Dummy

8,09

Better than I expected.

I had heard of Portishead, but never heard their music. I didn’t mind it. More trip than hop, in my opinion. I did really like Beth’s voice. Lots of mid tempo songs that I enjoyed. I felt the beginning of the album kept my attention better than the second half. So…..now I can say I heard of Portishead and have listened to their entire album.

it was pretty chill, i would listen again!! 😁😁

This album or maybe the other one was one of the first times I realized as a young lad that you could throw some music on and set the right kind of mood for you and young lady so cool. Other than that amazing three albums amazing band would love to see them live on the musical bucket list of concerts.

Good songs are sour times. Mysterious and glory box The middle is good but not as great as the buns of album if you catch my drift

Portshead wonderful

Classic album. While I do appreciate it, there is something about it that limits it to getting into the upper echelon of elite albums for me. 4.5/5

Awesome samples, great vocals by Beth, and loved the dark moody feel of it. A solid trip-hop album to listen to and great for those getting into different types of genres. Would recommend no cap. Best - Sour Times, Wandering Star, Numb, Roads, Biscuit, and Glory Box No bad songs 3.75/5

While American rappers developed the techniques of sampling, British electronic musicians began using similar techniques to create a completely different sound, and hence trip hop was born. Portishead didn’t invent trip hop, but what they did on Dummy with completely non-digital sampling was revolutionary and paved the way for plunderphonics and mashup music. While other early trip hop artists like Massive Attack and Tricky sound dated to me, I’ll never fail to enjoy early Portishead. Part of being an electronic music act who records non-digitally in the studio means they sound fantastic live. Check out Portishead’s Roseland NYC from 1998 for my all-time favorite recordings of many of these tracks.

amazing

I'm shrugging less emphatically

Mom please come pick me up I’m scared

This is my first time listening to Portishead. From what I can gather, they're considered an influential group in the trip-hop genre, alongside the likes of Tricky whom I’ve heard before on this journey. That genre is pretty much the vibe we get with this album. Beth Gibbons's sweet and sultry vocal delivery melts over the slow yet well-accented percussion and spare accompaniment from various live instruments, samples, and electronic programming. In a way, the album is cinematic in its overall presentation. Pair that with yearning lyrics, and the experience takes on a whole melancholic tone. I enjoyed this album overall, and I can see how later acts were inspired by it. There's a sense of it being simple but effective.

It was okay. It wasn't really my taste, but it sounded nice.

Not a bad listen but there was something about it that silently screamed 'LOOK AT ME AND HOW COOL MY MUSIC IS!' when really all I wanted to do was close my eyes, and listen to music.

Always wanted to listen to more of them - great album. I will be listening to more.

Good for what I listened too, but slow for the morning

Meh. Boring mood music

Best Song: Glory Box. This is purely based on the quality of the chorus and the breathless, smoky quality of the vocals. Worst Song: Wandering Star. The extended outro did nothing for me. The vocals really were what most intrigued me about this album, and there were too many extended instrumentals here. Overall: A chill, relaxed album. I had never listened to Portishead before, and I don't know what I expected but it wasn't this. Enjoyable for evenings and rainy days.

I hate trip hop - but really like Portishead. Great vocals, non-repetitive beats and an ethereal vibe.

Really enjoyed this album

i just think i like trip hop

I feel like in most normal situations I'd give this album a 3. Like, as much as I can recognize in the moment, while it's playing, all the stuff that makes it great—the production, the sampling, the vocal style, the mood—hours later, I can't remember a second of it. And that goes for most all trip hop, really. Unless it's in direct comparison to much more boring trip hop (see: MAXINQUAYE), I'm not sure what it can really do to bump up an extra star. Well, this thing found a way: a **bitchen guitar solo on the last track**. Seriously, I'unno who decide it should rip so hard, but if I ain't happy! Absolutely, it's enough to earn that extra star from me. And maybe more trip hop albums should have solos like that, I'unno. Massive Attack, it wouldn't hurt to try. You too, Tricky.

This group being so good right from the gate, plus the fact that Trip Hop is such an easygoing genre elevate this album pretty high in my book.

I’m right on a 4. I thought it was good – I think the biggest problem this album has is entirely in managing its pacing and its tone. The sort of ratio between faster songs and slower songs is a bit skewed, and I don’t think the album flows as nicely and as smoothly as it could. It still manages to pace itself well, don’t get me wrong, but as an album experience, it does feel a little more front loaded with the faster stuff. That brings me to the point of its tone; I think a few songs here kinda touch around the same general soundscape and topics a bit too often, especially by the end, which lines up around the point where the sound design starts to kind of lose that luster, on account of the pacing of the album. With that said, this is a really nice album in spite of all that; I think the vocals are really nice throughout, finding a super good balance between soft and moody and a bit more excitable and engaged throughout each point of the songs. I think the sound design and production, for 1994, is definitely ahead of schedule – a few songs on here feel like they could’ve dropped in 2018 or 2019 and not missed a beat. Lyrically, I thought it was a little abstract, but the focus here is on the mood and the soundscapes, so I’m not gonna be a stickler about it, because they nailed the mood and the soundscapes on every track, whether I was feeling the track or not. I don’t think there’s a single bad song here, just different songs that you have to be in the right mood for in order for them to really hit. Someone’s least favorite on here could be someone else’s favorite, and that’s a testament to the variety of the tracks throughout the album, and the sustained quality it has. It doesn’t quite do enough for my tastes to get up to a 5, but it’s absolutely no less than a 4.

Some very good songs. I like the moody atmosphere of the music.

