Portishead : Third
 

If you are expecting the apparent ambience of their previous work, then you will be sorely disappointed. Sure there are moments of exquisite tenderness when Beth Gibbon's voice is laid bare over a sparse rhythmn but this is an album that has moments of abrasiveness and sheer in your face
despondency. Plastic is abrupt, atonal and dark. Machine Gun is an abolute assault on the senses with it's monotonous beat piledriving you into submission and Carry On's complexity and guitar riffs are hypnotically beguiling. Hunter is the antithesis of this replete with a simple acoustic guitar motif that is Portishead at their most serene.

I have played this album at least a dozen times and it really does take that long to appreciate what the band are doing and where they are heading. This is a must have classic in ten years, of that I have no doubt.

HOLY CRAP THEY ACTUALLY RELEASED IT!!!!!

maybe there's actual hope for a new my bloody valentine album within the decade too. i'll have to try to get my hands on a copy before i actually comment on the album. was kind of anticipating it about 5 years ago though...

No. it's not out for three weeks yet :D

naughty naughty, boyz

It is common knowlege, even to the band in todays Metro newspaper!

i heard a brilliant song on Jools Holland, it may well be that 'machine gun' one. Really enjoyed it

Finally got round to listening to it.
I wouldn't say its as massive a departure from Dummy as everyone seems to be suggesting it is, its a tad more dark though which is always good, reminds me a bit of Mezzanine.
We Carry On is probably my fave at the mo, the beat and guitars are so sinister and brilliant. Machine Gun is abrasive but rewarding and i love the opener Silence as well (the silence at the end is annoying though).
Overall, not as easy as Dummy but i predict a few more listens will result in me liking it more. Pretty damn good.

Although nowhere near as good as Mezzanine, I thought exactly the same upon listening. It does get better with each listen but it is not an album that you can just throw on. you have to be in the mood for it.

Machine Gun:

i finally got to listen to it today and frankly i think it's a mess. it sounded like no one knew what was going on until the last track. nothing seemed to be working together, overall it sounded forced to me - like a contractual obligation.

what i really don't get is gibbons' vocals. she's capable of doing more than that trademark whisper. she proves it on the live in NY disc. the band obviously took some departures so why didn't she? if anything it's the fact that she stills sings EVERY song like it's the mid 90s that makes me dislike what i heard the most.