Reviews (page 4 of 8)
Not for me
Portishead is a highly critically acclaimed group, despite their music not necessarily being the easiest to get into. The highs of this album are incredible, however I feel at points they indulge in the noise aspect a little too much for my liking.
tervanjuontia
Well crafted album. Would be a good introspective drive
better than I remembered... I think I will be putting this back into rotation!
this album feels so evil idk how else to describe it lol
This was fun but also a bit stressful.
Their first two albums were dark but also had some warmth and sensuality. This one is just bleak, experimental and hopeless. It’s also their best
It's for album like this one that I started this whole adventure. Mesmerizing.
I can hardly think of a better album in the genre. So cold, sombre and atmospheric... Listening to this in November is dangerous.
482/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑
OK
Ei oo ikinä tullu pahemmin Portisheadia kuunneltua ja tää levy kyl vaikutti tosi jees! kuuntelin jopa pariin kertaan läpi ja meinaa hypätä jopa nelosen puolelle! Hyvä tunnelma koko levyn läpi, mutta heitetään nyt keskiverto tylsä kolomone
Ihan vieras tuttavuus. Välillä oli vähän Magyar Possemaisia fiilistelyjä mikä on aina positiivinen asia. Välillä vähän paskaa täytettä, mutta siitä huolimatta jos laulun olisi korvannut vaikka kitaralla, niin helpot 4 tähteä, nyt joutuu määkimisestä rokottamaan yhden pongon
Oikein sopivaa musiikkia työnteon taustalle, mutta ehkä tässä riittäis kulmaa ihan tarkempaankin tarkasteluun.
Ohan tää nyt ihan kivaa ja tunnelmallista, mutta ei mahottomasti omaan makkuun. Erikoista myös, että tää kolmas levy valikoitunut mukaan. No, todnäk ne kaks aiempaakin pääsee viel kuuleen jos ei ragequit iske. Mennään hajutonväritönmauton-menolla kun ei nyt rajumpii sävärei irronnut tai mahottomasti ärsyttänytkään.
Ehkä Portisheadin voimakkain ja omalaatuisin albumi. Ei selkeitä koukkuja, mutta koko levyn yli kestävä tunnelma on vahvasti läsnä.
Vähän liian erikoismenoa itselleni. Jopa vähän jänniä soundeja. Ihan hienoa laulua, mutta siihen se sitten jää. Ihan jeppis kertakuuntelulla, mutta tuskin tulee tähän palattua enää koskaan.
Found this a bit boring, but also had to listen at the end of a very long day and with little sleep.. rating average 3/5 but will need to revisit
Not a fan of this one. Mostly just noise to me. 1.5/5
Très cool, bonne vibes, c'est pas ce que je préfère mais j'ai passé un bon moment
Liked this a lot less than their other two albums. Not as melodic, vocals overall not as pleasing.
8/10
This is a dark, tense album. You never feel at ease listening to it, though it’s quite beautiful.
Not as good as the debut but still a very good album.
Very odd but enjoyable
Neat sound. Going to digest this one at leisure.
Had a few moments of enjoyment, but was overall an unpleasant listen. Music can be a lot of things, but melody and harmony are the bare minimum and this doesn’t have much of them.
Interesting and good quality music
Mid compared to others
Appreciated more than enjoyed
Overall, pretty chill album, nothing too exciting, but also nothing too bad. I would say that it was alright having in the background while I was doing other stuff, but it's a bit too slow for more exciting activities.
Thought about giving this a 4, but really it’s a 5. Definitely picking this up on vinyl. It’s a masterpiece.
This album is like a soundtrack to a dark, confusing dream. A great application of electronic instruments to create a feeling of uneasiness.
I like this band, but this is awful.
I didn’t love this, but I didn’t hate it… Ultimately this album was not for me, as I would not listen again, would not recommend, and was ready for it to be over well before it actually was.
I wasn't familiar with Portishead but I found this album to be pretty strong. Halloween's this week, so it's good timing for something a little haunted, a little sinister.
I have not given this any attention previously and i regret that now. I love Dummy so when i put this on, i missed the more cinematic elements of previous albums. But listening through showed this was an album full of ideas and i need to sit with it for a ling time.
Really like Portishead, feeling 5 stars
Snore
I didn't get it. I loved Dummy but this was really hard to listen to.
Pour one out for the thousands of people that must have assumed their CD was scratched up after listening to the end of track one. This is definitely one of those albums that probably benefits from multiple relistens while in the right mood. Chugged through this one three times today and ended up appreciating what it was going for a drastically more on each relisten, but it only gets that privilege because their debut album Dummy proved that the juice is worth the squeeze. I really like the Bjork-style vocal delivery you get on tracks like Magic Doors that suits the experimental triphoppy strangeness they're aiming for. It's a good album and I like that they're having fun playing with audience expectations and deliberately subverting that familiarity, especially when it finds its groove in the latter half of the album. But it sometimes feels like it's doing too much. Like, I've always hated the abrupt end to Silence, otherwise my favourite track on the album. I do still reckon Portishead peaked at Dummy. But I wouldn't rate Portishead below 4. fav tracks: Silence, Plastic, Small, Threads
Sometimes I can get down with Portishead. I noticed their 1994 album (Dummy) is also on this list, and deservedly so. I'm not so sure THIS album deserves a spot, however.
This was weird but not in a jarring or disturbing way but in a unique way. Will never listen to this again but I’m happy I got to experience it once.
This isn't Glorybox! I can't f**k to this!
My first trip-hop, apparently! Love the songs that sound like the James Bond, Twin Peaks, and Stranger Things themes, the others, not so much. Curious about other bands in the genre.
Atmospheric, moody, and pretty bare overall. Portishead appears to have the somewhat unique ability to use heavy sounds in their music without the overall tone of the music being heavy. Interesting use of instruments and musical choices that remind the listener of R&B and surf rock at times. There is something unsettling yet comforting about this album, both instilling a sense of anguish and discomfort, yet reminding us that we are not alone in these feelings. The depth of space created by reverb and delay effects on the beat in "Magic Doors" was truly impressive, and the added piano hits to punctuate the sax line really make the track shine. It was fun to hear a sample of Link Wray's "Rumble" at the end of this album's 9th track, "Small". That track also has a really enjoyable 'drop' with a slow build up throughput the song. My track picks are "The Rip" for it's haunting melody and meaningful lyrics, "Plastic" simply because I liked the quintuplets, and "Machine Gun" for how the bit-crushed beat deepens and becomes more complex throughout the song.
Moody and strange with many interesting instruments and sounds included. This reminded me of the Maxinquaye album from a few weeks ago. It's innovative and unique and just has a cool vibe. I'm not in the right mood for this album today, but I still think it's a good one. 7/10.
I did not like this album. I really didn't find any part of this enjoyable. I didn't like the singing or the instrumentation
If someone were to come up to me and say "Hey James, you should really listen to this album before you die its soooo good." I'd prank them back by sending them 12 glitter bombs in the mail. I wish the full album had the vibe of 'The Rip', the synth melodies were super dope and layered on top of each other. The singers style worked well here and felt like it belonged. For most of the rest of the album I wished there were no vocals, she tanked it hard. At other times, the instrumentation wasnt doing anything pleasant either. Also, the one random ukulele song in the middle of the album?! Interesting choice, I would like to know the thought process around that one. 4/10
Some parts of this album were really good, but as an album, it just drags.