Not for me

4.5- pretty chill and amazing bass tone. Some of it sounds like a ps1 game

This album is awesome I love it, give me a reasonnnnn to love you

Definitely James Bond credit worthy material. But it didn’t hold up through the whole album. It faded into simple background music halfway through. High 2+.

Ehh, it was aight.

Trip-hop is a super unique genre that's very niche and specialized. There aren't many artists who employ this kind of technique in songwriting, but Portishead is one of the best.

A very noir grungy vibe. Glory box is cool and sexy, whole album is a rainy day aesthetic

Elska þessa plötu og Bristol sándið. Mikil áhrif á síðari tíma bönd og söngkonur.

People usually seem to put Portishead and Massive Attack next to each other for comparison, and while I can see what they mean, I think that it's also not really spot on. On paper I should prefer Portishead, and I do like the overall sound and feel of the album, but somehow their songs don't manage to grab me entirely. I think the singer really hits the spot and adds so much value and emotion to the songs. But compared to Massive Attack, I feel like there is some energy missing overall on the record. The sick basslines and rap sections they have there really makes a difference. In the end it's going to be a strong 3 for me. I have heard this album before and didn't thhink much of it. It grew a tiny bit on me when listening to it again, but I don't see it becoming something I really come back to that much.

Another great Trip Hop album! The vocals are really something special in this album. Such a chill sexy vibe through this album. I still remember when I first heard the live version of "Strangers" on Youtube. Such a great version and I think their live album warrants a mention on this list as well. The tracks hold a high standard but a few really stands out as something special. For me some of those are "Strangers", "Roads" and of course "Glory Box" Just a very strong album that everyone should listen to as it is pretty unique I think. Very strong 4.

Loved it

Sour Times is a favorite song. The rest of the album was alright to me but I’d like to come back and listen

Very slow electronica. Not bad for background music, but Portishead continues not to be something I can connect with. 2/5

fun !

Not as trip hop as I wanted.

Ik hou van dit album! Ik hou van triphop! Iconisch!!

This is the first one I've had to listen to twice so far. This is an incredibly well done album with a lot going for it. This is almost certainly the inspiration for a lot of other music that I like.

90s classic. Gorgeous, love it!

В прошлое воскресенье я был на концерте Beth Gibbons. Во-первых, конечно, каковы шансы, что один альбом из тысячи+ был сгенерирован здесь так скоро после концерта, когда впечатления еще не сошли. Она исполняла Roads - и весь зал едва ли не рыдал. Это было невероятно трогательно, но и настолько трагично для меня, что все мы вряд ли когда-либо услышим больше от любимой группы. Для меня Portishead - идеальная группа с любой точки зрения. Три альбома + лайв альбом - все великие проекты на пять звезд из пяти. В данный момент мой любимый альбом - второй. Когда-то это был третий альбом, когда-то - собственно Dummy. Это музыка, которая до сих пор звучит супер-актуально, но при этом сохраняет эту эстетику 90-ых; смешивает новаторское и старомодное. Трагедия под просто нереальные биты (мне очень нравится rym-ревью, где чел сравнивает Portishead с Wu-Tang Clan или Nas и удивляется тому, как белые мальчики-девочка из Англии смогли сделать такие охуенные биты). Эталонный трип-хоп, который не просто служит приятным бэкграунд шумом, но использует эту форму, чтобы достичь атмосферу как нигде. Лучшая песня - Roads.

Heard artist for the first time. Interesting

#225. Interesting. I know Ethan have this listed as electronic, but that is not accurate, although it is hard to categorize. Dummy is a lot of everything - Mellow jazz, soulful vocals that pull you into the realm. Pretty cool. One of those Surprise Finds. Will listen again for sure

Not my type

Seminal. To me this IS triphop

Really enjoyed a few of these. Glory Box and Roads were definitely highlights. There were a few fairly dull songs inbetween though

Very good - Beth Gibbons voice is amazing

Moody, dark, and beautiful. Can’t believe I’ve never heard of or listened to Portishead before.

The best trip hop has to offer

A very good album, it really brings back vivid memories of the 90's. Has a very sparse and raw feel to it, which makes a pleasant change from the over-produced crap which seems to have taken over everywhere.

I've been listening to this for the past couple of days now, and I'm transfixed. The whole thing has a moody dark spy-movie vibe that I absolutely was not expecting.

I've never listened to Portishead before, but on the "Glory Box" episode of the podcast 60 Songs That Explain the 90's, I learned that I'd heard "Sour Times" sampled by Girl Talk. I love that sample, and ever since I learned that was a Portishead song, I've been looking forward to reviewing this album. On my first listen, I wasn’t really blown away by this album. The high points on it are fantastic; “Sour Times” and “Glory Box” are fantastic, and really stood out to me on my first time going through the album, but some a lot of other songs felt too repetitive to me. But I knew that this would be the type of album that I’d appreciate more with each listen, and I was right. After getting a good feel for the album as a whole, I became a lot more receptive to it. The overall sound of this album is incredibly unique. Even though there’s a very dark atmosphere that permeates the whole album, there are still some songs that manage to add some brightness, like “It’s A Fire,” “It Could Be Sweet,” and “Roads.” The arrangements on this album are fantastic, and Beth Gibbons’ vocals add a hauntingly beautiful depth to the album. Listening to this album is almost like being put into a trance; the beats and rhythms do a great job of driving the overall sound, but the scratching, samples, strings, and other elements fill out the rest of the sound really well. The production work on this album is fantastic as well; even though there’s a distinct sound that penetrates this album, I didn’t feel like the songs all sounded the same. This album is so unique, and I wish I’d had access to music like this as a teenager. The nineties were such a fantastic time for music, and Dummy stands out as one of the most original albums from that time. This album really reminds me of the things I like about The xx and other dream pop artists, and I think it’s a must listen for any music fan.

