Reviews (page 2 of 15)
Seems that this is never going to age
Decent 90’s dream pop electronic.
Very creepy but very good
Oddly fun, a few popular songs I didn’t know where from this album, may revisit
Didn't like this. She seems out of tune and it is boring. Will bump up to two stars
Really dark and atmospheric with such a distinctive sound. 8.5/10
I LOVE this album. Portishead does such a good job creating that dark and mysterious sound. Taking hip hop beats and then taking all of their pomp and making it heartbreaking is something that no one does quite like Portishead. Perfect to listen to on a quiet, depressing rainy day in the pnw. Definitely makes a list of my top albums
One would have to be a real dummy not to enjoy this one
I don't get it its not good.
If this sounds fresh and unique today, imagine the impact it had when it came out 32 years ago
Yeah
Det er fire veldig bra låter her.
Liker stemningen, men litt kjedelig
Fin, absolutt, men streit og snorkete. Svært tynn 3'er
It's not my style, I think it's kind of good, but it's not remarkable in my opinion, except for glorybox, this one gives me goosebumps. I would say that is a 6/10 album.
Periodically interesting, periodically dull. Can see why so many people have chosen 'Glory Box', but that track is doing a lot of heavy lifting.
Already a fan of Glory Box and enjoyed the rest of the album. Quite atmospheric, overall a tone that I enjoyed.
5/5
Name only this time. --------------------------------------------------------------- Blue. Where has this been all my life? This rhythmic jazz powered trip hop? With hazy bass, turntables, organs and the sassiest vocalist I've ever heard? I slept really bad last night, this week at work has been very intense but this brought a chill that nothing else could have done. I feel better. Thank you Portishead. Easy 5*.
Hell yea love this moody sound and great album
“Did you realise for why this sight belongs to you?” One of my favourite albums ever and Portisheads first and also best (possibly in contention with Roseland). It’s about a woman and her emotional journey through heartbreak and coming to terms with what she is currently, all encapsulated in Hazy Noir-Style Trip-Hop. Beth Gibbons vocals are both sexy and sorrowful. Strangers and Glory box are both in contention for being the sexiest songs every created, heck the fade-in on glory box alone is legendary enough to get a 5 star, but the whole thing is fantastic. Slight elephant in the room, It’s A Fire was added 10 years after the original release yet i couldn’t imagine the album without it now, it’s so important to the narrative because its one of the few moments in this album that’s actually about healing. Standouts are Sour Times, Strangers, It’s a Fire and Glory Box (obviously) Schizo ramble incoming: Dummy and Grace come out a single day apart with the former focusing on a woman being betrayed and heartbroken and the latter is about a man that screwed up a good relationship and regrets it, these albums work SO well together (and the fade out of glory box into the fade in of Mojo Pin is SOOOOO good).
tuff. Ihsahn did it better. but tuff nonthenless.
Am I horny or depressed?
Great album, could be 5 but need to compare to others
I respect trip hop far more than I enjoy it, and I definitely appreciate how original this was as the time, and how genre defining it is in retrospect. At the time of it's release it was everywhere, and as a young punk it seemed weird, drugged out and spooky. Listening now what I'm mostly struck by is how obvious the influences are - film noir and spaghetti westerns, dub and underground hip hop - and how cohesive the vision is.
Prima, net iets te langzaam Love glorybox tho
Very electronic. It's a pretty good album, but it's not my favorite. Very experimental as well.
It was ok. I didn’t like the songs where she whispered.
Not terrible, bit repetitive
I can hear their influence all over the trip hop that came after
Atmospheric and cool, but I'm not sure there is enough there there to keep me entertained.
This had some cool vibes to it, but I did feel like they were a little too slow at times. I feel like this could be an album I come back and find I enjoy more things I didn't catch before. For now, I feel like it should be a 3.5, but I don't feel quite right with a 4.
Genuinamente no me termino de atrapar como a muchos que conozco y que lei en las reviews. Es obviamente un album que presenta algo distinto y que para la epoca debio haber sido revolucionario de algun modo. Quizas no es el momento o no es para mi.
Really enjoyed it - the hits do standout, but it’s all got a nice chilled slightly mesmerising feel to it.
I liked it more than I thought. Her voice could be so good with more live instruments
Very much like Bjork. Good beats and good voice.
Good
Cozy.
Beautiful album.
As of yesterday, I adore this album! It has a beautiful melodic soundscape that is all their own. The closest I can think of to this sound is Anathema, one of my favourite British bands. They create melodic rock music rather than trip-hop, but they also have an enveloping, ambient, emotional sound. It's probably why I'm loving this album!
British trip hop takes entirely too much space on this list. But this is one album I didn’t mind. It was good for getting into work mode and having something on in the background to help focus. That said, there’s a lot of albums that can do that. The lead singer has a nice voice. That said, all trip hop sounds the same to me.