I enjoyed the industrial, impending doom elements. The trip hop is a cool and engaging sound. The vocals fell a little flat. Ultimately, while I like this, I don’t feel the need to listen to it.
I’m going to have to contradict myself. I love portishead. I think a lot of this album is musical genius. It just does not stand up to the catalogue as well for me. This one was much sleepier and harder to get through. Amazing ideas, great musicality, but just didn’t capitalize on everything that I know they can.
Not like the other two, but just as good if not better if you give it a chance. A bit more industrial than trip hop, but her voice carries the entire thing anyway.
This album is so freaking cool, I’ve never heard anything like this. The best comparison I can make is that it sounds a lot like if you were to mix the drugged out feeling of Jefferson Airplane with a more modern take on rock music similar to Radiohead. Totally unique and it’s the epitome of why I love this list.
A brave move away from their classic Trip Hop, but still excellent.
This one did not capture me like I was expecting it to. I like Machine Gun, but the rest was just a little too much like noise and not enough like my music for my tastes.
Awesome - brittle voice fighting the great sounding noise. Already classic.
Interesting, but it doesn't stand comparison to their earlier works.
there are atleast two better thirds
ok...
Interesting. I know nothing about Portishead, so this was a fun dip into their vibe.
Portishead should have taken at least another eleven years off. And please get a new vocalist, she’s subpar. Third is about 1/3 each; sad, off-key, and annoying. L = (0.11*s) Depressing music that gave me a headache. J = (1.3*s) Miz.
Some more slow, eerie songs from the head of the Portis. Not as strong as their debut, a little too soft. There was doo-wop on this album? I missed that track I guess. Top one that stood out was "The Rip" with the rest decent but didn't leave a lasting impression. I like this band but the records require a certain mood for play. 2.2 stars for their Third one.
I didn't quite connect with Third the way I did with Dummy. It has some cool segments and pretty wide range of tracks some of which I enjoyed. It's eerie and uncomfortable at times which I imagine they were going for but it was a little too all over the place for me to maintain any momentum. I get that Portishead likes to mix it up quite a bit, but Third almost seems to be experimental just for the sake of being experimental. They pushed the envelope a little too far. I put this is the same realm of auteur movie director who establishes their unique style, but after too many visits to the well they seem to be doing inane things just to show how out of the box they can be. This got too close to being up its own Portishead butt for me. 1.87 stars
It's no Dummy, but damn, this is just a really good album. It's probably like a 4.4, but we can't give partial stars, so rounding errors come for us all. Also just found out that a lot of the sound for this was inspired by Geoff Barrow doing production on The Invisible Invasion, which absolutely tracks.
Portsihead aren’t as whiny as Radiohead, but it’s a close run thing. I like Machine Gun, but can take or leave the rest.
It might be an unpopular opinion, but i prefer this to Dummy, hands down - heavy duty beats, mournful lyrics, everything you could want and more. Not too fussed about having a random ukulele track in the middle, but it's not enough for me to take a star off!
Cracking album. Not at all what I expected
Kæmpe comeback album hvor de skifter fra triphop til krautrock/industrial rock i stedet. Stort genreskifte. Det har en meget mørk tone some forventet. Suprise the weeknd har sampled belong to the world fra machine gun! som er en af mine yndlings the weeknd sange. Det kræver sgu lidt et specielt humør at spille, som jeg ikke lige var i i går. Det kræver nok et revisit tbh. Men har af den årsag lyst til at give det 2 men jeg giver det sgu 3.
Awesome
A far more industrial and grindy sound than I expected from previous music I've heard from them, and not as easy on the ears. Still enjoyable.
Again, I'd probably like this more if I listened to it more. But not that much more. Not really my vibe, man.
I love this album. It's definitely not as accessible as their first two, but I think that's because they're moving away from triphop a little bit, or atleast away from the sampling heavy stuff. I dunno. Anyway, I love Beth Gibbons vocals and the kind of noisy, almost-droning but also hard-driving music the rest of the band lays down in songs like We Carry On and Small. Very good stuff.
This was an interesting album to listen to since I’m not sure I even really like it but I definitely appreciate it. I really, really like the drums/beats used. All the instrumentation is creative and evocative. I actively dislike the vocals. I think her voice is perfectly fine but the vocal lines aren’t my thing and irritate me. I think they are going for haunting/creepy but I just find them overwrought and grating. I really like The Rip which I already knew and Magic Doors which I didn’t already know.
This has some commonalities with music I like a lot by Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails, but not enough to make me like it.
2/5 - This is a really challenging listen. It gives me the same feeling as going to view modern art — I have no idea what’s happening other than occasionally noticing something cool; I know some people are way into it, and I’d rather just be doing something else with my time.
Really enjoyed this one after a couple of listens and can see why some consider it a masterpiece. Didn’t quite get there for me but it’s one I’d like to return from time to time.
Solid vibe
I liked these guys when I was in college. This is a little more disjointed than then.
It was good background noise but I don’t know that I’d choose this album on my own
too much noise… makes me want a bumper sticker that reads: “i took too much acid at the Portishead show and now i think my car is a hamburger” or some shit like that. most boring album i’ve heard in a minute.
This album was fine. Not what I wanted to listen to today, though.
