Third [CD]

Portishead's Dummy was quite an achievement - rarely does a band come from nowhere with their debut and blow people's minds with a truly original sound. The second album, whilst perhaps sounding more 'live' on a few tracks, was essentially more of the same - which is no bad thing when your music is as unique as theirs. But there comes a time when a truly great band must prove their genius by going in a new direction, and somehow succeeding in retaining the vein of quality. Radiohead did it, Bjork did it, and now Portishead have done it - they just did it more emphatically....

Third is an album that took ten years to come. Barrow, Utley and Gibbons have done an admiral thing - they have spent many years cultivating the record, probably writing and rewriting, recording, binning and re-recording, to eventually have an album's worth of songs worthy to appear on a Portishead album. They have also, by the sounds of it, been listening to a LOT of different types of music along the way. Because no matter what people tell you, this is an EXTRAORDINARY record which, with the exception of two songs, sounds nothing like their first two albums.

Of course, Gibbon's voice is unmistakable, and that in itself makes it Portishead. But the way she uses it is different - gone are the melodic choruses from songs like All Mine and Sour Times (believe me, they are melodic compared to THIS album) - instead Gibbons' voice is now used almost as an instrument, another sonic layer, the subtle beauty of which may only hit you after several listens.

As well the vocals, the instrumentation on Third is very different from the previous albums. No scratches this time around, few breaks - instead, very harsh industrial drumming (Machine Gun)and doomy, proggy guitar riffs (Silence). There is even a moment, with stand-out track, The Rip, that you could dance along to in your bedroom, although you might want to paint your walls black first - because Third is one of the darkest albums you're likely to hear this year.

No band that I can think of has created a follow-up album like this - every song is unique, they are all superb, and it is nothing like the earlier albums. Moreover, despite Barrow et al's obvious desire to do something new, Third still feels organic when you listen to it - it isn't the sound of pretention, it's the sound of perfection.

Portishead's eponymous second album sounded like they'd spent the years since their debut listening to their own music, and as such, was an often chilling and minimalistic exercise in distillation and refinement. By the same token, it also made any further venture in their distinctive style artistically redundant.

As a result, Third is necessarily a different animal. The sound is at once broader and more claustrophobic. Gone is the scratching and heavy sampling, but still with us (thankfully) is the distinctive and imaginitive percussion work. Dark grooves are rendered uncomfortable listening with the addition of high sustained synth tones. Gibbons's vocals are as ever full of shame, doubt and regret at things she's done or not done, but occasionally a little more upbeat and direct. The album in general is uneasy listening, often beautiful, often noisy, often obtusely changing direction at mid-point or ending suddenly - "Silence", for example, cleverly clips out just as its proggish coda starts to get self-indulgent.

There is even comedy here, too. Yet the ukulele-led (yes really) "Deep Water" is possibly the most disturbing song on the album - hearing Gibbons sing about not being afraid makes one wonder who she's trying to convince, and she comes across as tragically deluded. The song works as a palate-clearer too: the deliciously torturous drumming of "Machine Gun" is all the more punishing for following such whimsy, and its despondent Morricone-esque synth coda is a welcome surprise. "Threads" is a perfect ender, with that enormous, plaintive bass pulse radiating across the landscape like the cry of some wounded Lovecraftian leviathan.

How tempting it would be to set up a lounge ensemble, a Rhodes piano, two turntables and a heap of percussion, stand Beth Gibbons up in front of them and have her wail torch songs until her heart bled. How brave it is, then, that Third is so unlike that concept that it isn't even the opposite of it, it's some kind of unfathomable fourth-dimensional tangent.

Having read a number of reviews of this album, I nearly didn't buy it. The reviews were mixed at best with some very harsh comments about the style. Fans can be fickle and a new offering often raises expectations and can easily disappoint those that loved what came before. OK, Dummy it is not, but imagine the comments if Portishead had produced more of the same. I buy albums by bands like Portishead because I need something more challenging within my collection. Third sits alongside albums like Thom Yorkes The Eraser, which was equally 'unconfortable/beautiful/haunting' to listen to, and I think this is what has upset a some listeners. Third is a beautiful album that works best when 'viewed' as a whole, yes there are tracks which have 'instant' appeal such as the beautiful and haunting The Rip, but the album needs time to be enjoyed and should be listened to as a whole piece to allow it to draw you in to its world. It is a cross over album that blends a lot of styles, without sounding like any of them making it difficult to put in a 'box'. This is Portisheads sound, Beth Gibbons voice is stunning and fits the context of the album perfectly. The sound is cinematic and beautifully produced, sounding uncluttered but with enough depth to draw you right in, and deserves to be given enough time to be enjoyed. This could not have been achieved with a collection of 'obvious' singles, padded out with sub standard filler or by re visiting Dummy.

Third is the perfect soundtrack to these uncertain times. Give it space, turn out the lights, close your eyes and let Portishead take you on a journey, allow Third to take you to where it needs you to go, rather than the route you expected it to take and you will not be disappointed. I am greatful to bands like Portishead who I hope will continue until they have said what they need and then, like the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland will vanish.....leaving nothing remaining but........a smile.