Third (CD)

• Category:  Music  »  Rock & Pop  »  General Rock & Pop
• Format: CD   Learn more about the CD format using Tower WIKI.
• Release Date: April 29, 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Island Records (USA)
• UPC: 602517664005
• WAPI (Tower ID): 112051684
• Average Customer Review:    (2 customer reviews)
• Tower.com Sales Rank: #86 in Music (See Top 100 Music Bestsellers)
• #50 in Rock & Pop (See Top 100 Rock & Pop Bestsellers)
• #42 in General Rock & Pop (See Top 100 General Rock & Pop Bestsellers)

•  [Portishead - Official Websitethis link opens a new window] 
  
•  [Portishead - Wikipedia Entrythis link opens a new window] 
  
•  [Portishead - Music at Last.fmthis link opens a new window] 
  
•  [Portishead - MySpace Pagethis link opens a new window] 
  

Rolling Stone (p.80) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "THIRD is an unexpected yet totally impressive return.....Portishead mix up dub, break beats, cathedral organ, Moroccan drones and even surf rock into a headphone album for sour times."
Entertainment Weekly (p.119) - "Beth Gibbons' spectral vocals linger atop eerie, warped pulses of music to create a swirl of melancholia." -- Grade: B+
Alternative Press (p.136) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "Listening to Portishead has always been like floating through a waking dream, but now the sleek edges have atrophied into a dusty chaos, and it's all the more beautiful and perfect for the change."

More than a decade after its self-titled sophomore outing, the pioneering British electronica ensemble Portishead finally resurfaced with 2008's THIRD, an album that both meets and defies expectations. Although the record features many of the group's aural signatures--most notably that exquisitely dark, cinematic mood and Beth Gibbons's heartbreaking vocals--it presents little in the way of vintage trip-hop, proving that sonic masterminds Geoff Barrow and Adrian Utley aren't keen on repeating themselves. "Silence" kicks off the affair with tumbling percussion loops, while "Nylon Smile" drifts along on spare, slinky instrumentation, and "Machine Gun" moves to jarringly martial metrics that are battlefields away from any pop arena. Though THIRD is initially disorienting, repeated listens reveal a deeply engaging and fascinating album that stays true to the melancholy spirit of Portishead even as it wanders into unfamiliar territory.

Third – Portishead

Bristol trio releases third album after 11 year hiatus!

Die-hard Portishead fans have another masterpiece to look forward to. In the shadow of two great studio albums, a brilliant live album and semi-successful attempts at solo careers, the task of releasing a summer sizzle as opposed to a fizzle seems rather daunting. But, not surprisingly, Third manages to stand its ground!

Its complex and dark ambiance can be difficult to absorb on first listening, but this album does not disappoint. Third begins with an extended intro which seems to prepare the listener for the aural aesthetic they are about to experience. Beth Gibbons’ vocal abilities are featured incredibly in “Machine Gun”; juxtaposed with an incessant beat, her voice floats ethereally into the air.

It may have been a long time coming but Third is another gem masterfully crafted by Beth Gibbons, Geoff Barrow, and Adrian Utley of Portishead.

The band announced, on January 21, 2008, their European tour to promote the new album.

Favorite Songs: “Machine Gun”, “Hunter”

-Thom, Tower Pulse 04/22/2008

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