Sonidos nuevos me gusto
If I have learned one thing about myself through this experience its that trip-hop is not for me. I think this is the 3rd trip-hop album I've gotten and each one has done nothing for me. Everything I've heard about this album makes it seem like the ultimate trip-hop album and if it doesn't make the genre click for me than I don't think anything will. My rating is a combination of respect for the album and the understanding that this is a genre of music I don't think I'll ever come around on. 3/5
The same as the other one. 3 stars. Just.
Johnnie Ray. Poor old Johnnie Ray. He's part of that pre fab world, where "singers" were still plying their trade, and Johnnie and his hearing aid had a truly great moment in the sun in the fifties. So when he was sampled in Biscuit I remember thinking of course they'd slot Johnnie into this very strange theremin noir kitchen sink world. What is this exactly? What was in the water in Bristol, and did Idles find the same source of inspiration thirty years later and turn it into something else again. I remember playing this for weeks on end trying to get my head around its genius. This is standalone brilliance, made perfect by their self titled record two years later. The two together are an astonishing soundtrack, psychedelic as fuck.
I could hear how this pushed the boundary on sound choice but it wasn’t my thing
I have great memories of 1994 living in Bristol - Oasis and Blur obviously, but the cool album to listen to at people's houses was this Mercury prize winner. The term 'trip hop' emerged with this album and a few other artists, along with the idea of the 'Bristol sound'. Portishead never really produced music as instantly accessible as this in their rare subsequent releases. Beth Gibbons's aching vocals over the part retro part contemporary backing gave a whole new sound world. One track even sounded like the theme to 'The sweeney'.....a modern classic.
Beth Gibbons is the coolest. This is just some great shit to just chill out and vibe to.
incredible trip hop album. I don't go back to it often but man is it great. decent 9. first listen tracklist ranking: 1. Roads 2. Glory Box 3. Strangers 4. Wandering Star 5. Sour Times 6. Biscuit 7. It’s A Fire 8. Mysterons 9. Pedestal 10. Numb 11. It Could Be Sweet
Some nice chill beats and good vocals. This was pretty boring most of the time, but not bad. Favorite Track: Glory Box
Not particularly my cup of tea.Some OK songs but nothing to get overtly excited for
10 / 10
It's one of the most "Experimental and Alternative" sounding albums I've heard. All it kept reminding me was The Weeknd's words when he said that he was inspired by Portishead a lot. I can understand the influence now. His older works like Trilogy deruvea lot of their dark atmosphere from Portishead. Anyways, It was a really good album. If i had to choose a favorite, it would be Roads. The electric piano chords are so beautiful. Worth it. Inspired me to write a song. Absolute cinema.
The vibe of all vibes. Low tempo classic, not much else to say.
Feels like dissociating
10 songs - 52 minutes very punk - slightly grunge very repetitive - the true screams were kinda weak instrumentals were fun at times but every song felt like it dragged
Unique sound and incredible vocals. Feels weird describing it as such but it’s a sexy album
Some real spooky shit, I dig it.
Not my thing as such but I could listen to it. Not something I'd play in the car. But lying in bed listening on a lazy Bank Holiday Monday, it's probably the best time to listen to it. A couple of famous songs like Glory Box and Sour Times help with feeling familiar with it.
freaky (positive and negative)
No
This is entertaining but makes me sleepy. Like I'm in a purple-hazed, smokey club and I'm enjoying myself, but growing a little sleepy. 2 or 3
Oh yes! I listened to enough Massive Attack to be ready for this one, to finally listen to the entire album, not just Glory Box. And holy shit isn't this one of the most soothing albums I ever listened to! Damn I could fall asleep to this in an instant, in a good way!
4/10 a fun listen
Never liked Portishead. This album confirmed it
Great album. Potential 5 if I reassess at the end
Bien.
Nope. Sounds like an experiment that didn’t work.
Better than I remember. Unmistakenly 90s but somehow still seems relevant.
Straight up 90s sound. Better than I expected it to be, but I’ll never listen to again.
It sounds like the soundtrack to a spy film where the spy is in deep with a femme fatale.
Throbbing, atmospheric, chill.
(10/10) Perfect amazing no notes.
I’m on my way to a festival in the Lake District. It’s rainy and I’m hungover. I don’t fancy the yomp up the big hill to the festival site or putting up my tent in the rain. This however has been the perfect soundtrack. I’ve heard it lots though and it’s normally a 4 Star album even if today it’s a 5.
This one pulled me in, it hits the right balance of being genre-focused but not too in your face about it. Good listening for a wide range of moods.
I detested this album when it first came out in the summer before I started university. It felt like every student had been given a copy of this along a Pulp Fiction CD and poster by Mummy and Daddy when they left home, and it just wasn’t my sort of music. I wanted fast, exciting rock music, yet everyone seemed to be playing this slow trippy album instead. This is probably the first time I’ve voluntarily sat and listened to it and I have to shamefacedly admit, it’s really very good. Definitely wasn’t the album I wanted back then, but with broader tastes and a bit less snobbery these days, I accept that I missed out.
Not for me.
