy in another country. They seem to always begin with a trip down a dimly lit alley, looking for an entrance that seems slightly off from the rest. Hmm, this one has several security cameras around it - must be the spot. Knock, knock, knock met with silence. Listening for life, you are finally asked for the password by a faceless silhouette behind the door. Heading down a long corridor, downstairs, through a secret passage to another door. Behind this next one, you are immediately met with music, candles, the sweet aroma of drinks, and a room full of secrets.

"you think you know me?" "I mean. I hope so. We've spent a lot of time together. I've invested a lot in this relationship". "This is not a relationship" "Then what is it?" "A ralrionsh An album that pushes and pulls and continues to fight to the bitter end. No one will ever accuse PH of putting filler on an album. Every second of every moment is meticulously chosen - every sample, every drum sound, every moment of silence, every jagged guitar. Every stuttering bass. Every keyboard wash. Every instrument left unplayed. There is a baseline of bleakness that gets interrupted eruptions by things that are - uh - less bleak. It's impossible not to feel something from this album - whether those feelings are good is another question entirely. Perfect background music for your next post apocalyptic dinner party.

A soup of magic. My sister told me she was at a concert of an artist or band (I can't remember) when she was micro-dosing on mushrooms and they were playing the last three songs of this album on the PA system before the show, she was very weirded out but then she grew to like that album. I just find that to be a wild way of discovering Portishead. I like this album just as much as Dummy.

I liked this, but it's nowhere as catchy as their earlier stuff. It feels like it might reward repeated listens, but from a first listen it's good but hard to see how it could justify a place in the list

Nope, just no.

Portishead is a band I feel is drum and base, electronic not in a good way. I was right. At one point I thought an articulated lorry was backing up into my house. No, that is just the music. Later on in the album I settled in to songs like Magic Doors and Threads, thinking them quite lovely, despite the additional noise.

Really cool and unique album. Good amount of variety, yet it’s still consistently great. But although I liked all the songs here, none of them did particularly stand out. For me to be impressed by an album, I feel like it needs to have at least a couple of 10/10 songs, and here all the songs are 8/10 or close to that but none are 10/10. Still a very fun listen, though.

Ah mano....n deu

Third rate album, third rate score.

Wow. That was a lot to take in. This is Portishead's third and, as of right now, final album, fittingly titled Third. Of course, I've already listened to Portishead's legendary 1994 debut album Dummy and I still really love it to this day. Easily one of the top 50 best albums of this list at minimum. It's probably top 40, maybe even top 30. It's just that good. So, as one might expect, I was rather excited to listen to another album of the band's given my love of the material that I had heard prior to today. Did Third disappoint? Not at all. Third is a very different album from Dummy though. That album was a land-mark release for the trip-hop scene, and was defined by its more atmospheric and enchanting production. Ambient and enchanting are not words that I would use to describe the production on Third. I'd probably use words like anxious and cold. Third is a very stressful album to listen to and I love it. You see this, Throbbing Gristle? This is how you make stressful music that's actually still enjoyable to listen to! Of course, that's not to say that there's no overlap between Dummy and Third in any capacity. "Plastic" is basically a trip-hop song and Beth Gibbons delivers just as amazing of a vocal performance throughout the album in 2008 as she did in 1994. The album's other songs all change things up considerably and it pays off so well. The krautrock-esque opener "Silence" sets up the album's tone very effectively before abruptly cutting to the fairly beautiful "Hunter." "The Rip" is just wonderful. I really love the bass and drum groove in the latter half of the song. "Machine Gun" is probably the album's most unique song and it exemplifies the anxiety of the album perfectly with this repetitive mechanical drum beat playing throughout the song that's expanded on with the other instruments. It's pretty great. And then the album closes with the 1-2 punch of "Magic Doors" and "Threads" that tie up the album's loose ends perfectly. The instrumental talent behind the band is just as strong as it was on Dummy, but seeing it used in such different ways is super cool. The writing might be even more introspective and somber than Dummy's writing, and that's saying something. I don't think I could call Third a better album than Dummy. As stated earlier, the number of albums that I could call better than Dummy is very slim. However, Third is not trying to be Dummy. This is an album that shows a band willing to take risks, try new things, and see an artistic vision all the way through, and I have so much respect for that. It sees the band leaning into an energy that I'm sure is hard for a lot of people to stomach, but if you're in the right headspace, I'm sure this album will do wonders for you. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on how you look at it, I think I am very much so in the headspace to appreciate this album's more stressful elements. I don't know how, but despite switching things up as much as they did, Portishead made another masterpiece. Decent 5/5.

I just didnt connect with this album at all, it wasnt really bad or anything i just didnt really like it. The sound was quite droney/distorted, the vibe is moody and dark with an electric sound. Idk just wasnt really a fan and not enjoyable for me. I felt like it could of used more of drop in the songs, it felt like it was setting up for a hardcore chorus with more of punch but it never happend and had the same tempo throughout most of the songs. It didnt provide a lot of variation.

Looks like a experimental music band, like they were trying things for the first time. Some musics gave me a click, others don't. Gave me mixed feelings.

Different from the first two records of one of the most influential bands of 90's Britain. More electronic, les jazz influenced but a pleasure to listen.

I think along with ‘Glory Box’, this one took me a few tracks to get in to and begin to properly enjoy. Once that moment hit everything clicked.

The transitions between songs are very jarring. Knew I wouldn't like this as much as Dummy. I was right but there were still some good songs. 3/5

4.5 - Essential late night listening for a haunting evening. An amazing album with some great songs (see the Rip). I searched for this album once before when looking for albums with songs that flow into each other.

Avant Garde is the best word to define this album. Every song has its oddities that rarely are for the worst.

I m tired ...sorry

I find some of it very irritating, but most of it very enjoyable. I guess that's the trade-off with something experimental.

A genuinely challenging bit of arty electronic alt rock. Struggled with it on a first listen but found it really exciting, unpredictable and unlike anything else on a re-listen.

