Dorkgasm Gonzo Is God

Who’s on Third
By
Michael C. Riedlinger
Editor-In-Chief

            When word broke that Portishead would be releasing their first album in a decade, I could barely contain my excitement. I have been a fan of the trip-hop act from the U.K. since their first album, Dummy, came out in 1994. The band’s blog teased fans with progress reports and they played some new songs at the All Tomorrow’s Parties festival in England. One would expect a triumphant return, a bold comeback to remind fans why they fell in love with Portishead all those years ago, but then one would be disappointed.

            To say that this new album is experimental is an understatement. The lead single, “Machine Gun”, is a random mix of electronic sounds and Beth Gibbons ever-haunting vocals. Fans of the band will be pleased, but this is not going to attract new listeners. Some of the songs are more readily accessible than others. “Small” is a somber ballad that showcases Gibbons’ vocal talents with a sexy groove-vibe that will be familiar to fans. On the flipside of that, “Magic Doors” starts off with a 5-second Emergency Warning Test-tone that will discourage listeners from digging too deeply into this record if that happens to be the first track they hear.

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            Thankfully, most of Third falls somewhere between the two, and it grows on you the more you listen to it. After a week, I am glad to report that the aural strobe light in “We Carry On” barely registers anymore and my ears focus on the tribal beat and the melodic sway in Gibbons’ voice. This is my favorite song on the entire CD now, and easily the most danceable of the eleven tracks the band has assembled. The opening song, “Silence” has a seventies cop-show feel to it that made me want to throw on a pair of dark aviator shades and lurk around my neighbor’s backdoor looking for evidence of a coke deal or Cold War gold heist. Deep bass, always a Portishead staple, makes a comeback on “Hunter” and “Machine Gun”, but many of the other beats seem to come from traditional sounding instruments. While part of me really misses the 808s, tracks like “The Rip” and “Threads” still have the discordant beauty that made me fall in love with the band years ago.

            If you aren’t already a fan of this band, or even trip-hop in general, there’s nothing I can say that will make you enjoy Third. On the other hand, if you remember the way “Roads” or “Sour Times” made you feel over a decade ago, I think you’ll get into this new release. When Portishead drops this CD on April 29th, check it out and listen to it a few times before sticking it on a shelf and giving up. Go to the band’s Myspace page and listen to “Machine Gun” a few times before hand, and that might help overcome the initial “What the hell?” reaction I can almost guarantee you will have at first. Beyond that first listen, I promise fans that Third will germinate in your brain and you’ll soon remember the wonder and mystery that this band from Bristol has always inspired.