Third Times a Charm
Portishead offers a glimpse of the future.
Portishead
Third
Released on Nov 30, -0001
The "metal" community will never forgive me for what I'm about to say, but who really cares what they think? When you're at home tonight thumbing through your record collection looking for something sinister to listen to, do yourself this simple service. Put down the copy of South Of Heaven by Slayer, walk over to your girlfriends' collection and throw on Third by Portishead. That's insane you may say, but Portishead have made perhaps the most aggressive, brooding and sadistic sounding album of the decade. There's so much blood, guts and brain matter on this record, I don't know where to begin.
It's been eleven years since Portishead graced our ears, and they've finally come out of the woods to show us what forward thinking beasts they've become. Opening track "Silence" lays the groundwork for a good handful of up-tempo droney freak-outs that really complement this record. "The Rip" begins with a naively plucked acoustic, but then builds into Beth Gibbons performing at her most vulnerable. The first single, "Machine Gun," aims to frighten, and plays out like a theme to a post-apocalyptic soap opera. Remnants of classic Portishead can be found on a couple tracks here. "Plastic" has a slow cool groove that's complemented with jarring synths and alien sounds schemes. The strangest track, "Deep Water," features a seemingly bound and gagged Beth Gibbons singing over a ukele accompanied by a barber shop quartet run through a vocoder!
This is an important record from an entirely unassuming talent. They have transformed from the one time dismissive "James Bond" comparisons into a sound that cannot be pigeon holed and at times even described. Third sets out to frighten and console offering a different reward with each listen.
High Point: "The Rip" is a moving Neu!-inspired elegy.
Low Point: "Nylon Smile" plays like a confused mantra.
Quick Point: Portishead define positive re-invention on Third.
High Point
Low Point
Posted by Joe Roth on May 02, 2008 @ 12:00 am