I like TripHop in general, but never got the hype about Portishead. It's music to die to for me.

Good mellow listen.

O João Paulo já me tinha falado da banda, até forneceu-me um concerto deles com uma orquestra. Fui ouvindo na altura e achei alguma graça mas não passei muito cartão. Fiquei muito surpreso com o álbum, a banda consegue implementar sonoridades mais eletronicas que têm a capacidade de complementar a voz da vocalista. Todos estes traços são muito subtis colocando em foco a parte vocal das cantigas, sendo que a vocalista faz um trabalho excepcional. Existe uma instrumentação, mas também subtil. Guardei várias músicas, talvez destaque a Sour Time, foi a que mais ficou-me na cabeça. Nota: 8/10 28/05/2024

Iconic! Such a beautiful trippy vibe. Incredible vocals. A solid 5 and a lovely revisit to a masterpiece.

The mid-90's Bristol scene. Massive Attack were the sound of the night out, and Portishead were the sound of the lonely 3am walk home down the back alleys. I used to like this lot as a bit of an antidote to the guitar music that was appearing around this time. They always gave me the impression of being clever muso types, not a bad thing. Haven't listened to them in years, will I again after this? Definitely the 2 class singles, the rest? When I'm in the mood for a chill out vibe maybe. A low 4

7.5/10

In terms of creating a consistent mood and sound, fusing film noir aesthetics with glitchy electronics to create something as starkly beautiful as it is unsettling, this is an easy 5 stars. But in terms of songs, is it consistent enough to get full marks? I count Glory Box, Roads, Sour Times, Wandering Star and maybe Mysterons as classics, sure, but is that enough? Actually, Biscuit is pretty decent too. And Pedestal. Numb has also grown on me now I listen again… I think I’ve talked myself into giving 4.5 stars, rounded up.

Album was a vibe, cleaned the house to it and caught myself scrubbing to the beat 😂

Not my kind of music

Two legendary songs, but it's no wonder I've never heard any other track from this album. It's quite disappointing really, with how high the bar was set with Roads and Glorybox. Also compared to other artists and band from Bristol, it's just a little bit underwhelming. Anyway, after this festival of venting, I have to admit, I'm not able to give it anything lower than 4 stars. Roads are just too good, man.

Cool and unique

A bit slow at times, but a whole vibe nonetheless!

Yes, please. Feels like taking a warm bath.

Not what I expected, but enjoyable.

Have on vinyl - really interesting album, not like the music I usually like but very consistent and enjoyable

Beautiful.

Some interesting songs.

10/10 master piece

This album brings back a lot of memories. Hadn’t listened to it for many years before today but it’s just as good, if not better, than I remember. Such a cool sound. (Although almost undoubtedly too cool for me). There’s no doubt in my mind that it’s a true classic. There’s nothing else quite like it. But is it a 4 or a 5? So hard. Midway through the record I was thinking 4, but then the final track is so good that it tipped the balance. Life’s too short to be hypercritical. 5 stars!

Just an absolutely stunning album. Still sounds as fresh as the day it came out and totally unique. I’m not quite sure the sinister/beautiful mix will ever be beaten. Funnily enough I was listening to the Portishead back catalogue not that long ago. I never realised they did a live album before, if you haven’t heard it do check it out. Amazing obvs.

Could be described as stoner music by some but I am not stoned now and it's a belter. All killer, no filler and original to it's very core. A true classic.

I don't know what this is but I like it!

Conjuring a Magnificent atmosphere

The first time I heard this song in the 90s I was hooked, mesmerized by the beats and lilting vocals. Somehow, Portishead managed to make an album full of contradictions. The hip-hop rhythm, samples, and scratching mixed seemlessly with the jazz vibe and other worldly voice. It’s a chill vibe, but drives me forward. I feel melancholy and optimistic at the same time. This is one of my all time favorite albums. The only thing I don’t like about it is that it eventually ends. Unfortunately, with their next album, either the bottle was the wrong shape or there was no lighting to catch, because it just doesn’t hit the same way.

Very good sound. Couple of songs really grabbed me

# Playlist track - Sour Times # Notes - All around amazing. - I was lucky enough to get a hold of a pirate MP3 download of this one as a teenager. I always carried it on a pendrive whenever I went. - All the stars!

Nice.

Alright

Primeiro eu não gostei, a voz dela me irritou de certa forma, talvez porque meio arrastada como num suspiro que não sai. No entanto, a batida é realmente impressionante, o que me fez adicionar duas músicas como favoritas. Olhar a explicação depois de chegar na metade do álbum me fez mudar de perspectiva. Trip-hop é um estilo que eu não sabia que eu precisava conhecer, e explica muito bem o que é esse álbum. Tenho gostado, mesmo não sendo ainda um dos meus álbuns favoritos

I just don't get it....I tried and I don't get it.

Beautiful and haunting. Hadn’t listened to any other tunes than Roads in a very long time. Second trip hop album, nice!

gosh, that tori amos kate bush alanis sinead voice was huge in the early nineties. absolutely adore a couple of these songs, and therefore slightly disappointed with the album as a whole. still dope though

Pretty chill. Enjoyed it.