This album was SO. FUCKING. BORING! There was maybe… 2 songs that made me perk up and pay attention, but the rest had me falling asleep ON MY DOG WALK. BUT!, at least it wasn’t KISS’s 1998 suicide inducing studio album “Psycho Circus”. 😅
I didn't understand this one much. Odd mix of sounds and super dark. 3/10
Released after an 11-year hiatus, Third is a radical reinvention of Portishead’s sound. It abandons the trip-hop blueprint that defined their 1990s classics Dummy and Portishead, replacing it with a bleak, experimental vision that draws from krautrock, industrial, psychedelia, and early electronic music. The result is a record that is as unsettling as it is masterful. Lyrics & Themes Beth Gibbons’ lyrics are more fragmented and cryptic than ever, often evoking isolation, dread, and emotional exhaustion. Rather than storytelling, the lyrics function as emotional textures, reinforcing the album’s themes of alienation, trauma, and existential collapse. On “Silence”, Gibbons opens with: “Wounded and afraid / Inside my head / Falling through changes” — setting the tone for a record that feels like a psychological unraveling. “We Carry On” repeats the mantra-like line: “We carry on / Even when it’s wrong”, suggesting a kind of doomed perseverance. “Threads” ends the album with: “I’m always so unsure / I’m always so unsure”, leaving the listener in a state of unresolved anxiety. The lyrics are not confessional in a traditional sense, but they are deeply affecting, often impressionistic and morose, matching the sonic desolation around them. Music & Production Musically, Third is a complete departure from the smoky, sample-based trip-hop of their earlier work. The band banned themselves from using any instruments or techniques they had used before, leading to a raw, analog, and often abrasive sound. “Silence” opens with a propulsive, off-kilter drum loop and Morse-code-like guitar stabs, immediately signaling the shift. “Machine Gun” is built around a mechanical, industrial beat that sounds like a weapon being loaded and fired, with Gibbons’ voice floating above like a ghost. “The Rip” begins as a fragile folk ballad, then morphs into a shimmering arpeggiated synth sequence, evoking a psychedelic out-of-body experience. “Deep Water” is a ukulele doo-wop interlude that feels absurdly out of place, yet somehow essential to the album’s surreal tone. “We Carry On” is a krautrock-inspired monolith, with a relentless two-note riff and claustrophobic production. The production is lo-fi and hi-fi at once, using vintage analog synths (ARP 2600, EMS VCS3, Minimoog), tape saturation, and deliberate imperfections to create a cold, cinematic dread. The band avoided quantizing, left errors intact, and refused to sync delays to tempo, resulting in a haunting asymmetry. Influence & Legacy Third was not immediately accessible, but its influence has grown exponentially over time. It is now widely regarded as a landmark in experimental pop and electronic rock. Critics initially divided, but retrospective praise has been near-universal. It redefined what a comeback album could be — not a nostalgia trip, but a total artistic rebirth. Artists like Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails, FKA twigs, and Arca have cited Third as a key influence on their approach to texture, tension, and emotional abstraction. In 2013, NME ranked it #330 on its list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Pros & Cons Table Copy Pros Cons Fearlessly original — abandons past success for new sonic territory Not listener-friendly — abrasive, dissonant, and emotionally draining Production is a masterclass — analog, raw, and immersive Lacks melodic hooks — many tracks are rhythm-driven or atmospheric rather than catchy Lyrics are haunting and evocative — abstract but emotionally resonant Pacing is uneven — tracks like Deep Water or Magic Doors can feel jarringly out of place Influential and ahead of its time — now seen as a classic Initial reception was polarizing — some fans of Dummy found it too alienating Conclusion Third is not a comfortable listen, and it was never meant to be. It is a bleak, beautiful, and brutal record that rejects nostalgia and embraces decay. It doesn’t ask to be loved — it demands to be reckoned with. Over time, it has revealed itself as a masterpiece, not just of Portishead’s catalog, but of 21st-century experimental music.
This is really not my kind of music, is way too experimental for me.
- I feel bad for the people who happened to listen to this album before Dummy and probably had no clue what was going on. I really thought I hated this, but I gave it a second listen immediately after finishing it the first time and now I think I "get" it (or at least "get" something, whether intentional or not) -I think this album was chosen for this list because of what it isn't, or rather, what it doesn't rely on. it borrows almost nothing from conventional song structures or popular genres, yet still manages to have some degree of listenability. it takes a lot of effort to make something that feels completely new without borrowing from others ("there is nothing new under the sun,") which is exciting in its own way - this is another example of an album in which something we usually expect in music from well-known groups — having a pleasant and appealing sound — was likely not the primary focus or goal in its production. I strongly suspect all the ugly moments are intentional and meant to unsettled or confuse the listener on purpose - the "songiest" songs are probably "Hunter" and "The Rip" in terms of following some semblance of structure, but the rest of the album is more like putting the most basic elements of music (half a melody and some lyrics) overtop overtly non-musical sound effects of machine guns, blasters from old sci-fi movies, aggressive door knocking, and the beeping sound of a McDonald's fryer - it probably varies by the day or mood I'm in, but at 2:30 am before bed on a Thursday, I'm actually impressed instead of annoyed or bothered at just how foreign this is to my ears (esp in "Machine Gun," with this super industrial, dark, grainy beat going on underneath her super thin vocals) - I can't quite explain it, but I view this album like I would a Rothko painting: on the surface, it's just a big square of blue paint, but the act of calling it "art" makes you regard it differently - for example, the single sustained high strings note throughout "Threads" was a deliberate choice, and taking it out would give the song a completely different feel. why did they do that? what feeling were they trying to evoke by including it? there's a lot to think about, piece by piece - I knew I recognized that little ukulele tune — never in a thousand years would I think a Steve Martin comedy movie would be referenced in a Portishead album, but here we are - in spirit, this is similar to the White Stripes' White Blood Cells album to me: more than the sum of its parts because of the intentionality in its creation. I probably wouldn't listen to it again (and it's not exactly something you'd feel like putting on in the car as you drive to the grocery store), but I feel richer by getting to hear something as unique as this
Album 915 of 1089 Portishead - Third (2008) Rating : 1.5 / 5 It’s classified as electronica, but offers up more of a spooky vibe with its vocals and instrumentation. That said, it’s void of much melody, and for me it was another half-hearted listen in this genre. I’ll admit I’m getting a little tired of the steady diet of electronica, but it’s part of the project so I keep at it. I’ve heard worse in this style, I suppose, but this one still didn’t give me much to hold onto.
Interesting that this was tagged as electronica because this is 100% not what I think when I think electronica. I found this to be incredibly boring. The outro (final minutes, not even the final song) was the most musically interesting thing for me.
portishead my beloved
Portishead’s Third is like leftover seafood—edible at first, but the longer you stick with it, the sicker you get. By the end it’s less music, more food poisoning.
Boring record with annoying vocals.
Didn't really know this band before hearing them on this list. I've listened to all their albums now. Probably one of the best parts of doing this list.
It was meh. I liked it about as much as the last Portishead album.
Dark, sludgy. Felt like prog-industrial. The droning on "We Carry On" just about drove me spare. Really good album.
2025-10-07: What I felt as a lack of musical density and simplicity made me question whether I was misguided about giving this a high score, but damn if that wasn't just the kind of soothingly stimulating music that I needed. Having had a calming shower before and starting the listening session in front of a scrumptious dinner probably helped the the experience. I am looking forward to see if it can bring me other nice trances like today's.
Pretty mid
Portishead is another band that I've heard of in passing but have never actually gone out of my way to listen to (or knew much about, to be honest), so I was definitely curious to hear what they'd bring to the table on Third. At the same time, I'm often annoyed when the Generator gives me a mid/late-career album as my first exposure to an artist and that definitely rings true here. Then again, I've heard Beth Gibbons on Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers and Geoff Barrow on Meow the Jewels, so maybe that's all the context I need! /s I don't love Third, but I also don't hate it. The album sits in a bit of a weird spot where I can appreciate the experimentation of it, but also don't feel like all of the elements necessarily work together in complete harmony. I guess the main thing holding Third back for me is that Beth Gibbons' vocal/songwriting style just doesn't sound right over these kinds of instrumentals. That aside, I definitely found myself gravitating toward the more electronic-influenced cuts like "Hunter," "The Rip" and "We Carry On" (which weirdly reminded me of "Rollin' & Scratchin'" by Daft Punk). "Machine Gun" is an interesting cut too, but I feel like its best moments are in its final minute. All that said, I’ve seen Third described as a sonic departure from Portishead’s first two albums and I’m actually quite excited to see how Beth Gibbons sounds in more of a trip hop or acid jazz setting (especially the former), because I can somewhat picture it working. Crossing my fingers for the Generator to give me Dummy soon! Highlights: Hunter, The Rip, We Carry On, Machine Gun
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
This album is somehow both delicate and powerful. Not perfect but pretty brilliant.
i liked the airy dreamy vocals on this mixed with the more punchy synths, guitars, synthetic drums and whatever else they used to make this. even though not very highly rated i definitely see myself relistening to this and discovering more things i like abt this record. i see potential.
