Ableton Forum

wow, i really like the new album. i don't think it's consistently amazing but you can't mess with her voice and their production style.

review aside, really? relying on Remix as a argument resource? Remix is a terrible rag. i hate to see mediocrity heralded, even worse it sited in a discussion.

I think the record's ok. Some interesting production choices, at least one good song (Magic Doors). I guess if I'd read all the hype/reviews, I'd be disappointed... as it is I am just enjoying the good parts. Goes to show that famous bands should now release their records directly to the public, bypassing all the misguided media experts.

sparklepuff wrote:POOP

+1

poopy poop

beats me wrote:Why do people feel that if it takes a group a decade to release an album it should actually be good? Come on.

Isn't it usually the other way around?

Can we just get an 'age census' on the Portishead album, please? How old are most of you who are saying that it sucks? I'll be 'quite old' on Saturday, but am of the 'portishead age'. It'd be interesting to see how many of you are actually of an appropriate age to have been into Portishead the first time around.

I've to wait untl saturday to hear the record (It's my Birthday!) but I know I'm in for something special/different.

I wasn't into it when it came out (I was 10), but I did do my year of Dummy-obsession and I know the second one very well, too.

I can't really say which is better, I'm a big fan of all three very much, but coming out now, 2008, this stuff sounds a lot like what I've been wanting to hear and also wanting to make myself right now. The structures are interesting (I especially like plastic), the sounds are interesting... and I love that it's so handplayed. All the mistakes in the guitar and synth playing... it sounds so fresh, I reckon.

i posted my thoughts on elektron-users yesterday. oh and i'm old balls, 32:

ya know i will say for the record i'm a big fan of the latest Portishead. but i didn't really have any expectations going into it. i have talked to numerous friends about this record and all of the conversations have different opinions.

i think the one thing i keep hearing is people expecting a lot or comparing where they're at today to their prior material, which is bound to happen. but the album on it's own if very solid in my opinion. i wonder if this was first Portishead album how people would feel about it.

i have experienced this with Sonic Youth. i have been a fan since the late 80's, and man they're diverse and seem to meander all over the aural path each album. after a while and several initial disappointments i started trying to listen to each album as if there was no other material to wage judgement against. it really helped me to just enjoy the records for what they were instead of continually holding them to my ideals of what they ought to be.

neither here nor there, folks will dig this album or won't. i enjoy the retro'ish through back vibe. some Broadcast moments even.

Portishead album discography:

Portishead – Dummy LP (1994)
Portishead – Portishead LP (1997)
Portishead – Turd LP (2008)

ashley_k wrote:Portishead album discography:

Portishead – Dummy LP (1994)
Portishead – Portishead LP (1997)
Portishead – Turd LP (2008)

Yeaeh, that's really objective of you, ashley_k. So what don't you like about the album?

logic_user99 wrote:

ashley_k wrote:Portishead album discography:

Portishead – Dummy LP (1994)
Portishead – Portishead LP (1997)
Portishead – Turd LP (2008)

Yeaeh, that's really objective of you, ashley_k. So what don't you like about the album?

O.K. That was a cheap gag.

As for the album I just found it rather disappointing and it seems a rather lazy effort to me, 10 years and that’s the best they could come up with. I know it’s Portishead but a bit warmth and joy wouldn’t have gone a miss, also found the lyrics to be less than profound, having said that it’s not an un-listenable album, but I’d personally rather listen to something else - rather than listen to a less good repeat of what’s gone before – on the other hand it could just be an age thing with me.

Portishead “Third” is just not my cup of tea.

Sorry, but everything continues to be relative in my universe...

Compared to 99.999% of the total SHIT that is new music released these days, Third is a fucking masterpiece.

The album is quite similar in many respects to Gibbon's Out of Season. Which was - relativity involved or not - a total work of art.

Actuel wrote:review aside, really? relying on Remix as a argument resource? Remix is a terrible rag. i hate to see mediocrity heralded, even worse it sited in a discussion.

I agree about Remix. I didn't purchase the issue or subscribe. In fact I got a free subscription because of some piece of gear I bought. That alone should testify to the quality. It's like the AOL CD of music magazines. Usually I just throw it away when it arrives but Portishead was on the cover so I read the article. Good or bad, the fact is it's out there and people are going to read it.

I just think if an artist is going to say most music and gear/software out there is crap then whatever they are promoting better dazzle. I think even the people on here who like the new release will agree it's not their best effort and will probably be easily forgotten. So Portishead can throw there music in there with the mediocre crap they are complaining about.

But hey they've got really great production!! I think we can throw great production up there with shitty movies that have great CGI. Without a good storyline the movie is still crap.

landrvr1 wrote:Sorry, but everything continues to be relative in my universe...

Compared to 99.999% of the total SHIT that is new music released these days, Third is a fucking masterpiece.

what about comparing it to the previous two albums ?
masterpiece or turd ?
I generally hold people/artists to their own standards once they're established. You start using britney spears as a yard stick for portishead material and don't be surprised if standards drop.

Haven't heard the new release yet tho, I'll let the herding masses chew on it for a while first

I almost forgot about this scheduled release...


I'll be picking this up tonight. I can't wait to hear the new record and I would be 100% shocked to hear anything less than another masterpeice.