Portishead (/ˌpɔːrtɪsˈhɛd/ PORT-iss-HED) are an English band formed in 1991 in Bristol. They
are often considered one of the pioneers of trip hop music. The band are named after the nearby town of the same name, eight miles west of Bristol, along the coast.
The band comprises Beth Gibbons (vocals), Geoff Barrow (multiple instruments, production), and Adrian Utley (guitar). Dave McDonald, an audio engineer who helped produce their first two albums, is sometimes regarded as the fourth member. Portishead may not have invented trip-hop, but they were among the first to popularize it, particularly in America. Taking their cue from the slow, elastic beats that dominated Massive Attack's Blue Lines and adding elements of cool jazz, acid house, and soundtrack music, Portishead created an atmospheric,
alluringly dark sound.
Portishead's debut album, Dummy (1994), fused hip-hop production with an atmospheric style reminiscent of spy film soundtracks and yearning vocals from Gibbons. It was met with critical acclaim and commercial success, becoming a landmark album in the emerging trip-hop genre.
However, the band disliked being associated with the term.
Their two other studio albums, Portishead (1997) and Third (2008), received similar acclaim. Portishead have also released the live album Roseland NYC Live (1998). Geoff Barrow and Beth Gibbons formed the band after meeting during a coffee break at an Enterprise Allowance course in Bristol in February 1991. Taking their name from the nearby town of Portishead,
they soon recorded "It Could Be Sweet", their first song for their debut album. They then met Adrian Utley while they were recording at the Coach House Studios in Bristol, and Utley heard the first song Barrow and Gibbons had recorded, and began to exchange ideas on music. The resulting first album by Portishead, Dummy, was released in 1994. The cover features a still from the band's own short film To Kill a Dead Man.
Both Barrow and Gibbons were media-shy -- the vocalist refused to participate in any interviews --
which meant that the album received little attention outside of the weekly U.K. music press, which praised the album and its two singles, "Numb" and "Sour Times," heavily. Soon, Go! and Portishead had developed a clever marketing strategy based on the group's atmospheric videos that began to attract attention.
After their initial success, Portishead took a break from the spotlight and touring until
their second album, Portishead, was released in 1997. The album's sound differed from Dummy, characterised
as "grainy and harsher", with increased use of live instrumentation and less reliance on sampling. Three singles, "All Mine", "Over" and "Only You" were released, the first one achieving a Top 10 placing in the UK. The live PNYC followed late the next year. Portishead went on hiatus starting in 1999, and Barrow, Utley and Gibbons worked on their own projects. In 2001, Barrow formed Invada Records, an experimental label that included Koolism on its roster.
On 2 October 2007, Portishead stated that the new album
Third had been mixed and was nearly
complete, and was due for release in early April 2008. The release was later pushed to 28 April. On 8 and 9 December 2007, the band curated the All Tomorrow's Parties festival in Minehead, England. The festival featured their first full live sets in nearly 10 years. They premiered five tracks from the new album: "Silence", "Hunter", "The Rip", "We Carry On", and "Machine Gun". On 21 January 2008, a European tour to support the album was announced.
On 2 May 2022, Portishead performed for the first time in seven years at O2 Academy Bristol.
Organized by War Child UK, the concert benefited refugees and children affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Lead singer Beth Gibbons would also appear on rapper Kendrick Lamar's song "Mother I Sober" from the album Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, released on 13 May. In 2023, Portishead reissued Roseland NYC Live. The new tracklist includes previously omitted songs and restores other tracks which had been replaced with alternate versions on the 1998 album.
Gibbons released her debut solo album, Lives Outgrown, in 2024. PORTISHEAD - DUMMY 1994
Portishead's album debut is a brilliant, surprisingly natural synthesis of claustrophobic spy
soundtracks, dark breakbeats inspired by frontman Geoff Barrow's love of hip-hop, and a vocalist (Beth Gibbons) in the classic confessional singer/songwriter mold. Better than any album before it, Dummy merged the pinpoint-precise productions of the dance world with pop hallmarks like great songwriting and excellent vocal performances.