I loved itt, 100% 5 stars album. loved the drums in mysterons, added one song to my artist's playlist, so yeah
I loved this album, as a first ever album to be recommended here i really enjoyed it, i love how smooth it is, i love the slow rhythm, and the female singers voice is so beautiful, I enjoyed most of the songs and will definitely be listening to this album and artist more!
Ikonisk triphop!
Distant weak-ass try-hard samples and beats with histrionic chilly chanteusing. Eurotrash club robo-sex muzak. Guess I am not a trip-hop fan.
Portishead definitely makes strong choices, bending genres to carve out a space where electronica can live with soul and folk. Decades on, you can still hear some of their influence in pop. The sound is a little less striking now, perhaps because their approach was assimilated into the mainstream.
Meh.
A sombre feel throughout. Brilliant sound
Good chill album with a glass of brandy
This is the third straight album I've gotten from 1994. What's going on here?
Another pleasant surprise! I had some duds in the beginning of the week, but the week really turned around. Favorite song: sour times
Nice chill
I don't know how often I'll go back to this one, but I really enjoyed it as background music while I worked.
This is not for me. Shoegazy. Sad, frustrating. The music is technical and unique, but the melodies are dragging. I could see being a goth teen and wanting to chill in my room and listen to this but im not that so i dont want that.
Boring. Bad vocals
Trip Hop again. Not my bag
It's giving me Gorillaz vibes. Given the genre, I'm surprised there are lyrics for every track, and they flow right with the beat. I only wish there was a bigger standout hit. Favorite Track: "Glory Box".
Chill
There are certain albums that I associate with specific people, usually based on who showed me the album for the first time. I associate albums like Grace by Jeff Buckley or Vices and Virtues by Panic! At the Disco with my girlfriend, and bands like Queens of the Stone Age and Foo Fighters with my best friend. This album feels so much like my dad, and I absolutely love it for that. It obviously holds up as a classic in its own right, but I will always remember him playing Mysterons for the first time, and how it felt instantly familiar. I'll never forget his excitement when Machine Gun started after a dozen rap songs he didn't really care about, how he tapped along on the steering wheel. It does bias my rating of the album, but those are the moments that make music so incredible. I wish I had let him play me more of his music while I had the chance, but I'm so grateful that he showed me as much as he did. Favorites: Mysterons, Sour Times, Glory Box
I had a friend who was really into Portishead and listened to this album ALL THE TIME and I got so sick of it. Later on I was fortunate to see Beth Gibbons live and then went back and listened to this and finally got it. I guess I just wasn't ready for it in 1994-95.
Weird, trippy, chill vibes
Not terrible, but pretty boring. Not super annoying like most electronic music. 2/5
It's fine. The mid-90s were an interesting time for music. Either the music timeless or extremely dated. Unfortunately, this album falls into that last one. I did not enjoy this album as much. Everything about this album screams 90s. It's not that it's bad or poorly made/mixed, it's just unremarkable.
Solid vocally and musically. Big nostalgia
Trip Hop gold. Another album that gets better and better each listen! Favorite track: Sour Times 4.5/5
I don't know why, but I've always had a hard time getting into this album. It's good, but I never latched onto it.
Decent album but her voice just rubs me the wrong way.
not for me but i could see how people would enjoy it, last song was the best
Top tracks Sour times Strangers
Love this so much. Squelchy drums, amazing vocals. Not listened to it in ages, a real treat.
It’s good!
A haunting jazz lounge singer singing over intriguing jazzy, hip hop, electronica music. I thought I would hate it but it quite good. I don't know when or if I'd listen again but I did enjoy it. 3 What's a Portis?
Dummy, chill.
I had listened to this before because I have several friends who love it. I liked it but it didn’t really click with me. Today, it clicked with me. Great album.
I like the stripped down minimalism of this album. I have no idea how musicians can use less than more like this, but Portishead does it successfully. Liked Songs Added: Strangers Numb Glory Box
Sick
17.8. 2-3 ujutro miha pored mene izvaljen na balkonu vidjela 2 padalice ovo minus Prvo sam skoro odustala na Its a Fire (di pjeva breathe on sisteeer), nisam, onda je sljedeca pocela sa dobrih 30 sekundi pa je ona pocela pjevat i onda sam odustala, to jest vidjela da ima pri kraju Biscuit (zadnja se zove, nakon ovog, glory box ok neznam). Skroz pocetak zvuci kao neki ben10 mystery soundtrack ili nes slicno mozda ne to al neki kurac. Svaka pjesma - pocetak epizode, neki sporedni al neshvaceni i zgodni lik u seriji se budi mozda radi dorucak oblaci se, i glazba je kao moody al tako da ti otkriva da ce on/a taj dan nesto zlocesto napraviti... Biscuit isto evo taman odustajem 2 iz suosjecanja
Good stuff, very good stuff
Loved this as a moody teenager, if you're on the wavelength of any song on the album you'll love them all. I'm just not on the wavelength anymore.
Owned. A super sexy masterpiece
Not sure I’ve ever listened to the complete album. This is what I like about 1001 albums, I throughly enjoyed this front to back.
