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Post by MartinT on Jul 16, 2019 18:39:39 GMT
Portishead - Portishead (1997)I've chosen Portishead's 2nd self-titled album as it's my favourite and offers a middling entry into their sound world after the easy 1st album, Dummy, and the much more difficult Third. They are categorised as being a Trip Hop (or downtempo) band and part of the Bristol movement. Let me just say that Trip Hop is nothing like Hip Hop (thank goodness) and refers more to the trippy nature of their music. It contains an interesting blend of some quite manic and demonic witch-like vocals over sampled and scratched music ( Cowboys) with an emphasis on keyboard moods and guitar. Beth Gibbons' extraordinary vocals steer the musical flow while the cinematic soundscape, not a million miles away from Hybrid, create the moods. Try Humming, for instance. Sounds like the backdrop to an SF episode depicting an invasion from Mars? For an utterly stunning performance, please watch them perform Roads with orchestra, the pinnacle of Gibbons' achievements in my opinion. Excuse the sound quality, it's worth watching. Please listen and VOTE however you feel about it. This isn't me hoping for good votes, I far prefer a discussion about what emotions it invokes in you. open.qobuz.com/track/770695
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Post by petea on Jul 16, 2019 19:21:14 GMT
Already and all-time favourite group and a fine album. Super choice, Martin.
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Post by Slinger on Jul 16, 2019 19:25:55 GMT
I remember not being moved by it when it was released. It'll be interesting listening to it again after twenty-odd years.
[EDIT]
After 22 years nothing has changed I'm afraid. The music itself is dreary - I don't mind that too much though - but I'm afraid that I still find Beth Gibbons' voice irritating. I have to say that the recording itself sounds very good.
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Post by MartinT on Jul 17, 2019 5:18:44 GMT
Do you feel the same way about her solo album, Paul?
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Post by Barrington on Jul 17, 2019 17:52:11 GMT
Only heard one Portishead album and that's the one I've got Roseland NYC Live , maybe some of the songs are on this album are on it .
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Post by Deleted on Jul 17, 2019 18:15:57 GMT
I have only ever heard Dummy which I own and like a lot, so looking forward to giving this one a try.
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Post by jandl100 on Jul 18, 2019 7:22:20 GMT
Interestingly upbeat/laidback.
All Mine sounds like a spoof on a James Bond movie soundtrack ... is it?
But silly background cracklings and added distortion (why is this sort of 78rpm-noise thing so popular?) and the rather irritating female vocalist probably means this is not a band I would return to.
2/5 changed to 3/5.
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Post by MartinT on Jul 18, 2019 7:31:06 GMT
Thanks for trying it, Jerry.
I agree about the crackles but it seems to be a result of the vinyl sampling going on.
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Post by jandl100 on Jul 18, 2019 7:47:35 GMT
I agree about the crackles but it seems to be a result of the vinyl sampling going on.  You are joking? It has to be deliberately added! No-one could be that incompetent and/or use such flawed broken gear unintentionally. |
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Post by MartinT on Jul 18, 2019 7:54:31 GMT
Yes, on reflection you're probably right. Still annoying and doesn't add anything for me.
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Post by Pinch on Jul 18, 2019 8:14:52 GMT
I suspect you're both right: my guess is that it the crackle is the result of their taking samples from vinyl, but also that its inclusion is deliberate - effectively, it's a part of the sample (incidentally, the manner in which Portishead construct their tracks from samples is precisely what ties their music to traditional hip-hop).
One nice upshot of the inclusion of crackle is that - if listening on vinyl - it renders you less inclined to anxiously listen for surface noise, since you know it's already there.
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Post by jandl100 on Jul 18, 2019 9:21:53 GMT
One nice upshot of the inclusion of crackle is that - if listening on vinyl - it renders you less inclined to anxiously listen for surface noise, since you know it's already there.  Ah, the joys of vinyl. Happy the day when I finally gave it the boot for good!  Having vinyl distortions deliberately reintroduced into a digital recording is not my idea of music. |
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Post by MartinT on Jul 18, 2019 9:39:06 GMT
Having vinyl distortions deliberately reintroduced into a digital recording is not my idea of music. Ah, but you're talking to Tom... |
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Post by Slinger on Jul 18, 2019 12:26:24 GMT
Do you feel the same way about her solo album, Paul? Still not feeling it, I'm afraid, Martin. Too much of it sounds like early Marianne Faithful, without the benefit of the Glimmer Twins sticking their oars in. And yes, you can take that two ways. I'd probably like it more if someone else was singing it, which is rather like my view of Portishead. One track even reminded me of Melanie's vocal stylings. |
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Post by Slinger on Jul 18, 2019 12:46:33 GMT
INTERVIEW with Adrian Utley & Geoff Barrow. Apparently returns ("to Woolworths," Geoff Barrow said when asked) got worse when there was a vinyl reissue. It seems that people " should have realised" that the background noise was added deliberately though, because there were no *clicks" and *pops* between tracks.  One day I'm going to make you boys do your own bloody homework.
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Post by MartinT on Jul 18, 2019 12:57:57 GMT
Not having the vinyl copy, I wouldn't have known that. Much more importantly, I find myself transfixed by the music and quickly zone out of the added noise, just as I used to do with LPs. |
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Post by jandl100 on Jul 18, 2019 16:34:03 GMT
So, basically, a couple of meat-heads just fancied adding some "static" crackles to their "music" - I laughed a bit that folks thought it was just a badly pressed LP. |
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Post by Pinch on Jul 18, 2019 19:47:30 GMT
Ah, the joys of vinyl. Happy the day when I finally gave it the boot for good! I think that if classical music accounted for the overwhelming majority of my listening then I'd probably do the same too (probably). |
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Post by MartinT on Jul 18, 2019 20:51:03 GMT
I moved quickly over to CDs mostly for classical. I was happy buying rock LPs for quite a bit longer.
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Post by Barrington on Jul 19, 2019 11:20:16 GMT
Oh dear Mogwai hang your head in shame , opening squences :
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You are joking?
Having vinyl distortions deliberately reintroduced into a digital recording is not my idea of music.