Third

For me a discovery. Very interesting, a lot of nice and surprising musical topics. Good album.

Huge miss. Was excited to see Portishead but then I realized I didn't recognize the album at all. Come to learn it's an album recorded 11yrs after their heyday. "Third moved away from the trip hop style they had popularised, incorporating influences such as krautrock, surf rock, doo wop and the film soundtracks of John Carpenter." So they're literally junked what they did well and ventured I to genres that are unlistenable. The result is a drab boring gut punch

I understand why people like this, but I don't do drugs. Favorite song: Nylon Smile

Boring

Anyone waiting on this was sure to have been disappointed, no? Certainly it has its moments and casts a spell at times but then yields it with odd choices; "Silence," the opener grows into an engaging groove which is then cut off with a rather jarring truncated close, an annoyance repeated on another song or two. The stop-start contrast of sounds on "Hunter" is also off-putting – works, then doesn't; works, then doesn't. Similarly, "The Rip" is exactly one-half (unnecessairly sloooow and tortuous and ultimately dull) build-up and one-half close-to-compelling hook which is given up too soon –– huh? why, exactly? – when it shoulda been the guts of the whole song. Beth G can do drama for sure but the constant shifts undo the tension (see "Plastic" with yet another cool effect wasted by being chopped and chopped, then chopped again). "We Carry On" seems as if it wants to rock PJ Harvey-ly and offers a soary/haunting hook a la Radiohead but they that too is dropped or minimized for a not altogether uninteresting little skiffle bit that could go poppy but nether angle holds, really and the song breaks down as a result. Then a warbly ukulele lullaby, making no sense at all, by some a industrial-y dental appointment of a song "Machine Gun." "Small" also tries to be too many songs at once and cuts off abruptly. On the whole, P'head seem determine to have listeners lose the plot or make themselves hard to follow, which they just don't merit. One doesn't mind the darkness and droning – in fact, one is naturally drawn to such and very much wants to like this record and hear them give in fully to droning in one direction or another – there's really power here, but the shifting and reversals compromise the drive and undo the engaging moments. The record falls far short of the high-impact, high-art effect it clearly seeks. Listen to the final tones – they seem to thiink they've just put you through a NIN-like spectacle or told a story like The Wall or some grand operatic statement, which ... well, they seem to have been watching a different movie. Rounding down because it coulda/shoulda been better.

Not quite up there with their first two albums, but even falling short of that is no disgrace - they are both classics. Very atmospheric and moody, with elements of what Radiohead were aiming for in their later years, and perfect production. A solid four 🌟 album for me, although weirdly it would score higher if I didn't know/love the ones before quite so much

I think I liked the previous Portishead album better, but this was still really good 5*. sounds like St Vincent

La canción 6 es gloriosa!

Cool! Ungewöhnlich. Nichts für jeden Tag.

Bit disappointed in this as it didn't live up to our first experience with Portishead, but there's some decent stuff on this.

hi so i tried to listen to this earlier but i was on shrooms and didnt get far. it kinda elevated the high though silence- the loop is crazy i do enjoy it i think i gave it a 6 or 7. hunter- this one was wack. ummmmmm kinda bpring 4 nylon smile- i hated this one. we'll see how i feel. yeah im bored . 4 the rip- the guitar is cringe. listen im a hater at heart and you can tell that by how i call most songs boring but i do really like listening to these albums cause it helps expand horizons. that being said this is boring as shit. 3 or 4 plastic- i like the weird percussion. boring too though. 5. we carry on- oh god its 6 minutes. i like these noises. i like how its sound like its inside a computer. 6 deep water- ummmmm music. 6 machine gun- um i forgot. i like the weird robotic noises. id like this album if theyd just up the tempo. 6 small- its a slog. 4 magic doors- i got bored. i like the weird sax solo but thats about it. 3 threads- killing eve type shit. boring though 4. it was whatever. favorite song was deep water ig.

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.

The first song was intriguing, I wasn't sure if I liked it or not and had to play it back a couple of times. The rest of the album I was 100% sure I didn't like.

Experimental and not so great

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.

Ugh so morose. I feel worse now that before I started listening.

Not the vibe.

Meh

This is serial killer music. Oh, and one ukelele song. Wtf, was that?! I listened to the whole album, but I didn’t want to. 1.0

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

Lænede sig lidt for meget i retning af elektronisk støj for min smag.

Je sais que vous êtes capables de mieux

not good 0/5

Different. In a good way. Mostly. I think...

Started a bit slow I thought, without that Portishead sizzle, but they got there by the end. Interesting back story, how they were ready to give up on music until they produced another band and were really inspired by that band's process - then, after about a decade, made their final album.

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.