Amazing
Glory Box banging end
I honestly thought I was going to hate this, because I think I was thinking of another band. But this was not bad at all.
One of my fav albums ever made one billions stars
One of my favorite records
One of the best album "new finds" for me. Love just about every song!
An easy five, but it took me a few years to come around to Portishead. Trip-hop wasn't my thing initially, and this beating Oasis' Definitely Maybe for the 95 Mercury Prize was something akin to sacrilegious. But once I caught their Roseland NYC show on Channel 4 late one night, I was completely struck. I finally understood the haunting, cinematic atmosphere everyone raves about, it's like the soundtrack to a moody Bond or 3 AM noir film. The production is a masterclass in restraint, blending crackling vinyl, heavy bass lines, and sluggish hip-hop beats in a way that feels completely timeless rather than just a '90s relic. What really anchored it for me was how effortless Beth Gibbons makes it, singing so soulfully with that fragile, smoky voice while sucking down a pack of Superkings between (and during) songs, while the rest of the band were just vibing so well. Anyway, every track here feels like an essential piece of an immersive, dark puzzle. "Sour Times" and "Glory Box" are impeccable, genre-defining classics, but don't sleep on "Strangers", "Roads" and "Mysterons" either. It’s a flawless, hypnotic masterpiece that I now keep on permanent rotation.
4/5
Album 285. Dummy (https://open.spotify.com/album/3539EbNgIdEDGBKkUf4wno?si=VH-5bIrdS4-XwrqFbjBD_g) — Portishead (1994) I can't decide whether to give a 4 or a 5 to this album all day... It's great and hard-to-listen-to LP. Unique and astonishing. Debut and the best at the same time. But I miss something and that missing piece of something is a reason why I can't give it the highest rate... or maybe I can? Can I? No, I'm not a can 4/5 Liked: — Mysterons — Sour Times — Strangers — Wandering Star — Numb — Roads — Glory Box
Fan-fucking-tastic! I discovered Portishead in highschool and now in my late 30s it is still in my regular rotation.
its okay.
I always thought that I really loved Portishead but it turns out I just really love a few of their songs. The rest feel uninspired.
Saved the heater for the end of the album I see.
Portishead is one of those bands I really like but rarely listen to. I’ve heard several of the songs on this album multiple times but this is the first time listening to it from start to finish. It really deserves a few more listens before giving it an honest review. Could be a masterpiece.
top 50 oat for suuuuure
Instant classic for me.
🤨
The album every electronic, lo-fi, downtempo album wants to be.
Shoegazey. Kind of one note.
Haunting, smoky, a bit slow, but can definitely create a mood in a space, for what it is it's pretty good. Not pouring singles out, there's at least one the stands out.
Geoff Barrow attended an enterprise course for the unemployed and met Beth Gibbons, a woman with no real singing experience and a voice like cut glass. They formed a band named after a coastal town in Somerset, made a short spy film called To Kill a Dead Man to get a record deal, had never performed live, and recorded an album that defined an entire genre, won the Mercury Prize, and influenced three decades of British music without breaking a sweat or leaving Bristol. The production process was unlike anything happening in 1994. The band would jam live in the studio, record everything onto 24 track tape, feed it back through sequencers, press the sounds onto vinyl, and then manipulate the vinyl further. Drummer Clive Deamer recorded his parts so quietly that when he heard the finished record he barely recognized what he had played. This is either the most meticulous production process in trip hop history or what happens when three people from Bristol have very specific opinions and unlimited patience. Beth Gibbons stooped over the microphone with a cigarette burning slowly between her fingers and sang like someone who had been doing it her whole life despite having barely done it at all. Glory Box, Sour Times, and Wandering Star are three of the most perfectly constructed pieces of music to emerge from the 1990s, a decade that produced considerable competition for that title. The bass on Wandering Star is room shaking in a way that the coffee shop reputation of trip hop has spent thirty years obscuring and never quite managing to bury. This sits exactly where it belongs in my listening life. A clean 4, no deliberation, no reluctant hedging, just an album that fits. 4 out of 5. One star for Beth Gibbons, who attended an unemployment course and accidentally became one of the great voices of her generation. One for Glory Box, which is perfect. One for the vinyl manipulation process, which sounds insane and produced something that sounds inevitable. One for never having performed live before the album came out, which is either the greatest confidence move in Bristol history or proof that some things are better left unrehearsed.
Oh, this is where Massive Attack came from! A little too mumbly for me in some places but I really liked it.
