Reviews (page 6 of 8)
There’s a time and a place for this, and it’s a cool concept. But a whole album of this is a real bummer.
Gave this a few listens - it's not a simple album. Quite different to their earlier work - clear they wanted to move away from the triphop thang and start fresh. It doesn't hit home the same way Dummy did. It's still unique but not as strong. 3 stars, could perhaps revise to 4 with a few more spins.
Hard to describe this music. Electronic? Experimental? Soundtrack to an emotional sprial? Not bad overall, enjoyed some of the beats. Other elements not as much. 3.3
Je sais que vous êtes capables de mieux
This doesn't have the same atmosphere or power of their earlier material. I like the more band-like approach in theory, but this just doesn't feel cohesive. Sounds like a sort of mid life crisis reinvention. I like it in general, but after listening, I wouldn't voluntarily choose to listen again anytime soon. 3 for 3.
Respect to Portishead for this radical change in direction, when they could have rested on their laurels. However repeated listens has not won me over and this is partly because of the relentless downbeat vibe of most tracks. The Rip is undoubtedly the highlight here, but there is little else that stands out for me.
Love Portishead but just not this album.
Interestingly different than Dummy. Sounds more depressing and more... aggressive. Deep Water is a new fave of mine though. + Hunter + Deep Water
Many interesting elements, sounds like a combination of things I like: Lidl Björk, gloomy atmosphere, random noises. Not everything worked for me but it was a nice listen. Liked some parts in most songs, liked We Carry On as a whole
incredibly interesting sound that they manage to do nothing spectacular with the 2nd half of The Rip (the synth chromaticism/arpeggio(?)) was so nice but the rest of the album was pretty mid 3 for their uniqueness and the synth in The Rip, 2 otherwise
what the fuck brazil mentioned on the first track??? this sounds great, but not the kind of thing id go around listening to multiple times.
I made it halfway through but this really needs to be listened to in the middle of February when I haven’t left my house in a week and I’m wine drunk on a Wednesday night.
3. Probably not the best album to listen to while you're already having a headache.. Otherwise, it's fine?
average
I've got Dummy by this band; despite what friends tell me, it's a right old snoozer. This is a different, much more interesting proposition. Some really abrasive sounds meld with the dregs of a trip hop sensibility. Hell, there's even some music concrète here, and a hint of Neue Deutsche Welle influences like Fehlfarben lurking near the surface. I'm still not entirely convinced, especially by all the warbling, but a gloomy, ominous and interesting listen nonetheless.
You know what? I wasn't feeling this to start off. In fact, I was prepared to make some sort of joke about how no one has ever seen the world's biggest trip hop fan and the creator of this list in two separate locations at the same time. Because clearly the guy who made this list is the One True Trip Hop Fan of All Time and there's no arguing the point. And I won't argue that Third is in any way as good as Portishead's other stuff, but by the end I was pretty won over. "The Rip" is a pretty fantastic song. I liked "Threads" a lot, too. And really, everything in between was kind of working for me in a way that is different from the way their other stuff does. There's a more alternative bent to these songs, maybe? I don't know. I just know I liked it.
meh
Interesting and unique album with a lot of different sounds, dummy is far better though
I liked the textures of this album. Quite different to their other stuff. It was enough to keep me engaged.
psycho, voice norm
Very cool. It's super dark and a bit foreboding. It also somehow feels very 90s, as you'd maybe expect Portishead to, but also a bit like something from the future. Lots of beeps and boops, which I wouldn't want to hear all the time, but I definitely enjoyed here.
Not my jam, but let's not pretend that if this was Radiohead you wouldn't be calling it the best album ever.
Wat duistere psychedelische muziek. Er zaten een paar zeer goede nummers in, zoals Small.
Not anywhere near as good as Dummy, but alright
Portishead? Who...?? Spotify calls it part of the "trip hop" genre. Pretty trippy indeed. Kind of cool though. "Small" has been added to the 1,001 album favorites playlist. Funky groove.
Third is a weird album. I don't think there's much debating that. but especially coming from the previous catalogue of portishead. This really seems like am album I'd be all over but I only have fallen in love with the rip and machine gun. maybe in time I'll appreciate this album more but for now I'll just keep forgetting about it
It's fine.
good one, but the worst of the trio 6.5/10
I don't like her voice. The first song was good but that was it.
The Rip rips and the rest is p good but i dunno this was never really an album I got down on too much even back when I was a big portisheadhead 3.5/5
I do think the trip-hop sound got dated fast, so I'm glad that Portishead changed direction here. This is much darker and unsettling compared to their earlier work. Standout track for me is The Rip, Beth Gibbons voice is at her best and its just a lovely song and is probably their best song ever IMO.
It's an interesting one. It has less catchy tunes than dummy, but it does have a lot of interesting ideas on it. Needs more listens to fully evaluate
This is a tough one. Hardly resembles first two albums and a bit hard to get into overall. Yet, unique, interesting, and progressively experimental.