This album holds up very well. The sound is at once wholly Portishead and completely different from the sound they pioneered in their first 2 albums. Their sense of mood and longing and payoff are unparalleled. I think Adrian Utley’s approach to guitar might be in my top five personal influences.

Pretty good album with fantastic sounds, creative beats, and interesting songs. I found the vocal style to be a bit repetitive, but that’s not a big deal. I enjoyed this album much more than I thought I would. Will definitely listen again.

I get it, this is not the trip hop, scratchy vinyl record self-sampling Portishead from the first two records. Beloved as they were before, this is vehemently diametrical. No less excruciatingly earnest, this is more like experimental tonal wailing into the void praying for some sense of reason for existing. That's just a pleasant way of saying this record is aimless, meandering, and lonesome. And it feels like home. "We Carry On" sounds like being inside an MRI scan - don't ask me why. "Deep Water' ought to have been on the 'O Brother Where Art Though' soundtrack. Beloved.

New to me!

Third by Portishead is an album that takes the word experimental to another level. This album's ambiance and dark psychedelic sounds mixed with Beth Gibbons' amazing vocals make it an incredible listening experience. 4.6/5

not my kinda thing tbh...

Years ago when I listened to this for the first time I was kind of disappointed, because it didn't sound much like Dummy, but over the years I have grown to really love this album. It has such a unique sound, and so many great songs, and Beth Gibbons is just a phenomenal singer. I still don't think it is as good as Dummy, but it is still a great record on its own. Mid 5!

So they dropped the Hop and zeroed in on the Trip? Too bad. I liked this band previously. Now, not so much. I found the voice stood out more than becoming woven into the song, and this is not pleasing to my ear. Too Electronica leaning for me. I did dig We Carry On.

Not listened to this one, own others, very industrial (almost distracting) industrial backdrop

The ~ - ~ t e n s i o n ~ - ~ make it stop.

Meh. DNF. Some cool sounds but not worth slogging through.

This is loved by many but not me. It should be here. But that does t mean I have to enjoy it. 2.5 rounded up

I'm a big fan of Dummy and their self titled record. I can play them as a double album, it is seamless and wonderful. I didn't know they'd gone on to this third record ten years later, so I was not surprised to see that they were exploring similar, if not somehow even darker, material. The Rip is classic Portishead, ditto Machine Gun, but most of the rest is brutal, Plastic and We Carry On do not help ones state of mind. Beth Gibbons is in full strangulation noirish nightmare mode. I'd never say this about the first two records, which are superb, but you really need to be in the mood for this deadbeats, take care when you approach it.

Well, no-one would accuse Portishead of making another album of dinner party music with this record. Bleak, claustrophobic, industrial, tuneless, vulnerable, anxious. Portishead always experimented with recording techniques that soundly bad; the scratchy vinyl, lo-fi aesthetic of Dummy became a sonic cliche as trip-hop exploded. It's like the doubled down with this album: 'You liked how crap that record sounded? Well, wrap your ears around this!" The aesthetic references are a little less obvious than the 60s vinyl, noir soundtrack vibe of Dummy. This is much more related to obscure industrial records of the late 70s and early 80s, which is not as easy to understand or approach. The torch-song vibe of Dummy (which I really loved) is replaced with a much more anxious and emotionally unstable atmosphere. Which is harder to connect with, let alone enjoy. It takes real work to listen to this record, and I would worry about the mental health of anyone who said this was their favourite album (or even favourite Portishead album). It is a record to admire rather than like.

A good album, I liked Hunter and The Rip the most.

Not bad. maybe a few listens required.

*An ok album

brooding and ominous, but restrained. atmospheric without drifting off, oppressive without crushing.

It started out strong, but quickly faded to a snooze.

A rare 2 from Charlie. Maybe it's just the day I'm having, but I didn't enjoy this even a little bit.

I didn’t care for this. I had it in my mind that this was going to be something I’d like so think I had high expectations and what I got was not what I wanted at all.

Great album

What a slog

Kinda cool album, very ambient, never really gets off the ground, but hovers so tantalizingly close.

Hell yeah let’s go

sc87. got grating by the end

I found it weird. And it seemed to be trying hard to be Radiohead

This won't be everyone's thing. They basically said fuck our old sound and fuck modern equipment. Which fair.

I have enough anxiety, thanks

I expected a bit more based on what I know from the band and this wasn't my cup of tea. I won't return to it I don't think even if it's not obviously flawed.

Liked it better than Dummy. Plastic was a standout for me

According to last.fm, I've listened to this album all the way through about forty times. 18 years after its release, I still put it on when I stumble across it in my library and it still feels fresh and exciting. Every Portishead album is a perfect five for me, but this one still somehow stands apart from the others. Coming a full decade after their sophomore album, it feels like a true evolution in their sound, moving from trip hop to more diverse range of electronic influences. Much of it sounds harder and more driving than their other works, but at the same time it's still unmistakably and inimitably Portishead. Who knows if we ever get another album from this group. But it's hard to imagine a better swan song than this

After "Dummy" was released by Portishead, they had the hard job of making an album that could compete with it. Portishead succeeded 14 years later with "Third". It's not trip-hop like "Dummy", one of my favourite albums, but "Third" is absolutely brilliant. I did not think for a second that this album would be any good at all. Most bands fail terribly after a genre change. 5 stars for "Third".

Nowhere near as iconic as Dummy.

who knew Portishead had other albums besides Dummy? I guess a lot of people. Inventive but too anxiety-inducing for me to love it.

lots of interesting sounds here. i like

I missed this one back in 2008... wowza this is dark and fab. Much much cooler than Dummy.

If you ever feel sad or moody, you know what to listen :)

poo

I like this album. Portishead is a band I've never listened to before, so I was coming at this with an open mind. It's added to my streaming playlist, possibly to buy in the future.

If only Portishead (the place) was as good as this album. Incredibly bleak but weirdly comforting in some places. I feel like they'd be great in creating a soundtrack for a mentally distressed alcoholic detective on a strange case with some major hang ups hmmmmmmmmmm.......