I just couldn't enjoy this. I know there's a lot of talk about how influential the album is, some of the tracks are traditional songs with melodies, verses and choruses. Whilst others it seems to be just one idea, which is my perennial problem with a lot of these DJ albums. Sour Times was good though.
eroticke, no pulzuje mi z toho len hlava, annoying
Coming into this, I wasn't entirely sure what Trip - Hop meant. Some sort of hybrid of electronic and Hip hop, from the tiny bit of reading I did. I'm not really a massive fan of hip hop, so I might have been a little apprehensive. But as it turns out, it's taken the fun sound effect parts, and mixed them into a more conventional electronica experience. And the result is weird. But the good kind of weird. On the whole, the vibe across many of the songs is quite depressing, despairing, confusing. And it works well with how odd it is to mix two (and in the end, three!) completely different genres. The woman singing has had her world upended on her. Things that made sense, no longer do. Hip hop beats don't go with hip hop voices any more. They go with sad rock ballad voices. Nothing makes sense, but on the meta level, everything makes sense. Rating: Overall, I think that almost everything about this album was quite a pleasant surprise. With the exception of Numb, any and all of these tracks would very easily find their way into my "keeper" playlist. Very happy with this album. It isn't perfect, but it is worthy of a high number.
A bit eerie but not bad
This is kinda like Fiona Apple if she was not as great of a singer
Not a huge fan. My bad.
Love the beat, not so much a fan of the vocals. Never got the bug with Portishead, but I do respect them a lot. And I also respect Bristol and surrounding areas for leading on trip hop but I think I’m a little bit disconnected from that because my association from living there a good 20 years after the fact is that it’s all drum n bass, Balkan, ska and dub - which is all a much different mood to what was going on in the 90s. 6 / 10 Best track/s: Strangers, Glory Box
Очень
I don’t know why I’d never listened to this band with intention before, but I loved this journey through the darker sides of the comedown. I’m told online this invented trip hop; all I can say is thank you.
Still stunning.
It’s genuinely astounding how they took a genre so utterly of its moment and transformed it into something this timeless.
Might be one of the most fully formed and original sounds on a debut album ever. Doesn’t even sound dated somehow.
Something very familiar about the sound of this album but can’t place it.
Classic
another album that had a profound effect on my young brain
Very strong slow moving pieces. Apple Music says that the album is strongly inspired by the coming down of a high and I think that they really paint that image in such a soft blue light.
Amazing🤤
excellent choice for a rainy tuesday morning. just good vibes without being too suturing for the ears. chic and vibey!
Superb album this! I only ever listened to it after Third appeared on this list a year or so ago and I couldnt get over how good it was. It’s still in my rotation and is probably in my top 20 all time records. This is the big’un though. The classic Portishead. And it’s absolutely mint. Almost every day I have the little bass riff from Wandering Star lodged in my head. And there’s a good few tracks where I went ‘oooooh I never realised this was Portishead!’. Amazing band, amazing record. Third is even better.
Whereas Third was an unexpectedly dark and interesting album, this one was much more what I was expecting from Portishead i.e. ambient fluff. It's got a sort of nice enough background sound but I can't think when I'd ever really want to listen to this, I think this is the sort of thing that gives instrumental music a bad name really. No standout tracks, nothing too offensive either but it's designed not to grab your attention and it nailed it.
Glory Box is one of those dirty, grimey tracks played over a montage of run-down towns, litter cycling in the breeze. Good album overall, pleasant to listen to, whipped past. Still prefer Massive Attack, but I get it. The tracks, while blending together unfortunately too often, at least aren't given infinite time to become dull.
Recognised a few of these tracks. Very easy to listen to, but pretty samey after a while. Somewhere around 3.5 but on the 3 side
Okay
3.5
lo escuché hace un tiempo y me generó lo mismo que ahora, hay como una desconexión en el álbum que no termina de gustarme del todo pero en general es bueno, tiene un par de canciones bastantes conocidas pero no es un albumanzo. sigan con la página abierta 👍
Classico
I really enjoyed this!! It’s so different from all the other albums I’ve heard so far! Very moody and sexy and makes me want to smoke a cigarette on a rooftop at night.
I wanted to like this album, but boy it didn’t hit for me at all. I don’t think it’s actively bad but I don’t see myself going back to it.
Experimental spooky album, great vocals and some great songs. But didn't land enough in the middle of the album to get higher than a 3
something in this album hooked me, i think. put off reviewing this album for weeks because i couldn't settle on a review. it's good. way better than i expected. Would I listen again: yes I will Deserves to be on this list: feels like it 4.2
Love it
Eh, not my thing, repetetive but i see the artistic value as well.
Frickin loved this YEAHHHHHH
Sour Times is a banger
8,8/10
Super experimental but sounded good
I haven't known most of the albums we've gotten on the list- But this one? Oh yeah, already a big fan, although admittedly i only discovered it early this year. I just really love the flow of this album, and the eerie vibe that makes you feel like you're crusing a semi-dense city on a dark night. I'm also so relieved whenever we get a female vocalist on this list.
One of my fav albums of all time.
I like this way more when I was 18 unfortunately. Roads is still a standout track, but all the beats just feel are just a little goofy to me. 3 stars for me but If someone says it is their favorite album of all time I would kinda get it.
Good
This was a good album! I like the sensual and eerie tone that spans throughout. I would give it a 3 as my initial rating because a lot of the songs sounded kind of similar.
