So far this year, some of our favorites oldies — see the Breeders, Portishead, and, of course, the B-52′s — have released new albums that more or less picked-up where they left off, updating the sound some, not losing steps in the process. They’re obviously three very different bands, so doing a contrast/compare wouldn’t make sense, but still, let’s say it: Portishead win the “gloomiest comeback” of the year award. This a good thing. Very. The Bristol crew would flail out-of-water if they tried affixing any cheer. Atmospherically, lyrically, emotionally, Third is plenty fucking submerged, but it also has a newfound dynamic crest: You can’t label it trip-hop like you would (and did) Dummy, and it’s a rawer, rockier ride than Portishead. Beth, Geoff, and Adrian don’t wait long before introducing us to the new angles.
People who listen closely, took notes, or went to Wikipedia should recognize a number of the tracks: At the recent ATP performances, the band did “Hunter,” “Machine Gun”, “Silence” (while it was called “Wicca”), “The Rip” (as “Mystic”), and “We Carry On” (as “Peaches”). “Peaches”?
The ominous whirl of the opener “Silence,” has what could credibly be termed “Slint-y guitars” and up-tempo Silver Apples (or, traveling overseas, “Kraut-y”) percussion. Like the title may suggest, there’s no Beth until the two minute mark. The first time we listened, we wondered if they were hitting us with an introductory instrumental. Third shifts gears with “Hunter” — the track’s introduced with the sound of fairytale pixie dust, then rolls into smoky Twin Peaks cabaret.
Returning to the water metaphor, there are a number of moments that sound like a sinking ship — swirling eddies abound. (Then there’s “Deep Water,” which is, like, literal.) They constantly switch it up, though, allow you to come up for breath etc. “We Carry On” carries on the Faustian percussion and Silver Apple oscillations, taking on more elements by the minute. After it’s final flume, you get the aforementioned fragile, uke-plucked doo-wop spiritual “Deep Water.” It’s in turn followed by the distorted, deep and ricocheting percussion of the aptly titled “Machine Gun.” At first, this one’s reminiscent of “Bizarre Love Triangle,” but the poppy synths don’t arrive; instead, you get a slightly off-kilter, angelic, dub hymn.
Then comes “Small,” a spare nighttime track accented by a creaky cello, or something. The song’s speaker’s talking about “the night we met” and “the taste of wine [she'll] never forget.” Beth’s voice is strained and doubled: “You tried to understand, but you’re just a man, hoping to score … just like me.” You assume it’s some more pastoral sleepytime stuff, but mid song, a Can-ish organ starts, along with drums, and then things kick back into ’70s Germanic musics. The layering continues — a vibrato guitar, etc. — before returning back to the original sound, though the cello hits more like organ drone.
Third‘s an intense trek. After the first few listens, it seemed like perhaps the almost seven-minute “Small” was the place to end the album, but again, the band rightly continues the ebb and flow to its final, totally gorgeous resting place: The next-to-final song and major standout, “Magic Doors,” opens with a high-pitched tone that disappears so a bare drum kit can kick in and then Beth sings “I can’t deny what I’ve become, I’m just emotionally undone,” over what sounds like an accordion trying to be a bagpipe. Guitar strums add a softer feel, though you also get noisy skronk sax.
Everything ends with the thin, icy “Threads.” It’s quieter, Beth can’t find the worse to say. The percussion’s light, the guitar plucked rather than held and sustained. Again, it seems like we’re going out with a soporific ballad, but then it all picks up with true crunch — dynamics! By the end, she’s not just singing about being worn out, she’s nearly shouting, “I’m always so unsure” in near caterwaul. Beth doesn’t get Third‘s last words, though. The record exits on heavily-distorted, bassy notes: Like a ship’s foghorn, already too close, and you can’t avoid the crash.
Great stuff.
See y’all at Coachella! Hope you don’t cheer up by then.
Third is out 4/28 on Mercury/Island.
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so you like it?
yea, exactly what I was wondering.
Best news I’ve heard all day
and that album cover kills
I mean, its ok and all, but this week was incredible for leaks and this one really didnt resonate with me. Tokyo Police Club and Jamie Lidell kill it, as far as I’m concerned.
ps- because of the onslaught of leaks recently, will premature evaluation no longer be a friday-only column?
Loving this album so far although I could do without the awkward fade outs that came with the leak. Wicked album cover too.
The track called “Machine Gun” is the fiercest fucking dub I’ve ever heard in my life.
“Beth, Geoff, and Adrian don’t wait long before introducing us to the new angles.”
No love for Clive Dreamer? No beats, no Portishead.
That album cover is totally awesome. I’ve missed Portishead…
Spot on review.
Love the fuzz all over the production on this album. Headphones bring a tear to the eye.
Ace album, straight up and downbeat, no bones about it.
‘We Carry On’ is some of their best material ever, and ‘Machine Gun’, I agree, is fierce.
Top class, and unlike so many others, Portishead stands the test of time.
I found it very disappointing. It just sounds so empty and uninspired.