I don’t like Portishead

Dark. Moody. Interesting. 3.5/4

Dissonance and soundscapes in a number of the tracks is triggering for tinnitus, sorry can't get into this at all.

Kind of different and interesting, but not really that good. Well produced but only Machine Gun really holds up as an engaging song for me.

Fuckin garbage

This album is at the bottom of Portishead's discography, and I was kind of surprised to see it on this list, to be honest. There are some interesting ideas here, and they're exploring some different sonic territory, but it doesn't quite reach the highs of Dummy. It'll be a 3/5 from me.

Me gusta Portishead, pero este disco está aburridísimo.

Bueno

Trip hop. Not as good as Dummy

Very chill vibes on this album. 4.5 bumped down to 4.

I think I’m higher than a 5. I might be at a 10 on another re-listen or two. “Vespertine” is about the carnal feelings of love. “The Downward Spiral” is about the carnal feelings of depression. This album is about the carnal feelings of anxiety, panic & paranoia. This album feels like it’s tackling the self-doubt that consumed the band over the course of their 11-year hiatus, and applying it to a more human condition. It feels like every track here is loosely connected; whether it’s in a plot-driven framework or not, I can’t say, but the general thematics of tension, the inability to love one’s self, and yet the desire to persevere despite the anxiety causing deep internal struggles… it’s all very human, in a way that only a few albums so far have captured. You'll need headphones in to capture it, but it's there. I will say though; it’s not really in the lyricism. It’s definitely there, and it’s very well written, but it’s more so to set up the mood that the instrumentals deliver on, as well as Beth Gibbons’ more Bjork-inspired vocals. The lyricism is sparse, letting the pulse of the synths & percussion & reverb/effect heavy guitar / other instruments sell the anxiety of the album more. I think it fully exposes itself & its intentionality around the 4 minute mark of “We Carry On” – there’s a natural panic that emerges, and while I do think it’s a little hard to focus on her vocals & lyrics because of it, that oddly enhances the song further. Her vocals carry a determination to keep pushing forward, but it’s counteracted by the sort of machine gun percussion & militaristic tone sort of forcing her to push forward, whether she had the determination or not. It makes the struggle of the track feel more real. That balance between emotion & intention, where desire & the circumstances surrounding you might not line up, is something this album captures really nicely, and it’s where all of the anxiety stems from. Ironically, the top review on this site nails the tone of the album correctly, but they gave the album a 1. I don’t know whether it’s because they didn’t like the music, or if it was too close of a reflection to want to give it a higher number out of… I dunno, some other circumstance. I think this album being the soundtrack to anxiety is its perfect strength, and that’s why I’m currently at something higher than a 5. I love albums that can capture specific moods so well, or capture the human spirit in a way that feels deeper past the music. Obviously, I won’t blame anyone for dismissing this as trite electronica that it thinks it’s bigger than itself in a super artsy sense, but for my tastes, I just happened to really fucking dig it. Between this and “Dummy”, consider me a fan. Really, really good stuff.

онестлі - фаєр

Can't really fuck with Portishead. Love how this album manages to come with different sounding Portishead, though still totally Portishead. It's rather glum music, which is how you want it when reaching for Portishead, excellently produced and realized with all the cold grey dourness you crave. We Carry On is a banger.

Equal parts haunting and beautiful

Absolutely perfect in every way. This album is a journey, and you can tell that every single note and word is placed perfectly. The production value takes it to another level, transcending genre. The Rip is probably one of the best songs of all time, and I loved all of them that I hadn’t heard before. Portishead can do no wrong. Top Songs: The Rip, Hunter, We Carry On, Machine Gun, Magic Doors

Absolutely excellent. A soundtrack for the turn of the millenium industrial blues.

Hier kan je flink nerveus van worden. En enkel relaxed nummer, maar verder niets voor mij.

Ouch. Dissonance. Miscued soundtrack before production. Not for these ears.

I'm a big fan of Portishead. When Third came out, I was surprised it sounded so different than the previous albums, no turntable stuff, stark sounds that started and stopped. But once I got used to it I fell in love. The only thing that throws me off still is how much Machine Gun sounds like the Terminator theme at the end. I assume it was subconscious accidently copying it, but still, lol.

To The Author, you sure like the stuff from Jolly Ol' England, don'tcha!? This album never made a ripple in the states. Dark, dreary, brooding, bit boring, disjointed, not as good as their debut, too long, no payoff. Impressive listener counts, though I've never heard a single one of these songs on the radio or in a movie. 60M for "The Rip", it takes 3mins for that song to go from 1st gear to 2nd, but it escapes me why 60M people would give up 5 mins of their lives to listen to it. Every other song between 4M-11M listens. "Plastic" was dreadful. "Deep Water" was meant for the cutting room floor. "Threads" was depressing. 2 stars, nothing worth listening to twice. Not a smile for miles around on this one, jeez, bust out the razorblades!

I like Portishead, and enjoyed this album- but it isn’t their favourite of mine. I really enjoyed the vocals, but sometimes found the electronic beats overly repetitive, and some of the background noises were a bit distracting.

Love portishead, this is a notch below their first two albums for me, but still still great, classic haunting sounds. So much anguish. Unexpected ukulele solo on deep water. Favorites track is the rip, (almost gave it 5* for this song). Very torn 4 vs 5.

Did not make a huge impression on me. Probably wouldn't listen again. Acoustic-electronic. Contemplative and poetic, lyrical.

7/10 Best songs: We Carry On, Magic Doors, Threads There is a lot to like about this album, but one thing that I have a lot of issues with is the fact that as an album it isn't particularly successful. You have these really vibey songs that have a terrific, ever-onward-pushing beat, and then... they abruptly end, and a new song begins. The whiplash just doesn't work for me. This is an album that very much should have been connected through short interstitial tracks, or by rearranging songs to match beats or instruments. But yeah, I do actually enjoy the album overall; the beats and music are excellent, and I appreciate the singer's ethereal voice (although it definitely worked better on Dummy than here). Where the band was doing trip hop during the 90s, in the 00s they shifted to a heavy bass/drum/house/almost industrial kind of feel (sort of Skinny Puppy/pre-Skrillex vibes). Does this album belong on this list? Ehhhh, probably not, but I like it so sure, why not.