My enjoyment of each song on this album was inversely promotional to how moody and industrial it sounded.
det var någon låt som gjorde att betyget gick upp men i övrigt kass. konstig elektronisk mög
I’m a fan of Portishead. I’ve never listened to this album and I was pleasantly surprised when I finished it.
Strange but mostly alright. Best track was “the rip”. Had to skip through “machine gun” because it was actually painful to listen to, but otherwise different, unexpected, okay.
Very good
The soundtrack to an international espionage thriller.
I found this incredibly unappealing. Not for me at all. Favorites: None Would I listen to it again: No
been sleeping on portishead fr
I hadn't heard this album before. I liked it. The ambiance kind of draws you in. There's a menacing quality to it. It still feels relevant as a soundtrack for the news in 2025
Was a solid 3 stars but it started getting really annoying!
That was different at least. I disliked some of it, I liked some of it, and the rest is just there. Nothing stood out as particularly great or terrible. I think I just don't really care for this genre.
I’ve tried to get into Portishead many times but never really manage to. This was probably my least favorite album of those I’ve heard. This record can be summed up in a few words: ”Moaning to sad ambience”. That’s kind of how this record feels. Even though ’Machine Gun’ had an almost trancelike beat to it, the rest is quite boring. No interesting melodies or things happening in the songs. Just the singer’s moaning to some mellow music. The record could probably have scraped together more points if it was completely instrumental.
Dark and menacing is something I enjoy in my music and this has plenty of it. I don’t know, just the combinations of the vocals blending in to electronic beats just works so well. “The Rip” works best in this regard and is a track I really enjoyed. Back to dark and menacing electro which in my head canon call BDSM-electronica. There are plenty of good tracks like “Plastic” and “Machine Gun”. Was not expecting to like this as much as “Dummy” but I really did. Strong 4!
Though I'm not as crazy about this album as I used to be, it's still so GREAT. Portishead going from trip hop pioneers to making a truly odd last album that it's just hard to describe the vibe of, I guess still a noir like their past two but there is something more ghostly and weird about it that I can't quite describe but I wish more music was like it. Not an album I comeback to frequently but it really is fantastic imo
Hauntingly beautiful. The instrumentation is brilliant as always with Portishead and the eerie vocals, which can sometimes be too much for me, didn't prove to be so on this album.
Really grew on me the more I listened, it's ambient and hypnotic. Loved the layered feel to the music and vocals. Definitely needs another listen or 2 to appreciate.
I thought this was going to start out like the Virgin Suicides soundtrack, but then it took a different direction. It has slower paced songs with a beautiful voice but the production had a lot of clanky sounds. It made for some interesting faces when I was listening on my long drive thinking my car was falling apart. It may suit a certain introspective mood. Not for me and especially not while driving.
This album was so good...until the sharp noises started to annoy me. I understand why this album is on the list, but you need to be in a state of mind to be listening to this. Also, I want to know why they started with a guy explaining the theory of 3 in Portuguese... 3/5
I wasn't really feeling the album until We Carry On, it was super dope and kind of put me into the mood for the band's unconventional sound. They've got an electronic industrial sound paired with these delicate, melancholy, and aria-esque vocals that create a strange combination. So I don't think it works for every song, but it is a fully unique and cool vibe when it does.
What an amazing band. I guess a decade isn’t a crazy amount of time between albums but it still blows my mind that they didn’t drop off at all and seemed to take it in a different direction while still being undeniably Portishead. It has gotten better with each listen, maybe 1 or 2 on the back half I’m not crazy about. It didn’t dawn on me how much darker the mood is on this one until reading others reviews. Surprised this is my first of theirs I’ve gotten, no doubt the debut is on here which I do still prefer to this one. I wish their live album was on here, that has to be in my top 5 live albums. Rating: 4.4
Neat sound, but not the kinda thing I want to listen to everyday. Unapologetically putting basically the entire album on my “vibes” playlist, but only Silence, Plastic, and We Carry On will go anywhere near my main playlist. 6/10, 3 stars.
This was one of the more musically interesting albums I've gotten recently. It was more unique in style, composition, instrumentation, and arrangement than most of what I've been recommended on here. A lot of it just felt like noise, though. I found it to have some good parts, but otherwise it didn't really strike me as all that good. I wonder if I'd have a better grasp on this album if this list were more diverse. So many rock/pop albums come up on here, that it's a bit hard to separate them from something like this. The closest comparison I have from my recent listening in the Barry Adamson record a few weeks ago. I wouldn't call it a straight comparison, but it was a change-up similar to this one. I did like that album more than this, for what it's worth. I'm not sure what the main issue here was. It was interesting, but not in a way that required my attention. It was eclectic in a controlled manner, but not in a pleasant one. The vocals meshed well with the music, but not in a way that really made it better. It also felt like it ran long, even though it wasn't really all that lengthy. I felt relieved when it ended, which isn't a good sign. [Side note- I recently went to a show and the opener was a band called Dummy. Their sound kind of reminded me of this. Looking at the Wiki, Portishead's previous album was called Dummy. I'm guessing that wasn't a coincidence. Not sure which band I liked less, though I'm not inclined to listen to either again.] I'll give this credit for being different and changing things up in a refreshing way. I can't say a lot more that's positive about it, though. It had some good parts mixed in, but for me, the rest was only OK to bad. Overall: 2.3/5
me gustó bastante, nunca había escuchado Portishead asi que me sorprendió aunque por lo que vi es algo distinto a lo que suelen hacer me gustó
Portishead with a dash of Slint/Early Mohawk/Interpol. Brilliant
Love their sound
3.5 stars. Mixed feelings on this. Sometimes vibe-y electronica rock, sometimes drab and repetitive. Standout is the "The Rip" which builds into a cool track.
A massive change in sound from Portishead, from their chilled, melanchonic trip-hop in the 90s to this, a dark, weird, experimental masterpiece. Probably not one to listen to if you like your music upbeat, but this is absolutely dripping with atmosphere and a sense of dread. Diverse songs, from the folktronica of The Trip to the heavy industrial drumming of Machine Gun, to the distorted pulsing bass of We Carry On. Love everthing here, easy 5!
I loved the raw, sometimes brutal and noisy electronic sound combined with piercing, vulnerable vocals by Beth Gibbons. This record created a dark and anxious atmosphere. I wouldn’t play it everyday but it’s nice for when you want to be alone in your thoughts and just get deeper into darkness.
