Reviews (page 4 of 8)
"I'd like to laugh at what you said, but I just can't find a smile" esoteric, dark, moody. This album is truly more than the sum of its parts, and listened together, sets out to portray a mood, and succeeds at its job. I listened to this album while in an airplane, before, during, and after take-off. I was describing the album to my mom, and I likened it to the dichotomy of a hospital (sterile, eerily clean) in a bad part of the neighborhood, with a flickering street light. T1- "Silence" sets the mood for the album with a really interesting instrumental line. T4- "The Rip" beautifully transitioned from the esoteric synth landscape into an acoustic singer-songwriter masterpiece, with a great climax within the song, when the drums and synth pick up, it's sublime. T8- "Machine Gun" nearly ruined the album for me, and may very well be the sole reason this album didn't get a 5. It interrupted the flow & vibe of the album with the 808s and distorted drum kicks. T9- "Small"the first half was very disappointing, and confirmed in my head the spot as not a 5/5 for this album, but the second half picked up the slack and turned into one of the album’s better tracks, the trend which continued until album's end. Glad to have heard this album, and to have heard of Portishead. 4/5
auskomponierte anxiety attack, sehr vielseitig
listened to again great album
I liked it, very vibey music Didn't do much outside of college and going to soccer game today
Fantastic! Matched my head ache today actually.
Great to listen, quiet, easy. 3.5
a beautiful album the instrumentation feels thin yet moving and complex. One I will want to listen to again.
Super cool album. Hypnotic sounds and ethereal voice. Was less familiar with this than the earlier albums but will be listening again. Some tracks reminded me of joy division.
The tonal whiplash from “Deep Water” to “Machine Gun” was pretty insane. This was a great album for a late night drive
I'm glad 1001 introduced me to these folks. It's a fab album with lots of twists and turns and creativity. They have an industrial sound that is listenable.
Really like this album.
Ikke deres beste, men fortsatt.
Artsy fartsy. Zugegebenermaßen: Portishead sind, ähnlich wie Radiohead, Band mit gehobenem künstlerischen Anspruch und haben zu Recht den kommerziellen Erfolg, den sie haben. Die Platte ist kein Opus magnum, aber mindestens 4 Sterne.
i’m not all the way there with the instrumentals but mother beth gibbons you have me completely the lyrics are so chefs kiss
Real cool album, what a friggin mood Fav track: Machine Gun
Uuuge banger. Right up my moody little alley (that's what I call my butthole). Love the strange and ethereal instrumentation, emotive vocal delivery, and the flow of the record was pitch perfect. Four and a half. Fave track: Small
Heaps to enjoy here - interesting style and strong production. A good one. Three and a half. Fave track: Machine Gun
Not Dummy, nothing is Dummy, but innovative and elegiac enough to stand out
Не настолько любим как первый, но все еще крут
Влад там недавно говорил, что он начал испытывать страх от песен про зелёную лужайку: что же произойдёт здесь?)) У меня странные ощущения от музыки. С одной стороны, мне нравится, как она сконструирована: есть драм-паттерн, есть басовая линия, есть гипер-груженая гитара (иногда не груженая, а просто акустика), и поверх всего этого уже мешают всего в своё удовольствие. Это очень понятно и очень стильно. Но эстетически... Ну вот у меня в плейлистах давно уже болтается The Rip с этого альбома. В каком-то смысле она наверное самая простая песня и понятная песня с этого альбома, не считая интерлюдии "Deep Water". Блин, дожили: я что, буду жаловаться на слишком сложную музыку??? Ну, получается, что не совсем, но в какой-то степени. Я по-моему говорил, что меня часто напрягают диссонансы и какофония: ну вот что-то такое здесь было местами. Это не получается так же чиллово воспринимать, как Massive Attack. Из прикольного: цепанула рваность "Hunter". Есть в ней что-то гипнотическое. P.S. We carry on - я словил вайбы Benny Benassi - Satisfaction: возможно, из-за схожего рисунка синта; Silence - ударкой напомнили Prodigy. P.P.S. Коля вот гнал на Егора, что он как-то странно сравнивает всё: а мне что здесь, что на Бьорк, хочется их сравнить с PJ Harvey. Местами кажется, что я даже не отличил бы одно от другого и третьего. P.P.P.S: Видимо надо было слушать дважды, со второго раза идёт лучше... повышаю оценку до 3.5 -> 4
New to me. Really like.
this band made three near perfect albums, dark, foreboding, ethereal. her voice comes in and out of the fore, is incredible, dirge like, beautiful. its good. damn good.