I didn't realize that: A. This is only Portishead's 3rd album. B. They only had 3 proper album releases. C: Third was released 11 years after their last proper album. Off-hand I knew of "The Rip" which is an awesome, sad depressing Portishead song through and through, but is a bit of an outlier from the rest of the material on this album. I don't think I heard this album when I knew what Krautrock was, but I can absolutely hear the influence on the sound in terms of rhythm and repetition. It's interesting that this album isn't trip-hop at all, and yet still sounds completely like Portishead. Portishead holistically just works so well, especially in this context: harsh electronica in contrast with the sultry delicate vocals of Beth Gibbons is dynamite. There really isn't a miss on this album, I haven't heard much of this in almost 10 years so I'm glad to rediscover this one.

I love Portishead's first two albums when they were more trip-hop focused. The "Third" album is not bad, but more focused on a experimental rock sound. I liked some songs in this album, but still nothing compared to their old material. Favorite Song(s): "Machine Gun", "Small", "We Carry On", "Plastic", "Threads"

I believe this is the third Portishead album we’ve had on his list. Which is just effing ridiculous. Especially considering how many artists get one random throw away selection but otherwise ignore it. This is just boring

The singer's voice is even more grating than the music.

Meh.

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.

I have always felt like I should like Portishead but I just don’t. I like this album even less than their previous ones. I even listened to it driving through countryside at 5 a.m. after dropping my son at the airport which should be perfect Portishead vibes. Still nope, sorry Portishead. Listens: 2 Fave Track: Silence (the irony haha) Rating: 2

I love electronic but this just felt spooky and off key. Got redundant for me

Who knew Portishead kept making music after the early 90s? Good for them, because I really enjoyed this one.

Not my cup of tea.

Maybe I'm too stupid to understand this, but it just seems like pointless noise.

The Rip.

I couldn't make it through this album twice. I like weird music and this didn't do much for me.

Love Portishead but just not this album.

Dreadful. I gained no enjoyment from this. Booooooooo

Depressing

"We Carry On" is absolutely horrible - the constant tone that provides nothing but makes you feel like you're in a trance. This song sorta feels like bad electronica, or bad club music. Overall it's definitely not my vibe. It's pretty unenjoyable. It's like shitty video game music - almost like the game sounds are still part of the OST. Some of the songs abruptly stop, which is just dumb.

Dreamy but haunting, chill but anxious. It's not a particularly energetic one but it's certainly interesting - It's like Björk meets Radiohead, with a really nice blend of electronic and acoustic going on throughout. Might seek this out on vinyl some time, it's certainly the kind of record I'd play on a gloomy and melancholic day like this. Favourite: Small

Dreary hippie music.

4.5

Not for me

YOOOOOO easy 5 koszos eklektika többször elgondolkoztam, hogy fül ingerlése vezethet-e orgazmushoz

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

Unique and unsettling, stayed with me after listening in the airplane

Cool find. Very atmospheric. Sometimes vocals remind me of Björk, but less weird.

It's Portishead. Good stuff if you like it. Boring and weird if you don't. I kinda don't.

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.

Mysterious, haunting, awesome

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?

BAD.

The album starts really good, the end is weaker, a good time overall, nothing blew my mind.

average

Wow, I didn't even know this existed. I liked their first one and loved their second one and double loved their live album (which isn't streaming for some reason I guess?) But yeah - this doesn't cast quite the same spell as earlier albums. Seems like the ingredients are there - those haunting vocals, layered samples, etc. But I wouldn't be surprised to learn that a Portishead member left before this one was recorded. There's just something missing here. And then I just read the rundown and, yeah, I guess that sort of thing did happen. Is that why this leaves me a little cold? Maybe. May be.

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.

Love me some Portishead but definitely not as good as the first two albums.

Ominous beats to villainously stroke a cat to. Honestly really brilliant. Replaces the chill (and "fungal", as I like to say) vibes of "Dummy" with brooding drones and an atmosphere that can truly only be described as evil. I love when the bleeps go bloop. "We Carry On"'s instrumental is so hypnotizing. The way "Machine Gun" plays right when you think that maybe the second half of this album is going to be more mellow than the first and stabs you in your abdomen and steals your wallet. Strong 4/5.

meh

This girls a creep!! Creepy and weird. This one’s too abstract for me, it’s all too loose to the point like yes I’ll call it music cause that’s what it is and what it’s intended to be but I think a lot of people wouldn’t find this aligns with their definition(I’m making up the they). Feels like laying on your back in a quiet, spinning room with a wicked hangover.

Interesting and unique album with a lot of different sounds, dummy is far better though

This was the musical equivalent of prepping for a colonoscopy.

didn't really enjoy it but i did finish listening

I liked the textures of this album. Quite different to their other stuff. It was enough to keep me engaged.

1.5

I can imagine it being better in a different mood.