Portishead's 2008 comeback album, "Third", is a challenging, yet ultimately rewarding, listening experience. The album's opening tracks, "Silence," "Hunter," and "Nylon Smile," are slow burners. It's on the fourth track, "The Rip," that the album truly finds its footing. This song is a mesmerizing blend of Beth Gibbons' haunting vocals with a krautrock-inspired electronic pulse that builds to a captivating crescendo. Throughout the album, Portishead masterfully crafts a cinematic, film noir-like experience. The industrial, almost militaristic beat of "Machine Gun" provides a stark, regimental backdrop for Gibbons' ethereal voice, creating a powerful contrast that is both unnerving and brilliant. "Plastic" and "We Carry On" are equally dramatic, with the latter being a standout track for its relentlessly unsettling atmosphere, a true testament to the band's ability to evoke profound emotions. Beyond the electronic textures, Third reveals surprising influences. "Small," a personal highlight, showcases a surprising nod to early 1970s progressive rock, especially in its brilliant switch-up following the initial haunting vocal passage. The album closes with "Threads," a track that, to my ears, echoes the psychedelic rock of Jefferson Airplane, with Gibbons' vocals channelling the spirit of Grace Slick. Third is not an easy listen but I did enjoy it more than their debut! This album rated four stars for me, although I expect with more plays the rating will improve, especially for the first three tracks. My rating for Portishead's "Third" is four stars. Would I buy this album? Absolutely. Would I listen to this album again? Yes, and I likely will. 1 -"Silence" - 3/5 2 - "Hunter" - 3/5 3 - "Nylon Smile" - 3/5 4 - "The Rip" - 4/5 5 - "Plastic" - 4/5 6 - "We Carry On" - 5/5 (Unsettling and brilliant.) 7 - "Deep Water" - 5/5 (Beautiful.) 8 - "Machine Gun" - 5/5 (A regimental soundscape beneath Beth Gibbon's beautiful voice.) 9 - "Small" - 5/5 (A brilliant electronic switch-up and a personal favourite.) 10 - "Magic Doors" - 4/5 11 - "Threads" - 5/5 (Reminiscent of Jefferson Airplane and Grace Slick.) Total - 46 Average - 4.2 87/1001
I didn't enjoy this as much as Dummy, but that's not to say it's bad. Far from it, there's plenty of good stuff on here. The first 4 songs(Silence, Hunter, Nylon Smile, The Rip) were cool, as was machine gun and small.
I used to listen to Dummy because of Glory Box. It was a specific moment in my life, right when I started my gender transition. The depressing vibe of Portishead connected deeply with what I was going through then. From there, I didn’t listen to much else. The first words on Third are surprisingly in Portuguese. It’s fucking depressing, but that’s Portishead. Their music is wonderfully depressing: deep, haunting, and absolutely awesome.
Definitely more experimental than their album "dummy" which is an essential trip hop album. I may like how more adventurous this one is in comparison but will need more time to sit with. Regardless, very well produced and cool electronic record.
It was okey
Rad
First song made me think I wouldn't like it but it grew on me
A huge step away from their first album which is an excellent trip hop album. This is different but still good. They've somehow kept some of their sound even though it's a different genre.
Meh. I had heard of this band before, but had never listened to them. This is about what I was expecting. Very meh.
Dark and atmospheric, and at times downright creepy, I can see how this album became influential in within more experimental circles. Unfortunately it didn't resonate with me as much as I thought it might, though it might be worth a revisit at some point.
A later Portishead. I found myself switching between liking it, and then thinking it's too dissonant for my tastes. Plus the songs all seemed to meld together. Overall- not bad. 2.5/5
Enjoyed it but felt a bit dated. Not as timeless as their bigger hit.numb right?
I guess too experimental for me. Just irritating. Couldn't fast forward fast enough.
I remember enjoying the album "Dummy." It was... for a better word, slinky. This I did not enjoy. I felt like the singer was trying too hard to be Kate Bush, and have even weirder stuff behind her. There have been times when I wonder why the author selected the albums that he did for this list. One Portishead album was great. You put two in there, and I am just left scratching my head. NEXT.
This might be the only trip hop group whose album I gave 4 stars. But not this album - their one from a decade previous. I don't get this inclusion - I don't think they came back better than ever or with something completely new and worthy. This album isn't as good as Dummy. While I didn't really love it, I've been mostly indifferent to other trip hop albums and given them a 3. So, by virtue of these guys being a big deal in that genre, I won't go lower than 3. I also don't want to listen to their album again to decide if that's truly mercy or if they deserve lower.
Emo and often weird. Not a bad weird and there are some good moments, but generally too much of the same tone throughout. By the end when she was singing "I'm worn out, thinking of why" I was kind of agreeing. Favorite tracks: Silence (although the end was a little abrupt), The Rip (very cool middle break), Machine Gun.
Read a bit about this album and find it interesting how the tried to renew themselves here, switching instruments even. This entire album contains many very interesting bits and pieces. Beth's voice is as beautiful as ever. Quite a few interesting song ideas on here. Deep water feels like the track from the her soundtrack that the AI writes on the beach. Silence is such a tease with its abrupt ending. The rip is another nice buildup song. However, this entire album feels like it is made out of fragments that do not fit completely. While I admire this experimental vibe, it does make this a little hard to listen to.
So this is only the second Portishead album I’ve listened to, and while it’s not as perfect and flawless as Dummy is/was, this album still delivered their insane technical skills and songwriting as well as the insane vocal performance by the lead singer. This album wa so close to being as good as the original that I ended up just listening to their whole discography. The greatest positive to come out of this “1001 album” list is that Portishead is now apart of my life, making it statistically better. So yah I’d say I enjoyed this album.
Was slow, couldn't really enjoy it much Nylon smile has relatable lyrics, and the rip sounded great. Magic doors crazy good beat. Best song of the album for me Last song describes me. 2 stars to 3 just because of last 2 songs
Shit
“We Carry On” was the only highlight for me and to be followed by “Deep Water” was such a disappointment.
Not a patch on Dummy. We Carry On is sublime, but the rest is pretty bland.
Really moody and interesting - Portishead dowsn't always come together for me, and really has to be when the moody is right. But definitely a solid album that I'll revisit.
A very strange and inventive electronic album. Not really my thing, but massaged my brain pretty good.
Unique, industrial, apocalyptic Krautrock, which expertly applies electronic instruments to create a feeling of uneasiness.
-i adore this album. soo fascinating. something about the contrast of the super intense electronic rock paired with Beth Gibbons’ pleasant yet very scared-sounding vocals? it makes me feel emotions that don’t exist, and there is this underlying sense of anxiety and hopelessness that gives it a very emotional feel -honestly Portishead’s best work imho. unforgettable and impossible to replicate -Favorites are Silence, Hunter, The Rip, We Carry On, and Machine Gun
Weird soft whiny songs
Ethereal
I liked this quite a bit. Very cohesive sound throughout the album. Atmospheric, contemplative, and sophisticated. Probably won't add anything to a playlist, but it is great working music that seems to have a good amount of depth were one wanting to dive into it.
dark and atmospheric. it’s strange… depending on the song, i can’t tell if she has an interesting, emotive voice or if she can’t really sing that well at all on this album. hard to explain, but a good album, nonetheless.
Love the first Portishead album. This one is ok.