Spent the whole day* depressed & listening to this almost felt masochistic. Hearing “Threads” after walking home after midnight was eerie. Usually I can hear entire songs without paying attention to the lyrics but these felt almost targeted towards my current mental state. They had to be aware of the dour atmosphere, because the gentle “Deep Water” hit like a truck Ultimately I’d say that the coincidence deepened my appreciation for this album, where it might have been a bummer another month. *give or take an hour HL: “The Rip”, “Magic Doors”, “Threads”, “Silence”
I had previously listened to Portishead's debut, Dummy. It didn't do much for me at the time. I remember it as being minimalistic to the point of being boring. Third, however, is a much more intriguing listen. As densely layered as it is, it makes me want to revisit their debut to see if there isn't something there that I missed.
What an entrancing voice! Luscious and interesting music and amazing drums throughout! Machine gun was the only song too jarring. It's not an everyday listen so just misses out on a 5 star!
i had no idea what to expect before listening to this and I definitely didn't expect a gothic electronic art rock with haunting female vocals. I have no clue why but I thought Portishead would be a metal band or something. Even for someone like me this a pretty demanding listen. There a lot of dynamic range and the volume will get intense suddenly during a lot of songs. It was surprisingly unnerving, but nonetheless the sound and vibe of it is incredible. I really enjoyed it on first listen but I feel like it demands more of the listener than that. Score: 80 Art: 70
Staggeringly beautiful
Le traitement de la voix, l’expérimentation, les dissonances résonnent en moi de manière familière. J’aime beaucoup
Fetch the lamb chops
Atmospheric.
Every time I listen to a Portishead album I feel like I've known it all my life
this might be 5 ⭐️ i don’t know, i avoided it for many years because i thought it was pretentious and overwrought but i see now i was wrong it’s pretentious in the good way
I like but not love this album
4.0
Third by Portishead is a soundscape album that really experiments with a more electronica and psychedelia rock with heavy synths create a dark cinematic feel with a touch of a bleak art installation. Liked it more than I thought I would and for me it would fit on a playlist to listen to whilst at work. Best: Plastic Worst: Nylon Smile
1. Silence: beat goes hard, very angsty vocals, atmospheric. 7.5/10. 2. Hunter: again same vibes as Silence. 7/10. 3. Nylon Smile: nice song, good vibe. 7/10 4. The Rip: cool arpeggios, vocally very strong. 8/10. 5. Plastic: drum fill sound is crazy in this one. Very solid track. 8/10. 6. We Carry On: bit chaotic but overall pretty nice. 6.5/10 7. Deep Water: sweet little interlude. 7.5/10. 8. Machine Gun: melody wise pretty nice, feel like the drums are in line with the title of the track but thereby a bit too punchy. 7/10. 9. Small: starts of great, the beat in the middle sounds really good too. 7.5/10 10. Magic Doors: pretty nice as well, later in the track the song was somewhat too much. 6.5/10 11. Threads: like this one a lot. Creepy yet captivating 8.5/10.
Ik vind dit soort maffe electrotechnotriphop of hoe het maar heet (je kunt het ook Eric-muziek noemen) altijd leuk. Ook hier werd ik niet teleurgesteld. Fijne sound mede namens de warme stem van de zangeres.
What if we did trip-hop on a ukelele? This.
Excited to revisit this one - for whatever reason I haven't really done so since the first year or so after its release - the only Portishead album I don't know through and through. I remember this being jarring for some when it came out - the scope of sounds is definitely much broader than their earlier releases. That said, it's friggin' brilliant! I don't know whether their entire catalogue made this list or not, but it certainly deserves to - they didn't miss. Beth Gibbons voice is majesty in and of itself, but the soundscapes Geoff Barrow and Adrian Utley provide her to move it through are rich and engrossing. "Silence," "Nylon Smile" and "We Carry On" were particular favourites for me on this one
8/10 me gustó muchísimo. Me dieron la sensación a black county solo que portishead sacó esto antes por ende ellos se debieron haber inspirado en su música. Tienen un tema que era skip, pero el resto son un caos hermoso. Black county tiene vientos además de los instrumentos predeterminados de banda y los arreglos electrónicos. Pero el sentimiento y sensación de escuchar algo desconocido siempre es bueno.