Portishead – Dummy
Label: Go! Beat – 828 553-2
Format: CD, Album, Digipak
Country: Europe
Released: 1994
Genre: Electronic
Style: Trip Hop, Downtempo
TRACKS
01. Mysterons 5:06
02. Sour Times 4:13Electric Piano [Rhodes], Organ [Hammond] – Neil Solman
Featuring [Sample] – Lalo Schifrin, Smokey Brookes
03. Strangers 3:58Featuring [Sample] – Weather Report
04. It Could Be Sweet 4:19Drum Programming – Richard Newell
05. Wandering Star 4:56Featuring [Sample] – Eric Burdon & War
06. It's A Fire 3:48Organ [Hammond] – Gary Baldwin
07. Numb 3:57Organ [Hammond] – Gary Baldwin
08. Roads 5:09Arranged By [String Arrangement] – Adrian Utley, Geoff Barrow
Electric Piano [Rhodes] – Neil Solman
Nose Flute – Dave McDonald (2)
Strings – Strings Unlimited
09. Pedestal 3:41Trumpet – Andy Hague
10. Biscuit 5:04Featuring [Sample] – Johnnie Ray
11. Glory Box 5:06Featuring [Sample] – Isaac Hayes
Organ [Hammond] – Adrian Utley
LINE - UP
Bass – Adrian Utley (tracks: 6 to 9)
Drums – Clive Deamer (tracks: 1, 3, 5, 7 to 9), Geoff Barrow (tracks: 6, 7)
Electric Piano [Rhodes] – Geoff Barrow (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 10)
Engineer – Dave McDonald
Guitar – Adrian Utley (tracks: 1 to 3, 5, 8, 11)
Vocals – Beth Gibbons
Written-By – Adrian Utley (tracks: 1 to 3, 7 to 9, 11), Beth Gibbons (tracks: 1 to 3, 6, 7 to 9, 11), Geoff Barrow (tracks: 1 to 11)
Flac Size: 250 MB
PORTISHEAD - PORTISHEAD 1997
Geoff Barrow and Adrian Utley recorded original music that they later sampled for the backing tracks on the album, giving the record a hazy, dreamlike quality that shares many of the same signatures of Dummy, but is darker and more adventurous. Beth Gibbons has taken the opportunity to play up her
tortured diva role to the hilt, emoting wildly over the tracks. Her voice is electronically phased on most of the tracks, adding layers to the claustrophobic menace of the music. The sonics on Portishead would make it an impressive follow-up, but what seals its success is the remarkable songwriting. Throughout the album, the group crafts impeccable modern-day torch songs, from the frightening, repetitive "Cowboys" to the horn-punctuated "All Mine," which justify the detailed, engrossing production. The end result is an album that reveals more with each listen and becomes more captivating and haunting each time it's played.
Portishead - Portishead – Portishead
Label: Go! Beat – 539 189-2
Format: CD, Album, PMDC Germany
Country: Europe
Released: Oct 1997
Genre: Electronic
Style: Trip Hop, Downtempo
TRACKS
01. Cowboys 4:38Vocals [Additional] – S.Atkins
02. All Mine 3:59Horns – A.Hague, B.Waghorn, J.Cornick
03. Undenied 4:24Drums [Additional] – C.Deamer
04. Half Day Closing 3:49Synthesizer [Moog] – A.Utley
Violin – S.Cooper
05. Over 4:00
06. Humming 6:02Synthesizer [Moog] – A.Utley
07. Mourning Air 4:11Trombone – J.Cornick
08. Seven Months 4:15
09. Only You 4:59Electric Piano [Rhodes] – A.Utley
Organ – J.Baggot
Written-By – Stewart, Thorne, Hardson
10. Elysium 5:54Piano – J.Baggot
11. Western Eyes 3:57Piano – A.Utley
Vocals [Additional] – S.Atkins
LINE - UP
Bass – A.Utley (tracks: 2, 4, 5, 7, 9)
Drums – C.Deamer (tracks: 1, 6, 8, 11), G.Barrow (tracks: 4, 5, 9)
Engineer – Dave McDonald
Guitar – A.Utley (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7 to 10)
Vocals – Beth Gibbons
Written-By – Adrian Utley (tracks: 2, 4 to 11), Beth Gibbons, Geoff Barrow
Flac Size: 295 MB
PORTISHEAD - ROSELAND NYC LIVE 1998
Performing with a 35-piece orchestra, Portishead runs through selections from its two albums, favoring its second slightly. On the surface, it doesn't seem like the orchestra would add much to the
performances, especially since the arrangements remain similar, but its presence makes the music tense, dramatic, and breathtaking. This is especially true of the material from Portishead. On album, several of these songs sounded a little flat, but here they soar right alongside such staples as "Mysterons," "Sour Times," and "Glory Box." That alone doesn't necessarily make PNYC revelatory -- instead, it deepens a listener's understanding of the artist, much like the Tindersticks' The Bloomsbury Theatre. Which means, of course, that PNYC is much more compelling and essential than the average live album.album.
