Portishead : Third (album, doors, classic, band, song)

[mr dave]

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.

[jocanaro]

It's like there was no time between releases, meaning their last stuff was as timeless as Third is both current and true to form.

[RezZ]

Originally Posted by mr dave

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.

Agreed. I dont get what the deal is with this band. Frankly i find this album ad. Not that there other stuff is any good though. There so much more music of this genre that surpasses this.

[Roygbiv]

I hated this album. I loved Dummy, and parts of their second release were good, but I didn't feel Third. They just didn't grow up, and I was sorely disappointed.

[Rainard Jalen]

Originally Posted by RezZ

Agreed. I dont get what the deal is with this band. Frankly i find this album ad. Not that there other stuff is any good though. There so much more music of this genre that surpasses this.

Which genre? This album is not even the same genre of music as their previous releases. Not sure how you mean.

I hated this album. I loved Dummy, and parts of their second release were good, but I didn't feel Third. They just didn't grow up, and I was sorely disappointed.

See above. It's not even the same genre of music. This is nothing LIKE Dummy at all.

I seriously don't get what people are talking about sometimes. I understand not liking it, hating it even, that's all fine, but accusing it of being anything BUT a total shift in direction for this band is ludicrous. It doesn't fit in with their previous releases at all. The only thing to tie them together is Gibbons' vocals. Nothing else.

And I don't see why anybody would suggest that this album was forced??? They didn't have to release anything at all. They'd been working on this record for absolutely ages. Years.

[Roygbiv]

It may be a different genre, but that doesn't justify the lack of growth. Gibbons still complains about the same things, and the music doesn't flow. It doesn't make sense. It builds an atmosphere, but atmosphere doesn't make a lackluster album great. It gives it a redeeming quality, but it's still lackluster. I would have forgiven Third if they hadn't been working on it for over a decade.

[dirty old sod]

I didn't think it was that amazing.. though maybe it'll grow on me. I just think it sounded rather sloppy at times, and not particularly exciting. I still prefer their second album.

[Rainard Jalen]

Originally Posted by Roygbiv

Gibbons still complains about the same things

Ummmm...it's in the style of the confessional singer/songwriter? That's kind of always been the point of Portishead? Of course she sings about the same things! It's not like there are an infinite amount of things to be confessional about, it's quite a specific domain of expression. Seriously. At least come up with a sensible criticism.