Reviews (page 4 of 8)
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
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
This stressed me out
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.
It is a jarring album that I can't decide whether to hate or like. On one hand, it sounds like a bunch of horror movie props banging together, but on the other hand it's pretty well done and gives an eerie feeling.
I like the intro to the first song it says I. Portuguese you get what you deserve. Very cool experimental album but not my cuppa tea
Great band and great album but not there best in my opionion and preferred their more earlier stuff
Perhaps not quite as cool or sophisticated as it likes to think it is, this has nevertheless aged rather well and still sounds pretty fresh in 2026. Atmospheric and dense, it's hardly music to party to, but I'm sure it has its place.
Sparse. Some moments of magic.
Kind of a frustrating listen. Id heard Dummy before and liked it, and I like the atmosphere that a lot of the songs here build. But alot of them just feel pretty aimless and uninteresting, and they go nowhere. Its fine but a real head scratcher as to why its taking up a spot on the list when Portishead already have another one on here, doesnt feel essential at all, and the fact that it ranked in NMEs top 500 of all time frankly baffles me
Meh
Why not Dummy or live at Roseland? So strange. 3 *
Overall okay album that misses the mark for me. It tries to be deep obscure and funerable but comes across as phony to me. It isnt a bad album however and does have okay songs. In my opinion could have embrased a more vibriant progression throughtout the album.
Really interesting trippy dark ambient music. Some parts were really cool, but others would drag and be too experimental for my tastes. Still I appreciate daring artistic choices. 6.5
Random thoughts: * I just recently in the last 5 years or so really got into Portishead. I totally missed this back in the 90s. Such a a shame. * However, this third album from them is no Dummy. * I'm glad to have more Portishead but it is not up to the caliber that Dummy is. * I actually just put on Dummy because I felt a little let down by Third.
a bit dark & brooding for my taste. and a wee bit too experimental & boring
Dark, creepy, haunting, ethereal
Terrific production throughout. I like the part of Plastic that sounds like Wu Tang Clan. Terrific vocals from Beth Gibbons as usual.
I get the pitch here, but this just doesn't nail it for me. Needs a stronger vocal to achieve the arty ethereal vibe I think it's trying for.
Nowhere near as good as the other portishead record we had
1 stern
Cool and pretty unique sound
The juxtaposition of the sensitive singing with the heavy and sometimes industrial sounds sets this album apart. It’s perfect drama soundtrack fodder. Most of these songs would be right at home in a show intro/montage.
I don’t know why, but this album just doesn’t connect with me. Maybe I just don’t get it, but it doesn’t feel very interesting to me. There are some great moments though. I especially like Beth Gibbons’s singing. 3/5
3.2
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.
Well crafted album. Would be a good introspective drive
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.
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
Très cool, bonne vibes, c'est pas ce que je préfère mais j'ai passé un bon moment
Very odd but enjoyable
Appreciated more than enjoyed
This album is like a soundtrack to a dark, confusing dream. A great application of electronic instruments to create a feeling of uneasiness.
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.
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.
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.
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.
there are atleast two better thirds
ok...
Interesting. I know nothing about Portishead, so this was a fun dip into their vibe.
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 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
This album was fine. Not what I wanted to listen to today, though.
It was meh. I liked it about as much as the last Portishead album.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
It was okey
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?
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.
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
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.
Weird soft whiny songs
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.
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.
definitiv kein easy listening - aber irgendwie doch gut für hintergrund.
It’s ok. Not the best or worst. I’d relisten. Trying too hard to sound cool in some songs.
Budget daft punk
Liked a song, hated another, the rest was background noise
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
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
I dig what they were going for here, but I really think they peaked with Dummy
Niet kunnen luisteren, moet ik later nog doen
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
It was fine
Like the other Portishead album, I liked this more than I thought. 2.9
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