3- Stars (7/15)
Not my usual style but it was a vibe.
first two songs kinda come off as an almost haunting film score, tbh. never listened to portishead before this but this doesn't really come off very trip-hoppy, which idk what i was really expecting. kinda comes off incohesive at points, especially with something like deep water, and small being basically a full psych rock jam. top songs: the rip, we carry on, machine gun, small
its pretty good, dont like it as much after a few listens as dummy but its still p good
This shit gives me anxiety xd Just too much experimental stuff going on and wasn't a fan of it. more of a fan of their other work. Favorite song from album was Machine Gun.
I like Portishead and, but a whole album is a bit much for me.
Never taken the time to get into Portishead. I knew this and their debut were beloved, but I expected this to be closer to trip hop than it was. I’ll admit I’m not a huge fan of the first half of this album, but from We Carry On onward I was hooked. This created a very good sense of unease.
It accomplished its goal, which was to make me feel empty inside. Experimental but not cohesive.
Never heard this one, I like it
Does a reasonable job of generating a mood of doom 'n' gloom out of simple repeating patterns but nothing really rises to the level of a memorable hook. Vocal melodies seem practically interchangeable from song to song.
I'm a huge Portishead fan, but having said that, this album lacks the clear hits of their first two. That's not to say that it's not a great album, it is, but I think there is a bit of a lack of balance between the avant-garde and the more direct in this album.
Mijn favoriet: Master of Puppets Niet helemaal mijn muziek. Orion was ook gewoon allen maar instrumenteel.
I was already a big Portishead fan after Dummy, since I consider this album to be the pinnacle of trip-hop. When they reformed in 2008, I feared the worst – band reunions are often a disaster, especially after a 10 years hiatus. But I was wrong – instead, they gave us both their swansong and their most original album. Portishead have shed the gimmicks and comfy vibes of trip-hop to venture into new, more disturbing territories – somewhere between depressive synth-pop, industrial music and minimalist electronica. It’s a bleak and tortured emotional landscape, criss-crossed by fleeting moments of hope like faint rays of sun filtering through dark clouds. Beth Gibbons’ voice is more mesmerizing than ever, and balances perfectly the oppressive and quasi-industrial beats that pulse through most of the songs. It’s cold and uncompromising, making for a demanding album. It’s not something you can listen as background music - complete attention is required to appreciate the constantly evolving structures and textures of this hallucinatory trip, and it’s clearly conceived to be listened as a complete album, not just a collection of songs. A masterpiece in my opinion – even if I completely understand how some people could find it asphyxiating. Everytime I put on this album, I end up listening it two or three times in a row.
Radiohead x Mitski slow but anxious record
Kind of funky, experimental jazz. Would fit in well in an A23 film with a lot of cinematic shots and people looking sad. Gave the affect of brown noise, left my brain feeling very relaxed. Unfortunately, not really for me Best track: The Rip
definitiv kein easy listening - aber irgendwie doch gut für hintergrund.
Überraschendes Album mit Trouvaillen welche gefallen
It’s ok. Not the best or worst. I’d relisten. Trying too hard to sound cool in some songs.
Painful. Overall, a depressing tone and mood. This album proves to me that most of the 3-rated albums here come from a combination of 1’s and 5’s. I am soundly in the 1 group here and it feels like the folks giving it a 5 might need therapy. However, to each his own as they say. I’ll never listen to this again!
Though it's not as impressive as Dummy and Portishead, Third is beautiful in it's own way. It masters the art of subtlety across the track list. The sequencing is also top notch. Knocking it down a tad because several of the songs are closer to a 3 or 4, but a great listen nonetheless. 4.3/5 - > 4/5 Also, if you're a fan of Portishead's work and are reading this, do yourself a favor and listen to their Roseland NYC Live album. It's filled with swelling strings, deep bass, and of course Beth's haunting voice over trip-hop record scratches. It's something to behold.
Budget daft punk
Liked a song, hated another, the rest was background noise
Not a fan.
ooh i like portishead i haven't heard this yet idk how they got darker than dummy. dummy is like the most nocturnal shit ever, this is just sounds downright evil. i like it lot. great atmosphere. I do enjoy dummy a bit more though
I like that this one is on the list. It is certainly something distinct to listen to. I remember when 'Machine Gun' was going around on the music blogs so I was sort of familiar with that song from 2008. I don't know how often I will revisit these tracks
Somehow have never listened to this one and honestly it may become my new favorite of theirs. All of their stuff has a vintage feel, but this one felt especially classic and vibey.
Loved how moody and dark this was. 4/5
Can’t believe I missed this one. Loved Dummy and Portishead when they came out in the 90s. I think this might be better. Very different musical styles and every song is quite different but all held together by that voice. The ‘Krautrock’ songs were particularly good!
it's good. it's not "Portishead in the 90s" good, but it's good.
surprisingly mellow, not the crazy drum beat album that I was expecting from a electronica band
Very good.
I am familiar with Portishead, and listened to Third before, along with other trip-hop. I like it for the right mood, and this album was a model for the genre.
Not their best. Dragged a bit.
I dig what they were going for here, but I really think they peaked with Dummy
What a bizarre album. It starts pretty solid. Then we get a number of very weak songs - I really can't stand Beth Orton's voice - and then we once again have a very strong song. But it's a total Kraftwerk rip-off. And I really mean totally. It becomes even worse, because we get one more Kraftwerk rip-off and two utter Can-rip-offs. These are the strong songs of the album, the other songs are unbearable. Except for the opener 'Silence' which seems to be original and is okay. But this deserves penalty points.
Weird people music… there’s a place for it, but not on my box.
Meh. Sounds like what I’d listen to if I was a witch.
I really love the sound of Portishead and all their albums are bangers. This one, however, does feel a bit disjointed for me at times and therefore it is the lesser of the two inclusions on this list. Still great tho.
I actually like a couple Portishead songs from the 90’s when they were actually relevant. This was not a fun album to listen to. I didn’t like it.
Niet kunnen luisteren, moet ik later nog doen
Portishead’s discography is perfect. This album is no exception, no bad song at all. This is especially impressive as it came over 10 years after their last album. This feels like a departure from their previous trip hop work but it’s refreshing. 1. THE RIP 2. MACHINE GUN 3. WE CARRY ON 4. SILENCE 5. THREADS 6. MAGIC DOORS 7. HUNTER 8. SMALL 9. PLASTIC 10. NYLON SMILE 11. DEEP WATER
Good but like not great
idk i thought this was pretty bland compared to other portishead i’ve listened to but maybe *dummy* is just really so good that everything else pales in comparison…i knew and listened to a couple of these songs as a teenager and those were still the ones that stood out to me listening to the whole record now. fav tracks: the rip; machine gun; small
i have no thoughts. it was really interesting and i enjoyed it a lot
It was fine
Exceptionally depressing!
⭐️⭐️.5/5. Not my cup of tea, but at least this is experimental music I can LISTEN to. It’s still challenging and uncomfortable, but there is a rhythm to it, unlike some others on this list.
At times uncomfortable to listen to, but never unenjoyable. Standouts for me were Silence, We Carry On and Machine Gun.
This is a welcome departure (for me) from the previous Portishead albums. It still has their essence, but, is a more modern and (to me) interesting sound.
The record felt like an exploration I don’t think I’d go on again. It feels like a journey through bad sounds, but pretty cool lyrics.