Probably the most palatable electronica tinged music. I really like a handful of their songs so I wish more of it did something for me
Interesting, heavily helped by vocals.
I'd stumbled upon a few of their songs in the past -- just happened to show up as I streamed music somewhat haphazardly -- and I liked the handful of songs I'd heard before. This is my first full listen-through of one of their albums, and I like this, too. They have a great way to blend electronica and rock and pop, and probably several other styles I'm not skilled enough to name, and I enjoy the performances and recordings. Things sound industrial and bleak at times, too, and I like the way they use these influences because they don't consume the whole album. Overall, this is a very good album.
Pretty good!
About as non-fun as electronic music can get. The combination of listening to this and having a dreadfully rainy afternoon legitimately put me in a sour mood. I really do think it’s quite good music but it’s just so heavy that I don’t know when I’ll be in the mood for it again. 5/10
Not really for me.
Heavy mental. Not an everyday record
I like this album but their first album “Dummy” blows this one away
It's Whisper Week on 1001 Album Generator.
Not completely clicking with me, but still good somehow. I feel like this project would grow on me with a few listens, just not ready to devote that time yet. VEEERRY strong 3.
Beetje een rommelig album. Af en toe best wel goed, ook veel matig en raar.
Three listenings in, and i don't think i can actually say what i really think about this album yet. I am sure i like it, but not quite sure how much yet. I'm certainly going to visit this one again.
An experimental, electronic sound with not much melody. Sometimes it is intense, other times it is sleepy. It has weird and interesting ideas but on first listen I found it to be just okay.
Op zich wel aardig, beetje Radiohead vibes. Maar dan wel een stukje minder goed. 3 sterren.
Good songs but the sound quality is ass
It’s fine chill times
A spicy melting pot of poison and poetry, sliced and sprinkled into the bubbling cavern of a prolapsed anus. My mother is much pleased.
Interesting
Gloomy and industrial, but with a surprisingly heartfelt core. Not for everyone.
Algo nuevo para mi, pero qué bueno que no fue el primero de los 1001 porque estaría sacadísimo de onda. No es desagradable y de hecho me gustó bastante, pero le doy 3 por no saber muy bien cómo criticar este tipo de música
Ik ben een groot fan van het album Dummy. Dus in 2008 was ik er als de kippen bij. Dit wílde ik echt horen. Maar de teleurstelling kon niet groter zijn. Third is muzikaal soms geforceerd, maar nog steeds niet heel interessant. Ik heb gisteren dit album dan ook maar op laten volgen door Dummy. Voor Third pers ik er met moeite 2,5 ster uit.
Beetje wazig album door al dat geexperimenteer. Gave nummers als the Rip (Daft Punk meets Kate Bush) en Machine Gun (filmmuziek voor de volgende Terminator) worden afgewisseld met raregeluidentracks. Maar waar is die relaxte triphop gebleven? Toch heb ik het wel met interesse geluisterd
Stretching electronic music to really cool places seems to be the bands entire MO. To take their genre places it rarely if ever goes. I’m not normally one for electronic music. But this…this wasn’t bad.
It was good. Quite surprised by it.
Bro, ok. Kai kurios labai nice, kai kurios siaubingai elektronines. 50/50 idk ka duot
The third best Portishead album by a stretch. Fourth if you also include the live album. Not a patch on their first two which are both 5*.
appropriately named
It’s not an exciting album. It’s almost in a coma it’s so downbeat. But it works, somehow. I always appreciate something that is sonically interesting and this album certainly is alluring in that sense.
It sounded like I thought it would
Portishead is from Bristol, England. This is their third album and they have two albums on the list of 1001 albums. Singles: --------------------------------------- Machine Gun (#52 UK) The Rip (#98 FRA) Magic Doors (#83 FRA) Initial Impression: Thumbs Up Standouts: Machine Gun, Deep Water Others: Magic Doors, The Rip,
Mér finnst þessi ekki eldast alveg eins vel og ég bjóst við. Ansi langt síðan ég hlustaði á hana síðast. En, þú veist, já já, ágætt stöff.
6/10 had some high highs (esp the first few and last few tracks) but some of the experimental sounds in the middle section really bugged me
6/10. I kinda like this music, but I don't love it, and don't really see why I needed to hear a second Portishead album before I died
A reminder of how great “Dummy” is.
I did not like this Portishead album as much as their first one.
Zwak voor deze band, vooral de zangeres. Zitten mooie momenten tussen zoals Machine Gun en Magic Doors, maar ook teveel onsamenhangende nummers.
Mooi, donker, maar ook wel deprimerend. Het nummer Machine Gun is geweldig. En aan Portishead zal voor mij altijd de anekdote blijven hangen dat ze jaren geleden op Best Kept Secret speelden en we met een hele groep vol verwachting in een stampvolle tent stonden. Behalve Nieke, die had enorme zin in een crêpe, en bombardeerde ons vervolgens tijdens het optreden met berichtjes: 'Waar staan jullie? Ik zie jullie niet!'😄
Mooi.