One of the most interesting albums I‘ve listened to, really like the vibe, however the voice got kinda annoying towards the end
It was decent
Not for me. Every song sounds the same
Peak peak peak peak peak peak peak peak peak peak peak peak peak peak peak peak peak peak peak peak peak peak peak peak peak peak peak peak peak peak peak peak peak peak. I love Beth Gibbons voice, I love the haunting beats and their sounds overall is hypnotic but chill... its peak
one of the greatest albums of all time
Not bad.
Such a cool, dark album. I love the sour times song especially.
One of my all time favorite albums since it was released
Absolute banger! Absolute classic! One of my favorite albums evar
This is absolutely one of my favorite albums of all time. It never misses a note, not a single song on here is out of place. I can't listen to one song at a time. It's like I have to start from Mysterons and I can't get up until Glory Box ends. Beth's haunting vocals sprinkled over the drums and samples just hits you right and you feel yourself sinking into the cool, comfortable, dread. Absolute 10/10, no notes. It has a permanent fixture on my listening rotation.
The first word that comes to mind when listening to this album is haunting. I have heard the second track of this album several times. When looking up the band, I saw that track was associated with a film, and I assumed it was a James Bond-type film because I swear that track was everwhere in the mid 90s, so James Bond makes sense. It was actually on a short film. Still, it was an amazing song that had James Bond energy to it. Maybe it wasn't everywhere, maybe I just played it on repeat. My brother remembered this song too, but said I played a version with a heavier chorus. It looks like multiple versions of this song exist, as well as several covers, so maybe, but I have a feeling I was playing the original Portishead version available on indie stations in the 90s. Overall, this album is pretty dope.
sou taaaoooo apaixonada por esse álbum já conhecia antes e ouvir a primeira vez é de fato uma experiência única
actually fabntastic ambient work again
Very nice but kind of flat
Never wanted to listen to this thinking it was dance based but this is amazing, it seems to take elements I do not like, Bjorkish vocals and trip hop beats but blend them in a way that it undulating and beautiful.
Genredefining masterpiece, still holding up.
Best Track - "Glory Box"
Everyone says Dummy is a masterpiece but I disagree. The production is incredible. The fattest fullest sound, but the vocals drag. It’s a five for production but a 2 for not being enjoyable.
Any album that starts with a theremin has to be good. But as the album went on, I found the vocals a bit overpowering and dreary. Still, this one's going in my library.
Started by thinking this was good and I think perhaps it is. But it went on and on in the same vein. All the tracks sound extremely similar. Its a good sound and I like it but I can't really distinguish one track from another. I'm going to give a generous score because its a distinctive sound.
I was absolutely hooked by the first track here, and that level of enjoyment continued throughout the next few tracks as well. However, things did seem to lull in the middle. Not to say it was bad, far from it. I just found myself passively listening rather than actively. The final track, though, brought me back in, and while I'm not confident enough to give this a 5 right now, it's certainly a strong 4.
I loved every song I feel like they’ve been vaguely in my periphery as influences of people I love but never listened to a single song. What a gift this is! Apparently I love “trip hop” this may be my genre. That said; I have feelings about the concept of calling something trip hop bc it’s vibey but has a beat. Hip hop is not just a beat 😂 Maybe I should dive into it more. Regardless, “vibey with a beat” is def in my sweet spot
Trippin and hoppin and enjoin it.
4.4/5
This is a decent album. Good for chilling. The singles are solid (Glory Box, Sour Times, Numb), the rest of the songs aren’t memorable but are decent. A 3.5 star album; I’m feeling generous. (4)
Totally unmemorable
Felt almost modern, but felt like it was missing something
I think if I grew up on this it could’ve been a 5.
This is the best trip hop album period. The mood that this brings is unparalleled. Portishead does not have a bad album but the debut is definitely something special.
Super iconic album. Makes me feel like im in a noir spy film and also a retro scifi film at the same time.
amazing album
Yeah aint nobody doing it like her
Great album. Gibbons’ vocals are out of this world.
Pretty good, but sometimes too repetitive/not enough is happening.
Pas une découverte mais toujours un plaisir. C’est fou de créer quelque chose d’aussi envoûtant que TOUTES les musiques de cet album !
Absolutely loved it. Went and listened to the other two Portishead albums too.
Woah!! Pleasantly surprised. Really good stuff here Best Song: Strangers Rating: 8/10 Stars: 4
Es maravilloso el disco, me mueve a un viaje mental intenso de disfrute, de pensar en la noche, en la seducción.
Well what do you know… I had Third yesterday. It’s good. But… Dummy is a Desert Island album. It’s one I loved the first time I heard the first track and I’ve never looked back, like Radiohead’s OK Computer. And I associate them. Along with Massive Attacks Mezzanine. These and the original Pixies, Come on Pilgrim, Surfer Rosa, and Doolittle. I had a period of obsession. I listened to other albums, but these were the ones I just kept coming back to. And, well time passes, but my love is untarnished. It’s gold. 5 Boolean: True
Good but a little boring. I’m pretty sure I wasn’t listening in the right environment.