Good experimental rock, I liked it except for the ukulele in the middle

"I'd like to laugh at what you said, but I just can't find a smile" esoteric, dark, moody. This album is truly more than the sum of its parts, and listened together, sets out to portray a mood, and succeeds at its job. I listened to this album while in an airplane, before, during, and after take-off. I was describing the album to my mom, and I likened it to the dichotomy of a hospital (sterile, eerily clean) in a bad part of the neighborhood, with a flickering street light. T1- "Silence" sets the mood for the album with a really interesting instrumental line. T4- "The Rip" beautifully transitioned from the esoteric synth landscape into an acoustic singer-songwriter masterpiece, with a great climax within the song, when the drums and synth pick up, it's sublime. T8- "Machine Gun" nearly ruined the album for me, and may very well be the sole reason this album didn't get a 5. It interrupted the flow & vibe of the album with the 808s and distorted drum kicks. T9- "Small"the first half was very disappointing, and confirmed in my head the spot as not a 5/5 for this album, but the second half picked up the slack and turned into one of the album’s better tracks, the trend which continued until album's end. Glad to have heard this album, and to have heard of Portishead. 4/5

This album deserves 4* for The Rip alone. And then it gets an extra star for all the rest. I remember when this came out that I was unjustifiably unhappy that it didn't breathe the same atmosphere as 'Dummy.' Dummy was triphop and this felt more like an electronic rock-album. But after so many years, this album has slowly taken its place next to Dummy and I think both albums are about on par with one another. For different reasons. Where Dummy had that ominous and bleak sound; this album is intense, confusing and intriguing and might in 20/20 glasses be seen as one of the better comeback albums I know. A fascinating and compelling 5* album.

Not really my style

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.

auskomponierte anxiety attack, sehr vielseitig

listened to again great album

I liked it, very vibey music Didn't do much outside of college and going to soccer game today

Agobiante y opresivo.

The Rip.

I do not understand why this album is on this list. The last Portishead album was barely tolerable. The same is true for this one. It is not really a two but I will round up.

Wat duistere psychedelische muziek. Er zaten een paar zeer goede nummers in, zoals Small.

Album: Third Artist: Portishead Year: 2008 Album #: 300 (264 rated) first impressions: I feel like this is supposed to be an influential album and artist so...I was looking forward to it, but now I'm looking forward to the end. This just seems like if Radiohead decided to make songs without traditional structure and more synths and truly grating, mewing vocals. after listening through: the song "Plastic" is honestly one of the worst tracks I've listened to as part of this project; "Deep Water" is like, the origin story of the awful twee ukelele hiphop YouTube covers of the early 2010s? The rest is like, the Social Network Soundtrack mashed up with Kid A, but replaced with the vocals of the woman who sings at 8 am mass at my parents' church. post-reading reviews/wiki: ...did I listen to the same album people love? I guess I really just don't like Trip Hop. recommended for: someone who hates melody in their music and just wants.. slightly unpleasant noise.

Not anywhere near as good as Dummy, but alright

Um

Fantastic! Matched my head ache today actually.

Great to listen, quiet, easy. 3.5

first album that's come up that i've heard before wooo! haven't listened to this one in a whiiile and it's even better than i remember it-- so foreboding and anxious and yet such a satisfying listen. the sequencing and transitions are flawless and the overall dark atmosphere makes the lighter moments like the rip even more transcendent. prooob my fave album that's come up so far! standout- the rip

a beautiful album the instrumentation feels thin yet moving and complex. One I will want to listen to again.

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.

Loved this. Gibbons' vocals astonishing as ever and the move away from the trip hop leads to big, epic, sinister sounding tracks which just bellow from the speaker. Fascinating soundscapes, really impressive.

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

Super cool album. Hypnotic sounds and ethereal voice. Was less familiar with this than the earlier albums but will be listening again. Some tracks reminded me of joy division.

It's fine.

good one, but the worst of the trio 6.5/10

I'm glad I didn't skip this, which I was tempted to do after hearing their earlier stuff. Fuck I hate trip hop. But this is magnificent: slow, moody, muscular, weird. I swear that it sounds like Kate Bush at times.

Dark. Brilliant. An album that is showing a band ready to transcend Trip Hop.

Ah, Portis Head (or porta-shed according to every dbag fan of theirs I've ever met). I actually like her voice and the songs are interesting enough. Still, the music all just sounds like you're playing the boss level of the lamest NES game that was ever made.

OK, too weird for me .. 3 stars

Wikipedia gives the music genre as experimental rock / electronica / psychedelic rock; I would call it depressing pretentious rock suitable for use as the soundtrack of a bleak sci-fi movie set in some dystopian future. Although I quite liked "We Carry On" which reminded me a bit of Joy Division.

I don't like her voice. The first song was good but that was it.