I don't love the vocals, but the music is so good. The combination makes for a frustrating listen. Highlights: Hunter, Small.
Not too bad.
Interesting and probably worth repeated listens to get the whole thing
3.8 - I had hopes but while some songs manage to rise above a depressing murk, others get stuck there. The first half is all strong and comes to a climax with “The Rip” which is an awesome blend of acoustic and digital sonics combined with interesting chord progressions that elevates the vocals to an ethereal space. I also love the brutality of “Machine Gun.” Mostly the second half feels like a letdown treading ploddingly with songs like “We Carry On.”
Interesting listen. For the most part, i enjoyed the vocals, but at times reminds me too much of Bjork. The beats were fine and some of the songs captured my attention, but too many didn't hold my interest.
I’ve never listened to Portishead before but I consider it to be a glaring omission from my aural collection. That said, I feel a bit disappointed that the ‘anti-Portishead’ album would be the first Portishead selection of which I discovered. I enjoyed the musical mood painting that this sound canvas had on me, but still I can’t help but hunger for what made Portishead Portishead.
Quite alright, but without the magic of earlier albums
Lots of great textures. Very vibey. I liked the whispery vocals but wish she had another different kind of voice (like a scream, or even spoken) that she could use sometimes to contrast. I had a hard time following lyrics sometimes. The music sets such a cool backdrop I wish I had more of a story or hook to grab on to. Favorite songs: Nylon Smile and Magic Door
Pretty cool and vibe you. I’ve only heard their live in NYC record and I remember liking that one. Off the bat I thought i was gonna like it a lot but by the end I kind of lost interest 3.5
Listened Before? N I am familiar with Portishead from their earlier works, and knew someone in the past who exposed me to them. This album is okay. They're really not up my alley, but I can appreciate it. Good production quality, writing, and performance. Added to Library? N Song added to playlist: Hunter
Remember that episode of Friends, where Ross is playing his "soundscapes" for everyone? "It's about communicating very private emotions...You should think of my work as wordless sound poems". That episode? Hilarious. This album...well, there are words. The album opens with some deep lyrics in Portuguese - you have to learn this lesson. Not what one wants to hear when starting an album. Remember when Ray told me to kick off my shoes? Thanks, Ray. Portishead, on the other hand, told me to lace up my combat boots and get dark and brooding, Lego Batman style. Now, a few important statements - I love Halloween. I love 90s paranormal TV shows (would love to see Buffy team up with Alanis to kick that last guy's ass). I love female vocalists. I love the dark, goth versions of Enya that you hear in the background of 90's paranormal TV shows. So, what does all this mean for Third? Well, if I thought of it as a female-led goth Halloween show background soundtrack, I kind of liked it. It was creepy. It was spooky. It was all together kooky. Does this mean I want to listen to this on the way to work in the morning? Not really. But a quick Wikipedia search shows that Portishead was one of the first groups to do the Emo-Enya thing. And since I like the background music in 90s paranormal TV shows, that earns them a 3 from me.
How excited I was for a Portishead album! But this is not the one I wanted. This is fine, I mean, but it's like when you ask the server for your second refill of cherry coke, and they come back with hot tea.
Very mediocre.
Gave this a few spins when it came out but didn't quite land for me, and I haven't been back until today. I think it started with them just cutting off the really great opening track as soon as it really gets cracking. Feels like setting out to make it an uncomfortable record to listen to for no good reason. Not many of the following tracks do anything much for me, not like the 1st two albums. Nice little motorik bit on The Rip. We Carry On is the standout track for me, absolute monster. Machine Gun is certainly arresting and interesting, do I want to listen to it much? I'm not sure. In fact, I could say the same of the entire album. I much preferred the Beth Gibbons and Rustin Man record from a few years earlier.
Initial confusion as I know that this is a British band, but the first track opens with spoken text in Brazilian Portuguese (as I am British but live in Brazil, this rather suprised me). The designation as trip-hop is misleading to those who don't know the style as it has absolutely no relation whatsoever to hip-hip, being more an updated version of acid-jazz. It is interesting, but listening to the whole album in one go is too wearing. Best taken in small doses. I got through eight tracks before I had to take a break
It's like 50/50 good/bad. I want to like it but then each good song is followed up by super meh. Maybe I'm not the demographic anymore. 2.5
I was curious to know where Portishead would go in the 15 years since their album I had heard previously. I initially felt some promise and excitement as I found the sound of this album intriguing and cool. However, as it dragged on it felt both ponderous and uneasy, as though I'd been slipped a mickey and was struggling to fight its effects.
This was a bit off the mark for me, and I was disappointed in that. There were some captivating moments, but they did not really last...and then there were quite a few grating moments.
Nice and ethereal background stuff again. Nice.
Gloomy and dirgey, maybe a bit dark for a summer's day
Love their first album, but this was a bit more of a challenging listen, and i just couldn't really get into it.