Nog nooit zoiets gehoord, heel vet en uniek, dichtbij een 5 maar toch net iets te repetitief

Wat een leip genre

Already loved it and still do. 4.5/5

Wow, that was an epic experience. This is my second time listening to "Dummy". It's better than the first time. Beth Gibbons' singing and sometimes cryptic lyrics help make the album great. Along with Massive Attack, Portishead are some of the heroes of trip-hop. 5 stars, no less.

On the one hand, if I get another electronic music recommendation, I'm gonna scream. On the other, goddamn this is good.

Was a bit feverish and this album made me feel like the feverdream continued while I was awake. Not the most pleasant experience, but great music so 3/5

An eerie but beautiful experience. Unsure if this was one of the first trip hop albums (next to massive attack, dj shadow and aspects of bjork etc). It never gets lost in walls of sound but lets the space of the instruments and focused grooves carry Beth Gibbons voice to transcendental heights. It really does at times sound like someone going through a bunch of old jazz, soul and classical records and revamping them for modern times. I also feel like without this band we wouldn't have acts like Burial or Actress. Favorite tracks are Roads, Glory Box, Mysterons, Wandering Star, Biscuit and Pedestal.

Eerie, dark, and exceptional. Only reason it's not 5 stars is because it can a bit repetitive.

Just an incredible piece of work. From start to finish, creates an atmosphere, smashes it up, takes you on a journey and it still feels as amazing 30 years later. It’s as good sat in the background, listened to in detail on headphones or blasted on the stereo. One of the all time greats.

im always a little surprised by this albums critical acclaim. its enjoyable but it sounds a bit too 90s to be amazing to me. slow dreary trip hop gets a bit dull after a bit but this is considered one of the best for a reason, it doesnt really get boring throughout. 7/10

uh its alright i guess 3/5

Good lofi with some interesting moments.

I’ve heard a lot of great things about this album but never actually listened. This is really good—moody, dark, mysterious.

ganz nett

I’ve seen Portishead around for a long time, but never gave them a chance because of the album artwork and name. If the band name album name and album artwork better reflected the music I would’ve bought this record along time ago!

the backbone of my ‘i’m a woman <3’ playlist. i love u dummy portishead ❤️

just grand, so many great songs!

Not my style of music

This is an album that requires you to be (whether temporarily or perennially) in a gloomy mood to fully appreciate. If you are, it's a 4. If you're not, it's a 2. I'll split the difference.

chill

I found that this record has a slow start, but once you get pass the first few tracks its true colors really start to show, especially once you start to appreciate the novel yet immaculate production of this record that combines hip-hop-like production, breakbeat, jazz, along with some wonderful string arrangements and the soulful singing of Beth Gibbons. The final three song stretch is particularly very strong in my book.

jag vill gilla detta och det börjar ganska bra, andra låten är faktiskt jättebra. men sen ser man igenom det och det blir bara sämre.

meh

By far my favourite discovery of recent is trip hop. There is just something so brilliant about this genre and Portishead really do master this sound. Especially this dark jazz type which I wish I could find more of. Not many albums stick with me so hard as this did especially with knowing very little about the artist (which makes me feel like I have been living under a rock) but something about this album made me feel like I was missing something. I have listened to so much of this now and it is up there with one of my favourites of all time

Amazing album

I mean, ok? It’s very 90s, that’s for sure. I hate breathy singing … and this was so hard for me to get through. The worst one I’ve listened so far. Yuck.

Love this album

The opening track "Mysterons" reminds me of Björk's "Hunter" (although the Björk song was 3 years later). Haunting, but slightly depressing, with the last track, "Glory Box", verging on almost being joyful.

Es klingt alles so ein bisschen gleich. Im Hintergrund in einer Bar wohl ganz okay.

Not really my style of music and songs drag a bit. A couple are interesting though.

4.5 - I work in Portishead, but they are from Clevedon

I’ve never really got into Portishead before, but being forced into it, I can definitely see it’s merits. The production is really clean and the mood of the album is great. Missing perhaps some highlights beyond Glory Box. Fave Tracks: Glory Box, other songs too but I didn’t see the track list whilst listening 4/5

Excellent. Probably underrated even still.

Gloomy, slow and somewhat repetitive. It builds an interesting atmosphere. Favorite track: Roads

The whole album is too less diversified and too much downbeat. Sounds more like lounge- or film-music to me. favourite: "Sour Times", "Wandering Stars", "Glory Box" 2,5

Wow. I was not expecting this. For some reason I thought Portishead was, like….industrial metal? But it’s just this incredible vibey electric trip-hop with angelic vocals and atmospheric lyrics?!? Absolutely one of my favorite discoveries so far!

Thoughts before listening: This album gets talked about A LOT, but this will be a first listen for me. I believe Portishead is considered trip hop with ethereal female vocals...this is typically the type of music I respect more than enjoy which is probably why I have never sought this album out despite the acclaim. Review: This is not the type of music I would usually listen to, but this is good. I definitely remember \"Sour Times\" being a big deal on the college and alternative radio stations I listened to in the 90s, so it is nice to hear a familiar song. These guys get a ton of style points and their sound is very interesting. Lots of cool sounds mixed into what amounts to moody, slow burn, jazzy music with emotive female vocals. My favorite song is \"Glory Box\". 4-stars

Really enjoyed Sour Times and Glory Box, but the rest of the album dragged for me. Not unenjoyable to listen to, but just didn’t catch me. With Glory Box it’s funny to see another older song being rehashed for modern pop with Alessia Cara. Had no idea the beat to her song was a sample.

Smokey ennui. Very enjoyable to listen to.