Ok music but it didn't hold my interest

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

The tonal whiplash from “Deep Water” to “Machine Gun” was pretty insane. This was a great album for a late night drive

I'm glad 1001 introduced me to these folks. It's a fab album with lots of twists and turns and creativity. They have an industrial sound that is listenable.

I listened to this a couple of years ago and wasn't too impressed. I guess I was expecting the pioneers of hip-hop to stick to their sound. But I suppose that sound was 14 years in their year view mirror by the time of this release. This time, I like their new sound, a little edgier, lots of acoustic guitar, and it's generally hard to groove to. The songs are well written, and Beth still has a very special voice.

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.

Really like this album.

Ikke deres beste, men fortsatt.

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

Artsy fartsy. Zugegebenermaßen: Portishead sind, ähnlich wie Radiohead, Band mit gehobenem künstlerischen Anspruch und haben zu Recht den kommerziellen Erfolg, den sie haben. Die Platte ist kein Opus magnum, aber mindestens 4 Sterne.

This is a tough one. Hardly resembles first two albums and a bit hard to get into overall. Yet, unique, interesting, and progressively experimental.

i’m not all the way there with the instrumentals but mother beth gibbons you have me completely the lyrics are so chefs kiss

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

When this came out - it was over a decade from the previous Portishead release - so the thirst for it was massive. I remember thinking to myself I love this, but is it because I've been waiting for this so long or is it because it's actually good? And now, approaching TWO decades later, it stands in its haunting intensity with a reply to my now, in hindsight, rhetorical question, brushing it aside with it's brilliance. The music of the band in its trip hop heyday had its slickness ported to 2008, and even if their records have always stood the test of time, at least to me, this sounds considerably more modern. I had the opportunity to see the band live, and old Portishead, middle Portishead and 'new' Portishead are a seamless beautiful stunning experience of silence, space, and intensity. With Beth Gibbon's haunting singing on top, which is probably the immediate actual draw, this band is magical.

It's the album that killed off Portishead and took forever to make. To be honest it's experimental and not much works

Real cool album, what a friggin mood Fav track: Machine Gun

Uuuge banger. Right up my moody little alley (that's what I call my butthole). Love the strange and ethereal instrumentation, emotive vocal delivery, and the flow of the record was pitch perfect. Four and a half. Fave track: Small

Heaps to enjoy here - interesting style and strong production. A good one. Three and a half. Fave track: Machine Gun

Not Dummy, nothing is Dummy, but innovative and elegiac enough to stand out

cool, but did not like the detuned kind of sound that literally everything had.

Не настолько любим как первый, но все еще крут

Влад там недавно говорил, что он начал испытывать страх от песен про зелёную лужайку: что же произойдёт здесь?)) У меня странные ощущения от музыки. С одной стороны, мне нравится, как она сконструирована: есть драм-паттерн, есть басовая линия, есть гипер-груженая гитара (иногда не груженая, а просто акустика), и поверх всего этого уже мешают всего в своё удовольствие. Это очень понятно и очень стильно. Но эстетически... Ну вот у меня в плейлистах давно уже болтается The Rip с этого альбома. В каком-то смысле она наверное самая простая песня и понятная песня с этого альбома, не считая интерлюдии "Deep Water". Блин, дожили: я что, буду жаловаться на слишком сложную музыку??? Ну, получается, что не совсем, но в какой-то степени. Я по-моему говорил, что меня часто напрягают диссонансы и какофония: ну вот что-то такое здесь было местами. Это не получается так же чиллово воспринимать, как Massive Attack. Из прикольного: цепанула рваность "Hunter". Есть в ней что-то гипнотическое. P.S. We carry on - я словил вайбы Benny Benassi - Satisfaction: возможно, из-за схожего рисунка синта; Silence - ударкой напомнили Prodigy. P.P.S. Коля вот гнал на Егора, что он как-то странно сравнивает всё: а мне что здесь, что на Бьорк, хочется их сравнить с PJ Harvey. Местами кажется, что я даже не отличил бы одно от другого и третьего. P.P.P.S: Видимо надо было слушать дважды, со второго раза идёт лучше... повышаю оценку до 3.5 -> 4

Reminded my Why I don’t like Portishead…

Interesting, heavily helped by vocals.

No thanks.

New to me. Really like.

didnt really like how industrial it is at all, really liked her voice tho which saves the album from a 1/5

As a child of the early 90s, at first I was really excited to finally listen to Portishead. For some reason I've really never listened to them, even after knowing their early work was lauded as important and great trip-hop. Unfortunately my expectations didn't really align with what I heard. If this is great trip-hop, then I really don't understand trip-hop. It just seems incredibly uninspired and tedious to me, and I can't get past the dissonant vocals. That being said, I did kind of enjoy "Magic Doors." So I've got that going for me. Which is nice.