Tok meg selv i å tenke at dette minner om soloartisten Beth Gibbons. Duh. Dette kom over et tiår etter deres store 90-talls trip hop-utgivelser, og faller mer under sjangeren eksperimentell rock/krautrock. Elektronisk musikk med en nerve. Har ikke fått studert dette så nøye, da vi har vært i Sverige, men min initielle reaksjon er en treer. Top 3: The Rip, We Carry On, Magic Doors

I really did find this interesting and enjoyed parts of it quite a bit. I would probably give it a 2.5.

219/1001 Portishead - Third Heard before? ✅ Revisit? ✅ Dark, experimental, brooding. The somewhat maligned album from Portishead, this is still great

Not for me too noisy

Portishead tick all the boxes for a band I should really like. Ambience, electronics, expressive lead vocals, alternative, experimental…that is why I keep giving this album a go, but for some reason it just doesn’t click for me. One of my favourite albums of 2024 was lives outgrown by Beth Gibbens. This has just added to my confusion. I have the same repeated issue with Bjork, who I also keep retrying… 3 stars. Best track - the rip.

It takes a couple if listens but this is chilled out listening at it's best

3.5/5

Wake me up I can't wake up Save me

3.5

Solid listen when high! Or sober!

Not a big fan

Listened to it a few weeks ago. Planned to relisten but definitely don’t have time for that now I’m about 14 behind. From memory, it started at 4, went to 3 and then ended at 2. I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt and say 3.

OK. Bit boring and repetitive.

Noir

Potential for a 5

Like a slower alternative album. Kind of boring

annoying.

OMG la sélection d’album des années 2000+ est vraiment rough avec le recul, j’ai eu de la misère à passer à travers celui-là. J’étais peut-être pas dans le meilleur mood pour, pis ça ressemblait pas mal à du Björk que je suis pas capable d’approcher avec un pôle de 10 mètres.

Moody, ethereal, with far reaching influence that still feels relevant

Silence - 3.5 Hunter - 4.5/5 Nylon Smile - 4/5 The Rip - 4.5/5 Plastic - 3.5/5 We Carry On - 4/5 Deep Water - 4/5 Machine Gun - 4/5 Small - 4/5 Magic Doors - 3.5/5 Threads - 4/5

Not my cup of tea.

I love it💕💕🤟🤌🤌

Not a fan

Like it

This brand of their sound doesn’t suit them well. I don’t really enjoy this album at all. I miss the simply dark and mysterious beats on Dummy.

Puro sonido a lo estúpido. Pero no soy músico, tal vez y este álbum es la revolución de un género y fue creado meticulosamente. Llegué a Carry On, y si, es horrible. Para alguien normie como yo. Esto es cagada.

Thought I remembered liking this better.

This was not great. Wishy-washy vocals. Irritating sound effects (Machine Gun made my ears hurt!). I grew up with industrial music, but this was just too mopey for my tastes. I think I totally missed the point of this or I'm just not cool enough for it. Whatever. It seemed to drag.

Also pretty chill.

Ambient noises of unattended kitchen appliances? Makes me miss Dummy

I don't mind trip-hop but this was extremely dull

I didn't know Portishead got this into (what sounds to me like) experimental electronic music. It's really interesting. It's not so accessible. It definitely got my attention but I can't say that I love it from a couple of listens through. Stripped back moments also feel strange to me - I guess I had a pretty narrow idea of the band

Banger

Certain albums just don't deserve to be on here.

Not trip hop, but experimental. That explains it.

Listens: 4 Standout Tracks: We Carry On, Machine Gun, Threads I absolutely adore and am intimately familiar with Portishead's first album Dummy, but strangely, I've never listened to either their self-titled sophomore album or Third. So, I was happy to see it come up on the List: new music to listen to from a band I have some familiarity with. I was initially... not impressed. It felt jarring. Foreign. Some of the trip-hop elements had been shed in favor of... I'm not sure what. Abrupt ends of songs. Noise. Discordant melodies. I wasn't going to give up though, because of how much I like Dummy. On listen number two, and with a little bit more focus on the music and what exactly is happening, some of the noise went away. We Carry On was no longer just loud beeping sounds, there was something underneath that. Same thing with Machine Gun. Things got even better with listen three. Now I am looking at track titles. Oh this is interesting. Deep Water is a nice break from the chaos. But there's still a lot of chaos. A lot of... what's the quality I am looking for... urgency? Severity? Panic? Like an animal trapped in a cage. Trying to break out. Bursting at the seams. All those things I initially said: Jarring, foreign, noise, discordant melodies. They are still there, but the underlying music elements have also been brought to the surface now too. And the trip-hop elements are still there too, but you need to listen closely. The crackle of vinyl. Hip-hop beats, etc. After four and a half listens, I will say, I like this, a lot.

Solid album. It’s no ‘Dummy’ but Machine Gun slaps as hard as I remember back from when I was in high school listening to it on repeat.

I want to rename this album “Amber alert phone alarm with occasional melody”

I love Portiahead and really wanted to love this as I love the first two albums. And they are trying to tread new ground musically which is awesome- I just don’t connect with it as much as their preceding albums. It’s solid.

I'm too anxious for this

I should like this. The krautrock influence, the production is clear and detailed, and it's generally my kinda thing. I find it all a little fussy. A bit precious. I don't mind it and I can see the appeal, but some of these ideas are not exactly original.

The least cigarette-after (or during)-sex Portishead record which sorta defeats the purpose of listening to Portishead, but also I kinda dig it. They should have done a Bond theme.

