Music : Third

Rating: - Great return and atypical in many ways
In many ways "Third" doesn't sound anything like previous Portishead stuff: it lacks strong trip hop tones/themes, some songs veer on experimental instrumentation, and the music is lyrically quite bleak (I know this could be said of their other stuff, but at least in the past there was some lightness to it). This isn't the type of album that's an easy listen, nor one that has standout tracks per say but rather, it is an album to be enjoyed in its entirety. More rock and electro-clash than anything, the album boasts some complex arrangements but suffers because of Gibbons. A strong vocalist in her own way, in other Portishead work she was the glue keeping the tracks together; here, you could almost not hear her voice, she's so overwhelmed by the instumentation going on with her. (A strong argument could be made that you could take her out entirely and still have the same songs.)

Not sure it shows the progress of 10 years, but "Third" is a great if challanging listen.

---

Rating: - Tainting of a Legacy
The first album in over a decade from Portishead is a puzzling disappointment. Did they suddenly forget that they make trip-hop somewhere in the last 10 years?

This album is meandering and and dull, but many apologists will classify it as "experimental." This is a prime example of how fame or notoriety can make people will themselves into liking something. If this album were released by a no-name group it would be slammed, but because it happens to be a "Portishead" album it receives immediate praise.

Where are the drums? Where are the haunting yet catchy melodies? I WANTED to like this album and even gave it some repeat listens to see if it would grow on me, but no matter how much you spray perfume on crap it still stinks.

Another thing about this release that leaves a bad taste in my mouth is that Portishead seem to have become elitists. In the recent Remix Magazine interview they basically slam tons of artists saying that their music sucks, directly naming names. They then proclaim how they are they one of the few keeping it underground. This self congratulatory attitude makes me despise this release even more.

Either their success has gotten to their heads or they just plain lost it with age. This is my #2 huge letdown of the year after the latest Indiana Jones film.

---

Rating: - Genius, 4.5 stars.
I have been a Portishead fan from the very beginning. I can still remember exactly where I was and what I was doing the moment I heard Dummy for the first time. Such is the power of their music and the impact it has left on me.

When I heard Portishead was releasing their first studio release in 11 years I was excited and a part of me was hoping it would be more Dummy-esque. Another part of me was glad that it isn't. Had they did another Dummy it would have been good, no doubt, but for me it would have come across as artistically lazy and creatively constipated.

Instead Portishead delivers a hard, gritty, and abrasive sound on 3 and it works, it works real well. Some of their signature elements are still here : Beth's haunting, mournful vocals; that eerie Theremin sound; their bleak lyrics; and the occasional beat that harkens back to Dummy. Other signature elements are missing: the samples and scratching; the trip-hop beats; the film noir soundtrack feel. These missing elements are replaced with relentlessly staccato drumbeats, percussion that sounds like helicopters, high pitched tones, live drums and rock guitar.

The standout tracks for me are "Silence", "Nylon Smile", "The Rip", "Plastic" and "Threads" because they maintain that old Portishead feel infused with a gritty breath of fresh air. Although all of the tracks are pretty good except "Deep Water" which is this weird Hawaiian luau song that doesn't really fit in but it does calm you down a bit before the sonic assault of "Machine Gun". The most notably different tracks are "Small" which goes off on a two minute psychedelic tangent that Jefferson Airplane would be proud of and "Machine Gun" with its sonic assault of abrasive, unrelenting beats.

Before purchasing the disc, I burned a copy off a friend who had an advance copy. In my haste to have this delicious morsel of music in my hands, I accidentally burned the tracks in reverse order starting with "Threads" and ending with "Silence". I must say the album flows beautifully in this order and, even after purchasing the disc, I find myself returning to my burned copy because the flow is more cohesive. Before you naysay 3 try listening to the tracks in reverse order. "Deep Water" is a perfect calm moment after the abrasiveness of "Machine Gun" and the abrupt ending of "Silence" is a perfect closer.

This is still Portishead, a more mature Portishead that is still forward thinking in their approach to music. Sure, those who want another Dummy or more mind numbing trip-hop (even though that genre has been dead for years) will more than likely hate 3. It's a polarizing release and diehard fans will either love it or hate it. Frankly, I'm glad they've decided to try something different but at the same time manage to maintain their signature sound. Genius.

---

Rating: - 4.5 Stars... Outstanding album, "return" of Portishead or not
I guess I must be one of the very few here that come to this with no prior knowledge of Portishead. Yes, I know they have issued two prior albums, and this is the first new studio album in over 10 years. But I haven't heard the prior albums, even though I'm aware that Portishead is hugely influential with it's supposed "trip-hop" sound, whatever that is.

"Third" (11 tracks; 48 min.) starts off with a menacing opener "Silence" which immediately puts me into a trance and I'm loving it. Vocalist Beth Gibbons sounds mysterious but it only adds to the intrigue and appeal. There are no upbeat tracks on here as such, simply mood pieces and the tracks flow along superbly. "Plastic" includes threatening helicopter sounds but plays great. My personal favorites on here are "We Carry On", with a relentless underlying techno-beat that's just mesmerizing, "Machine Gun", a haunting song, and "Magic Doors", with an underlying Eastern theme. The guitar-heavy closer "Threads" sums up the album perfectly for me. In all, this is a fantastic album from start to finish, and I say this with apologies to any Portishead fans of the early days who were not amused by the new album. I had no pre-conceived notions or expectations but have found "Third" to be an absolute thriller.

I had the good fortune of catching Portishead at Coachella earlier this year, and while it took me a while to get into it (they performed on the main stage right after the exuberating set of Kraftwerk), I really got into it eventually, which lead me to checking out this album. Would love to see them again, now that I've come to love this album.

---

Rating: - You've gotta be kidding me
Look, I've always been a fan of Portishead, and I completely respect an artist's desire to evolve and change. I've even welcomed many changes from other artists I like. For example, I don't have a problem with Enigma leaving behind the Gregorian chants in later albums. I am not someone who thinks the artist has to make the same album over and over again. Having said that, I really just do not feel this album at all. There are too many outright annoying noises on half the tracks and nothing ever really gets going for my taste. I knew that it would be different, but this just sounds like reject tracks from the first 2 albums. Sorry, but if this is what took them 10 years to come out with, they could have kept it. If you're looking for any semblance of the old Portishead, don't bother with this. If you like the band enough to give it a shot, then be my guest. I did and was disappointed, but that doesn't mean you will be.