I know this album is supposed to be good. I remember all the music critics falling over themselves for this. Wasn’t for me.

Dark and weird. Interesting and creative. Repetitive sounds that reminded me of the banging of an MRI during different sequences, with the patient singing along while on valium. EERIE.

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.

Such an amazing album not as good as Dummy but still brilliant

Pretty good!

I’ve definitely come across the name Portishead before, but I don’t think I’ve ever actually heard any of the music. My understanding is that it’s pretty trippy - meaning, from experience, I’ll either love it ir hate it. Let’s listen and find out. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Machine Gun For the most part, I found this album very uninteresting. It’s pretty lo-fi, generally sounding like some mechanical banging with a lady caterwauling over the top of it. There were a few songs that seemed to click better for me (in the first 20 seconds it so of Machine Gun I hated it, but despite being a pretty repetitive song I did end up liking it by the end). Overall, I think this is an album that some people will love, and other people won’t really see the appeal at all.

Música terrible para el cinofilo mamador de mal gusto.

I aåpr

Self-absorbed hipster-trash. 1.5/5

Big fan of Portishead.

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 a huge fan of Portishead's 90s albums, but this blew my socks off. You can feel the influence of Radiohead and Goldfrapp (both of whom were probably influenced by Portishead), as well as the beginnings of Geoff Barrow's work with Beak > and his soundtracks. I admire the way it doesn't sound like other music of this era, too.

this band made three near perfect albums, dark, foreboding, ethereal. her voice comes in and out of the fore, is incredible, dirge like, beautiful. its good. damn good.

Don't love. 2.5 stars

Not really for me.

Heavy mental. Not an everyday record

Trippy trip... I can hear some sounds from past generations, but it just ain't my taste...

I like this album but their first album “Dummy” blows this one away

It's Whisper Week on 1001 Album Generator.

I was excited when I saw today's album was Portishead, but this was disappointing. I prefer their stuff from the '90s.

Spectacular album. I was thinking about this band & album the other day. Most of the songs were already marked as my favorite, so it was an anticipated listend. I ended up enjoying this album four times in one day - it's that good. Trip hop with gorgeous vocals...it almost veers into industrial/Goth territory. 100% up my alley. Love love love this album. 5 outta 5.

I never really knew why I never got into Portishead back in the day. Now I know why. I just could not get into this at all.

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.

Spent the whole day* depressed & listening to this almost felt masochistic. Hearing “Threads” after walking home after midnight was eerie. Usually I can hear entire songs without paying attention to the lyrics but these felt almost targeted towards my current mental state. They had to be aware of the dour atmosphere, because the gentle “Deep Water” hit like a truck Ultimately I’d say that the coincidence deepened my appreciation for this album, where it might have been a bummer another month. *give or take an hour HL: “The Rip”, “Magic Doors”, “Threads”, “Silence”

I had previously listened to Portishead's debut, Dummy. It didn't do much for me at the time. I remember it as being minimalistic to the point of being boring. Third, however, is a much more intriguing listen. As densely layered as it is, it makes me want to revisit their debut to see if there isn't something there that I missed.

What an entrancing voice! Luscious and interesting music and amazing drums throughout! Machine gun was the only song too jarring. It's not an everyday listen so just misses out on a 5 star!

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.

i had no idea what to expect before listening to this and I definitely didn't expect a gothic electronic art rock with haunting female vocals. I have no clue why but I thought Portishead would be a metal band or something. Even for someone like me this a pretty demanding listen. There a lot of dynamic range and the volume will get intense suddenly during a lot of songs. It was surprisingly unnerving, but nonetheless the sound and vibe of it is incredible. I really enjoyed it on first listen but I feel like it demands more of the listener than that. Score: 80 Art: 70

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.

Staggeringly beautiful

Le traitement de la voix, l’expérimentation, les dissonances résonnent en moi de manière familière. J’aime beaucoup

Moping along, saying absolutely nothing of substance or interest.

Ughhhhhh not for me thanks. So slow, didn’t have pop.

Op zich wel aardig, beetje Radiohead vibes. Maar dan wel een stukje minder goed. 3 sterren.

Strange and electronic, and not for me. Felt like it was tracks by Massive Attack but under LSD. Not much in the way of replay for me, and definitely not for my listening pleasure

Good songs but the sound quality is ass

It’s fine chill times

This is the kind of music you can put on for like 12 hours and sort of just forget about. I mean that in the best possible way. I couldn't remotely hum any of the songs, and I can't imagine being like "let's go to a Portishead concert"... But I loved it!

i've already listened to this album twice this week anyway so that makes this the..... 3rd. but for reals i listen to this regularly.