Portishead – Roseland NYC Live
Label: Go! Beat – 559 424-2
Format: CD, Album, PMDC Germany
Country: Europe
Released: 1998
Genre: Electronic
Style: Downtempo, Acid Jazz, Trip Hop
TRACKS
01. Humming 6:37
02. Cowboys 5:02
03. All Mine 4:02
04. Mysterons 5:44
05. Only You 5:20
06. Half Day Closing 4:12
07. Over 4:13
08. Glory Box 5:37
09. Sour Times 5:21
10. Roads 5:50
11. Strangers 5:20
LINE - UP
Alto Flute – Ben Waghorn (tracks: 1, 5, 11)
Alto Saxophone – Ben Waghorn (tracks: 3, 5, 11)
Baritone Saxophone – Will Gregory (tracks: 3, 5, 11)
Bass – David Finck (tracks: 1 to 8, 11), Jeffry Carney (tracks: 1 to 8, 11), Jim Barr (tracks: 1 to 11), John Miller (tracks: 1 to 8, 11)
Cello – Carol Paisner (tracks: 1 to 8, 11), Jesse Levy (tracks: 1 to 8, 11), Stephanie Cummins (tracks: 1 to 8, 11), Susie Katayama (tracks: 1 to 8, 11)
Drums – Clive Deamer (tracks: 2 to 5, 7 to 11), Geoff Barrow (tracks: 6)
Guitar – Adrian Utley (tracks: 2 to 11)
Keyboards – John Baggott (tracks: 1 to 11)
Leader [Orchestra Manager] – Jesse Levy
Oboe – Will Gregory (tracks: 1)
Orchestrated By – Adrian Utley, Nick Ingham
Percussion – Clive Deamer (tracks: 6)
Synthesizer [Moog] – Adrian Utley (tracks: 1)
Trombone – John Cornick (tracks: 1, 3, 5, 11)
Trumpet – Andy Hague (tracks: 1, 2, 6, 11), Dave Ford (tracks: 1, 3, 11)
Violin – Andrew Stein (tracks: 1 to 8, 11), Ashley Horne (tracks: 1 to 8, 11), Belinda Whitney-Barratt (tracks: 1 to 8, 11), Byung Kwak (tracks: 1 to 8, 11), Carmel Malin (tracks: 1 to 8, 11), Carol Pool (tracks: 1 to 8, 11), Natalie Cummins (tracks: 1 to 8, 11), Israel Chorberg (tracks: 1 to 8, 11), Joanna Jenner (tracks: 1 to 8, 11), Joel Pitchon (tracks: 1 to 8, 11), Joyce Hammann (tracks: 1 to 8, 11), Katsuko Esaki (tracks: 1 to 8, 11), Lenard Rivlin (tracks: 1 to 8, 11), Pamela Porta (tracks: 1 to 8, 11), Regis Iandiaro (tracks: 1 to 8, 11), Richard Clark (tracks: 1 to 8, 11), Anthony Posk (tracks: 1 to 8, 11)
Vocals – Beth Gibbons (tracks: 1 to 11)
Written-By – Utley (tracks: 1, 3 to 11), Gibbons (tracks: 1 to 11), Stewart (tracks: 5), Barrow (tracks: 1 to 11), Hayes (tracks: 8), Byrd (tracks: 6), Thorne (tracks: 5), Schifrin (tracks: 9), Hardson (tracks: 5), Shorter (tracks: 11)
Flac Size: 350 MB
PORTISHEAD - THIRD 2008
Third is resolutely not an album to be sampled in 30-second bites or to be heard on shuffle; a quick scan
through the tracks will not give a sense of what it's all about. It demands attention, requiring effort on the part of the listener, as this defies any conventions on what constitutes art pop apart from one key tenet, one that is often attempted yet rarely achieved: it offers music that is genuinely, startlingly original.
Portishead – Third
Label: Island Records – 1766401
Format: CD, Album, Super Jewel Box
Country: Europe
Released: Apr 25, 2008
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: Downtempo, Trip Hop
TRACKS
01. Silence 5:00Cello – Charlotte Nicholls
Voice [Spoken Intro] – Claudio Campos
02. Hunter 3:58
03. Nylon Smile 3:19
04. The Rip 4:30Bassoon – Wendy Bertram
05. Plastic 3:30Clarinet – Team Brick
06. We Carry On 6:27
07. Deep Water 1:33Vocals [Additional] – Ben Salisbury, David Poore, Team Brick, (The Somerfield Workers Choir)
08. Machine Gun 4:46
09. Small 6:47
10. Magic Doors 3:31Electric Piano [Rhodes Piano] – John Baggott
Hurdy Gurdy – Stu Barker
Saxophone – Will Gregory
11. Threads 5:47Bass – Jim Barr
Cello – Charlotte Nicholls
Drums – Clive Deamer
Guitar – Beth Gibbons
Saxophone – Will Gregory
LINE - UP
Beth Gibbons – vocals, keyboards, electric guitar on "Threads"
Geoff Barrow – drums, keyboards, synthesiser, bass guitar, percussion, programming
Adrian Utley – electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, ukulele, keyboards, synthesizer, programming
Charlotte Nicholls – cello on "Silence" and "Threads"
Claudio Campos – spoken intro on "Silence"
Wendy Bertram – bassoon on "The Rip"
Team Brick – clarinet on "Plastic," vocals on "Deep Water"
David Poore & Ben Salisbury (the Somerfield Workers Choir) – vocals on "Deep Water"
Will Gregory – saxophone on "Magic Doors" and "Threads"
John Baggott – Rhodes piano on "Magic Doors"
Stu Barker – hurdy-gurdy on "Magic Doors"
Clive Deamer – drums on "Threads"
Jim Barr – bass guitar on "Threads"
Flac Size: 290 MB
Beth Gibbons and Rustin Man: Out of Season 2002 on Urban Aspirines HERE
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