Weird one. Really disliked it at first, had to pause for some reason, came back to it hours later and really enjoyed it. Listened to it again and still enjoyed it, but a little less.
Portishead's third album has a different sound than their previous trip-hop albums in the 1990s, it's more electronica. It's an original album, but it's less cinematic, more colder and more distanced.
I didn't know this later Portishead album. Different sound but still very intense and I love the thin vocals.
PREFS : Silence, The Rip, Plastic, We Carry On, Small, Magic Doors, Threads MOINS PREF : Machine Gun
Different to their earlier stuff, but still rather enjoyable.
Really cool
Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Yes, it’s exactly within my niche taste of music I really appreciate. Kind of sounds as if Fiona Apple went experimental. Definitely need to revisit this one! Favourite song: Track 8 - Machine Gun
So good. Amazing band.
samples pra racionais
A 1-star review of this record said it sounded like the soundtrack to their anxiety and… yeah! But that’s what made me like it so much; this record feels weird, atmospheric, and the perfect companion to long walks in these increasingly dark fall afternoons. I read a little bit about the album’s influences (including John Carpenter film soundtracks) and you can totally get how they came together to form something like this. “Third” gave me what I was hoping from Tubular Bells without becoming predictable or redundant.
Challenging and provocative. Portishead take what worked so well about their first two records (noir-drenched trip hop, Beth Gibbons' haunting vox) and update it for the age of post-millennium tension.
Moving with cinematic precision, Portishead's Third (and, so far, latest) album pulsates with ever intriguing and fascinating moments. The Bristol trio keeps things going as they turn towards new sounds unlike any they've come across before, thus shedding their trip-hop skin yet maintaining their identity. Favorites: Silence, Nylon Smile, The Rip, Machine Gun, Small, Magic Doors, Threads.
Wow. This is probably going to end up being one of my favorite new-to-me albums that I'm encountered on here. It's pretty brilliant. Dark, moody, eerie, evocative sound. Nicely layered arrangements, with a Kraut rock-inspired vibe. The use of dissonance was really inspired. It's is incredibly difficult to take something ugly and make it sound pretty, and the bands excels here at that. Fave Songs: We Carry On, Plastic, Machine Gun, Hunter, Small, Magic Doors
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
This was great, haven't really listened to them before
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.
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.
Noice
Love portishead
Good. 4/5
I hoarded this trip by way of a couple of listens, partly because it’s good, mostly because it’s only on YouTube. Awesome contrast of the singer’s soft vocals with the harsh industrial sound
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
Not as even an album as the first two, but after a near decade's gap still a remarkable return.
Solid Vibe.
Cor, very good
My second favorite Portishead album! There are some really good tracks on this record.
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.
Interesting music. Actually love the sound of it.
I liked this, but it needs more listens to fully get under its skin.
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.
solid veisla
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.
Not Dummy. But great
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
No momento certo para aproveitar o trip hop, já que agora tenho a maturidade para apreciar.
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.
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.
Kuulasin enne magama jäämist. Väga mõnusad soundscaped.
A very strong four
Cool, unique & creepy sound. Still recognisable as being Portishead while sounding completely different from Dummy
Återigen en stark fyra... jag måste lyssna igen efter gossarna for.
Классный альбом, не слабее Dummy. Очень понравились: We Carry On, Machine Gun, Small, Magic Doors
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.
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 as good as the debut but darker in a very appealing way.
2008. The Rip, Plastic, Threads, Silence
Little bit of everything, some uncomfortable feelings with this one, I like it.
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.
Beth Gibbons' voice is mesmerizing. I don't like this one quite as much as their debut album, Dummy.
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.
4.5
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.
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.
that was a cool album 8/10
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.
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.
Just a little bit of melancholy😊
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.
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.
The third album by Portishead was release 13 years after their debut album Dummy. The albums shows various musical genres (not only trip hop anymore). The music is laid back, slowly progressing and full of grandeur.
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.
Haven’t heard this one before, but some good tunes.
Helaas niet hun beste album. Toch een hoge waardering omdat ik hou van deze sfeer en hun album Dummy is echt mega goed.
Mooi, ik kende het eigenlijk niet zo goed. Ontdekkinkje dus.
Portishead was a discovery.
