Portishead - "Third"

This record is way better than I thought it would be. First off, the fact that this band exists rings of phenomenon. I can't believe there were nay-sayers on this album. Thoughtless drivel, it most certainly was.

Each song on this album is so different from the last, which is an automatic distinction from previous records. And yet, it maintains a very Portishead aroma throughout, while taking me places we've never gone together. It's a bit "less polished," and Portishead sounds like a real band in an actual place, playing music. The bland album title and cover and lack of lyrics were all forgiven once I delved into the music. Enshrouded in that familiar sea-green, smokey Portishead gossamer, Third is macabre carnival, folk song revival, 8-bit ballad, dominatrix dancehall and that tasteful, dreamy gloom that makes this band so special.

It's the adventurous variation from song to song that makes this such an exciting listen. I get chills often, and from completely different kinds of songs. "Machinegun" was the single, which is amazing considering the very un-mom-friendly, blown out, off-kilter drum machining that dominates the song. The video is actually cool to watch if you're into hypnosis, as we get to see Adrian Utley pound drum pads with drum sticks. Once I got past the gatekeeper that is the beat of this song (and it does challenge one's perception of "Portishead song") I was totally hypnotized. The other video for "The Rip" is amazing, fully animated pencil drawings. There's a higher quality version on the Portishead site, but it requires registration, and you can see it here:

Even after all the experimentation and seemingly random musical twists, there are several songs that are vintage Portishead, mostly . . . kind of. They cast that night sky glow, but then there's some strange visitor in the form of either a blown-out guitar line for four seconds or a turntable wah-wah-grind that keeps you on your guard. I think this record is definitely darker, even for Portishead, and it is showcased in the lyrics and guitar lines. But each element, even the raw-sounding ones, are placed just right, and after my initial listen I was anticipating those "ugly" parts to come in that one glorious time. The album makes me think of drinking bitters and tea on the roof of a skyscraper at sunrise, while smoke from riots the night before is dissipating. Third's songs are the folkish stories from some apocalyptic menage.

There's a great interview with the two dudes in Portishead (Adrian and Geoff Barrow, the guitar player) at Pitchfork. They have a sensibility that my friends and I share about making music. So it's "great" in that they think like us.