There are moments anchored in the familiar — a Hammond B3 organ here, guitar squalls there, some programmed industrial percussive sounds — but what stands out about this album is just how unlike anything else it sounds, like Portishead had no interest whatsoever in returning to trip-hop as its template. Its genius is how is mashes up old-sounding 60s-influenced studio productions with simple guitar and keyboard runs, then interrupting it with unexpected and sometimes ugly-sounding textures that add depth while taking the songs to new, unexpected and exciting places. Even the more conventional elements, like those mentioned above, aren’t deployed in usual ways; industrial stomp isn’t in service of a dance track, but rather to reinforce the starkness. Beth Gibbons’ melancholy voice connects it all, somehow. On another level.

I think Dummy is the only one you NEED to hear, but this was fine.

5 stars just for the album cover. I adore this one. Beth sounds great on here. Not nearly as trip-hoppy as their previous works (for better or worse). Wikipedia trivia: "Deep Water" was inspired by Steve Martin's performance of "Tonight You Belong to Me" in the 1979 film The Jerk.

This was a very experimental album. I liked the vibe overall and the uniqueness. I can understand why other people don’t like it, but I liked it.

Boring!

Some nice songs.

Odd mix of sounds. Maybe it needs a re-listen

okaaay i’m on a roll for good albums. have been wanting to dive deeper into portishead for a long long while now so yay. slowly got into it but half way through it was hard to turn away from it all. such a unique way of drawing you in. so dark, eerie, and haunting.

I just discovered I don't like Portishead.

not for me

Decent album. In total musically with some sparks especially when the guitar is involved ("The Rip", "We Carry On") but vocally not always my favour. worst: "Machine Gun" 2,5

I feel like typically albums get boring in the middle or near the end when they've lost steam. But this one started boring and then got pretty good. I enjoyed the little run from The Rip to Machine Gun. The rest was a bit too difficult for me right now.

The album of anxiety and dread.

The anxiety album and it's full of anxiety. Not as stellar as Dummy but a solid, if not uncomfortable album. I'll listen to it again, maybe study it a bit deeper but not immediately.

Speciaal - sommige liedjes vond ik heel leuk, anderen wat minder

Fever dream

wow deze vond ik echt een bangerrrrrr

2 Echt unieke sound. Ik was verbaast om te merken dat het mij wel intrigeerde, wel niet meer dan dat tho. (Also 'Plastic' is echt een massief raar nummer)

The transitions in the album were horrendous which made it feel like a series of singles rather than a complete project- I also don’t like the vocalist and therefore couldn’t listen to the whole thing

don’t think this is for me massively, quite boring but very intense at the same time?

Favorite Track: The Rip

i'm no stranger to Portishead, i've listened to all 3 albums long before starting this list. admittedly, i listen to this a lot less than I do the first album Dummy (which is widely considered their best release), so it'll be nice to listen to this and give it a proper rating Silence - 5/5 Hunter - 5/5 Nylon Smile - 4/5 The Rip - 5/5 Plastic - 4/5 We Carry On - 5/5 Deep Water - 3/5 Machine Gun - 5/5 Small - 4/5 Magic Doors - 5/5 Threads - 5/5 Average score: 4.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ personally, i still don't think this beats Dummy, but it's a great listen overall. it leans more industrial than their previous releases (maybe even a little psychedelic), yet it doesn't distract too much from the soft and haunting vocals from Beth Gibbons. similar vibes to some of Massive Attack's work, which doesn't surprise me at all considering they're both under the trip hop umbrella since i can't give it a 4.5 star rating, I'll round up my rating. i think it's well deserved

didn’t do as much for me, as the other portishead stuff.

The high voice reminds me of Bjork, whom I don't care for.

1.5/10

quite, magical, a bit weird and electronic

Heard Machine Gun before and it's probably the most striking song on the entire album. Overall it's quite interesting but tbh I think I prefer pure trip hop Portishead 3/5

In the 90s, trip hop drifted into a kind of default late night or hotel lounge soundtrack. You could have the K&D Sessions or Dummy on for a hook-up or just passing the time reading the news while waiting to go out and see the sights. This has never been confused with that. Their follow-up to Dummy still retained some of that lounge cool and approachability, despite the harsh aesthetic, but Third - today, even - feels like it was made by an entirely different band. Gone are the torch songs, anything that could be confused with Stax soul. The reviews at the time latched onto motorik/krautrock and there is some justification for that, but overall, this is their own thing, almost elemental. Does it hang together as a cohesive album? That’s always been the challenge for me, whereas albums 1 and 2 were zero skips. I love just about half, that stuff is right up there with the best of any band, the rest...has just never clicked with me.

Weird. And weird doesn’t always mean bad but unfortunately, in this case, it does in fact mean bad. Didn’t get on with this at all really.

Moody and cool. Good album Standout songs: We Carry on Threads

90

Not for me

This album slapped, I can see this being a five star down the road. Never knew portishead but their first album is definitely a five star now. This is why I'm doing this project!

I did not enjoy this album; the music was painful to listen to. Kind of like Enya but more modern?

Portishead were one of the best known examples of the 90s Bristol trip-hop scene, but after two critically acclaimed albums they went quiet for ten years before releasing their third album, unsurprisingly called ‘Third’. It’s an evolution of their style, and oddly enough reminded me of the Resident’s album Duck/Stab that I listened to recently. Each track feels like a mini soundtrack for a dark Lynchian vignette with driving electronica giving way to a something that wouldn’t sound out of place being sung in a smoky supernatural roadhouse before something horrific is about to occur. I ended up liking this a lot, listening multiple times to appreciate the mix of styles and influences on offer.

So-so. Probably won't listen again 3.1

Pretty good

I have to agree with the reviews that said this sounded like impending danger and a soundtrack for anxiety. They feel pretty spot on. Definitely a unique sonic soundscape here, but not really my jam

3.3/5 Reminds me of crank so far. It's decent but not amazing. The only standout song so far is `We carry one`. It would be good for a movie sound track. A sci-fi movie to be exact.