Beetje depri maar brengt toch goede herinneringen naar boven. Ideaal festival materiaal voor de tent of het kleine podium
Niet hun beste album helaas. Maar wel echt toffe muziek. Op festivals een aanrader.
this one was pretty cool it sounds like this song from soundtracks for the blind
Great high music
Surprised how much I enjoyed this one - Captivated me throughout
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.
This was great! Love it, defo on the list! Chilled out ambient trip hop! Gibbons voice is amazing as always!
I thought I was going to hate this but it's actually awesome! Super weird, creepy, reminds me of Radiohead just a little bit.
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 get Radiohead, NIN, Björk, and Cure vibes from this. Chill, but cool arrangements. Almost menacing at times. I dig!
It was ok, wasn't my type of beat
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.
3.75
Never listened to Portis Head....my mistake. Good vibes.
Gorgeous running away beyond the horizon electronic vibes.
Would listen to again.
Great album, their debut is better though
What a great comeback it was!!
Raro al principio
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.
Good but it’s not Dummy
Masterpiece
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
Dark, Slow, ...I mean, it's portishead.
Yes please. I love everything about Portishead, it's my kind of stuff.
Chingón...
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.
Excellent listen. Silence and Small were songs that hooked me.
Some very good songs on this album
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.
Cool, kind of dreamy alt pop. Nice background music.
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
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.
A bit 'whiny' at times I think? Not bad. (Wish I had actually written better notes right after I listened yesterday.)
Dark and moody. Right on the nose tho.
moody!
4
Solid quality music, if not quite as good as Dummy
Fairly dull album today. Not bad really, just nothing exciting about it, and not sure it's a must listen to album.
Overall Rating - 2.91/5 (5.82/10). Most of the album is unsettling (but not necessarily in a bad way). All in all, weird and environmental.
This isn't what I want to hear from Portishead. However, I'm not necessarily complaining about what I'm hearing; it was just kind counter to my expectations. This was pretty cool, definitely weird, and I think it would have been surprising even absent my expectations. Sort of Bjorkish, but having only taken the best parts of her music. Also, some Jefferson Airplane vibes toward the end of the album. Not sure what to call this type of music. Waify Industrial? Sad Pixie Matrix Sludge? Either way, not bad, nor excellent ⭐⭐.75
Intere Vineland’s chill
Pre-listening: YES Post: hmm okay. for some reason i really like The Rip. Some other songs were also nice. But not as good as expected i guess. still not bad
Fine, kinda basic?
Portishead has a strange discography timeline. Looks like this came after about a 10 year hiatus and to date, this also appears to be their most recent studio album. Don't expect more of "Dummy" here, as this sound and vibe is a decent distance in the other direction. Very much darker in tone and more industrial/experimental in sound with its unique synthesizers and sometime abrupt track endings. For example, the foundation of "Machine Gun" is a steady and aggressive rhythm of mechanical sounding synths (like machine gun shots!) Beth Gibbons certainly hasn't lost a step here too, as her vocals translate nicely to the mysterious vibe that's curated here. I don't know if I'd call this "accessible", but you're gonna get out what you put in here.
not my cup of tea
A good Portishead album, I still prefer Dummy and its more industrial tinged Trip Hop. I enjoyed ‘Hunter’ and ‘Nylon Smile’. Rating: 3.5/5 GEMV (11.08.2026)
o primeiro do portishead que eu não achei horrível?? que evolução!! realmente os cara só precisavam sair do trip hop pra coisa toda melhorar, eh isso
something fresh after all that early rock slop. I liked Dummy way more, but it was a cool album regardless.
It sure is nice on a technical level, but this is a soundtrack for nightmares. What a dreadful experience.
A breath of fresh air after the slog of British punk. And in many ways, this sounded unlike anything we've heard so far. The minor, eerie quality that pervades the album could be likened to maybe a couple of artists we've heard so fa, like Massive Attack perhaps. I liked how several times a melodic or rhythmic element was introduced in one part of a song, and then changes quality as the song enters a new section. "The Rip" is a good example of this and is a great song. The interesting production was definitely the main highlight for me, and although sometimes I felt that the production elements and the vocals were competing with each other instead of playing off of each other, I was mostly glad that they were both present. I'm feeling a strong 3
Instrumentals were super interesting. vocals grated on me a bit.