Fine; mesmerising analogue loops and industrial beeps, beats and such, but it doesn't really fly until Glory Box at the very end.
listened to it twice a day for months at work at newbury comics
Perfect
This album feels so nostalgic and reminiscent even though it's only been a part of my life for around a year. This album doesn't come up much in my albums to relisten to, but when it does it always transports me to a whole other realm of thinking. How can music embody the word cool better than this album? People can and will continue to rave about this album for years to come and I believe it very much lives up to everything that is said about it.
Beautiful. Haunting. Genre-defining. Perfection.
Carries a very royal James Bond type sound(wouldn’t be out of place in the Daniel Craig era atleast). Could also be used as backround music in a noiresque style
This is the coolest thing to happen in England between 1990 and today. So many imitators but no one can really even reference trip-hop without looking like a bad Portishead. She's got such a perfect voice for this production style - such a good specific vibe.
3/5
Just some chill wavy beats. The lead singer croons softly, almost inaudibly over the synths. Highly listenable without demanding any attention to itself. Good background music, but not much to shake a stick at.
Cold. Warm. Cool. Alluring. Alien. Existential. Lynchian. I love how the drum machine is front and center. This is a masterpiece.
I need no extra reminders that the world is filled to its brim with incompetence, thank you. This doesn't hit quite right at 7am...making a note to listen again when I can't sleep, then I'll update review.
It was fine. Just not a lot of depth
Best album i ever listened to 11/10
Good album. Classics like "Sour Times" and "Glory Box". Trip hop fundamental.
4/5
Never heard of these guys. Really enjoyed it. If you asked me what year this came out without looking, I'd guess 2015. Sour times was my favorite.
really cool. toned down groove, very adult swim interstitial beats, vibey in a cowboy bebop smokin in the rain kinda way. i look forward to checking out more poorshithead. favorite song is Strangers or It's A Fire. solid 4
Rating: 10/10 Absolutely sick stuff that has an atmosphere like no other, the hip hop style production combined with this lounge-y jazz feel gives it a quality like using developed musical techniques to make something modern and entirely fresh when it released. The dark sadness enveloping Dummy just hits so hard when you put it on while in that mood. Despite how good these instrumentals are, it’s Beth Gibbons’ amazing distinct vocals that elevate it to something even greater, they’re haunting and also have a dark sensuality; she’s so talented. The whole trio though is an incredible group of songwriters and performers. So many incredible tracks I could name most, but Mysterons really lays down the tone instantly, Wandering Star has always been my favorite to play in the shuffle, but the best songs of the bunch I think come towards the end with the incredible Roads and Glory Box.
Moody, club and dub inspired (to this Gen X-er’s ears), great female vocals.
1. 4.5 2. 5 3. 4.5 4. 4.5 5. 5 6. 4.5 7. 5 8. 4 9. 4 10. 3.5 11. 5
I can appreciate it.
A perfect storm that creates a unique and irresistible sound, at the cost of variety: So good... The style oozing from this album is palpable. My only complaint is lack of variety, which comes at the cost of the strong style. I've always felt like James Bond listening to these songs, I'm not sure if that's just me. Something about the instrumentation, which is so cool btw. The melodies are extremely catchy and the vocal performance is beautiful throughout, perfectly supporting the melodies and perfectly supported by the electronic backing. A certified classic! I wish music was as innovative as this today. Closest thing I can think of (in terms of original + quality) in modern times is maybe Brat. Love this album and I saved many songs to my monthly playlist!
Achei meio Lo-Fi, meio palha e sem sal.
This album was definitely good. The trip hop genre is interesting but it’s not entirely for me. I loved the ominous feel that the songs had and the vocal performances hit on pretty much every song. It just felt slightly redundant by the end of the album and the listening experience was not as fun as some other albums.
It's fine but I couldn't really see why this was a celebrated album. For me, it fell into "decent background noise" territory
fav songs: ALL OF THEM! this is a perfect album. you may not like it, but this is what peak performance looks like 100/100
Not great
Very cool.
Really enjoyed listening to this one in the morning after a late night out at a my cousins wedding with the fam.
Dark, moody, mysterious, reminiscent of Massive Attack. Almost feels as though it could be another one of their albums, especially after listening to 'Third' by Portishead earlier on in the list, which was SO different than this. Big fan of this type of simplistic yet sophisticated type of music. The vocal chops here add a lot, and keep things from being too simple or mellow.
MARAVILHOSO!!!! QUE ÁLBUM BOM, A ATMOSFERA E TUDO MDS
Très content de découvrir portishead Ça ressemble un peu à gorillaz. Et à bjork aussi. Ça sent les fin 90 debut 2000 Je trouve ça assez plan plan, j’aime pas la chanteuse 33 au classement général RYM wtfff
Atmospheric
It’s a classic from start to finish. It still holds up after all of these years. Beth’s emotive and unique voice will continue to influence a generation.
The first track is dope. I really like the effects used on this album as a whole, it feels old-school and real. Where so much music feels like CGI, this feels like practical effects, solid and homespun. I am going to buy this album. Finishes on Glory Box, insanely amazing. Not sure if this is 5 stars, but it is close!
great album gut zum chillen
Not a fan.
