Portishead

The three album run of Portishead is a gradual transformation from gloopy fungus music to James Bond villain theme songs. Every time I listen to this album, I find myself enjoying it more and more than "Dummy". It might honestly be their best. Certainly has the most vivid soundscapes of their catalogue.

There was a Portishead album on the original list. There were hundreds of 90s UK electronic albums on the original list. wtf is wrong with you? 1/5.

I’m glad someone put this on here because even though this doesn’t beat out dummy, I think it’s better than 3. There are a couple songs on here that’re just fantastic. Humming was probs my fav. Beth gibbons is just too good.

Awesome.

Excellent seminal album. Definitely an oversight from the original list

A solid album by Portishead. Not as great as the other two studio albums or the live recording, but still a pleasure.

This band intersects with my tastes on paper, but I can never quite get into it. Emotionally I find the music very monotonous.

Any other artist/band have their whole discography in this list? Because portishead now does. Not sure if all three needed to be added let alone anything other than Dummy. The self titled album opens in quite a rough way but then smooths out a little bit more as it progresses. The instrumentals are always something portishead has done well with the trippy clandestine sound but the singer is what makes or breaks their albums and this one was not too good. This one finished in third place…out of three. 3.4/10

Rating: 9/10 Best songs: Cowboys, All mine, Undenied, Seven months, Only you

"That's both chill and dark. So moody. I love it." Those were my fifteen-year-old stepson's words about "Humming", just when the song's theremin-like wailing over a slow ominous breakbeat surged through the family living room's speakers today. The boy can be quite picky when it comes to the "old folks"'s music tastes. But not here. And it makes sense somehow. The current moody sounds and playlists he digs -- whether from contemporary hip hop, or for what they now call "lo-fi" -- actually owe a lot to Portishead, most of the time without even knowing it. Not everyone could have predicted this during the nineties. Coming from Bristol, the same town as Massive Attack, Beth Gibbons and Geoff Barrow's act was shoehorned a little too quickly in the trip hop fad at the time -- for admittedly understandable musical reasons, but also with a blInd eye to the many elements within their sound already transcending the ephemeral genre. There's indeed more that meets the ear here. And if you know a little about Barrow and Gibbons, they certainly can't care less about trends and what's supposedly hip. So whether experimental (Geoff's side kraut band Beak>) or classical-sounding (Beth's initial love for soul music), their interests, tastes and abilities speak from the heart first, before pandering to music markets. The irony being that Portishead's success was humongous during their heyday. Of course, this was a blessing for Barrow and Gibbons, because this gave them the necessary means to hone their abilities and explore their sound further, without ever missing the mark overall in the years after they broke out. But said initial success may also have prevented less discernible listeners to understand how quintessential the band's music is *to this day*. For me, all three Portishead albums should have been included in the original list anyway. If *Dummy* has one or two underwhelming tracks verging a little too much on those now dated trip hop aesthetics, it most of all harbors a wealth of iconic cuts such as *Mysterons", "Sour Times", "Wandering Star", "Roads" and "Glory Box". As for *Third*, it is the more experimental, krautrock-inspired, post-hiatus one, and as such it's the late masterpiece that saw the band reinvent themselves instead of becoming a nostalgia act -- with moments so dark and effective it's easy to lose count of them. The Silver Apples-adjacent analog synth drive of "We Carry On", Adrian Utley's delicate acoustic guitar arpeggios on "The Rip", that cold and insane rhythm pattern on "Machine Gun", the bouncy groove and heartbreaking chorus of "Magic Doors", the sheer despair expressed throughout "Threads"... Gosh, all those moments can make the leftfield music lover's head spin... Comfortably placed between those two extremities, sophomore album *Portishead* holds its own perfectly well, thank you for asking. First, it's probably the most cohesive LP throughout the British band's short discography. Not only does it avoid having a single dud or underwhelming cut, but also, it laser-focuses on the band's initial vintage aesthetics as already displayed in *Dummy* in ways that makes the whole shebang feel even more visceral and effective, from "Undenied"'s Rhodes piano loop to "Only You"'s horn samples. Those vintage aesthetics are all exemplified in that clear-cut sixties-inspired artwork for the album, taken out of the video for *All Mine* -- which is incidentally the best spoof of a James Bond theme song you can find anywhere in music history. Second single "Over", cinematic and suspenseful, was also a perfect showcase for that sort of endeavor. Here, you could easily sense that Gibbons, Barrow and Utley were at the top of that film noir game they had initiated on the debut -- even making original recordings of theirs pass off as samples to give the intended seasoned sheen to their sound. Simply no one could beat them at this. Besides, and younger folks might not automatically realize this today, this record also took a couple of very daring turns at the time. I spent one week in England working as a sort of intern for a local radio in the summer of 1997, and said radio had received an advance copy of the opener "Cowboys". It was not even an official single from the upcoming album by the way -- labels had a lot of ressources re-promotion in those days... Anyways, listening to this song for the first time was a memorable experience for sure. The music was so eerie and high-pitched, and Gibbons' always stellar voice was so expertly twisted and deformed on this track, that I kept wondering if the 12'' vinyl should be played in 33 rpm instead of 45. Nowadays, with so many weird sounds being routinely churned out from either the mainstream or the underground, such impact has been lessened to an extent. But at the time, "Cowboys" felt close to a little revolution. In that league of surprising turns, also add "Half Day Closing", whose sheer intensity and near-atonal climax was kind of a shock as well. Finally, the string of highlights gracing the the album's second side speaks for itself. There's a good reason "Humming" is the opener in the band's *Live At Roseland Ballroom*. Here film noir turns to vintage horror flick, yet Gibbons' vocals feel so heartfelt and evocative the overall result has none of the corny pastiche effect you could have expected there. You really believe the intoxicating song is about a very real woman in pain, lost in gloomy, somber woods. After that, "Mourning Air" feels more laid-back, yet equally despairing. "Seven Months" returns to the strange tones of "Cowboys", with a killer main hook, and a slow rhythm pattern that's so obsessive it feels relentless. "Only You" is milder but equally hazy, with its coolcat John Barry-adjacent horn samples throwing you in the middle of a smoky, shadowy room. And "Elysium" sounds like yet another tortured exploration of a soul in distress that actually foretells the overall bleakness of *Third* in quite a surprising fashion. Closing the album, "Western Eyes" ends on a mysterious, ambiguous note that may or may not read as a political comment. Which is not necessarily off-topic in a film noir soundtrack potentially involving spies... "I feel so cold / On hookers and gin / This mess we're in" also goes the fake sample imitating Frank Sinatra or Dean Martin at the end of this enigmatic closer. Yet the real mess Barrow and Gibbons had made here was to both thwart and exceed their audience's expectation. Rare enough for a sophomore effort, and a lesson for trendy acts since. You can reiterate your previous formulas, but never forget to dig new grooves as well. And to pull this off, there are three things that may come handy: true soul, boldness, and a sense of mystery. All things that can perfectly sum up Portishead in one's ears. Number of albums from the original list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 465 Albums from the original list I *might* include in mine later on: 288 Albums from the original list I won't include in mine: 336 ----- Number of albums from the users list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 34 (including this one) Albums from the users list I *might* select for mine later on: 44 Albums from the users list I won't select for mine: 91 ---- Émile, quelques réponses au dessus