This album sucks. Portishead fail to deliver after so many years.
i think it’s a perfect comeback. when you’ve made what is often considered one of the classic albums of the last 25 years, there’s a lot of pressure on you… especially when you add to that a ten year hiatus. they manage to keep their sound intact, but still prove that they are as much on the forefront of this sound now as they were then.
‘The Rip’ is one of the most intense listens I’ve had in ages. the seemless segue from the acoustic into the electric sums up exactly what i mean about their progression.
Brilliant album.
I honestly found this slightly disappointing just because its been sooo long and the first two albums are among the best ever recorded, in my opinion. If this album came out in like 2000 who knows. That being said, welcome back Portishead, please add more tour dates.
Calling it for best album art of ’08 though. Its a P, its a 3, its a question mark, its a headache, its brilliant.
May I be the first pedant to point out that Portishead are not from Bristol, they are from, um, the town of Portishead, which is near Bristol.
xoxox
No, they’re not! They formed in Bristol where Geoff Barrow was working as a producer and remixer and Beth Gibbons was singing in pubs. They just named the band after the nearby town of Portishead, which is where Barrow grew up.
The albums…..alright, but just alright. It really lacks that smokey feel that resonated so well in their other albums.
And am I the only one that was fucking confused about that ukelele track? Made no sense being in that album, unless it’s just me.
I love Third. It turned out to not be a turd. Thank goodness.
word
word
The drum pattern on “Machine Gun” recalls “Blue Monday,” not “Bizarre Love Triangle.”
wow. wow. Portishead have returned with an album so dark, so dismal, so downright nihilistic it makes their 90s output sound like freakin’ Los Campesinos! And I couldn’t be happier. Third is already one of the most compelling albums I’ll hear in ’08. They have turned the genre they created inside out and made it more dynamic and more dangerous. What a fantastic album.
A commenter on this post ( http://aaaathatsfiveas.blogspot.com/2008/02/im-making-note-here-huge-success.html ) was kind enough to provide a DL link for the album, if anyone’s interested. Also linked as “my” name.
Scott’s review was awesome, as always
Great album but very uneven production..some of the tracks are not very professionally recorded.
Uh, dude, you’re listening to a leak. Let’s reserve judgment on the production quality until you get the actual release.
I´ve enjoyed Third´s crude and sincere atmosphere. And I´m glad that they´ve not done a Dummy part 2 just to fulfill fans.
An absolutely great album for sure.
I really only liked the last 3 or 4 songs on the album. It was kind of disappointing in my eyes. I’m hoping it’ll grow on me.
the only song i enjoyed was “machine gun,” the rest of the songs really did not do anything for me.
It’s really strange that their two albums I’ve grown up with(Portishead and Dummy)aren’t even their best. Third is simply brilliant. I expected something that was up to par with their other stuff but they went above and beyond. What an incredible piece of work and although it’s way too early to make any immediate decisions, this album is probably one the best albums I’ve heard this decade. I never thought they would release their best album so far down the road let alone release another album at all.
Completely agree. Third goes WAY beyond expectations that I had. Epic, dark (sometimes downright scary), diverse, and completely unwanted at any hair salon that played Dummy into the ground. I, also, think with time this could end up being a highlight of the decade. And if those 90′s shows were indication they could blow the roof off many a venue in the coming months.
Minimalist yet rich when you dig down. This album is all about contrast. It’s brilliant. [P] did not disappoint. Couldn’t be happier.
i’m just happy i have more music to have sex to
I think the beats are fierce but Beth sounds awful on it. Trembling and tuneless. The lyrics feel like cliches now. Playing the miserable role. I hear truth in the production but not in the words. Gutted actually.
Brutal! This. Is. Art.
This album is a temptress, violently beautiful.
Best of the year material.
Is it just me or is there no turntabalism on this entire album? I love the album but I was looking forward to more decks-terity from Andy.
Having listened to the album 3 times now it gets better with every listen.
Loved the album…Would have hated to hear dummy or portishead rehashed the fact that the band after all these years could keep there same style but switch the game up bit speaks volumes…”small” killed me…..i’m dead now and in portisheaven.
P3 – aint that a rip of T3?
This is an ‘Emperors new clothes’ if ever I [heard] one. I’m afraid the lemming majority will claim this album is ‘cool’, ‘classic’, ‘groundbreaking’ because that’s what you’re meant to say about Portishead. In fact this is a pretty zero-dimensional album, given the talent behind it.
what the HELL are you douchebags gushing about? this album fucking SUCKS. it’s all completely amateurish and embarrassing.
I just saw this CD in the store (7/12/08) and couldn’t believe these geniuses FINALLY produced another album. I bought it knowing nothing about it and I wish I hadn’t bothered. What a piece of seemingly uninspired, atonal crap. Where’s the Portishead we were all waiting for? I’m completely baffled by the positive statements regarding this album. But then, the good responses were from the diehards, waiting and willing to happily eat anything this group threw out. As far as I’m concerned, PH owes me $18.