Beth Gibbons & Rustin Man – Out Of Season

Beth Gibbons steps out of the shadows of Portishead with Paul Webb (here named Rustin' Man, formerly of Talk Talk) and though her voice is never less than front and center with Portishead, as a separate entity her influences similar though they may seem, are decidedly different. The result is less 'band-centered' and more of a singer-songwriter album that draws heavily from folk and jazz. Atmospheric. Timeless. Stunning.

a timeless album that should to be listened to in it's entirety. the kind of stuff i would never have entertained had it not been for Portishead or (especially) Talk Talk although sounding noticeably different to either but similar quality to both bands. Given Gibbon's or Webb's respective histories I bet it took ages to make it.

Beth Gibbons we know as lead singer of the trip hop band Portishead but who is Rustin Man? It turns out to be the alter ego of the musician Paul Webb of Talk Talk, known. The two are good friends for years and making this record was the realisation of a long-held dream by them. The result is an extremely atmospheric album in which the characteristic voice and the songs of Beth and the spherical production of Webb complement each other just fine. The lyrics are mostly about aging and there is no forced tried to sound young and modern. The music fog hard beats and has both interfaces with the vocal jazz by Nina Simone and Billy Holiday as with the intimieme acoustic music from singer/songwriters like Nick Drake and Joni Mitchell. A special mention deserve the breathtaking vocals, in which the expressive potential of Gibbons ' voice be used to the full.

Hello!
This album is one of my favourites. Calm and sad at the same time. I'm looking for something similar to it. Any reccomendations?
Thank you all.

Beth Gibbon’s wounded vocal delivery is part of the Portishead mystique: her voice, equal parts hurt and desire, is unmistakable. Her collaboration with Rustin Mann, <I>Out of Season</I>, will surprise listeners expecting another Portishead redux. Instead, the arrangements are much simpler, aimed more at the acoustics, rather than sonics. Beth’s vocals, obviously, take center stage; “Tom the Model” has some gospel choruses backing her up, but hers is the central figure. “Show” is just her and a piano, while “Romance” adds some horns and background voices for atmosphere. “Spider Monkey” has some of that Portishead theremin, but it’s used sparingly; same goes for the wobbly electric guitar on “Funny Time of Year” -- there’s a whisper of Portishead on there. Beth Gibbon’s voice alone could almost carry any project, but her pairing with Rustin Mann’s quiet sensibilities makes this a worth vehicle for her talents.