Saved? ✅ Would listen again? ✅ Would recommend to anyone? ✅ Would buy on Vinyl? ✅
Sad girl in a dark room vibes with a 90s twist. It was just ok for me. Really wanna give this more than a 2 but I just can't.
Fantastic surprise. The production is magical and just so rich. Wonderful chill music with an unmatched atmosphere.
Gear: Hifiman HE6se v2 SE Artwork: 🔦👗🔦 Production: 🎧😘🤌 Music: 👻✨❤️🔥 Rating: 🛣️🛣️🛣️🛣️🛣️/5
had lots of fun with this, if my genre preferences shift over time I could see myself giving it a 5 in the future
Not a bad track on this bad boy. Incredible production, incredible vocals.
It's insane how good this is, every detail is near perfect but for me it all comes down to Gibbons voice. Beautiful.
very cool.. they put something in this that my dork mind can't articulate. kept getting this band and Massive attack confused now i know the difference
Not too familiar with this artist, but Sour Times and Glory Box did receive significant airplay at the time of release. An atmospheric, interesting blend.
Pleasantly surprised, definitely enjoyed this one
Mira un álbum nuevo El álbum: background music
Great soundtrack music, but not personally resonant. Very much just worse Massive Attack for me.
First: I'm a huge Portishead fan But then: I always liked Portisheads 2nd album better than Dummy. Sure this one has 3-4 killer tracks and was revolutionary at the time. But it doesn't work as an album, some songs are quite "rough" and some are just fillers and/or don't fit in musically. Still: Beth Gibbons voice, Utleys guitar and Barrows sampling are superb.
Decent background music in a moody bar vibe.
Lovely weird sounds
Day 23. Although I have never been and am still totally not into electronic music. I hate most hiphop, rap and dance music, but this different. Portishead is one of the few exceptions. This sounds so good. I had this on a tape around 1996. Have the second album on cd, but not this one. I must have listened this a lot as every track was very recognizable with my memory. I love the sultry atmosphere and singing of Beth Gibbons with the moody beats and sounds. It is said that it is the greatest music to make love. Was doubting to 4 or 5 stars but looking at my other 4s and 5s so far I keep it with 4.
It’s not my thing, but that doesn’t make it bad. I can totally see why this album is loved. I did like Glory Box tho
I loved this record in the 90s, played it all the time, and still love it. It’s so chill and beautiful, the record that got me into trip-hop. Of course we all recognize “Sour Times” from the first jingly chord at the beginning, but it’s a popular song that I’ll never get sick of.
Really enjoyed and would listen again. Not sure how it is one of the best ever, but liked it nonetheless.
Has a very whimsical feel to it
bizarre eerie haunting weird artsy
A new one for me, never heard of the group or the recorded. Spacey and interesting
Loved this the first time I heard it and honestly love it more now.
Sounds like same beat and track over and over again. Luckily it's fine background music or it would be a 1 2 stars.
*Chills*
The title says it all. 1
#397/1001. What a nostalgia trip-hop this was. Sounds like mid nineties, good to remember there were other genres than grunge and hiphop. Haven't really needed them in my life after that period (perhaps not even then), but still soothing.
When I was in university in the late 90s this was THE album to have sex to. It feels weird listening to it today, on a hot summer day, because this is night music. Super moody and atmospheric. Musically, I find it more engaging on an intellectual level than I do on a gut level. I think what they’re doing is interesting with the heavy use of sampling, and techniques that were more commonly found in hip hop, like scratching, but all turned towards very different ends. It’s a good record, an important one even, but it’s not something I’ve listened to in years, and while I liked revisiting it, I don’t expect it’s one that I’ll go back to often either.
It's such a vibe album
Mary. Need to listen again, but this was such a pleasure to listen to. Clearly pushing the needle for '94
“Head” bands, ranked (though honestly, all of them are pretty solid at worst): 1. Radiohead 2. Motörhead 3. Talking Heads 4. The Lemonheads 5. Portishead
One of my favourite albums from the 90's. Absolutely perfectly produced, love Beth's voice, all the guitar work, DJ Andy Smith tasteful cuts. Easy 5 from me.
нц це було якось ну взагалі
Uninspiring 2
10/10 all time great album
speziell
Good but it doesn't click for me. Favorite Tracks: Sour Times, It Could Be Sweet, It's A Fire, Glory Box 6/10
A fantastic debut album. Just as good now as when it was released, it holds up to time.
portisheaadd head🥶😵💫😋
Really wasn’t a fan of this and was surprised it’s been rated so highly, I feel like I needed a course of sertaline after listening to this
95
I’ve always loved this album, so different to anything I’d heard before in 1994, I bought it the day it came out took it home and played it non stop whilst painting rooms in a house we’d bought in the London suburbs- “ I just want to be a woman” from Glorybox……this album is perfection with excellent samples.
Original jazz-inflected trip-hop with some interesting sounds and samples and catchy grooves.