This is an all time classic for me. I was introduced to trip hop by a school friend when I was 16 or 17, but don't think Portishead really blocked with me until a few years later. I was too distracted by Massive Attack. But this album holds up just as well as Mezzanine, and is definitely one of the best of the 90s. I still marvel at how deep the bass sounds on here. One to listen to late at night, in a melancholy or meditative state.

Gloomy and moody, just what I like. 4/5

Very 1994 and a testament to what it meant to be cool then. But sounds falsely dramatic 30 years on. Many cool moods get set but then nothing else happens. Appropriate music for cocktail lounges and international flights (business class preferred) in the mid to late 90s, but generally not other places, times. One wonders if winning the Mercury Prize is actually a negative indicator of aging well. 3

First track is dope. Very trippy sound and the singers voice fits the sound perfectly. Through the halfway point of the album. Enjoy the sound. It’s very unique and mysterious. Some of the tracks feel like they’d do well in a James Bond movie. I would like a little more variety though. Some of the songs don’t vary enough to keep my attention. Will continue listening and change rating accordingly.

o k 4 / 5

Favourite song - Glory box

Dummy, by Portishead, is some nice ass stuff. It is classified as Electronica, but it really feels like psychedelic and moody, like a Hip-Hop sample. All of the songs are absolute class, completely perfecting the moody, mystic vibe that they were going for. Whenever the vocals would seep through every once in a while, it would get me so hype for the beat to slowly ride out into the next song. My favorites are Pedestal, Strangers, and Numb. I really wish someone rapped over this stuff. All in all, Dummy is a perfect album. Best Song: Pedestal Worst Song: Its A Fire

i love this album!! trip hop is so sexy and cool

An awesome, jazzy fusion. Really enjoyed it, roads is absolutely incredible

4/5 An album I've (mostly) listened to before. It's a great album. I've heard some people call it dated but on re-listen, I don't agree with that statement at all. Though it's not an album I'd necessarily put on and listen in one sitting reguarly, it's very sultry (if you don't pay attention to the lyrics anyway) and trance-like. My favourite songs are: Mysterons, It Could Be Sweet, It's A Fire, Glory Box, Road.

Really enjoyed, didn’t know how much they’ve influenced some of my favorite music

4. Some of the most attention-grabbing sequencing I've heard from an album. Voice reminiscent of Jeff Buckley - vibrato when pushing it Simple yet iconic cover art I'm stunned at the level of depth achieved in the mix of these songs with relatively little happening on an instrumental basis "Strangers" resampling itself was so fucking cool. I love the application of scene changes in this song; from completely jarring cut-outs, to vocal tone shifting from warm / saturated, to cold and sleek. Same goes for the sonic palette used for the drums throughout the album. Plenty of interesting contrast.

I liked this a lot more than I thought it would!

GREAT! Amazing atmosphere

I've heard of Portishead for 20 years now. Loved some songs, kept saying I will get around to listening to the entire album. Boy....was I missing out. Love it! The music is great, the lyrics are just my right kind of gloomy, the singer's voice soothes my soul. The vibe is cohesive, the songs flow into one another, each one different and unique, never changing tone. Great soundtrack for the angsty end of times. Aptly titled. Tight project, overall.

Really cool interesting sound, the vocalist has a wonderful voice. Some tracks really did sound like something out of a spy movie.

A wonderful union of old and new. Soulful yet haunting. I do think the 3rd album is even better but this was a step in a direction many seem to have tried to follow but Portishead feel like they transcend gimmicky genre aping.

I continue to enjoy the "triphop" genre, but have appreciated a few of the other albums a bit more than this one.

I enjoyed this but didn’t find it particularly memorable. Some solid songs and some less memorable tunes. I like but don’t love trip-hop.

3.6 sexy sexy album, bit samey sometimes but sexy nonetheless. fave songs: sour times, strangers, glory box

AAAAAHHHH loved it so much. its just so nice. the only one that i even slightly dont like is its a fire. but even then… i really like the kinda freaky spacey instruments put behind beth gibbons’ subdued vocals.

First few tracks were epic but then it could be sweet was fucking dog shit. After that I started to get into the weird moodiness of it even if it did feel a bit repetitive. Glory box was great obviously and ended the album well BUT HOLY SHIT THE FAKE RECORD CLICKS WERE SO FUCKING ANNOYING. Mixed bag overall.

Very awesome very cool

1994 triphop got me actin unwise. I love the samples used, they're not overwhelming but add a cool vibe to the songs.

I have been putting off listening to Portishead for the first time. I'm not sure why, but I think I wanted to be in the right frame of mind and not dismiss them. Fortunately, that's exactly where I was because godDAMN this is some good stuff. It's just oozing sultry and lounge singer, and yet putting it firmly into a more modern-esque (I say modern-esque because it is 30 years old) setting than the singers from the 20s and 30s. You wouldn't really think the two styled would cross over so well, but they do in every single song on this album. Kinda wish "Glory Box" didn't fade out, but that's being picky. Wow, so glad I took the time to sit down and listen to this. Really, really good stuff.

Now these guys did trip hop or the Bristol sound right. I've been pretty lukewarm on the rest of this genre, but this album feels markedly better. I'm not entirely sure why. Maybe it's Beth Gibbons' vocals - her voice tugs at you. A perfect match for the spacey sounds. Maybe it's that they also used some of their own instrumentation and that mixed with the sampling gives it something extra. Listen to the end of Mysterious or the start of Sour Times - there's some extra percussion or rattling or something that really works. Some other particularly good songs include Wandering Star and Glory Box.

Joya. Nada suena como Portishead.

Listened to glory box a ton and listened to this album in the past. It’s solid and she has a beautiful voice.