A spicy melting pot of poison and poetry, sliced and sprinkled into the bubbling cavern of a prolapsed anus. My mother is much pleased.

Fetch the lamb chops

Interesting

Gloomy and industrial, but with a surprisingly heartfelt core. Not for everyone.

Atmospheric.

Every time I listen to a Portishead album I feel like I've known it all my life

this might be 5 ⭐️ i don’t know, i avoided it for many years because i thought it was pretentious and overwrought but i see now i was wrong it’s pretentious in the good way

All of the tracks seemed to blend into the background. Didn’t really engage or connect in any way.

I like but not love this album

4.0

One good tune, the rest is pretty oblique. Their first record is fantastic and this is technically excellent, but just really cold.

Third by Portishead is a soundscape album that really experiments with a more electronica and psychedelia rock with heavy synths create a dark cinematic feel with a touch of a bleak art installation. Liked it more than I thought I would and for me it would fit on a playlist to listen to whilst at work. Best: Plastic Worst: Nylon Smile

1. Silence: beat goes hard, very angsty vocals, atmospheric. 7.5/10. 2. Hunter: again same vibes as Silence. 7/10. 3. Nylon Smile: nice song, good vibe. 7/10 4. The Rip: cool arpeggios, vocally very strong. 8/10. 5. Plastic: drum fill sound is crazy in this one. Very solid track. 8/10. 6. We Carry On: bit chaotic but overall pretty nice. 6.5/10 7. Deep Water: sweet little interlude. 7.5/10. 8. Machine Gun: melody wise pretty nice, feel like the drums are in line with the title of the track but thereby a bit too punchy. 7/10. 9. Small: starts of great, the beat in the middle sounds really good too. 7.5/10 10. Magic Doors: pretty nice as well, later in the track the song was somewhat too much. 6.5/10 11. Threads: like this one a lot. Creepy yet captivating 8.5/10.

Dummy is better

Fuckin weird….

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

Not really much for me. Can understand how it would appeal to others.

Sonically it sounds good however song structure is random, never quite ambient never quite in your face.

They had an amazing debut album, the samples, the voice, the atmosphere, the drama. Live they were even more brilliant. Two albums and they stopped. When this comeback album came out, I was fearing disappointment. More of the same, like Morrissey became a true disappointment? But Three was louder (Machine Gun), weirder (Deep Water) and even more moving (the Rip) than what they did before. And live Beth sang even better than ever. Easily my favorite Portishead album and definitely 5 stars

So hard to listen to.

So, so close to being perfect. It is distinct from their previous two studio records in that this is not quite a trip hop LP, but rather a unique experimental, claustrophobic monster of its own. Beth Gibbons gives a showstopping performance on vocals as usual, but the way this whole album was produced and put together is so ominously but greatly arranged, it's truly beautiful and haunting. Not one of my all timer records, yet it is very deserving on this list. I'd give this 4.5 stars if the site had the option.

Ik vind dit soort maffe electrotechnotriphop of hoe het maar heet (je kunt het ook Eric-muziek noemen) altijd leuk. Ook hier werd ik niet teleurgesteld. Fijne sound mede namens de warme stem van de zangeres.

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.

This was interesting, also weird

It was good. Quite surprised by it.

Totally weird. Songs cut out unexpectedly. Droning jams are contrasted with ukulele. It's awesome.

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*.

What if we did trip-hop on a ukelele? This.

appropriately named

Not a fan

Excited to revisit this one - for whatever reason I haven't really done so since the first year or so after its release - the only Portishead album I don't know through and through. I remember this being jarring for some when it came out - the scope of sounds is definitely much broader than their earlier releases. That said, it's friggin' brilliant! I don't know whether their entire catalogue made this list or not, but it certainly deserves to - they didn't miss. Beth Gibbons voice is majesty in and of itself, but the soundscapes Geoff Barrow and Adrian Utley provide her to move it through are rich and engrossing. "Silence," "Nylon Smile" and "We Carry On" were particular favourites for me on this one

Dun, diverse, sobering, sultry, ominous, and always interesting.

Meandering and brooding. A very strong return from Portishead and a fabulous album with a slightly weak intro. Overall a low 5 for me.

8/10 me gustó muchísimo. Me dieron la sensación a black county solo que portishead sacó esto antes por ende ellos se debieron haber inspirado en su música. Tienen un tema que era skip, pero el resto son un caos hermoso. Black county tiene vientos además de los instrumentos predeterminados de banda y los arreglos electrónicos. Pero el sentimiento y sensación de escuchar algo desconocido siempre es bueno.

Love love loved this

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.

Weird one. Really disliked it at first, had to pause for some reason, came back to it hours later and really enjoyed it. Listened to it again and still enjoyed it, but a little less.

Portishead's third album has a different sound than their previous trip-hop albums in the 1990s, it's more electronica. It's an original album, but it's less cinematic, more colder and more distanced.

