This is an AMAZING album. Their sound is just incredible.Possibly the best record of 2008. Your thoughts?

I'm probably going to catch some flak for this, but I really wasn't impressed with the album. There are a couple good tracks (Machine Gun, Magic Doors) but I really don't like the album that much.

Then again, I was never much of a Portishead fan.

I don't like the opening third of the album at all, and Beth Gibbons just depresses.

Above average really.

I dig it.

I like 'depressing' music for some reason.

I don't particurly mind 'depressing' music but jesus the vocals make me want to slit my wrists for a number of reasons. Its just unrelenting nihilism with little beauty. She has simply become a charicture of herself.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Turenne,

i need to give it a few more listens but so far i'm very disappointed. i agree with Turenne. Gibbons is just killing the listening experience. arf!

I agree with the thread starter. I think it's a wonderful album, and at this point probably my favorite of the year. I was very pleasantly surprised by it because looking back at their previous material which was very meticulously arranged/produced, the tunes were highly orchestrated, and I think it would have been very easy for them to just be like “Ok, add more! Throw more instrumentation in there!” with the new album. But no. Instead they really simplified things and took their sound in a new direction. It has these great grooves that they lay down with electronics and percussion, then they have these improv-like guitar lines on top of it. Just beautiful it works so well. Very reminiscent of Silver Apples and at times of a band like Einstürzende Neubauten. I'd almost call it haunting. Plus it has this stripped down, raw sound only adds to the atmosphere. Well, the leak does. I'm a little curious to know if the leak I acquired is the final mix/mastering of the album, but I'm moooore than happy with what I've heard.


Oh. And Beth Gibbons does a tremendous job.

I love this album to death and it is my favourite of the year. I REALLY loved the opener and almost every track on it. Probably my favourite track is the closer, 'Threads' to which Beth Gibbons restates over and over again 'I'm always so unsure', which proceeds to rip me in two. And then the end of the song approaches, and these haunting, low-pitch, siren-like sounds just give me the chills. They repeat themselves every 3-5 seconds and they gave me chills EVERYTIME on my first listen. They still do now.

Oh yeah, "Threads" is great. It's like a murder mystery novel put to music. Well the whole album is really, but that song especially.

Just to back up those for this album, the first I heard anything from it was live on Later... With Jools Holland and I thought Third was going to be a heap o' crap.
But actually, after a couple of listens, I think it'll be one that grows into a monster with time, and I really rate it.

hands down, third is portishead's best album to date. upon first listen, i was stricken with amazement and awe. the sonic dynamics are not only matured but also share their unique 70's-spyfilm meets brushy trip-hop into a new almost pastoral world. the album is less metallic like their previous albums and more echoing beth gibbon's solo album "out of season" where she used a great deal of acoustic guitaring in her songs. the album as whole steers away trip-hop and leaning to progressive folk, electronica and psychedellia. brilliant album really.

Incredible, Third is easily my favorite record of the year thus far.

I just fucking love it. I havent heard anything this "dark" in ages.

classic album.i really love it.

btw, its so sad to see reviews like Blender's.i mean , 30/100 for an album like this?

I think there may be something of a backlash against "negative" music (might be in my head). Haven't heard this yet, but I hope it transcends my current predisposition against "dreary" music.

I luhhhhhhve this album. My favorite song is "We Carry On". About a year ago I recall listening to a couple of tracks that were supposed to be from the new album, but they sucked. Anyway, because of those two songs I was expecting something experimental and not very listenable, but the whole album is just amazing. I don't know what became of those two tracks--maybe they were works in progress?

The mood of the disc is similar to Faithless, Jark Prongo, Lula, Alma Matris, Little Eric, Kult of Krameria, Robbie Rivera, and maybe some of the darker stuff from Mark Picchiotti, but all of those acts except Faithless are somewhat one-dimensional dance acts, and Faithless is has a lot of mediocre output mixed in with the brilliant.

Beth Gibbons's vocals are flawless and perfectly suited to the serious, commanding music.

quote:

Originally posted by Portable Joystick:
Very reminiscent of Silver Apples and at times of a band like Einstürzende Neubauten.

"We Carry On" in particular seems to reference the Silver Apples track "Oscillators" pretty heavy.

quote:

Originally posted by V:
"We Carry On" in particular seems to reference the Silver Apples track "Oscillators" pretty heavy.

Yup, I agree.

Silver Apples kick ass, btw.

I don't have anything particularly interesting to say, but I really do like this album a lot. I'm glad they didn't come out with an attempt to rehash their last album, like so many bands that take breaks that long do.

They sure do!