3.5
If you've got Dummy, you're sorted.
Generally listenable. Would do it again. Not sure there's much more I can add.
I wanted to like this album and some of it I really did enjoy. Some of it however I just can't get behind. I think that is the genre breakdown within the album, the experimental and psychedelic rock sides of it are great the electronica is where it loses me. I'm just conflicted on how to rate it probably needs more listens to appreciate it or hate it more.
Got a little bored but very cool
There's lots of ground for more than Gibbons's voice to grow. While it remains a unique project, Third lacks the placiness of Portishead's earlier efforts.
Dull
Very chill sounding album
After excitedly waiting what felt like years for this album to come out when it finally came out it was a bit of a let down. I remember discussing it with a friend after I'd brought it and lent her the CD, never bothering to get it back. It just doesn't feel like an evolution from Dummy 14 years earlier and music, especially lad back trip hop electronica had moved on. Listening to it again after another 14 years it is unquestionably a good album but I am still just not that excited by it? PS: suddenly halting the songs mid note was a @#&*ing terrible idea and not clever like the band throught it would be
I think the smokey, atmospheric nature of this album would be great for listening if you're in a certain mood, so the fact that I listened to this during late morning on a work day probably wasn't the best occasion for the initial listen. So it's a "3" during the day, probably a "4" at night.
pretty good electronic sound.
This was nice background music to listen to while working.
Not as good as Dummy. Some of it was solid, some a bit dull. I probably need to engage with it more. I don't think I gave it quite a fair shake today as I wasn't particularly receptive to this style of music today. I'm giving it a 3 for now I guess. I will almost certainly give it a fairer assement at a later date.
Dummy is one of my all time favourite albums. Despite this I hadn’t really listened to this. It is probably suffering from huge expectations that I’m placing on it but this was a disappointment. It’s not bad but it’s not an amazing. No real stand out tracks for me.
A lot of the same trance-y, etherial qualities of the earlier stuff but just didn't hold the same punch. Wasn't listening critically here but just felt watered down. Still decent.
First listen through was great, the second wasn't the same. Has a dark and moody atmosphere that suits a cloudy day. Silence and The Rip were my favourites here to play. The singles Magic Doors and Machine Gun were okay. The album itself is alright, but goes on a bit too long. Good rhythms and beats are found plus the vocals here are strong. Just trim a couple of songs and it would be a stronger set. Or even cut some out, then Third would be a threat.
Good but not really my bag
Very cinematic but something I will revisit. Maybe Dummy and Glorybox were of their time. This sounds a bit clunky to me.
Not sure why this album is in here. I don’t think it’s their best.
This album was really a mixed bag. I was hoping for some nice triphop and then quickly disappointed. Then after a couple of songs of not really feeling this aIbum, it started to grow on me. I really loved The Rip. But then I started to feel like I've had enough of this album again. It's honestly sort of depressing in the way it drags you down as it slogs along. The best parts of this album are 4.5 stars for me, the worst parts of this album 2 stars.
there was a girl whispering the whole time but it had one good bop in there
They seem into but but trap is not my thing
It's ok. There are just much better synth/doom albums. Some good songs but overall not enough variety for me.
Some of the sound effects were grating but otherwise I enjoyed this album. Prolly under Dummy
Rating: 5/10
-"Silence" is not silence smh -Some very Black Sabbath sounding notes in "Hunter" -Why is "Small" silent for like 3 minutes I literally checked did it was paused like 5 times -The synth riff in "The Rip" sounds like "We're Finally Landing" by Home, which is the song Summoning Salt uses in his videos -"Plastic" seems like a relatively strong song out of these. The cool drum fills and swooshy back and forth sounds and big bass-y synth are all solid. -The drums in "We Carry On" really help change the feel of the song even if the rest of the song is relatively similar to the rest of the album. Just the chugging drums behind it make it seem more stressed or maybe scared than relaxed -"Machine Gun" is also a lot cooler with it's drumline as well -This album was probably gonna be a 2 but "The Rip," "Plastic," "We Carry On," and "Machine Gun" saved it. The first half or so of the album was incredibly boring
Ok album, but a far cry from the pure excellence of Portishead’s first 2 albums.
Surprisingly good Achei que tinha colocado o álbum errado quando o cara começou a falar em português kkkkkkk
not the strongest 2.9
Gloomy, paranoid and sullen. A perfect album for a similar mood.
Was alright, loved the portuguese at the beginning
Meh. Not my thing. Well written songs. Didn't love or hate it.
It was funky!
Didn't love it. Didn't hate it.
I normally like Portishead pretty well. Apparently I like older albums more than newer, but this one was alright enough for me to listen to again. It's still electronic ambient, mostly, but more experimental than my caters to my taste. 3 stars.