I definitely prefer dummy but this was quality music.

Interesting concept album with some good stuff on there! I have a soft spot for this music.

Just a terrible dirge of the album without a single positive aspect. Difficult to believe the same band that produced sour times, numb and glory box and even harder to understand how this makes a list of 1001 albums to listen to.

Nope. Awful, screechy nonsense.

I was extremely surprised that I actually enjoyed this. It might be that I was in a bit of a doom and gloom mood while listening, and I was doing housework at the same time, so it was background darkness rather than anything I was really focusing on, but I liked it. I can't imagine it would be the best album to listen to while in a good mood though. 3/5

I've been waiting for this one! Never took time to properly listen to this album and I love "Dummy" - so far this is very different experience from their debut, not neccessarily in a bad way though. A lot of noise, ambience and drones here, and dare I say, I feel a lot of krautrock influence which for me is always a plus. So far might give 4 stars, not sure if more, but I will want to REVISIT it in the future as well. P.S. Few re-listens already, opener "Silence" is really cool krautrock. "Nylon Smile" reminds me of Can, also digging "The Rip" and "We Carry On". So might give 4.5/5.0 on RYM. Definitely strong 4 stars here.

I liked this, and I haven’t even listened to Dummy yet so I’m very excited for that

Holy shit I love Beth gibbons so much this album slaps so hard. The rip is a 10/10 song and the run of we carry on -> deep water -> machine gun is perfect

Really interesting album. Great at setting the atmosphere. Just about squeaks a 4 as I'm genuinely really curious to listen again.

וואי וואי וואי

This album was painful. Jarring noise more apt to nails on a chalkboard than music.

This album captures a tense feeling of dread about something you can’t quite define, like fearing something you don’t fully understand. It sits in that space the whole time and does it incredibly well. The instrumentals are unique and genuinely cool, with a lot of tempo shifts and strange textures. “Plastic” sounds like it’s glitching out with error-like effects, and at times it feels like something hovering over you, always present and unsettling. The drums are great too, with unpredictable tempos that make every track feel unstable in the best way. The vocals are fantastic, but that’s expected from Beth Gibbons at this point. And the guitar on “We Carry On” is dirty in the best possible way, adding to the album’s anxious edge. Overall, it’s a dark, moody record that I’ll definitely come back to. 9/10.

Cool

Third voelt bewust ongemakkelijk en experimenteel. Hoewel ik de sfeer en intentie waardeer, merk ik dat het me weinig houvast geeft en dat ik snel afdwaal tijdens het luisteren. Interessant als kunstwerk, maar geen album waar ik emotioneel in kan zakken of naar teruggrijp.

Not bad.

anxiety inducing

Really liked their other albums. This is much more experimental. Decent listen but not as good

Album review 032 Third by Portishead (2008) Rating 3/5 I can see why some folk love this album, I can also see why some folk hate it. Me? I’m not that bothered either way. Third is a big step forward in Portishead’s sound yet still sounds uniquely Portisheady, but taking the album as a whole, there are few standout moments that make me want to have a second listen.

Yawn. This is a long dentist appointment.

*2008. *Apparently Portishead has only made 3 albums total. *Typical Portishead sound - like a mystery or spy movie. *I like it. RATING - 6.5/10

I don't think this album could have come up on a better day. It's been pouring rain all morning, my dog is pouting on her bed because she can't go outside, and I'm stuck here working while everyone else I know is off for the week for Christmas. It's not an exciting album, but it's dark and gloomy, and a perfect fit for my mood right now. Not sure if I'll ever actually come back to this because at times it's a little too repetitive and off kilter keys and chord progressions at times can get a little grating and uncomfortable.

Overall Rating: 5.8/10 Favorite Song: Magic Doors

The lead singer reminds me of Kate Bush and this music seems to kind of be in that same vein. This isn't my kind of thing but some of it was somewhat listenable.

#802. I liked Dummy so much that I immediately went out and bought a copy. I can tell you now that will not be happening with this one. Most of these songs are pretty boring, only one or two are really all that interesting. 3/5: fine, barely

Maybe not as good as their first two, but propa to them for steering away from their usual sound.

Saved Ian Danskin during the pandemic. Couldn't save me during a metro ride.

Well, it's Portishead. It's not Dummy album, but still...if you like it, you like it. Better to listen to it in the dark lifeless street. Liked The Rip and coincidentally it's the most popular song of the album. These songs create a perfect dark, dangerous atmosphere, a little industrial too. I think it could be a good match for David Lynch films or something like that, 'cause some songs feel like a dream, some like a trip, some like electricity from the power plug that jerks your brains off. I want to relisten to it one day. Nice☺️ 3/5 —————————————— Liked: — The Rip

Portishead goes 3/3

Nary a melody to be found. Horribly dissonant and boring.

It’s not as good as the first two

Yeah, this is good. Portishead good.

Swings from hit to miss multiple times for me. Really love the trance-like moments as well as the trip-hop beats. The synth parts that sound like a John Carpenter score are also really cool. The more melodic vocal-heavy parts didn't do la lot for me. I think I might like their previous albums more based on that. This was definitely interesting enough to make me want to check out more.

Album #14: Third - Portishead Genre (according to Wikipedia): Experimental rock, electronica, psychedelic rock, surf rock Singles?: Machine Gun, The Rip, Magic Doors Have you listened to this album or group before?: I have only heard the song ‘Glory Box’. Thoughts?: So far, I love how different this sounds compared to usual trip hop offerings. I think Portishead does a great job at using various genres along with their comfort zone. Even if it may not be their usual, it’s still nice to see maturation on all sides. Favorite songs: Silence, Hunter, Nylon Smile, The Rip, We Carry On, Deep Water, Threads As a writer, what can you use this album for when honing your craft?: Probably some uneasy scenes. With lots of tension, industrial scenes maybe. City scenes. File correlations: File #008: Silvercrest Services

It is a jarring album that I can't decide whether to hate or like. On one hand, it sounds like a bunch of horror movie props banging together, but on the other hand it's pretty well done and gives an eerie feeling.