Never need an excuse to listen to Portishead but we didn't need this. They already had 2 albums on the OG list and there is no need to add a third. It's good. It's Portishead what more is the to say? Although I like this one less than their other two albums. My personal rating: 4/5 My rating relative to the list: 5/5 Should this have been included on the original list? No. They already had 2 albums.

I listened to this album a bunch a long time ago and I was obsessed with it but hadn’t played it until today. Still holds up very well. I really liked the little I’ve heard of the trip hop genre. The singers vocals to me give off strong film noir vibes. I could see the scene, a smoked filled room with the protagonist meeting the femme fatale accompanied by this music. I’m going to have to listen to more portishead again.

What the world needs now is more of bands from the South West and specifically from ports near the head of the river and on an estuary. I only wish there were more. I love to wallow in their sound. Unworldly and hypnotic. Special.

For me, it used to be: Third > Dummy > Portishead but I now started to believe: Third >= Dummy >= Portishead, In any case: an easy 5-star and great user album choice.

They made three albums and the other two made the original list. They are the masters and originators of trip-hop genre. Beth Gibbons’ voice sounds like taking a bath in warm melted butter at one end and scraping yourself across rough toast on the other. Fun footnote: I listened to this album originally on a sunny day - marking just two songs as favourites - and then for a second time on a rainy day - and marked a further three songs as favourites. Mood music? I think so. Of course this album belongs here. It’s more of a type of magic we’ve not seen since their last album.

Trip hop, acid jazz. Portishead es siempre un 5 para mí.

Flawless

Köpte den här skivan direkt när den kom. Nästan lika bra som Dummy.

Probably their best? Just so layered and textured.