3.5
Heeft wel een paar goeie nummers
Ein merkwürdiges Album. Irgendwo zwischen elektronischem Bombardement von Beats auf einem Wandteppich aus renaissanceartigem Gesang. War auch irritiert als 2-3 Songs einfach abrupt enden. (6/10) Favourite Tracks: Hunter, The Rip
De muziek is weinig bijzonder. Beetje drum-and-bass ritme met af en toe een akkoord. Soms, heel soms een beetje een "Ennio" of "Kill Bill" gevoel. Zang is redelijk, maar beetje vermoeiend om naar te luisteren. Het begin van Deep Water is zelfs zo vals als een zieke hond. Heerlijke muziek als je vroeger naar "de mat" of naar "de zig" ging. Op dit moment val ik echter in slaap op mijn werk. Ik begin bijna de reclame van Spotify interessant te vinden. Hee, daar is dan toch ineens een interessant riedeltje (The Rip). Beste lekker "elektro" nummer eigenlijk. Dat wordt meteen een sterretje meer!
Fijn album, zeker niet het beste van Portishead.
I really liked Machine gun but didn't really rate the rest
Portishead's latest record, and perhaps the final as it has been 13 years, goes further in experimental rock, with Krautrock's hypnotic rhythyms and ambient influences. Here, I must admit that I dislike the lead vocals on most tracks, when they are too isolated, dreamy and hypnotic. However, the instrumentals with searing synth leads and punchy synth-brass are so extremely good in some tracks that they make them enjoyable. Examples being The Rip, Plastic, Machine Gun, Magic Doors and Threads. A 3/5 is therefore deserved.
Spooky vibe to it. I like the tone and the style. A mix up of good and soft vocals and electronica. Interesting and certainly unique or at least for that time.
I love the vibe and instrumentals of Portishead, but the vocals are a bit grating to me, much in the same way Bjork's voice irritates me. Even though I don't necessarily like the vocals, I can appreciate the Avant Garde nature of them.
Lightweight Bjork/ Radiohead vibes. Would be good nighttime driving music.
Special, aber cool
Nicht schlecht und ohne Elektro wäre es meins
Eu achava que já tinha ouvido mas a fala em português no começo provou que não. Bem pior que o segundo que é pior que o primeiro.
kind of quiet, atmospheric electronica so-so probably improves with more listens didn't like the singer so much, but the sound is ok 3/5
Fine. Not as amazing as in the nineties.
Good enough but lacked the emotional connection of Dummy. Apparently lightning does not strike twice. Disappointed overall due to expectations.
Some nice stuff, but on the whole not one I'd want in my collection.
It's ok
Some of it is a little hard to listen to, but it's not bad
3/5
Ecléctico. Hay que saber escucharlo
J’aime mais j’ai eu trop de distraction en l’ecoutant , a reecouter. 3.5
Electrónica. No del todo mal.
Creo que no aporta nada nuevo a lo que conocemos de Portishead, no hay un Misterons, All Mine, etc. Se clavan mucho con el uso de Distor y sonidos de peliculade terror de los 50s
nesten fire stjerner. Syntes hele sullamitten var litt lang. Fint stilmessig, gøyalt med blandingen ambience og dance. Klager ikke på de tekniske komponentene, produksjonen virker sylskarp, men blir noe mutt i lengden. Mangler en rød tråd, eller noe som virkelig bryter den noe kjedelige kontinuiteten. Kanskje ikke overraskende at "The Rip" var platas høydepunkt og beste låt.
This album immediately grabbed my interest right out of the gate. I had listened to tracks from this band from a past album, and the intro track really set my hopes high. Ultimately, there were several tracks that delivered, but what derailed the album for me was that several obnoxious "washing machine" measures were scattered amongst this otherwise hauntingly beautiful album. I would be flowing with the music only to be jarred out of the vibe with the various parts throughout. It may be something that would ease after a few listens, but it cost them a couple of stars after one listen.
Not bad, but not really my style.
Les voy a ser bien franco: me gusta más este álbum reimaginado por el noisefloor crew
Just not for me.
Interesting, I guess?
Was ok, probably need more listens
Never listened to them at all or even knew what genres they covered. Unique soundscapes, not bad!
I enjoyed the song the big sky
Portishead is just SO sad. It's almost unbearable at times. Like when I need something really sad, I might come back to this, but it's not even peaceful to me, just sad. That said, it's very well done and I'm sure it deserves a 3.
okay
Meh
I don’t get the appeal. I can sort of see that I might like them if I first discovered them while a freshman in college. But other than that, no.
Eh just noise
A little too dark and moody for me. The overall project I would describe as a muddy experience.
Не мое((
When I saw the artist I questioned why I hadn't heard the album before. Then I heard the album and I understood why
No standouts
I'm not sure I've listened to this before, even though I was a fan of their first two albums. Didn't immediately grab me, but probably need to sit with it.
There was an eerie tension to some of this, I just couldn’t get into it.
