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rocky raccoon

In Reply to: RE: Okay - have I missed the Portisehead 'Third' discussion?.. posted by RC Daniel on May 01, 2008 at 15:11:28

I was in the uk this week on business and nearly bought it on floppy black disk. I opted for the cinematic orchestra live in the Albert Hall instead. I heard a bit in the shop and your appraisal strikes me as dead on the money. Less accessible. Difficult even.
I bet I kick myself when I hear it more and wish Id jumped on it.
By the way, I never knew the Cocteau Twins Elizabeth Frazer dated Jeff Buckley. And I never knew what a great album four Calendar Cafe was. The first song is a killer.

Follow Ups:

Interesting you bring up... - RC Daniel 17:36:47 05/04/08 (3)
Elizabeth Frazer. Cocteau Twins are a fave of mine. I recently ordered their collaboration with Harold Budd and some of their obscure EPs (I have most everything else I like of theirs), but entered an incorrect address... probably lost forever. Will need to reorder. Ouch!
I have given the Portishead album another listen or two, though will need a few more... it was more listenable this time 'round, tho it lacks some of the abiltiy to move me emotionally as previous albums, perhaps becuase it is less organic feeling and more overtly contrived... Perhaps in time as I come to appreciate it more and my expectations / comparison to previous albums fade it will move me more. Here's hoping - I'd love to love it, but perhaps that is part of the problem?!
Cheers

Edits: 05/04/08
- Final thoughts (if there was ever such a thing for me!) - RC Daniel 20:16:16 05/07/08 (2)
  Yes, I like it more with each listen. The way they have appeared to 'borrow' chunks of melodies (possibly unintentionally) from other albums (eg. they seem to have borrowed from New Order and a few others I can't directly associate) lends a kind of comfortable familiarity beneath the harshness. Even without this, in many tracks there are some lovely melodies. Clever, competently arranged, nicely produced (I think), tho perhaps not the genuine greatness of previous efforts... it has multiple layers of sound within each song, tho for me, not layers of subtle emotion... one layer seems to overpower the others...
  
  All that said, I have not done much conscious thinking whilst listening, so could be full of hot, fetid air.
  
  Cheers
  - A harshness - Sordidman 13:04:56 05/21/08 (1)
    I haven't really sat down and listened to it. I've had it on about 4 times now, and have been doing other stuff. So, - hopefully one of these nights, I'll be sitting in the sweet spot with it.
    
    So, I just have a first few impressions too. As much as I love them, it seems like they're being annoying just to be annoying. I guess that Sordidman has his "commercial-line," - and when it gets crossed, I get turned off. I don't usually like discordant, off-time, loud noises: although I am a "noise," "new, different, sounds" fan. If that makes sense. Take, for example, the song "Sour Times." On the first record, it was a pretty great loungey, commercial, cabaret, crooner-like song that they changed on their new arrangement into an odd-timed discordant and difficult song. (To me, they seemed to be changing it simply to annoy).
    
    This perversity, I usually appreciate, and really appreciate the way New Order does it: in Portishead's case, annoys me.
    
    All that being said, these are simply first impressions. And I'm betting that the above impressions will change. Geoff Barrow is still drumming, so that can only be good......
    
    I know that you think that you know what I said, but do you realize that what I said was not what I meant?
    - Sordid, I think we share... - RC Daniel 23:18:53 05/21/08 (0)
      ... at least in part, the way we connect with music.
      
      I understand what you are saying WRT to Portishead - I think they are doing it for cerebral or 'clever' or 'artistic' reasons, leaving the music somehow less melodic, subtle, nuanced, etc. Perhaps a case of being more contrived and therefore less natural, believable or able to connect emotionally.
      
      Ah, New Order, perhaps my fave band. Now THERE is alt-melody, counterpoint, off-kilter... whilst still seeming uncontrived, honest and natural; well regarded, yet strangely under-rated. I love most everything of theirs up to and including Regret... and still lots to love after that album.
      
      Got to run.

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