Like the other Portishead album, I liked this more than I thought. 2.9
Portishead are so goated mane
New Portishead is not old Portishead.
Нет блять второй 9/10
Boring. I just don’t get the appeal of Portishead. They seem to have many fans! But I find them mopey and slow and I can’t distinguish any of their songs except the mopey and slow “nobody loves me” song. They have no hooks. It’s just dull sombersound all the way. Pass.
Haunting, unique, groovy. I had never listened properly listened to Portishead beyond their hits (Roads etc.) and this showed me how much I was missing out.
Preferred it to Dummy. Still a little too laid back but unlike some other albums I kind of appreciated how mad it swung around rut genres, even if I was nervous to see it listed as containing doo-wap...
I think I will have to come back to this but Portishead is not heat wave music. Going straight middle of the road in the full knowledge it's not honest
I like this, I like the sounds. I feel like I preferred the songs on their earlier albums, but it has some cool soundscapes. I did however find it easy to be distracted away from it and meant that it has taken me a few goes to think I've heard enough of it to write a review. Not totally sure why.
Boring as fuck. Who can listen to this slow crap?
Today I learned Trip Hop is a genre. Not my thing.
De eerste fase van deze plaat herinnerde mij eraan wat voor left-turn Portishead eigenlijk maakte met dit album, in dat het veel industriëler, grimmiger, en avant garde, en dus polariserender te werk gaat. Ik kwam er ook eerlijk gezegd erg moeilijk in, maar na de briljante mood-setter (en vreemde eend in de bijt) 'The Rip' ging dat gemakkelijker. Toen kwamen dus ook een hoop nummers langs die ik al kende, en waarvan ik dat idee had gekregen dat dit derde album zo experimenteel was vergeleken met voorgaand werk van de groep. En die slaan wel echt aan: 'We Carry On', 'Machine Gun' en 'Threads' floreren in hun chaos en wanhoop. De kriebels lopen over de rug door die spookachtige, dystopische scheeptoeters als ultieme einde, maar zorgen ook dat dit eigenzinnige album op de enige juiste manier wordt afgesloten. Het is lastig om je in vast te bijten, maar zonder meer fascinerender dan ander werk van ze. En Beth Gibbons klinkt bezeten. 8/10 Highlights: The Rip We Carry On Magic Doors Threads
Toch gewoon wel een banger van een plaat. Dromeriger dan die stem wordt het niet. En dan knalt die best er toch af en toe wel dik op. Niet heel toegankelijk, wel heel tof 7,5/10
Fucking amazing plug it directly into your soul
I'm not super familiar with this Portishead record. It started out strong for me, then kind of fell a little flat with the Rip and Plastic, and then the album picked back up again. I liked it overall, it's an interesting evolution of their previous sound, and I'll definitely be coming back to it to get more familiar. 3.9/5
All Portishead is good. This is just least good Portishead. 3.33/5
Enjoyable, interesting album. Last song very good.
It's an album. But not one that I wish I had listened to. I actively dislike this.
I thought I liked portishead so was looking forward to this album, especially because this challenge seems to be on a roll of sending me albums that have been painful to get through. This album was no exception. Turns out I may only like their first album! Fuck that noise - literally!
I adore Portishead, but this is not their best. I would swap this album for Roseland NYC Live which is an incredible album and has some of my all time fave recordings of Portishead songs. Some of the choices for this list really surprise me when looking at a full catalogue of an artists work, I'm not convinced Robert Dimery even listens to them all. I'd love to know his rating system (or lack thereof!)
Radiohead?
While not as strong to me as their earlier work it still has the haunting impending doom like march that i find intriguing. In addition to the vocals I quite enjoy the varied and downtempo beats too especially on “we carry on”.
3.9 3x catch up 12/5-12/6 great stuff
It’s no Dummy, but it’s good
I can't say that this album moved me very much, except to add an extra sense of foreboding to my digestion of last night's news about the Israel/Iran conflict. It's certainly not something I would seek out again, as much as I like electronic music.
Great album, very chill with haunting vibes. Very Portishead. They just seem very comfortable with themselves and it feel inviting and safe.
Way, WAY better than any other electronic album I've heard on this list. I know Portishead, but was unaware of this album. I really love this album.
Not very good
This album has such a surreal sound to it, I like it. The backing tracks for all the songs are so lovely and unique; on the other hand, the vocals are quite difficult to get into. Perhaps a re-listen to it or listening through their other albums will help.
just flat out weird. I read the album description and was a little surpised to see their influences, pretty creative, especially the film sounstracks for John Carpenter films, I can kinda see that vibe in a couple of the songs, but the doo wop influence? where? Deep Water probably sat with me best just due to it being more of a traditional song. Everything else feels super experimental and tries for vibes more than anytbing else, the singers voice wears pretty thin.
A fun downtempo album with only minimal annoying sounds and that one acoustic song that slaps
Hauskan kuuloinen naisvokalisti sekä konesoundit. Ihan jees kamaa.
This is such a boring album. Holy moly.
Belo álbum rock alternativo com elementos experimentais. Roseselsa Quietsea II.
This feels like an evolution of trip-hop that Dummy created, the (at the time, I guess) modern tech really fits with the vocals. That said, I still like Beth Gibbons' solo work more than this.
I'm really glad I listened to it, it felt like I was actually hearing the source of inspiration of several artists I already like, such as Radiohead and Mitski. I especially liked The Rip and Machine Gun, which also seem to stick out in terms of number of streams. However, a bit overwhelming of a listen through, I can imagine listening to this while walking in a rainy forest but not everyday.
87/100. A dark, immersive experience that showcases some fantastic experimentation. The album pushes beyond their earlier trip-hop roots into more avant-garde territory, creating a trippy and unsettling atmosphere
The third best Portishead studio album. Sorry. A bit to aggressive for me.
I thoroughly enjoyed this album 5/5
Kind of interesting 2.5-3
This was excruciating to listen to
It was nothing special.
Wonderful.
Hated it when it first came out. Still think it doesn’t have the magic of the first two. But I’ve come around to its odd abrasiveness.
Really enjoyed this album.
3.6 I've given this one numerous listens over a couple week now to make sure, and it's traversed quite a path in that time. Initially it got off to a bad start, I was expecting triphop a la Dummy so it was a bit jarring at first. Then it got revised massively upward after expectations were adjusted, enjoying the more detailed and exploratory tone of the album. On final reflection it's good, but not great. Supported by a few great songs, but I think the album spends too long gearing up for them. The Rip is amazing, but I feel like it's helped by the drab two songs prior that lead up to it. Machine Gun sounds great at first but on the 6th listen becomes extremely grating (probably by design, it reminds me of a less abrasive "Ventolin" by aphex twin). As with Dummy, good, but not great,
Every song on here is just full of emotion and feels like such a dark yet bittersweet send off for this group. Absolutely breathtaking. "Silence", "The Rip" and "Machine Gun" are great songs off an album that has no bad songs. 10/10 Favourite: Machine Gun Least Favourite: None
I was a bit surprised how well this album held up against earlier Portishead albums
Nei
Faan så slitsomt
Very cool album, with very cool sounds, and which is exceedingly dour. Imagine a bleaker Radiohead. Kinda difficult huh? As is this album to get through. HOWEVER the compositions and enveloping vibe more than make up for the anxious, downcast mood. Must-listen #148.
anxiety inducing. beautiful melodies followed by pulse inducing elevated beats. not bad for a workout. not a huge fan of her voice.