I liked it more than I expected to but overall probably won’t listen again

Sultry spy movie sounding tones. This all reminded me of early 2000s movies and I enjoyed it

Really liked this. Chill, Dark, moody, cinematic, downtempo with cool hip hop beats. Singer has a unique voice. Some of the songs almost had a feel of a "less-soul, more-electronic Fugees". I had previously saved Sour Times and recognized Glory Box and now saved that too.

An absolute mood of an album. The other side of the triphop coin from the equally brilliant Massive Attack, every track on this project is sultry, smooth and sorrowful, perhaps mournful. Instrumentation is unique - listening is like enjoying burnt coffee on small platters in dingy French cafés on a diet of nothing but angst and unfiltered cigarettes. A treat for the ears and soul.

4-

First time hearing Portishead and they are so chill, I’m pretty sure I’ll be revisiting this album again in the near future.

Wow… This is basically everything I love together in one masterpiece of an album. Favorite song Biscuit and the end of Glory Box

Classic

sexy

Excellent album!

Alright

I listened to a little more than half of the album. I had heard good things about portishead in the past. I didn’t dislike like the album but I definitely expected to like it much more than I did. Might dive a little deeper into their discography. 3.3/5

I’ve just recently been put into Portishead. I really love music like this. Bands like Massive Attack and Thievery Corporation always hit different. Favorite song was Glory Box. Added to my Spotify playlist.

Really cool album. Moody but has a groove to it. The singer reminds me of Fiona Apple, which is awesome. Will probably have to revisit this down the line to gain more appreciation.

Portishead's biggest and most celebrated release feels like floating through shark infested waters, but like the sharks are on your side or sth...

Really enjoyed it

A real walk down memory lane. Stands up very well and is clearly timeless. The roots of Trip Hop are here. Really enjoyed this album.

Really enjoyed Sour Times and Mysterons. Cover artwork isn't appealing, but the music speaks for itself.

Fine.

Know nothing about this other than I think I’ve heard the band name before. I want to like this, and it’s not BAD just…boring. I could see this being okay driving around at night, or playing in the background of a Borders books circa 2002, but I don’t think I’d ever actively search this one out. 2/5

Really loved this. Never heard the whole thing. Bond Trip Hop, yes. Dark Alley UK vibes, yes. Great vocals and textures, yes.

It Could Be Sweet Wandering Star Numb Roads Pedestal Pretty great album I’d say. But definitely has its time and place. Productivity music for sure.

Really interesting/unique. Would listen again. It's like if Mazzy star was produced by Dr Dre in a weird way

Fantastic album.

I've apparently listened to this once before, but I have no recollection of it. It was a very cool vibe for a morning depressed in work though. Highly enjoyed.

Finally

Excellent music for a movie to use to indicate a character's declining mental health. As music for me to listen to, not really into it.

I like the chill vibe of the album, and it’s pleasant to the ear. However, it’s very monotonous, so by the end of the album I get rather bored. There can’t be too much of a difference in bpm throughout the album, surely? Roads, with it’s beautiful vocal melody and efficient use of strings, Glory Box, which is more adventurous and Wandering Star, with added bass to give the beat some more punch, break out of the average mold and secure the 3 stars. But man, it most be a boring band to watch live!

1994 was the peak of rap production in my opinion so I’m a sucker for the beats on this album, though I’d much rather hear the Pharcyde rap over them than this girl sing over them.

2.9 Overall good vibes, It gets a bit repetitive at times for me.

Sehr melancholisch. Habe die Platte offenbar in der richtigen Situation gehört, gefällt mir wider Erwarten doch recht gut! 4/5

Love this album. It is one of my favorites so funny it was my first 1001 album. Beth’s voice is like a soothing witch with a DJ. This introduced me to so much music. Love Portishead!

Soort duister album. Best wel vermakelijk, er gebeuren scratches en de zang van de zangeres klinkt er een soort van triestig overheen. Had hier geen verwachtingen van omdat ik er nog nooit van had gehoord maar ik vind het alles meevallen. Dit is een lekker weg luister album De vocals zijn heel sterk en met de Moody, duistere productie erbij is dit album echt een stuk beter dan ik had gedacht. Ik ben positief verrast! Het is soms ook een beetje jazz, bijvoorbeeld bij Pedestal. Ik ben echt onder de indruk van dit album. FAVO: Wandering Star, Numb, Pedestal

Some really good stuff but I didn't like your voice at times and the album was far too long. High highs and low lows

2.5

Really great vibe. There's better instrumental work than I would've expected with this sort of sound. They could've laid back more on the vocals to drive but some nice string work and synth blending. I liked this one. Cool listen. Could easily see a relisten.

Pleasant arrangements. The music seems a little simple or thin. Great voice. It's grown on me with each listen, but I still wish the production was a bit better. Maybe incorporate a real bass player.

Shit bangs, sour times, wandering star, glory box, extra bangs, 4.5

Lovely

Cracking album

I’d rate this 3.6 stars. The beats and sounds are great, just wished some of the lyrics and singing hit a little harder. I gave this a couple of listens and might check out other songs of theirs.

A big no thanks!

ok, some solid "chill hop" tunes here

Man I love this album. I bought this on CD in 1994 and have loved it ever since. I am giving this a five star rating knowing full well that I gave The White Album and Pet Sounds four stars and I don't care in the slightest. I am ranking these albums based on my personal feelings about them, not on some imaginary ultimate scale of quality that I am somehow able to tap into because I am so uniquely discerning. This is one of my favorite albums and I love it. It is hard to even pick a favorite song off this album because there are no tracks that I don't think are great. Five stars.

