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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
As collaborations go, the partnership of Portishead's ghostly singer Beth Gibbons and Paul "Rustin' Man" Webb (former bassist of 80s pop band Talk Talk) seems an extremely unlikely one. However, as Out of Season shows, the pair--who met in 1990 when Gibbons auditioned for Webb's post Talk Talk band O'Rang--have a surprising amount in common, including a love of supremely melancholic melodies and eerily atmospheric backdrops. Ambling quietly from the mournful folk of "Mysteries", through the twilight piano lament of "Show" and the uneasy cinematic sway of "Spyder", Out of Season creates a dreamily sinister otherworld that's both vintage and timeless. Yet, despite relying solely on beautifully bittersweet melodies and acoustic instrumentation to conjure its twisted romance--instead of the usual murky trip-hop beats and studio manipulation associated with Gibbons' dysfunctional songs--the fundamental chill of Portishead is ever present. And that's because, for all the wonderful, sleepy lullabies, it's the haunting isolation that fills Gibbons' every note that captivates. Even on the gorgeously hazy lounge tunes "Romance" and "Sand River"--both brimming with Burt Bacharach style optimism--she manages to sound like Dusty Springfield with a dark and tragic secret. She has an amazingly affecting voice, which makes Out of Season a truly magical album. --Dan Gennoe
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An instant masterpiece,
By
This review is from: Out of Season (Audio CD)
"God knows how I adore life..."It's difficult to remember a record so perfect in every way. It begins with a 50-second soundscape melting away beneath THAT VOICE. 'Mysteries' sends shivers down the spine, like 'Mojo Pin' (from Jeff Buckley's 'Grace'), it's an opener that fills you with excitement till you're fit-to-burst, flawless, beautiful, majestic, sweeping... and before you can catch your breath it's over. 'Tom The Model' slips into 'Portishead' territory before exploding into a preposterously catchy chorus, and so it continues... There isn't a weak moment or false note on this extraordinary record: Gibbons' shoves and pulls her voice around lilting melodies and trip-hop rhythms, seamlessly shifting from Billie Holiday-stylings to Sandy Denny in successive songs. 'Mojo Magazine' described it as "one of the best albums ever made"- that it lives up to and surpasses such expectations, whilst making today's six-hour train delay not just bearable but a joy, says more about this wonderful album than you could possibly imagine. Please buy this.
18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Solo and Successful with 4 1/2 stars,
This review is from: Out of Season (Audio CD)
After waiting for a new Portishead album for a few years now I was surprised to hear that Beth Gibbons, the lead singer of Portishead, would be releasing a solo album. Her singing style and the accompanying music on Out Of Season are different from her work with Portishead. However, without a doubt the best moments on this album are equal to the best moments of the Portishead albums. I gave it 4 1/2 stars because there are three songs which I think that altough they are good are not worth 5 stars (however, I must state that another fan who also loves the album thinks that two of these songs are the best) but there are a few that are what I would actually call perfect and therefore worth more stars(Spider Monkey, Drake and Funny Time of Year) and others which are near perfect and worth an easy five stars(The Show and Sand river). This album speaks to the process of ageing and the helplessness associated with the finiteness of existence and all of the songs together as a whole speak to these themes. At times I find myself completely absorbed by the sadness and pure beauty of this album. I believe that most Portishead fans will really enjoy it even though it is a bit different than what they are used to from Beth. She brings forward new styles and further demonstrates how wonderful and talented she is on this solo debut. Although I am still anxiously awaiting the new Portishead album, I sincerely hope that this will not be the last solo project from my favorite singer Beth Gibbons.
35 of 38 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Diamonds and Rustin Man,
By Anna "Anna" (London, UK) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Out of Season (Audio CD)
After five years of silence, erstwhile Portishead singer, Beth Gibbons, brings us a collaboration with ex-Talk Talk bassist, Paul Webb, aka Rustin Man, that ranks as an instant classic. The elements of filmic majesty that set Portishead apart from the rest of the trip hop mob are still apparent in places, but this is a far more sparse album, filled with quiet acoustic beauty. Gibbons sounds more comfortable here, away from the role of tortured vamp she often played, to perfection, when singing with Portishead. Out of Season has a rustic, sensual, autumnal, folk ambience, no better displayed than on the opening 'Mysteries', where Gibbons' fragile paean to love and life is gently supported by ethereal choir and guitar. At times vocally reminiscent of Melanie and Sandy Denny, Gibbons creates a work of unique and timeless beauty. A precious, precious gem.
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