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Track Listings
| 1. Cowboys |
| 2. All Mine |
| 3. Undenied |
| 4. Half Day Closing |
| 5. Over |
| 6. Humming |
| 7. Mourning Air |
| 8. Seven Months |
| 9. Only You - Portishead |
| 10. Elysium |
| 11. Western Eyes |
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
With Dummy, their 1994 debut, Portishead not only created a classic of turntable-derived soul, but defined their sound so exhaustively as to spawn a host of imitators. So what to do for a follow-up? As it happened, the answer was simple--refine the template. This self-titled album simply ups the ante on everything that made their debut so special: the brooding sense of menace, that deep streak of romantic fatalism. Much is made of the cinematic quality of Portishead's music--and indeed, many of these tracks sound like they should be accompanying some existentialist spy flick from the mid-1960s. But ultimately, it's singer Beth Gibbons that's their greatest asset: her vocals gliding effortlessly from the furious ("Cowboys") to the forlorn ("Mourning Air"); from the exuberant ("All Mine") to the exhausted ("Only You")--and all set to the group's most ambitious and expansive arrangements to date. A majestic, damaged and frequently terrifying masterpiece. --Andrew McGuire
Product Description
Sublime 2nd album from 1997 features "All Mine" and "Only You".
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Portishead created a unique sound in their debut "Dummy," combining smoky jazz and trip-hop. So an equally good follow-up was a pretty tall order. Enter the self-titled "Portishead," which ups the eerie noir feel while not abandoning the cool electronic edge. In the months before their return, it seems appropriate to revisit their older material.
"Did you feed us tales of deceit,/Conceal the tongues who need to speak?/Subtle lies and a soiled coin,/The truth is sold, the deal is done," Beth Gibbons intones, sounding like a slightly gleeful robot. That sets the tone for "Portishead," giving it a darker tone than its predecessor -- darker songs, darker vocals, darker music.
The jazz overtones are still there, bubbling up in songs like the distant "Over" and "Seven Months," which sounds strangely like fellow trip-hop artist Emiliana Torrini. Only the downtempo "Over" and softly poppy "Western Eyes" break from this cooler sound, sounding warm and unaltered. The rest of the album is a different story.
Somehow it adds to the noir atmosphere to have darker, colder sounds woven in with the jazzy trip-hop. "Humming" includes a strange background beat that sounds exactly as you would imagine a UFO. This dark, experimental edge makes it a bit harder to get into than their debut album, but when you do get into it, it's almost frighteningly intense.
The jazzy percussion is one of the first things you notice about this, paired with horns and thick synth. It's surprisingly heady to listen to. Also cold and distant -- which seems appropriate, since the simple lyrics focus on loneliness, melancholy, sadness and loss ("Why should I forgive you,/After all that I've seen,/Quietly whisper,/When my heart wants to scream?").
Beth Gibbons plays around with her vocals this time around -- while Gibbons's voice is normally very pretty, in a few songs she twists it into creepy monotones. It's a bit jarring at first, compared to her usual melodic singing, but it suits the darker songs here. The filtered, eerie intonations in "Cowboys" are downright spine-chilling.
Portishead, presently working on their long-awaited third album, made a triumphant second album. While not as easily accessible as their debut, it's definitely an entrancing experience.
"Did you feed us tales of deceit,/Conceal the tongues who need to speak?/Subtle lies and a soiled coin,/The truth is sold, the deal is done," Beth Gibbons intones, sounding like a slightly gleeful robot. That sets the tone for "Portishead," giving it a darker tone than its predecessor -- darker songs, darker vocals, darker music.
The jazz overtones are still there, bubbling up in songs like the distant "Over" and "Seven Months," which sounds strangely like fellow trip-hop artist Emiliana Torrini. Only the downtempo "Over" and softly poppy "Western Eyes" break from this cooler sound, sounding warm and unaltered. The rest of the album is a different story.
Somehow it adds to the noir atmosphere to have darker, colder sounds woven in with the jazzy trip-hop. "Humming" includes a strange background beat that sounds exactly as you would imagine a UFO. This dark, experimental edge makes it a bit harder to get into than their debut album, but when you do get into it, it's almost frighteningly intense.
The jazzy percussion is one of the first things you notice about this, paired with horns and thick synth. It's surprisingly heady to listen to. Also cold and distant -- which seems appropriate, since the simple lyrics focus on loneliness, melancholy, sadness and loss ("Why should I forgive you,/After all that I've seen,/Quietly whisper,/When my heart wants to scream?").
Beth Gibbons plays around with her vocals this time around -- while Gibbons's voice is normally very pretty, in a few songs she twists it into creepy monotones. It's a bit jarring at first, compared to her usual melodic singing, but it suits the darker songs here. The filtered, eerie intonations in "Cowboys" are downright spine-chilling.
Portishead, presently working on their long-awaited third album, made a triumphant second album. While not as easily accessible as their debut, it's definitely an entrancing experience.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Hey! I'm sitting here reading the other views and it seems that people don't like this album as much as Dummy. I'm amazed. This is a far more mature offering than their first album, wonderfully mixing Billie Holiday with messed up mood music. Maybe it's not for everybody, but this is one of my very favourite albums. Think Brother's Quay animation and you are not too far from the aural equivalent.
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Although a little bit more 'experimental' than the "Dummy" album (1994), it still creates an atmosphere are sheer devine feeling. The silky tunes and lushious mixing on the tracks, gives the album a sexy touch. Beth Gibbons voice is absolutely gorgious, some would say its piercing, but its pierces the heart not the ears. I've heard songs from this album being played on fashion websites and catwalks. It definately invigorates moods of utter-most sensuality, perfect for any romantic night in! If you enjoyed "Dummy", I'm sure you won't be disappointed!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Portishead CD
I STILL have not received the Portishead CD and haven't had any acknoledgement or feedback despite having sent several e mails
Published 2 months ago by Cas
Portishead- Dummy
DummyThis album improves with listening and remains one of the most popular and enduring into the 21 century. Read more
Published 9 months ago by L. Lee Daniel
Outstanding - Electronica at its finest
I won't bother going into details about each individual track. All you really need to know is that this is an ESSENTIAL purchase; whether you liked 'Dummy', whether you are into... Read more
Published 17 months ago by T. Spencer
Best CD by a mile
This is Portishead's best CD by a mile. I bought this a month ago and have been playing it non-stop. Read more
Published on 7 Jan 2010 by Gaugin
Good but not as good as Dummy
This is a great second album from Portishead and starts off with the superb `Cowboys'. There are at least 5 other top trip hop tracks on this album, including `Undenied', `Half... Read more
Published on 9 April 2009 by I. M. Knight
The Genius of the Portis'
Totally amazing, one of the greatest albums ever made. Dark, brooding, with awesome scratching, beautiful and unsettling singing and, in my opinion, superior to Dummy. Read more
Published on 1 Nov 2006 by T. Jones
Second album blues...
If this had been Portishead's first album, everyone would be raving that it was the greatest thing that ever happened in early nineties music. Read more
Published on 11 Mar 2006 by Mr. Robert Murphy
eek
Until I heard this, I thought Dummy was the best triphop album I've ever heard. With this album, Portishead have taken all the dark energy and searing emotion from the previous... Read more
Published on 30 Jan 2004 by S. Barber
Unmissable
Funny, most reviews seem to say that this record is whether much better than Dummy whether much worse. Read more
Published on 20 Dec 2003 by WZ
A far superior album
Whilst many may lament the demise of Portishead in the light of this second album, I would endeavour to argue that this self-titled second offering represents a far more mature,... Read more
Published on 14 Aug 2003 by "stewpot124"
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