Actually Good

In my early days of sexual relations with the ladies, I’d always put slow burning songs on to make the mood right. This album would do it. It won’t make you stop mid thrust and say “Ooooo I like this song” but you’d still think it. Aside from Glory Box, that’s a stop thrusting track Choice Cut: Glory Box

FIrreeeee

Very good and like emotional

Not my cup of tea

Never gets out of first gear. Every song is slow. That annoying wack-a wack-a of the turntable LP being spun and the snare drum on beat two throughout (at least its timbre is changed once in awhile). The song “Numb” is numbing, as are a few others. Now….all that being said….there were some interesting lyrics sung by an interesting (often beautiful) voice. In fact, the voice saves this album and makes it listenable. Not great….but not terrible either.

Started skipping when I realized I had no idea if I was listening to a new track or not.

love this album. so moody and sultry… giving twin peaks.

Moody album, sets the atmosphere of bar late at night when everyone is drowsing and smoked out. Stand-out: Wandering Star, Glory Box

Bleh

Sexxy

I was in to this album in highschool because I worked at a record store and we played it in the store a lot. For nostalgia purposes it’s a 3.5.

could i write poetry to this? n

Great album. This one brought Trip-Hop to the mainstream. I liked the "Live at Roseland" album better, though.

This album has never clicked with me. It's not bad, there's just nothing that makes me want to come back for more.

I had a gut feeling that a familiar album would show up today…. This is one of my favorite albums of all time, end of story.

This album has been a go to for me since my college years, many many years ago. It's hard to believe this came out in '94. It still feels fresh today. Infusing Hip Hop production with beautiful endearing vocals, it's a match made in heaven. The sampling is top notch and the atmospheric vibes deliver and experience of driving down a highway at 3 am with the windows down and the breeze in your hair. Incredible start to finish. Standout Tracks: (These were really difficult to pick but if I had to choose..) Mysterons, Sour Times, Wandering Star, Roads, Glory Box

Dit album door de jaren heen een aantal keer geluisterd, maar kom er nooit echt echt in. Vind het wel oké, paar leuke nummers erop maar trekt mij niet.

Lofi 90s

👍🏻

Electronic ambient music? Nice, but not as great as everyone makes this out to be. 3.5/5

Great album!

Really cool

Favoritlåt från albumet var Glory Box Albumet får 3/5 stjärnor. Gillade att det var en tjej som sjöng och hela albumet hade en bra vibe

This was way different than what I was expecting, but it was so good. Her voice was perfect for the style, and the "triphop" was a jam the entire time. It does fall just short of a 10 for me, but it is darn close.

💕💕💕 One of my favourite albums

Beautiful mesmerising album. Beth Gibbons smooth sexy and slightly spooky voice is a highlight.

A classic. One of the best of the 90's. Defined a genre of music.

Groovy and moody, I like it as a background brain food type sound.

Boring

Angsty!

SUPER ENTRETENIDO. Los beats llenos de sonoridad, los vocals no se sienten forzados y las letras son sencillas pero a la vez te transmiten exactamente lo que tienen que decir. Una sorpresa que la canción del final fuera Glory box. Una canción bastante famosita por ser literalmente la canción sexo antes que existiera deftones. Brillante, divertido, bastante relajado y sexy. Muy buen album. 9/10.

exceptional

I like it

Absolute stone cold classic album. They created their own distinctive sound with this album that so many artists tried to copy. Berth Gibbons vocals are sublime.

I really don't like her voice.

Been a favorite for thirty years; still holds up. Easy 5 *

More electronics get skins of boring

With the clear bias that this is the music I grew up with a solid 5/5

So, apparently I like Trip hop. Interesting...

God, Trip-hop was good wasn’t it? The whole album breathes, like it’s a living thing. Numb is a prime example. Amazing.

Rating: 9.5/10 Amazing album, breathtakingly gorgeous from start to finish. The production is amazing, all of the instruments sound fantastic and the dynamics that were used created a beautiful atmosphere. The drums and samples sprinkled throughout were influenced by hip-hop but the other instruments and the production create a completely different vibe. The vocals are incredibly beautiful and really complement the instrumentation; Beth Gibbons always knows when to supplement the instrumentals with her voice and when to add a bit more volume and range to showcase her talents as well. There are some overlapping ideas between the songs so it can sound a bit same-y but it is so well done that this is not an issue for me; this is a classic of the trip-hop genre for a reason. Favorite songs: Pretty much all of them. Least favorite song: Strangers.

Beth gibbons' voice gives me gender envy.

Different. A couple catchy songs. Not my favorite

Eh.

6/10 not my vibe but I can tell the production and the heavy lyrics can be for many people. Gives off SAW vibes

Bob Christgau described this album as "Sade for Androids", as though the electric sheep dreams of Androids don't require a trip-hop masterpiece of alienation and misery. Humans need this, too, for the cold and rainy days, for weed, for booze, for pills, and for the sheer existential performance of pensively staring out of window, smoking cigarettes, and expressing utter ennui. This is the album for these sour times.

Good album.

Some incredibly dreamy/nostalgic/nightmarish soundscapes are created in this album. At times they feel perfect and you get wholly lost in them. At other times they feel muddy and discordant, leading to a jagged listening experience

My vote for most sublimely produced album ever. I feel extremely privileged that I got to experience having my eardrums stress tested by that bass live in 2011. I still use 'Roads' every time I set up a sound system, and it doesn't hurt that Beth Gibbons delivers one of the best vocal performances ever.

There are few better produced albums available worldwide. It’s purified beauty. “Pedestal” is in my list of songs I always use to test speaker systems. I could get lost in that bass all day.