So the band takes a hiatus because they are uninterested in music and attempts at songwriting had failed, and after 11 years this is the album they come back with? I dunno. Not a terrible listen. And while Beth Gibbons singing is enjoyable, I’m much more likely to seek out better artists like Bjork, Siouxsie, Tori Amos, Kate Bush, etc. Third time’s a kinda charm at best.
Not for me.
Industrial Bjork. Some good moments, but I just don't vibrate at this frequency. I can see why others get really into it, though.
I understand from others that this is very good. Man, it is not my thing. Too trippy for me, dawg.
2.5+/5
really slow and trippy, the guitar bends at the end were a nice touch to leave you unsettled still think i like Glorybox better
Came across as though they just wanted to make their own version of "The Downward Spiral". I'm not a fan of the NIN record and this one is no different.
Reunited and it feels so…BAD!!! Really, they should have stayed on hiatus. Anytime the backing tracks threaten to get interesting (which actually does happen reasonably frequently), the proceedings are invariably derailed by the wispy, tuneless warbling of the “singer“. This is like the vocal equivalent of the waif look. For all of our sakes, let’s hope there was not a Portishead Fourth.
They are actually pretty good generally. This one definitely didn't do it for me. I feel like they think they're better and more artistic than they are. I just get a self-important vibe that I can't really shake.
Didn't do much for me.
A sad album, slightly disturbing. We Carry On is the first song I wished to note, while others were not poor in quality they made me feel disturbed. Cruel by Public Memory came in after the album and is the immediately much more relaxing from the whole album
Not a fan of her stylistic choices
I had higher hopes. Sad movie music is the best way I can describe it. It had moments.
Pretty good but forgettable. Not as good as their album "Dummy" but still decent. I think for me it's a modest 4/10
New to me and super stuff, towards the top of the 2 stars. Tom.
Oh no, I didn't like the first one of these. Why are there two? This right here is a band whose aesthetic ruins their style. They're too committed to some 'goth, theater kid who acts depressed as a fashion statement' kind of thing. Beyond that, they're good. But it's just so overbearing that it's hard to get past. This album is somewhat more interesting than the last one. I like the surprise shifts in texture and tempo. I like the little electronic touches being thrown in here and there (and then disappearing never to be seen or heard from again). I do really like the instrumentals but still can't deal with the vocals. Just sounds like someone whining with a piercing, warbling quality. Sorry (I guess), this voice just hits my brain and makes me wince (and then rage). I just want her to shut up so I can enjoy the music, but she doesn't. Her voice is so painful; my god why. Stand-out track(s): Hunter, Machine Gun, Small (when the vocalist isn't ruining them).
Another 2.. Why. Why was this on here.
It's alright...feels overly long for a 49-minute album. We already got "Dummy" on the list - this wasn't totally necessary, IMO.
Less boring than Portishead's other offerings. Other reviews say this is spooky and uncomfortable, all that I can say is that it's impossible to imagine listening to this for pleasure. I did say that their other album on this list, Dummy, was full of tracks which were used as bedding in TV and radio, something that Third runs no risk of. However, Third is still not great, and its inclusion on this list means that Portishead has two-thirds of their discography represented.
This Portishead album is rough. I love their Dummy album, but this album was a struggle
This album is great if you don't like music.
Wasn't really for me
this was interesting, very little words and soft? yet loud?
Wasn’t for me I was able to take a song or two but I’m probably not gonna remember this album in T -3 days yup already forgot
I find a lot of this really hard to get through. "We Carry On" was a highlight. There were many lowlights.
Too weird for me.
You never forget your first one; however, having listened to some truly awful albums since, I find this one is only bad.
Very intense. Almost too much so!
Me pasó de noche, pero una que otra rola bien
Pick a tempo and stick with it, please. Just when I settle into a track that seems like I might actually enjoy, Portishead abruptly changes gears. I’m not entirely convinced there’s much enjoyment to be found on this album when the band seems so intent on messing with its own listeners. If anxiety and unease were given physical form, they’d sound a lot like Portishead’s Third. Several songs on Third pulled me into a groove and had me ready for a smooth, mellow ride, only to suddenly slam on the brakes and veer in a completely different direction. More often than not, those shifts ruined whatever mood the song had built. And it’s frustrating because, at least to me, this album seemed to have a lot of potential. It was just wasted on whatever mushrooms the band decided to consume before laying down the final tracks. Listening to this album felt less like a rewarding experience and more like a form of musical torture.
Disappointing considering the brilliance of Dummy.
The experimental sounds weren't really it for me, I was expecting good things but this came as a let down
Portishead created a sound that is copied to this day, and this album has beats, loops and glitches and good as anything they have done. I just couldn't get into the melodies.
not half bad.
I love their live album at the Roseland but I just couldn’t connect to this one. Struggled with it
I don't think the genre is for me
It's just very boring
Portishead is nothing if not consistent. So if you like Portishead, then you’ll enjoy this one. I do not enjoy Portishead.
Intriguing, but inaccessible. Not going to want to revisit this one.
It's like the worst instrumental Bond theme on repeat and without any payoff.
