Portishead - Portishead
(Go Beat!, 1997)
As I sifted through my ITunes looking for something non-Radiohead to listen to and/or write about, I never anticipated I'd settle on Portishead. When Ryan and I dreamt up this "Don't Tell Anyone..." section, we decided not to write about albums fewer than ten years old. Perhaps that's why I settled on Portishead, the band's second album, and as impatient fans are eager to point out, its most recent. Settle down, cowboys: if the trickle of news stories are to be believed, the newest Portishead is finally in the mixing stage.
As we prepare for a new Portishead, it seems fitting to revisit the haunting Portishead. The album is perfect fall listening, as "Half Day Closing" and "Humming" make perfect additions to any Halloween playlist. And "All Mine" doesn't make for a half-bad Slut's Secret commercial, it turns out. (Quiz: Advertising that's ruined a song for you? Oh, Of Montreal...) While 94's Dummy was a far bigger commercial success, the combination of Beth Gibbons' vocals and Geoff Barrow's triphop are at their chilling height on their second effort. Perhaps this is why they chose to make this album the band's namesake?
P.S. Apparently all the recent Radiohead hype has gotten ole Geoff in a tizzy. On his official blog, Geoff rants, "Music for free is it? well fuking great. so if you get our album for nothing or very little , does that mean i can get my boiler fixed for free... --------i could tell the plumber that its all for the love of sharing and its to combat the evil money grabbing corperation that is zanussi." Yikes, sounds like the two 'heads could go to war with each other. Radiohead hype, eh? We wouldn't know anything about that.
P.S.S. I've been listening to "Undenied" so loudly, the bass just jiggled our ice machine. I can report that the subsequent sound of crashing ice chunks provided fine accompaniment.
3 comments:
I LOVE listening to Portishead around Halloween time...and just when the weather starts to get chilly.
I guess I'm not quite as musically out of touch as I thought. I love Portishead. Beth has one of the sexiest voices in the history of sexy voices.
I saw Tricky live. They opened for Tool (Geoff used to work with them). They were... not very good. Maybe that's why Geoff is so cranky. hehe
Humming is excellent yet somehow even better with an orchestra.
Seven Months is one of my favorite pissed off songs and Western Eyes is one of my favorite last tracks. I never really cared for All Mine - on its own it's a fine song but it seems misplaced on an album that's full of so much venom and cynicism.
And as for Mr. Barrow - I will buy your album (the first in a while,) but if you really want my money to support your noble trip-hop cause - how about a tour? As much as I would love to see you (and Aphex) at your ATP show, reality is that I (and probably several thousand fans) can't travel more than a few hundred miles to witness a show (needless excessive paranthetical comment.)
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