I am not a fan of trip hop and this album moves away from that sound a bit. There's elements that remind me of 70s kraut rock which I do like. Not a great album but a pleasant surprise anyway
Interessante. Acredito não ser o melhor do Portishead, sendo o Dummy mais cultuado e lembrado, mas esse é legal. Tem umas experimentações doidonas, algumas dão certo, outras nem tanto, mas é bacanudo.
Nice chilled listen
It's been a while since I've listened to this. It's something I've noticed a lot, for better or worse… with lots, maybe most, of the albums here, I know at least enough to have a preconceived notion of the artist, or an idea of what the album might sound like, or its context, or something. Obviously for Portishead, this comes after giving “Dummy” my first 5 star rating of the project. “Third” is not “Dummy”. It is so not “Dummy” that my first listen was, memorably for me, not positive. The whole texture of the album is different. Less lush, less orchestral. Even Beth's voice aches in a different way, has less of that smokiness and yearning. Probably its best bits are more spare (The Rip, for example, works by having so much breathing room… so, for that matter, does Small). The harder parts are like the harsher sounds of Machine Gun. It's just… not what I hope from from Portishead. Beth brings her game as ever, but the music she is singing over is less suited to her voice. With Geoff leaning more into the experimentation than the orchestration, it's the places where he isn't doing too much futzing around where the light shines in. It's definitely not bad, but it's not anywhere near what the band makes me want. A middle-⭐️⭐️⭐️
Bit weird, but I kinda of like it.
2.8.
It’s decent, but not near the levels of ‘Dummy’, their debut. We get the same trip-hop style as that album, but the slowness of this feels much more purposeful and successfully atmospheric than other artists of the type that just end up boring me. On the whole though, I’m not sure this fully gets going as it might have. As soon as we get towards one sound idea it seems to be on to the next, and that probably contributes to the lack of a classic track here, in contrast to the handful provided by the debut.
Not too bad. May need another listen.
Neat vibes but vocals were questionable
This is really quite a dark and ominous album, and an interesting progression from some of their earlier stuff. At its best it’s incredibly atmospheric, with layered soundscapes and haunting vocals. Some tracks are superb (like The Rip for example) and are quite impactful. The kind of songs that force you to pay attention and give you a bit of a jolt. I get that a lot of it is quite anxiety inducing, but I do like the vibe and delivery on the whole. I don’t think this is as good as their earlier stuff though, and it CAN be pretty dour over 52 minutes. 3.5 rounded down.
An OK album not a patch on Dummy or album 2 but that’s no surprise
Really liked the singers voice. She reminded me of a couple singers. One is Lisa Hannigan (obviously VERY different styles) but has that some emotion and inflection. Can sing soft but sound so big. There’s another one that I can’t put my finger on. I didn’t love some of the droning and a few moments of sounds that hurt my ears. Some of the switches were quite strange too. 3.0
Another reviewer commented this album sounds like their anxiety. I get that. And kind of like it. 3/5
Ok thought it'd be better never really listened to them before
Ominous dark and anxious. Nervous strings, drums like tapping your fingers in stress, ratcheting dissonance with rare relief, a singer like a voice in your head telling you things you don't want to hear, panic barely held back. The soundtrack to act 3 as everything falls apart.
Was OK, doesn't compare to Dummy, but still a few great tracks. 'We Cary On' was my fav.
Quite interesting. Not at all what I expected. Enjoyed it
- More familiar with Portishead's name than their actual work. Apparently this is very atypical of their 90s style. - I like some of this intellectually, particularly the inspirations and a few of the loops. However, otherwise I found this to all be a bunch of takes on the same morose flavor. - Considering my favorite track was the slight, ukulele-focused "Deep Water", I think it is safe to say that I was having difficulty connecting on a deep level.
Decent enough but nowhere near as compelling as Dummy 3.5*
Their first two albums were hardly happy go lucky pop but this takes it into a much grungy, industrial, super-bleak place! Yikes
Nice
A strange, slightly ghoulish album that nonetheless impresses with its twists, turns, ruminations on life, etc.
If you are looking for something upbeat and soothing, you came to the wrong place. This album is on the edge and it will take you there. Artsy and interesting, but hard to digest.
I like Portishead, but I found this a bit boring.
I liked the instrumentation, but not always the lead vocalists voice
Pretty impressive to reinvent themselves from their earlier work. I found this more interesting than the trip hop on the first album.