Third is clearly the work of serious artists making uncompromising choices, and the eleven-year gap before its release only deepened the commitment to difficulty. This is not the smoky trip-hop of Portishead’s earlier records — it’s industrial, abrasive, and deliberately unsettling in ways that reward listeners who want to be challenged and alienate those who don’t. Falling firmly in the latter camp is not a judgment about the record’s ambition. It’s just honest. “Deep Water” is the exception and the accidental argument against everything surrounding it. Gibbons’ voice over a ukulele, stripped of every production layer that makes the rest of the record so hard to inhabit — it’s genuinely moving, a brief window into what this album might have been with more moments of that kind of human directness. It lands as the highlight precisely because it gets out of its own way. Then “Machine Gun” arrives. That motorik drum pattern hammering relentlessly underneath Gibbons’ fractured vocals creates a disconnect that’s clearly intentional — the voice barely holding on over something completely indifferent to her distress. For some listeners that contrast is devastating. Here it just creates distance rather than tension, and the record never quite recovers from it as a listening experience. Respected, not enjoyed. A 2 that fully acknowledges the craft while being honest about the complete absence of personal connection.
very mysterious
Not really my thing. There's some interesting ideas musically, and the ambient style is somewhat unique. But for me, this just lacks much else that interests me. The vocals are nice, not outstanding but nice. I like weird music so I hoped I would like this more, but just didn't speak to me. I find trying to differentiate the songs quite difficult, they all sound very similar and lack much repetition. Fav track: The Rip
Oh Jesus, I hated this. Like, I get what they thought they were doing. But it was truly unpleasant to listen to. Miss the original style. This was aggressively not that.
Not my favorite Portishead. A little abrasive at times.
I don’t find anything to dislike but also did not really take to this album - although I like techno. The Tori Amos atmosphere had a draw but overall I was not compelled to listen again or think about it.
Olipa taas erikoista ⭐️⭐️
Mielelläni kuuntelen vähän perinteisempiä harmonioita.
Listened to this on a Friday and by the time I'm writing this on Monday morning, I've mostly forgotten it. I know I was thinking that I didn't enjoy it as much as the first Portishead album we had, and that it was a little strange.
This stressed me out
Yawn
when portishead is good, they are AWESOME, but the rest is quite disappointing
I just didnt connect with this album at all, it wasnt really bad or anything i just didnt really like it. The sound was quite droney/distorted, the vibe is moody and dark with an electric sound. Idk just wasnt really a fan and not enjoyable for me. I felt like it could of used more of drop in the songs, it felt like it was setting up for a hardcore chorus with more of punch but it never happend and had the same tempo throughout most of the songs. It didnt provide a lot of variation.
So they dropped the Hop and zeroed in on the Trip? Too bad. I liked this band previously. Now, not so much. I found the voice stood out more than becoming woven into the song, and this is not pleasing to my ear. Too Electronica leaning for me. I did dig We Carry On.
It started out strong, but quickly faded to a snooze.
A rare 2 from Charlie. Maybe it's just the day I'm having, but I didn't enjoy this even a little bit.
I didn’t care for this. I had it in my mind that this was going to be something I’d like so think I had high expectations and what I got was not what I wanted at all.
What a slog
I found it weird. And it seemed to be trying hard to be Radiohead
Nowhere near as iconic as Dummy.
I don’t like Portishead
Dissonance and soundscapes in a number of the tracks is triggering for tinnitus, sorry can't get into this at all.
Kind of different and interesting, but not really that good. Well produced but only Machine Gun really holds up as an engaging song for me.
Me gusta Portishead, pero este disco está aburridísimo.
Ouch. Dissonance. Miscued soundtrack before production. Not for these ears.
To The Author, you sure like the stuff from Jolly Ol' England, don'tcha!? This album never made a ripple in the states. Dark, dreary, brooding, bit boring, disjointed, not as good as their debut, too long, no payoff. Impressive listener counts, though I've never heard a single one of these songs on the radio or in a movie. 60M for "The Rip", it takes 3mins for that song to go from 1st gear to 2nd, but it escapes me why 60M people would give up 5 mins of their lives to listen to it. Every other song between 4M-11M listens. "Plastic" was dreadful. "Deep Water" was meant for the cutting room floor. "Threads" was depressing. 2 stars, nothing worth listening to twice. Not a smile for miles around on this one, jeez, bust out the razorblades!
Did not make a huge impression on me. Probably wouldn't listen again. Acoustic-electronic. Contemplative and poetic, lyrical.
I really did find this interesting and enjoyed parts of it quite a bit. I would probably give it a 2.5.
Not for me too noisy
Not a big fan
Like a slower alternative album. Kind of boring
annoying.
OMG la sélection d’album des années 2000+ est vraiment rough avec le recul, j’ai eu de la misère à passer à travers celui-là. J’étais peut-être pas dans le meilleur mood pour, pis ça ressemblait pas mal à du Björk que je suis pas capable d’approcher avec un pôle de 10 mètres.
