Obsessed with "Third" by Portishead at the moment. OBSESSED

[The Mollusk]

I never really gave the band their dues up until hearing this album last winter, because trip-hop is largely wack and the kooky spooky theremin vibe of early Portishead feels like the lame end of hauntological music which doesn't really interest me. I might be wrong in that assumption, but I don't give a damn, since Third is so fucking incredible I feel like I don't need to experience anything else from them. If this was their one and only album I'd cling to it forever and be eternally grateful that it exists. The album title would be different though. Only, or something.

The obvious merit of this album is that it's utterly beguiling and captivating in its multi-faceted wonderment, but what really amazes me about it is that it's quite sloppy and haphazard a lot of the time. It takes a great many risks, not just in the stylistic U-turns like how the scratchy folk miniature "Deep Water" politely steps aside for the skull-crushing monster "Machine Gun", but also in Barrow's often scrappy production methods which subvert perfection, which in the wrong hands could seem either to lazy or too smug, but here it's perfect.

Opening track "Silence" cutting off at the flick of a switch is the most notable example of this, but elsewhere there are occasional wrinkles left unironed which actually enhance the experience. I find this method strange, since you wouldn't think less of the album if that stuff was smoothed out, but the fact that those faults are left in is a testament to its confidence as a body of work, especially coming from a band with as much hype to live up to as Portishead, in an age when digital technique can be used to achieve total perfection. It's a risky move but it paid off enormously.

Anyway, it's a stunning record and I've been rinsing fuck out of it again recently. "The Rip" is fucking gorgeous and its accompanying video is so captivating that the whole thing totally overwhelms me. One of those tracks I could happily stick on several times on repeat.

I see that "Machine Gun" was the first single released in anticipation of the album which I imagine must have been quite a headfuck! I'm eager to know how it was received at the time by people here who are longterm fans. My first exposure to the album was hearing this song in a bar and stopping whatever conversation I was having like "wait what the FUCK is this?!".

[Hand Solo]

`Carry On' sounds exactly like The Silver Apples*.

_{*Whose song 'Oscillations' this sub-forum is presumably named after.}

[Dirty Boy]

This is indeed an absolutely stonking album and i thought i was alone in it being my favourite of the three they've put out. I don't know much about Silver Apples, but We Carry On sounds more like Joy Division to me. Incredible tune as is The Rip and Silence and the whole thing actually.

I'd recommend their Glastonbury set from 2013 if only because i remember watching it while crying every other song. Wandering Star is goosebump central.

[Brundle-Fly]

I never really gave the band their dues up until hearing this album last winter, because trip-hop is largely wack and the kooky spooky theremin vibe of early Portishead feels like the lame end of hauntological music which doesn't really interest me. I might be wrong in that assumption, but I don't give a damn, since Third is so fucking incredible I feel like I don't need to experience anything else from them. If this was their one and only album I'd cling to it forever and be eternally grateful that it exists.

I believe you are wrong in that assumption. I know its '90s coffee table ubiquity blunted its charms but Dummy is still fantastic. I think Third is very good but a bit glacial for my tastes.

[Absorb the anus burn]

We Carry On sounds like The Silver Apples playing over a rejected Can drum beat at Ian Curtis's wake.

[Hand Solo]

I don't know much about Silver Apples, but We Carry On sounds more like Joy Division to me.

Maybe the fuzzed up guitars later on do, but the ambient track and vocals is full on Silver Apples, maybe something between Seagreen Serenades and Whirly-Bird?

The Brief story of The Silver Apples.

EDIT. Oh and snap, towards the end of that clip it mentions Portishead have referenced them as an influence. Also, the other 1968 Joe Byrd partly electronic album The American Metaphysical Circus briefly mentioned in that clip is also a MEGA FUCKING BANGER worth pouring down your lugs.

[Norton Canes]

This reminds me, I must listen to the third album by Portishead.

[Norton Canes]

And the second album by Portishead.

[Johnny Textface]

Regarding the "sloppiness", I remember reading an interview with Adrian Utley stating that nothing is not exactly how it's supposed to be. Like perfect sloppiness. The glitchy drums on Plastic and the amateurish bassline on Magic Doors are good example (also that fucking sax solo!)

I hammered this album for a time but probably overplayed it a little. It was like the antithesis of In Rainbows which came out the same year.
Its wierd that there was a gap of 11 years between the second album and this one which seemed a lifetime, but it's not going to be far off that again if they ever do another.

The most recent Beak album ">>>" might be as close as we'll get. That's very good an all.

The live concert from NYC with the orchestra is a great way to enjoy their earlier songs.

[Johnny Textface]

The single Chase the Tear was a banger too.

[Pauline Walnuts]

I listened to it for the first time recently, it seemed like talented musicians too scared to repeat themselves, or to do anything *too* different. Too overthought. At least that why I thought I wasn't enjoying it.

I also was over thinking it.

That and The Silver Apples plagiarism.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Bought it when it came out. Dunno if I've even given it 3 plays tbh.

"a good album if you didn't like Portishead" is probably an apt review really.

[the ouch cube]

And the second album by Portishead.

It's still their best one.

[Sebastian Cobb]

It's still their best one.

Ignoring Live at the Roseland is it?

[DrGreggles]

Ignoring Live at the Roseland is it?

That's their best one, innit.

[popcorn]

Third is one of my favourite albums ever. I've had dreams about Machine Gun. If I concentrate on it too much it I get a bit teary-eyed during the Terminator synth solo.

+ 1 Johnny Textface said. Chase the Tear is amazing. >>> is amazing.

It was like the antithesis of In Rainbows which came out the same year.

I also link it to that album. They seemed to capture similar arty musical influences and take them in different directions. Radiohead covered The Rip as well, so that furthers the link.

[shagatha crustie]

Third is one of my favourite albums ever. I've had dreams about Machine Gun. If I concentrate on it too much it I get a bit teary-eyed during the Terminator synth solo.

Same. In part because of their anti-nuclear rendition of it at the Glastonbury performance mentioned upthread. To this date one of the most awe-inspiring moments I've experienced in live music.

[popcorn]

Same. In part because of their anti-nuclear rendition of it at the Glastonbury performance mentioned upthread. To this date one of the most awe-inspiring moments I've experienced in live music.

Absolutely. Cameron's laser eyes are somehow terribly affecting and awesome (in the original sense) despite being a basically silly idea.

[popcorn]

I'd love to know how the Machine Gun beat was made. According to interviews it's based on samples from a drum machine in an old Orla Tiffany 4 organ but they're obviously highly processed and warped.

[Norton Canes]

Ah wait, no, hang no... totally have heard this, remember the way Silence kicks off.

[popcorn]

Silence is just the coolest noise ever.