3.5 I kinda got it to this. We Carry On was pretty dope except for the bridge part.
Der kalte, zerfranste Sound ist spannend, Beth Gibbons klingt wie ein Gespenst im Nebel – aber vieles bleibt für mich eher Kopfmusik als etwas, das hängenbleibt.
Interesting... but not cool, somehow.
I gotta say, this is cutting it real close to be on par with Dummy by Portishead. But I still think dummy is more interesting.
Pretty good background music for whatever.
Sympa mais pas emballée non plus
Just not into Portishead. 2.5 rounded up
2.75 / 5 stars for this album. I'm really not sure what Portishead was doing with this album, and maybe they didn't either? After the brilliant Dummy (why isn't that here instead?!?!), this album comes along and it's a mashup of varying styles and annoying sounds. It's like they're trying to be a completely different band than what worked for them in 1994. Not terrible, but definitely not something I'd ever want to hear again.
I’m still not sure what to think about this album, but I think I enjoyed it.
Like listening to a decoder ring work for 54 minutes to spell out the words, “you need more meds!” Yet, I was tempted to take some meds and give it another listen. Despite the high bar for likability, I think there is something there, it just seems like you need to enter cautiously, like immersion therapy.
C'était bien bon. Mais peut-être un petit peu lourd? 3.49 étoiles
Eh. It's not bad, but it never got to a point where I can say I truly enjoyed it. Glad to have heard it once, but not my jam. 3.1
I found this very boring and not particularly good, but not bad enough for a 2.
Mi aspettavo di più, non mi ha entusiasmato
Good but not their best album
It's Portishead, it's Beth Gibbons, but a bit different compared with their earlier works. This one has their usual somber and haunting feel, but there are some other tracks that almost feel like they don't fit, just based on sequencing and portrayal. This is one I'll need to sit with again, but it doesn't grab me like their previous records. It's still Portishead though, and still has quality.
It feels pretty cheap to rate the intentionally-anxiety inducing album poorly because it succeeded in making me freak out. With that said, I probably wasn't in the mood to listen to gorgeous vocals crooning over spacey art house hip hop noise. I'll be in that mood at some point, and when I am I'll throw this on (or just take a nap instead.)
I want to like Portishead more than I actually do. I think there isn't quite enough melody here for me to love it, but I'm fine with it in general.
i just don't get it. conceptually, at least. it sounds nice and i really appreciate them leaving trip hop behind. but it's still sparse and sounds unfinished to me. deserves to be one of the 1001? i think my personal takes on this album are secondary because clearly the people love this one. i remember this was the top of 2008 when i joined RYM and despite not being all that relevant, it still gets a lot of love on the off chance it's brought up. sure, leave it on. its earned it.
Another disappointing album from Portishead. “We Carry On” was a bright spot but was immediately negated by “Deep Water”.
Middle of the road
Far from being my preferred Portishead album, it's still something that I will listen with pleasure albeit not very frequently.
My rating 2.8. This didn’t need to be on this list.
Really liked it at the beginning. But they added certain sounds that my ears definitely did not like
Not exactly the album you would want to listen to during a workout, and overall not as good as “Dummy.“ But still sort of interesting, and far from the worst album we’ve heard on this journey.
From the first notes I can tell this is going to be an interesting listen. I like the switches in style, genre and tone. Appreciate the vocals and the scale of the album too. This'll never be in heavy rotation for me, but the ambition of the album is great.
Listened to this the way it was meant to be listened to (as background noise while reading cyberpunk). I didn't enjoy it but it was certainly a vibe.
3.5/5
Enjoyed this, with some caveats. They know their way around percussive and electronic sounds, and there’s some variation if you take the album as a whole. But each song sort of stands on its own and can get quite repetitive, and overdone. So many tracks I think could benefit from looping off 30-45 seconds, but I guess the point is to lock you in to a certain atmosphere/sound. The vocals also come across a bit indulgent at times. So I think it’s good but overdone, pared back a bit it could be better.
Interesting album as it combines a typical genre and overlays some electronic effects. I am sure some will hate the comparison, but there are Radiohead vibes with this at times. They are not attempting to make something easy to absorb, and the electronic effects are by design to extend the depth and impact of the sound. "Machine Gun" for example is quite haunting with the quite literally machine gun / drill like sound. It's quite waring for this reason as often these effects they draw upon for effect can become repetitive. No major problem with this, but other examples out there that do this infinitely better. Positive discrimination on the basis of a niche artist in a small pond or something is my guess. Certainly different. Dont worry Porti head is no Radio head!