I like the intro to the first song it says I. Portuguese you get what you deserve. Very cool experimental album but not my cuppa tea

Great band and great album but not there best in my opionion and preferred their more earlier stuff

Don't ask me why, but this particular Portishead album took way longer to click than their other two. Well, I guess I should try to explain why. To me, it feels more scattered, experimental, rough, and rigid when compared to the '90s albums. It's maybe the least consistent as well, and their most challenging listen, given it's their most nuanced and detailed album yet, and not as sample-oriented as say 'Dummy'. I'm usually fine with albums like that, but I don't know, something about this one always threw me for a loop. Either way, though, I find that this album grows on me with every subsequent listen, and this one was no different. The songs that I've always adored, like 'Magic Doors' and especially 'The Rip', were just as great this time around, but many of the other one-off moments here resonated with me even more this time. For example, it's never registered how relentlessly dark and gothic 'We Carry On' is, in a sort of industrial way, and I've never heard Gibbons sound so distraught and tense in her vocal delivery. Also, shoutout to that incredible outro, one of the best on the album. And there are A LOT of great outros here, I'd say they're the highlights of this album. Like with 'Machine Gun', which never ceases to amaze me with how grainy and overdriven those drums sound against this glorious detuned analog synth line. The outro on 'Small' is another incredible outro, bringing out this post-rocky, delayed, and overdriven guitar tone that I just love so much. This entire song's progression is mind-blowing as well, just building up to that one cathartic moment. 'Deep Water', for as out of character as it is, seems intentionally placed to break the tension at one of the most precarious moments in the album. I've mentioned 'Magic Doors' already, but it's lyrically one of the most bleak songs here, which is saying a lot. There's so much defeat in Gibbons' words and melody, a sadness only rivaled by a song like 'Roads'. I don't think I fully understand this album *yet*. It lacks an identity, and I'd even say it lacks a direction for me at least. But there are far too many incredible moments here for that to even begin to hinder my enjoyment of it. I'd say this time around, this album really clicked. Really Really clicked...

Perhaps not quite as cool or sophisticated as it likes to think it is, this has nevertheless aged rather well and still sounds pretty fresh in 2026. Atmospheric and dense, it's hardly music to party to, but I'm sure it has its place.

A work of genius. I loved their first two albums and was excited for this. Combining the early vibes with Motorik Krautrock repetition and loops and a Broadcast folk horror feel...it took a few listens to sink in, but this is an almost perfect album for me. 5 stars every time. Dark, haunting, melodic, glorious

The album gets stronger as it goes. Doesn't quite reach the heights of the first two albums, but very good.

Sparse. Some moments of magic.

The Rip We Carry On Machine Gun

Not a portishead fan. Unusually I like this type of music but this women just does not do anything for me.

They go to some very dark places on this album and it works beautifully. Moving from trip-hop to a more experimental art rock approach, these songs often sound like a cry for help. There are echoes of Brian Eno here and there and Beth Gibbon's voice is plaintive and haunting. It's a shame that this was their last album since, to me, this was their pinnacle. I love the way the songs morph and change halfway through such as on "The Rip." A highlight is "Deep Water" with just the ukulele accompaniment and those creepy backing vocals. A dark masterpiece of an album that lingers in its sonic intensity.

Kind of a frustrating listen. Id heard Dummy before and liked it, and I like the atmosphere that a lot of the songs here build. But alot of them just feel pretty aimless and uninteresting, and they go nowhere. Its fine but a real head scratcher as to why its taking up a spot on the list when Portishead already have another one on here, doesnt feel essential at all, and the fact that it ranked in NMEs top 500 of all time frankly baffles me

Meh

Why not Dummy or live at Roseland? So strange. 3 *

Interesting, though almost wholly unpleasant. I did like "The Rip." This album could provide some solid ambiance in an unsettling scene in a movie, but personally I don't think I'd ever pop it on again.

Cuando este disco apareció los fans de Portishead nos sentimos como ese meme de Willem Dafoe en At Eternity's Gate. Que ya sea 2025 y no tengamos otro disco de esta gente de Bristol sólo viene a confirmar que estamos en el peor timeline.

Aunque hubiese quemado Dummy como uno de mis discos favoritos, nunca había ido más allá en la discografía de Portishead. Durante el primer tema me sorprendí de que la gente dijese que era un disco diferente para ellos, distanciándose del trip hop, pero a partir de ahí lo fui entendiendo. Vi a gente comparándolo con discos de Joy Division y de Björk. Es una Beth Gibbons completamente distinta de la que yo había conocido, y la amo.

Previously rated: #548 - Dummy (4/5) ************************* Album #984 I thought oh no when this popped up, but then I checked my rating and saw I enjoyed their other album. Well...I should have trusted my first instinct. This sucked. I don't remember exactly what Dummy sounded like, but it couldn't have been as slow and dreary as this. Way too experimental and avant garde for my taste. I didn't enjoy anything on this album.

This is definitely not the trip hop version of Portishead. This albums, songs screech, clank with percussion metal on metal, and howl. Are these synthesized sounds? Are they homemade instruments? It is the unfamiliar and unusual that make this album , a thing of interest. Please sounds tends to overshadow the vocals, which at times a luxurious soprano.

Damn! How can someone be so ugly?!?

Overall okay album that misses the mark for me. It tries to be deep obscure and funerable but comes across as phony to me. It isnt a bad album however and does have okay songs. In my opinion could have embrased a more vibriant progression throughtout the album.

Wel nice

Really interesting trippy dark ambient music. Some parts were really cool, but others would drag and be too experimental for my tastes. Still I appreciate daring artistic choices. 6.5

A dark and calm album, beautifully sinister. The slight dissonance builds an amazing tension throughout the records. The more minimal style pulls you into the vocals and the lyrics which emphasize that slightly "wrong" feeling as well. Talking about not fitting in.