Another great album from Portishead

Very soothing triphop

Tales of pain and despair set to a murk of electronica. I much prefer this over the popular sample heavy Dummy. I think Third is even better.

Textbook portishead

5 stars on a moody, gloomy, and or doomy day!

Some songs I loved, others were hard pass. At least it's interesting 3.6

I was new to Portishead on this project, so I don’t have a lot of context or ability to distinguish this a lot from the other albums. A lot of that dramatic cinematic music and haunting lyrics. Great!

Now all the Portishead albums are included. Deserved? Yes

Another great Portishead album. I still think Dummy is their magnum opus, but the other two records and fantastic to be fair. This one doesnt have the catchiness of some of the tracks from Dummy but is also generally not quite as eerie and ruminative as Third about a decade later.Instead Gibbons’ vocals are a lot more present in the mix and more theatrical, a la Kate Bush, before the distant grooves really kick in. It’s a great stepping stone between the single-heavy debut Dummy and the more mature and obscure Third - the darkness is there for sure but it’s peeping through rather than decaying everything

Not sure this is as good as Dummy, but still really enjoyable.

This and other female led bands from the 90s were genre defining

Great Portishead album if you're into Portishead

Might as well listen to the one Portishead album that didn't make the cut. In essence much like Dummy in terms of both quality and sound, but significantly darker while also invoking a sort of retro grainy sound. It's quite striking, though still pleasant to listen to. Great autumn album. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: I think just the first Portishead album is fine. Appreciators can explore the rest of their discography at their leisure.

Completing the trio. I think I liked this one a little less than both Dummy and Third, but the three as a body of work are all-timers

Yeah easily their worst. Still good though

A pleasant walk through English electronica.

This was a lot of the same for me, chill track with some voice here in there saying something about something

Sits right in between 'Dummy' and 'Third' for me, enjoyed the more prominent trip-hop/DJed elements but some tracks still drag on without enough meat on their bones to justify the track length.

Pretty good, not as good as their first album though. I do like that there was less sampling. 3 stars.

Trip hop, acid jazz. Ni fu ni fa.

Beautiful

Good album, but I prefer the ones of the list, still worthy of inclusion in its own right though.

Although I generally enjoy this moody, trip hop kind of vibe and I'm always glad to listen to Portishead, I found this album lacking in any really standout tracks. I don't dislike this, but they have better albums. Fave Songs: All Mine, Cowboys, Mourning Air, Undenied, Over, Humming

Trip hop, acid jazz. Ni fu ni fa.

As with one's original experience with this lot (and trip-hop in general) in the late '90s, one admires and wants to like this record more than one actually enjoys it. Just too clinical / cerebral and dry and pure genre exercise, with now flow or warmth or vibes or even melody. Could theoretically merit inclusion on the list proper, but only in trade for one of the two already there (two P'head albums being almost assuredly too many).

For as much as I have loved "Dummy," I had never listened to other Portishead beyond the Roseland live album before the 1001. "Third," it turned out, didn't hit the same for me. And "Portishead" is no different. Again, I don't know if it's a nostalgic connection to "Dummy" or an actual difference in quality, but no other Portishead reach those heights for me.

It's a Portishead album.

Who thought the list really needed a third Portishead album? This may be one of the most overrepresented artists based on the quality of what has been included. The place it starts from isn't necessarily bad... i like the dark tortured siren and some of the instrutmentation can be interesting, but it is too much of the same without being particularly enjoyable.

Portishead was one of my controversial artists; on the main list I gave them a 2 and a 5. Which brings us to the main point -- there's already two of these on the main list. Minus a star for pretty much failing to understand the assignment. As far as the album itself, didn't love it. Very well executed and super atomspheric, I think they probably accomplished exactly what they were going for. But it isn't a world I personally want to visit or spend time in.

I remember watching them perform their debut single on TOTP and being very excited about them being a local band (local in that Portishead is about an hour away lol) and being disappointed that I didn’t like them more. They have a distinct sound, but it’s not my kind of music.

Don't tell Will but I actually found this a bit of a drag. It was all quite samey and a bit mopey. I have enjoyed other Portishead stuff before but this was a drag I'm afraid..

Portishead isn't really for me, it's quirky and interesting but ultimately too slow and repetitive to earn more than a 2.

I get that Portishead is an influential band, and they are beloved by many listeners. It's just not my jam.

Portishead is the most overrated shit 1 It's not even just that I don't like it. I can't see how anyone could like it.

no thanks. terrible, terrible vocals.