Good album. Crazy techno. Fav songs; Plastic, We Carry On, Hunter.
While it's not horrible, I'm not a big fan of this. The vocals seem like they're coming from someone who just had a severe shock to their system and is visibly shaking from the experience. It has a cohesive somber and depressing vibe, but some of the instrumentation is just irritating and distracting in certain songs. I can't think of a situation in which I would reach for this album on purpose.... EVER.
Hmmm....I thought I liked Portishead. But this album? It's just OK. 2.5 stars
Creepy Radiohead or a crappy NIN - I can’t tell which.
I mean, the rip is a classic and has been a part of the rotation for a long while now. But the rest of the album (sans a few songs) isn’t very good.
I like this. I like Phantogram and these guys clearly influenced them a lot.
A lot of prolific bands do this. They have a short, amazing discography, then show up randomly 10-15 years later with a new album, which is never as near as good as the first few. "Dummy" was a masterpiece. this album is not.
i love portishead but i don't listen to this album so often. listening to it again, i remember why: i find it much harder to get lost in the music with the omnipresent voice. it's fascinating in a way, but i don't actually enjoy it all that much. hard to rate really
Fine, forgettable. Mildly uninteresting.
Good album from Bristol ambient trancers
This album I listen to half yesterday and the second half today. I enjoyed it a lot more today than I did yesterday. Not sure what the difference was other than able to pay less attention and just background music it today? Either way. I ended up giving it a bonus Samara because today was so nice I listened to the second half twice on accident and didn’t care.
Pleasant.
"I've traveled so far but somehow feel the same." This lyric from "Threads" is how I felt listening to the third album from Portishead. I'd like to know more about the collaborative process of this band. And what 1998 felt like for them when they were one of the most globally popular bands. They must have been able to play any club in Europe, Australia, or the Americas.
I actually quite liked this one added to thr big playlist a few
cool instrumental type shit, love soundscapes but I only get so much enjoyment out of something with very little vocals I guess. moody bisexual vibe I will give this anther listen/ excited to hear their earlier album as consensus seems to be its better
boring
Decent enough, but not within a country mile of Dummy and I'm really not convinced we needed two Portishead albums here.
Me volvió completamente loco la voz de esa mujer, buen álbum.
Hard one to rate because I didn’t enjoy it at all, but I can also appreciate it, and see how unique it is.
It was an atmospheric and interesting listen for sure, but also anxiety-inducing in a way that meant I didn't get to the end of every song in the album.
Third favorite of the three … decent… really good even… but missing that track that never leaves your brain.
Hmm, this didn’t do it for me the way the previous Portishead album did. I’ve actually heard this before when walking through a dorm building on campus and found it interesting when I wasn’t listening—and rather grating when I was. Still, some interesting choices, but I gave it two listens and probably won’t choose to listen again.
Dark and mysterious. This album will scratch the itch when you're in that mood.
Too intense for me
Album de rock experimental com bons vocais. É bom...
It’s good. Portishead always feels like a dystopian movie soundtrack.
Not my favorite of theirs, but quite good.
Thought it wasn't my style but actually jammed along a bit. 6/10
Decent album but no dummy.
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.
Decent.
cool
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.
Third rate album, third rate score.
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.
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
Not listened to this one, own others, very industrial (almost distracting) industrial backdrop
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.
A good album, I liked Hunter and The Rip the most.
Not bad. maybe a few listens required.
Great album
Kinda cool album, very ambient, never really gets off the ground, but hovers so tantalizingly close.
sc87. got grating by the end
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.
who knew Portishead had other albums besides Dummy? I guess a lot of people. Inventive but too anxiety-inducing for me to love it.
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.
Bueno
Trip hop. Not as good as Dummy
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.
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
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.
3.5/5
Wake me up I can't wake up Save me
3.5
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
Like it
Thought I remembered liking this better.
Also pretty chill.
Ambient noises of unattended kitchen appliances? Makes me miss Dummy
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
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 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.
I think Dummy is the only one you NEED to hear, but this was fine.
Some nice songs.
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 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.
Speciaal - sommige liedjes vond ik heel leuk, anderen wat minder
didn’t do as much for me, as the other portishead stuff.
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
So-so. Probably won't listen again 3.1
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.
Interesting concept album with some good stuff on there! I have a soft spot for this music.
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
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.
*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.
#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
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
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.