Portishead - Third

So far, there is only one bit of additional content that has been made available for owners of the limited-edition box set — "Portishead at the Mayan". It is a 15-minute FLV file containing terrific live performances of "Wandering Star" and "Threads". I've talked to a couple of other people who have the USB stick, and they weren't even aware that there was any bonus content. They thought the P3 application on the USB stick was a regular Flash Player app and didn't even try to run it.

It's been almost 11 years since Portishead released their last self-titled album (I'm not counting Roseland NYC Live). The three member group of Adrian Utley, Geoff Barrow and more prominent Beth Gibbons have been often credited with making the trip hop genre more mainstream. Originating out of Bristol, UK, Portishead introduced their hometown sound to the commercial radio waves in 1994 with Dummy. With downtempo hip-hop beats, a touch of turntablism, and Gibbons' staple vocals, Portishead instantly created their own style and with that came a vast following. It's no wonder then, that when appropriately titled Third album hit the shelves, it was snatched with a hunger. Prior to the album's street date it was released on last-fm and attracted over 327,000 listeners within 24 hours. On Third, Portishead experiments in a darker territory, a bit brooding and at times almost industrial in nature, while rewarding the listener with a familiar voice. There are many unforgettable moments on the album when you find yourself go "what" and "nice". Perhaps there is not much revolutionary on Third for some, and they may not feel justified for the waiting period. Nevertheless you can't just let it slip by. Portishead remains a favorite and after consecutive rotations, Third climbs to the my list of "Best of 2008 so far..." I still love and play the first two albums. [Gibbons also released a solo album titled Candy Says in 2003]. Favorite tracks: Plastic and Machine Gun.

This is the album Portishead should have made and released in place of Portishead. So many of the tricks that album employed for effect are fortunately gone. But what is in place of the grand sweeps, builds and scratchy backdrops is done with on the surface, half the effort and achieves twice the dread and melancholy that their previous two albums hinted at and deeply wanted to be, but weren't capable of. This is still Portishead with Beth Gibbons AM radio quality lost and found voice. The one that garnered so much praise with Dummy, but with a singularly more confident backdrop and none of the bells and whistles that tagged them and left them in place in time.
This is soundtrack music of the highest order.
Mean, high, lonesome, driving and very psychedelic.