Not my cup of tea.
This was not great. Wishy-washy vocals. Irritating sound effects (Machine Gun made my ears hurt!). I grew up with industrial music, but this was just too mopey for my tastes. I think I totally missed the point of this or I'm just not cool enough for it. Whatever. It seemed to drag.
I want to rename this album “Amber alert phone alarm with occasional melody”
Boring!
Odd mix of sounds. Maybe it needs a re-listen
I just discovered I don't like Portishead.
Decent album. In total musically with some sparks especially when the guitar is involved ("The Rip", "We Carry On") but vocally not always my favour. worst: "Machine Gun" 2,5
The album of anxiety and dread.
Fever dream
2 Echt unieke sound. Ik was verbaast om te merken dat het mij wel intrigeerde, wel niet meer dan dat tho. (Also 'Plastic' is echt een massief raar nummer)
don’t think this is for me massively, quite boring but very intense at the same time?
The high voice reminds me of Bjork, whom I don't care for.
I have to agree with the reviews that said this sounded like impending danger and a soundtrack for anxiety. They feel pretty spot on. Definitely a unique sonic soundscape here, but not really my jam
Third voelt bewust ongemakkelijk en experimenteel. Hoewel ik de sfeer en intentie waardeer, merk ik dat het me weinig houvast geeft en dat ik snel afdwaal tijdens het luisteren. Interessant als kunstwerk, maar geen album waar ik emotioneel in kan zakken of naar teruggrijp.
Yawn. This is a long dentist appointment.
Overall Rating: 5.8/10 Favorite Song: Magic Doors
The lead singer reminds me of Kate Bush and this music seems to kind of be in that same vein. This isn't my kind of thing but some of it was somewhat listenable.
Saved Ian Danskin during the pandemic. Couldn't save me during a metro ride.
Nary a melody to be found. Horribly dissonant and boring.
Not a portishead fan. Unusually I like this type of music but this women just does not do anything for me.
Interesting, though almost wholly unpleasant. I did like "The Rip." This album could provide some solid ambiance in an unsettling scene in a movie, but personally I don't think I'd ever pop it on again.
11 years after their previously last album, Portishead released this, promising the next album wouldn't take that long. Over 17 years later and there's every chance Third could have also been correctly titled Last. It's quite the departure from their previous work. It's my least listened-to Portishead album, and with over 17 years between its release and me writing this review, I can finally say that the reason is simply that it is their least compelling album. It's Anxiety Attack - The Soundtrack. A huge, menacing, cold block of cold, hard steel that drags you in while always remaining impenetrable, keeping everything and everybody outside. If Stanley Kubrick hadn't already found the perfect soundtrack for the monolith in 2001... this album would be the perfect alternative. Geoff Barrow recently said that he's shocked by the notion that anybody would have sex to the first two Portishead albums in particular. I dare anybody to actually have sex to Third without being on some kind of Leaving Las Vegas-level mix of uppers, downers, antidepressants, and whatnot in their system.
Portishead had one or two cool songs in the 90’s and they were super unique but I’m afraid they’ve aged like milk. This is pretty terrible.
I can’t stand the whispering singing. I hate that. But the music itself is interesting, unique, and a bit strange.
I discovered through the 1001, that I’m not a Triphop guy, which is funny because I like psychedelic rock. It’s not that I didn’t necessarily like this album. I just had a hard time getting into it. The two songs I was able to grasp respond to were We Carry On and Deep Water. But I think my problem is most of these songs feel like they’re building to something and that never comes. It almost feels like it should be part of a movie soundtrack for a Studio A24 film where the door closes, the screen goes black while the music and the credits play. Give me an ending please. If I wanted a dead end answer and lack of emotion, I would ask my family what they want to dinner….
Started out ok, then just lost interest. The vocals were not great and the sounds just got very weird.
Lost interest
Really boring. Really felt like they were trying super hard to come across as tortured artists and it was just kinda wimpy and annoying. Didn't really enjoy anything here.
Too much experimental, not enough rock.
Radiohead Jr.
Any time I'm feeling too happy and satisfied, I feel this album will give me just the right amount of existential dread to snap me right out of it. According to the wiki writeup, after their second album one of the band members lost interest in music. It took over a decade for him to come back to make this. While this band is very talented and the album is well produced, I have a hard time thinking of this music as something I would ever be in the mood to listen to. It's a bit too depressing for me. Favorite song: Nylon Smile
Jura? 3 estrelas e é muito
Definitely not my thing. Lots of droning soundscapes.
I already liked the song "Threads," but listening to the whole album is overwhelming. After two songs, you just say: enough is enough!
I like her voice but cant hear much of what she's actually singing. Not a fan overall.
Don't get it
This was fun but also a bit stressful.
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.
Liked this a lot less than their other two albums. Not as melodic, vocals overall not as pleasing.
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.
Mid compared to others
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.
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.
Snore
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.
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 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
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.
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.
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 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