I'd give it 4.5 stars if I could. Not perfect, but better than a 4.

Simply a game changer.

again not for me

7/10 Sour time and Glory box stand out as really good. The rest is relaxing trip-hop that I'm happy to listen to, but no chills or jaw drops. elevator music for a really cool elevator. 3-4-2024

Epitome of this sound and this era. Consistent if nothing else.

I revisited Portishead and Massive Attack a few months ago so its great to see this on here. Still great as it was.

Dark and atmospheric Trip Hop. Love this album so much because it's so easy to just lose yourself in. From the very beginning to the end it's a masterpiece of sensual songwriting. Hauntingly beautiful vocals and mellow beats makes this such an unnervingly comfortable listen. I've been listening to this album on and off for many years and won't be stopping anytime soon. Timeless classic. Already have and will continue to revisit.

Really liked it.

It didn't fetch me or I didn't get it. Maybe both. At first it felt a bit like old Evanescence stuff in a different way. They had many good ideas but didn't think them through. Felt like waiting for something that wouldn't happen. Like stopping every time you're about to orgasm.

Very interesting. It could be just a little bit more, in some places I missed a little something, but all in all I liked it. This eerie voice on top of something similar to hip-hop beats... I really kinda liked it

4/5

Soundtechnisch nicht mehr ganz auf der Höhe aktueller Produktionen, aber schon sehr stilprägend und ein Einfluss für jede Menge andere Musik.

Good

Classic - Sour times, wandering star, glory box soundtrack to youth - actually had this album on CD and played it constantly

I didn’t buy this album in 1994 and I never have been that into it. I understand why it’s important, but just not my jam.

listened to the album late at night for the first time in a long time (prob 10 years or more) and enjoyed so much i listened again immediately upon waking up. mix of eerie backing and brittle but smooth vocals and sound textures keeps it all interesting.

Entre légèreté aérienne de la voix et épaisseur des textures.

Excellent. This captures a certain mood that is hard to pin down but I love it. I see why it's so acclaimed.

Low-fi awesome!!

Now I finally know what they sound like, was not bad

Gorgeous. 4.5

Holy shit this takes me back. Everyone my age fucked to this album. And, if you had a CD changer, OK Computer was in the same rotation. I can’t say anything bad about this one. Listened to it a thousand times when it came out. There was a PBS/Unplugged concert around that time, that was even better. This definitely deserves a place on this list. It’s a classic, front to back.

#143. Portishead sounds like a type of venomous fish or something. Never heard of them before, I think. I do quite like this though, it'll probably end up in my regular rotation, for sure. I've heard the song Glory Box before, but I didn't remember from where, so I looked it up. Turns out it was in about 20 different movies, including one called B Monkey that was played on IFC every three and a half minutes or so when I was in high school and I've probably watched like 8 or 10 times, which is where I recognized it from. I'm pretty sure I thought it was a Spice Girls song or something at the time though. Whichever. I still dig it. 5/5: this probably realistically is not a 5 star album, but there's no adults here, so I can do what I want. *this is the fourteenth album I purchased from this list Song added to playlist: Glory Box I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link

This was a pretty good album for non obtrusive background music. I didn't find the songs particularly compelling to listen to or something that gets my amped up, just something to have on when you want to concentrate on something and filter out other noise. I liked her voice and the music was pretty good.

This CD spent a lot of time in my player.

no se fumada psicotropica, canta una pava triste. Techno raro relajao bien? no se no es mi royo pero enjoyable

OG banger

This album has recalibrated my '3' rating. I regret not giving Imagine a 2. This album was perfectly fine, and I enjoyed listening to it but likely wouldn't revisit it. Glory Box and Sour head stood out but the other tracks felt same-y. This may be because I have never listened to trip-hop and wasn't quite able to get past the top layer of the songs.

Omg imagine opening your debut album with Mysterons? God tier move honestly. This was a remarkable debut album. Everything about this album gave me the shivers. Halfway through I knew I wanted to listen to it again. Highlights for me were Mysterons, Wandering Stars, Numb, and Glory Box. I am officially a Portishead stan even though they have a bad band name.

I'm sitting in a jazz club in 1966 with cigarette smoke filling the air and Beth Gibbons is making every person in the building fall in love with her. This album feels much more cohesive than 'Third" and really drew me in. "Roads" and "Glory Box" are incredibly smooth. I give it a 4/5.

Very sexy and sultry. I definitely liked it more than Third.

A bit one-note, but still very cool. 3.5/5

Please no.

The greatest downtempo/chill-hop album ever made. The blueprint, though it has never been able to be duplicated.

triphop er ikke for mig tror jeg :/ begyndte ret hurtigt at kede mig

Måske den nemmeste 5er på listen indtil videre. Jeg er proaktivt sur over Claus' rating

Fedt album! Tror at Massive Attack er misundelige på den her plade

L O V E Portishead. And from reading about them, so did a lot of others. I can only hope that they get it together and put out some more amazing music.

Had it been rainy when I listened, I'd give it five stars

Chill vibes, kind of dark. Jazzy but with a bit of hip hop beats 7,5

A very light 3 for me

Yeah, man. I still listen to this ALL THE TIME.

Great album. Very well balanced between underground trip hop, but also appealing to the mainstream. Album definitely stands the test of time.

kinda creepy vibes

Easy 5

Beth Gibbons is mother

GOOD

I don't know what I expected but this was not it. Overall very good for what it is. It's not my preferred style of music but I liked it. I probably won't seek this out again but I'm glad I listened to it.