Not my cup of tea at all.

It sounded like I thought it would

Liked the previous two albums of Portishead as well, but Third is of a completely different level, less trip hop and more electronic pop music. One of these rare albums that sound experimental and accessible at the same time. Especially like the way it is influenced by electronic music from the 70s as in Machine Gun. And The Rip must be one of the best songs ever - great built up.

I was not overly enthusiastic about this album at the time, but after a few listens today I was very impressed. Machine Gun is still my favourite song.

I didn't know this later Portishead album. Different sound but still very intense and I love the thin vocals.

This album is unclassifiable. The music is driving, repetitive in parts, industrial, claustrophobic, and punctuated by beautiful moments of reprieve before plunging back into the darkness. The use of analog synths lends a sense of familiarity to some sounds, I certainly heard tinges of Pink Floyd's Richard Wright in parts, but this also contributes to the albums disorienting nature. Beth Gibbons' vocals are delicate and sail above the churning music below. It feels fragile, dangerous, and absurdly beautiful.

PREFS : Silence, The Rip, Plastic, We Carry On, Small, Magic Doors, Threads MOINS PREF : Machine Gun

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.

If I listened to this album on repeat for a few times, I might enjoy it, but as it is every track sounds the same and nothing really stands out to me. 2/5.

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

Didn’t feel any reason to care about this album. 4/10

Different to their earlier stuff, but still rather enjoyable.

Very good third album, perhaps slight less accessible than their fist two albums, which have owned, but just as good. 4.5.

Not my thing

Played this one on the background while I was working. Did not really pay attention to the music. Feels a bit unfair but I will give 2 stars. Sorry, Portishead.

Really cool

Meh

Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Yes, it’s exactly within my niche taste of music I really appreciate. Kind of sounds as if Fiona Apple went experimental. Definitely need to revisit this one! Favourite song: Track 8 - Machine Gun

So good. Amazing band.

Such a unique style. This album is like a soundtrack to a dark, confusing dream. A great application of electronic instruments to create a feeling of uneasiness.

My last album was Fever Ray and I liked it. So why don't I like this? /shrug Who knows why one thing is cool and another thing is boring. Both boring and stressful, actually. Not a fan.

A reminder of how great “Dummy” is.

samples pra racionais

Constant dissonance, depressive soft spoken and sometimes drifting out of key. Minor differences between songs. If you enjoy that, this is for you. But this was not for me.

So good

Yeah this ain’t it

I did not like this Portishead album as much as their first one.

A 1-star review of this record said it sounded like the soundtrack to their anxiety and… yeah! But that’s what made me like it so much; this record feels weird, atmospheric, and the perfect companion to long walks in these increasingly dark fall afternoons. I read a little bit about the album’s influences (including John Carpenter film soundtracks) and you can totally get how they came together to form something like this. “Third” gave me what I was hoping from Tubular Bells without becoming predictable or redundant.

This album, with the plainest name and plainest covert art, is packed with interesting sounds and grooves. It's been a while since I head their debut, "Dummy". While the elegance of that is still evident here, the soulful samples and the chill, seductive atmosphere are stripped down. Making this a dark and anxious album. The messiness and the overly loud drums made it more ominous and uncomfortable. And I freaking love it. For me, the antidote for the robotic genre of electronica is to make it portray the mess of human emotions, dark or otherwise. Portishead's music is such a wildly adventurous one.

Dit is zo'n plaat waarvan ik eigenlijk weinig vind...

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.

The singer is good but didn’t like the music.

Challenging and provocative. Portishead take what worked so well about their first two records (noir-drenched trip hop, Beth Gibbons' haunting vox) and update it for the age of post-millennium tension.

Already one of my favourite albums and one of my favourite bands so this is going to be easy. When you've listened to something so many times you find it easy to envelope yourself in the mood and I can understand why some find the music an overly intense wall to immerse yourself in. It's worth the plunge though.

I don't love the vocals, but the music is so good. The combination makes for a frustrating listen. Highlights: Hunter, Small.

Imam jedan veliki problem, a to je što mislim da bih u nekim trenutcima stavio ovaj album ispred njihovog inače najboljeg albuma Dummy. Jednostavno ti instrumentali su bogom dani + Bethin glas, dakle, svršaona. Stvarno. Morat ću opet Dummy nakon ovog albuma poslušat jer ovo je baš onako udaranje žestoko and I fucking love it. Sitnica koja mi smeta je ta što su dvije pjesme ako se ne varam prekinute, nemaju taj prijelaz s pjesme na pjesmu i to zna bit iritantno, ovo ostalo je top.

