Every week I'm going to do a section on Not Carbonated that offers my recommendations on new music, upcoming concerts, and general events of interest.
Cover photo by Eva Vermandel
Portishead - "Third"
Choice Tracks - "Small", "Nylon Smile", "Threads"
The new album by Portishead, due for release on April 29th (US), is simply wonderful. I'll admit that previously to listening to this album I was only a moderate fan of this group. However their 10 year hiatus since their last release has in my opinion paid off in full. Third is minimalism at its best, offering 50 minutes of highly distinct sounding melodies at times framing the lyrics of Beth Gibbons and other times crushing and overpowering them.
Though it may not be apparent at first, this album album uses pick-of-the-litter beats that reinforce the relevance of a band like Portishead in today's music world. Beth Gibbons' vocals are of a mature feminine presence with lyrics that portray experiences of uncertainty, regret, and a sincere vulnerability. Geoff Barrow and Adrian Utley do a similarly fantastic job with crafting the powerful pseudo-industrial soundscape that gives Portishead it's trademark sound with the biting rhythms in songs like the aptly named "Machine Gun" or ironically titled "Silence".
Overall I was very much impressed with this work, and since unfortunately I won't be able to catch Portishead at Coachella this year I hope they will expand their tour into a more intimate venue in the New York City area. Check out this Live Studio Performance over at Current TV to see the band perform 7 songs from the new album.
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