Absolute genius. The sounds are expertly picked, especially on "Machine Gun". My ears love picking this album apart and my brain loves getting lost in it

11 years after their previously last album, Portishead released this, promising the next album wouldn't take that long. Over 17 years later and there's every chance Third could have also been correctly titled Last. It's quite the departure from their previous work. It's my least listened-to Portishead album, and with over 17 years between its release and me writing this review, I can finally say that the reason is simply that it is their least compelling album. It's Anxiety Attack - The Soundtrack. A huge, menacing, cold block of cold, hard steel that drags you in while always remaining impenetrable, keeping everything and everybody outside. If Stanley Kubrick hadn't already found the perfect soundtrack for the monolith in 2001... this album would be the perfect alternative. Geoff Barrow recently said that he's shocked by the notion that anybody would have sex to the first two Portishead albums in particular. I dare anybody to actually have sex to Third without being on some kind of Leaving Las Vegas-level mix of uppers, downers, antidepressants, and whatnot in their system.

Portishead had one or two cool songs in the 90’s and they were super unique but I’m afraid they’ve aged like milk. This is pretty terrible.

I can’t stand the whispering singing. I hate that. But the music itself is interesting, unique, and a bit strange.

Super unique and unlike anything I've ever heard before. I would only play this for myself but great background music.

I discovered through the 1001, that I’m not a Triphop guy, which is funny because I like psychedelic rock. It’s not that I didn’t necessarily like this album. I just had a hard time getting into it. The two songs I was able to grasp respond to were We Carry On and Deep Water. But I think my problem is most of these songs feel like they’re building to something and that never comes. It almost feels like it should be part of a movie soundtrack for a Studio A24 film where the door closes, the screen goes black while the music and the credits play. Give me an ending please. If I wanted a dead end answer and lack of emotion, I would ask my family what they want to dinner….

Random thoughts: * I just recently in the last 5 years or so really got into Portishead. I totally missed this back in the 90s. Such a a shame. * However, this third album from them is no Dummy. * I'm glad to have more Portishead but it is not up to the caliber that Dummy is. * I actually just put on Dummy because I felt a little let down by Third.

Started out ok, then just lost interest. The vocals were not great and the sounds just got very weird.

Lost interest

Really boring. Really felt like they were trying super hard to come across as tortured artists and it was just kinda wimpy and annoying. Didn't really enjoy anything here.

a bit dark & brooding for my taste. and a wee bit too experimental & boring

Dark, creepy, haunting, ethereal

A haunting, melodramatic album. Cold.

Terrific production throughout. I like the part of Plastic that sounds like Wu Tang Clan. Terrific vocals from Beth Gibbons as usual.

Too much experimental, not enough rock.

I get the pitch here, but this just doesn't nail it for me. Needs a stronger vocal to achieve the arty ethereal vibe I think it's trying for.

Radiohead Jr.

Nowhere near as good as the other portishead record we had

9.5 / 10

Any time I'm feeling too happy and satisfied, I feel this album will give me just the right amount of existential dread to snap me right out of it. According to the wiki writeup, after their second album one of the band members lost interest in music. It took over a decade for him to come back to make this. While this band is very talented and the album is well produced, I have a hard time thinking of this music as something I would ever be in the mood to listen to. It's a bit too depressing for me. Favorite song: Nylon Smile

Enjoy the whole Portishead vibe. Have never felt this one stacks up remotely close to Dummy. I think people were just so excited to get another Portishead album they tricked themselves into thinking it was better than it really is. 3.5/5

Jura? 3 estrelas e é muito

Listened to this a few times when it came out and it has since faded from my memory. Really enjoyed revisiting with a few absolute gems.

Her voice is mesmerizing. I really enjoyed how We Carry on built up- very rhythmic. I am starting to understand what Trip Hop is... Some of it is a bit TOO experimental for me, but overall, I really enjoyed it.

Definitely not my thing. Lots of droning soundscapes.

1 stern

Dank

Why’s she sound like that

I already liked the song "Threads," but listening to the whole album is overwhelming. After two songs, you just say: enough is enough!

Cool and pretty unique sound

I am uncertain whether this qualifies as music and not torture devices produced by the CIA. I was ready to confess after 30 seconds listening to We Carry On.

Was not really my thing. Had kind of a fun spooky vibe at times, but wasn't really ear catching and was grating at times.

I like her voice but cant hear much of what she's actually singing. Not a fan overall.

The juxtaposition of the sensitive singing with the heavy and sometimes industrial sounds sets this album apart. It’s perfect drama soundtrack fodder. Most of these songs would be right at home in a show intro/montage.

I don’t know why, but this album just doesn’t connect with me. Maybe I just don’t get it, but it doesn’t feel very interesting to me. There are some great moments though. I especially like Beth Gibbons’s singing. 3/5

Don't get it

rating: favorite song: the rip, machine gun least favorite song: silence honorable mentions: we carry on the mourning and loneliness vibe im getting from this album is beautiful. im a huge fan of melancholy music (im mitskis biggets fan) so its no surprise that ive added a lot of those songs to my playlist. the helplessness this album managed to show is amazing both through the music itself and the lyrics. im not a fan of a lot of the sounds in some tracks, but i do acknowledge they fit and work very well, and despite not enjoying those certain sounds they dont ruin the song for me for most instances. i love love love the length of the songs. theyre not too long and not too short and thats something that i miss from 2010's music.

3.2

Silence has an unsettling vibe and some interesting guitar. Hunter also is creepy with nice female vocals. Good album so far, not what I was expecting when I read English electronic band. Nylon Smile is good too. The Rip is good vocally and guitar, and some cool synth halfway through. Might be best song on the album (after full listen note - it is). Plastic is good. Machine Gun has cool synth towards the end; almost a Terminator-theme style going on. Small has a chill intro and then breaks into a nice beat with synth. Magic Doors is quite good with a weird distorted sax (or trumpet?) break in the middle. Overall great album but the second half lost some steam.