Moving with cinematic precision, Portishead's Third (and, so far, latest) album pulsates with ever intriguing and fascinating moments. The Bristol trio keeps things going as they turn towards new sounds unlike any they've come across before, thus shedding their trip-hop skin yet maintaining their identity. Favorites: Silence, Nylon Smile, The Rip, Machine Gun, Small, Magic Doors, Threads.

Not too bad.

Nie wiem czy jest sens sluchac bez opisywania, a przynajmniej do konca tygodnia jeszcze bez palca

Wow. This is probably going to end up being one of my favorite new-to-me albums that I'm encountered on here. It's pretty brilliant. Dark, moody, eerie, evocative sound. Nicely layered arrangements, with a Kraut rock-inspired vibe. The use of dissonance was really inspired. It's is incredibly difficult to take something ugly and make it sound pretty, and the bands excels here at that. Fave Songs: We Carry On, Plastic, Machine Gun, Hunter, Small, Magic Doors

Discordant and tuneless. How the mighty fallen

Not a fan

Interesting, but I wouldn't say I liked it too much. But it had some memorable songs and tunes. I do think it would deserve a re-listen but I don't think I am ever depressed enough to get into this.

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.

Not my thing. At all. *Yawns*

Glad to have a chance to delve into this one a bit more. I'm a bit fan of Dummy but don't know their other albums as well. I really enjoy the experimentation on this one! It is a bit jarring in places, but in a good way! Beth Gibbons is an iconic vocalist, one of the all time greats. This album really sets a mood and sticks to it.

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.

Admittedly, I'm already a big Portishead fan, given my 30 or so listens to Dummy (which I highly recommend, though it's probably already on this list). This one is a bit more experimental and... jittery? Idk how to describe it, just way less chill. I still love it, though. Standouts: Silence, Nylon Smile, The Rip, Deep Water

This was great, haven't really listened to them before

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

Every song seems like a song that’s not even close to being done. Her vocals seem like placeholders and instrumental sections go on for too long with not enough change.

80/100: Never heard of this group, but I’ll say it—I’m intrigued. This album was interesting. I say interesting because I still don’t know how I feel about it. This albums is so different than any other album I’ve ever heard. Usually that sentiment accompanies an album that’s hard to listen to. “Different” can often be difficult to enjoy; however, I didn’t really find that to be the case with this album. Without even realizing it, I found myself three listens deep into this album. There are a lot of unsettling parts of this album. The bass blaring at the end of “Threads” in particular sticks out in my mind. Maybe it’s because it sounds vaguely siren-y, like a sound you’d hear at the start of the purge. Despite feeling deeply uncomfortable during that portion of the song, I couldn’t for the life of me skip it. I think I love this album? But maybe I hate it? I don’t know. It feels like a soundtrack fit for a movie or maybe a long drive at night? That’s it actually, I need to listen to this song while driving on the highway at night. All in all, strange album, but I plan on revisiting this group in the future.

Kind of hated it

Ah man I love Portishead so much and there were some brilliant moments throughout this album but my overall experience was not gooood. I guess I prefer their less heavy songs and more chill vibes kind of tracks that they have. Majority of this album was a bit too depressing for a bit of an already low day so I can't rate this very high for this album. Doesn't contain any of my favourite Portishead tracks either. Boo.

Well I found this very boring indeed. I don't really know Portishead well but I thought I was going to like it. Found it pretentious with no substance. Little variation musically.

A banger! I like this album a lot. In fact, Machine Gun was the last song that played on my MySpace page before MySpace died.

My favourite Portishead album, the drums on Machine Gun are great. Love The Rip as well, such a beautiful voice

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

Noice

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.

I never listened to this third album. Never knew it existed. I wasn't missing much. Don't like it.

I probably listened to more new music in the late 2000s than any other period of my life. So, the fact that I had no idea Portishead released a new album in 2008 I think speaks to its lack of popularity. This is a wholly unremarkable album. Lots of mundane background effects with Bjork-esque vocals layered on top. The only song that seems to break this mold is Deep Water and that song might be the worst of the bunch. Don't get me wrong, there are some cool moments here, such as the ending of "The Rip" and "Machine Gun" but no song feels like it wants to do more than "hey, that's a cool effect, let's repeat it." I feel like the only reason this is critically acclaimed is because they put out a great album in the 90s and critics were impressed they could mount something of a comeback.

Very mediocre.

Not my usual listening style. I liked some of it, but I was ready for it to end overall. Not sure I understood what I was hearing.

Lulls you to sleep. Wakes you up with a sudden beat change. Rinse and repeat. Lots of Dust Brothers vibes. "Machine Gun" the only standout.

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.

Not the OG portis

I now know I don’t like trip hop.

Love portishead

Did not enjoy.

Good. 4/5

This album was boring. I like ambient beeps and boops, but these beeps and boops bored me

i feel nothing about this.

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