Portishead is one of the first bands that my now-wife introduced me to when we first started dating. I love the airy weirdness of them and their mixture of traditional instruments with well-integrated electronic music.
This is one of my all-time favorite albums. I listened to it for a year when it came out. It's Portishead's best album even though Dummy was a huge, landmark album. It is always an interesting read about how they put their songs together. The band is a bunch of mad scientists. I love the ending of the album/Threads. It sounds like you're on a foggy shore looking out waiting for Cthulhu arrive any second. Good stuff.
Quirky and different. Rythmic and dense. Noisey at times but I like it. Might need more time with this one.
It's really good, but not as good as Portishead's other two studio albums. The live album, "Roseland NYC Live", is their very best and is the only one needed for this list.
I like moments of Portishead, but I can't get into them. I've tried.
I liked Portishead in college...but this was meh
A meaningless jumble.
Second album de Portishead proposé par le générateur après 'Dummy' que je n'avais pas beaucoup apprécié, à part la voix (noté 2/5). Celui-ci est bien plus intéressant, et varié. Les ambiances sont bien plus sombres, et les morceaux beaucoup moins répétitifs que dans le précédent album. La structure des morceaux n'est pas conventionnelle, ce qui les rends bien plus attractifs (sauf Deep water,très court et peu intéressant). J'ai particulièrement apprécié l'ambiance dans : - Silence - We Carry On - Threads Il rejoindra probablement ma collection. =>4/5
I have never heard of Portishead and upon listening I was not overly impressed. The music is okay but I’m not a huge electronic music fan. There are some bright spots but overall the album seems very dreary. I found a few songs I would listen to again but overall I don’t think I would listen to the full album ever again. Favorites are “Magic Doors” and “We Carry On”
Love Portishead. Haven't listened to this one as much as their first 2 albums. I'd say this one is worthy follow up to those.
According to Wikipedia the influences for this album are krautrock, surf rock, doo wop, and film soundtracks of John Carpenter. I heard none of this. As my first Portishead album, I was not impressed, in fact I was quite bored. Nothing really new here.
Enjoyed the sounds! Vocals were a little weak imo. Fun stuff.
4/5. There is a sense of experimentation here in the tracks while still feeling like they are experts at the craft. A lot louder and chaotic than their debut, these tracks are sometimes ending abruptly like an unfinished idea but with the jarring change, it keeps you engaged throughout wondering if you accidentally skipped the song. I think like the debut, this album will grow on me the more I listen to it so for now, it's not perfect. Overall, I love the aesthetic, dark and moody yet still has an air of curiosity about it, like they are also experiencing these new sounds as they are making them. Like a long hallway with different doors, each one just as mysterious as the last. Best Song: The Rip, Machine Gun, Threads
Terrible, grating to my ears. Got 75% of the way through and I just can’t. Get this might be an unpopular opinion considering the play counts. Not for me.
Any excuse to revisit a Portishead album and I’ll take it. I remember being pretty excited when this album came out since I had been waiting for 10 years for a new Portishead album and I was not let down. If you haven’t watched or listened to the live Roseland ballroom performance, check out the closer “Strangers”. Also singer Beth Gibbons’ newest album “Lives Outgrown”made my top albums of the year for 2024 and is definitely worth your time. Anyway this album gets an easy 5 for me as does their other two studio albums.
I like Dummy, but I have never listened to anything from Portishead after that one. This is sounding great so far (a couple of songs in). Mellow trip hop with intermittent electronic intersections. I really enjoy this album. It's great to have on while I work. With the exception of Deep Water, every song was wonderful. This gets a 4.
I'm largely unfamiliar with this and except for their singles like Sour Times. This was a little different from that, and this album came out much later than I thought it would have, because I associate them with the 90s. I liked it. It reminded me a little bit of Björk, kinda. It makes me think I need to check out their other stuff. 3.75
Maybe I’m just burned out on Dummy and the self-titled album, but I’d take this album over those any day of the week. It has a cold, haunting, almost post apocalyptic sound that really hits me. The album leans heavily into a dark atmosphere, with mechanical, lifeless sounding beats that add to the bleakness. Beth Gibbons’s vocals are absolutely incredible, and I love how well balanced they are with the music. It’s never overpowering, just perfectly woven into the mood.
Nowhere close to as good as Dummy, but still some cool parts
I have no explanation as to why I've never listened to this before, seeing as 'Dummy' is one of my favourite albums. I can't even say I wasn't aware of it, as I remember liking the flyer single 'Machine Gun' when it came out. All I can say is I was REALLY busy at the time. This is several shades darker than Dummy, more gothic. It's like the difference between Mezzanine and Blue Lines. And it's brilliant.
I have always liked the instrumentals of Portishead but the half crying shaky voice singing of the lead has just ruined their music for me. Her voice comes close to nails on chalkboard and borders of infuriating to listen to. 4/10
Christ almighty. I actually know a person that likes and makes this type of garbage music. Maybe liking this is a reflection of extremely dulled senses from too much cocaine use, permitting only the most vile atrocities of the ear to strike the person's interest. Fuck me. 2/5, but only because it's not flat-earth level stupid. Fucking WHY?! jesus christ
No. Her voice grates my nerves. Portishead always drives me from a room. No.
I'd give this an additional half star if I could. I like it, it's great focus music, it's just not engaging enough.
Pretty chill
Bleh meh. Just a plodding whiny waste of time.
liked
Dad- 6 Mom- 8 Mike- 8 Lori- 8 Michael- 9.5 Miles- 8 Cole- 8.5 Avg- 8
this is what the cool girls listen to
< the Beatles Part of the Wikipedia about this album is that Geoff Barrow became uninterested in music... And I think that describes this album.
Yawn. Looking back over my history, I see that I didn't mind Dummy, but this one was like watching the grass grow.
wouldn’t go back to this unless i were a dj to remix something or someone in charge of choosing soundtracks for dark scenes in a movie
I can’t decide if this excellent background music or if it’s terrible since I keep getting distracted trying to listen to the lyrics. The abrupt ending to song one also threw me for a loop. Digging this record though.
A leap to obscure instrumentation and the abandonment of simpler, catchier song structures bring out what’s consistent about Portishead: the spooky, indecisive and menacing mood, its embodiment in Beth Gibbons’ pre-war ghost voice, the Spaghetti Western and jazz embroidery, and sonic choices that are deliberately anachronistic, dated in a forcefully unsettling manner. Theremin sounds too, I suppose. The three year old is taken by “We Carry On”, repeating the mantra-like vocals without understanding. As I treasure many of the sounds and genres being détourned here, this is leng.
Less a collection of songs than a cluster of interesting noises, some of which I enjoyed more than others. Sounds more like BEAK> than earlier Portishead.
Probably the best Portishead album. Underrated.
sehr deprimierend. Dummy gefällt mir besser. Aber sehr gut