10 Years On, Lessons Learned? (Third - Portishead)

Name: spencer_hawken

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Product:	Third - Portishead
Date:	30/04/08 (102 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: The return of a forgotten band

Disadvantages: Too cocky, bouncing off the back of a 14 year old album

It's been a long time since the name Portishead really meant anything in the music industry 11 years in fact since there last new releases, and ten since their live in NYC album. But back in 1994 Portishead had such impact on the music industry with their album Dummy and subsequent short movie To Kill A Dead Man, that you can almost believe they have never been away at all. After the disappointment of their album the self titled Portishead it was hard to believe that anything could match up to the power of Dummy.

When Geoff Barrow (producer/song writer for Portishead) recently turned up in my hotel I had to explain to my staff exactly the power of Portishead all of whom had never heard of the band or so they thought. Having played Dummy to them later that night they for the most part all confessed that they had heard almost every score from the album, I was asked what had happened to them, explaining I did not know. The following day however I was taken aback with the announcement that this legendary band were soon to make a staggering return, how would I feel about the impending album Third?

I could spend the next few paragraphs telling you the wonder of Portishead in their long awaited return album but I'll spare you. This self proclaimed "Trip Hop" band who mix contemporary sound with almost classical movie soundtrack style scores have an incredibly distinctive sound, and the music from Third is no exception to this rule.

As a whole I cannot say I am impressed with Third, there is a lot of stuff that sounds out of place, wrong in fact for today's market; while time has moved on it seems Portishead have stayed still with a very 1994 sounding album, I guess almost attempting to recreate the magic of Dummy. Now off the back of this statement however it may come as a surprise to hear me say (or at least read me say) that if you enjoyed Portishead then you will love this album, and if you like your musical styles a little wider reaching the same applies, because while 9 of the albums tracks are fairly dated 2 absolutely "rocked" in my opinion and support my purchase 100%.

Silence - The first score on the album is like a time travelling exorcise to the Portishead I knew and loved, the best way to describe this is "Thumping"; yes this a highly repetitive score, going over the same few guitar and drum beats over and over again, almost to the level that you could believe the devil has just arrived in your room. Two minutes in the haunting sound of Beth Gibbons arrives, singing quite frankly bollocks, sorry for the harshness of my words but this is a true fact, yes she sounds great but for the most part her ramblings are either an attempt to be on a higher intellectual plain than you, or at least to paint the perception that she is. But it's that haunting score that then comes back to the forefront that I love so very much; it's an angry malevolent piece that screams "I'm here, I'm the daddy, I'm taking no prisoners!" At just over five minutes of running time, the intensity and addictiveness of this piece of music make it pass in a heartbeat..."BANG" its gone, and rather abruptly too.

Hunter - This was what caught my attention this past Monday as I entered HMV, this is so very typical Portishead, Beth singing almost like she is breathing her last breaths. This is a haunting score as she twists and convults her voice in a stark contrast to the backing music, I know this does not sound good; but believe me this is the thing that makes this score track sound so phenomenally good. "If I should fall, would you hold me, would you pass me by?" The lyrics make far more sense this time, although there is a rather a lot of contradictions, but this is Portishead surely making this acceptable? "I wanted a rise, and space me in ties" yes I'm not hearing things! I love the fact that at the end of each verse there is this nice ditzy noise that sounds like 60's TV villains weapon of destruction being activated. There is something so incredibly addictive about this track, I replayed it again, and again, and again.

As the two opening pieces of the CD, I was overwhelmed by the album, sadly the follow up is less substantial and if I might be so bold, quite repetitive, tedious, and a little bit cocky. Personally I find the strength and power of Third in these opening scores, but as the album continues it's almost like Barrow and co musician Adrian Utley have gone hope leaving Gibbons quite literally to play with herself.

Fourteen years ago Portishead had justifiable right in being cocky, every score from Dummy has been used for something movie promotion, television show trails, adverts, and the abysmal Big Brother. Fourteen years on and the influence of Dummy still is frequently heard Mysterons and Sour Times being the most commonly used. And while Dummy still influences, Portishead the second album was a disappointment and a disaster, and Portishead are seemingly wanting to you forgive, and forget that album hoping you'll still believe them to be Gods. In my opinion they need to regain their trust with the public, and if the first two scores were a reflection of the album as a whole then they have the right to come back cocky. While I enjoy the first two scores, more so in fact than anything I have heard for maybe as long ago as years, this is only about 15% of the albums output, not really good value. That being said the album scores high in my book; welcome back Portishead just don't get your big heads jammed in the door.

Summary: Porishead really want you to forget their self titled album, hoping you'll still love their first