Portishead - Third
(Mercury/Universal) CD & 2LP
Portishead return in fine form, shedding the narcotic hip-hop plod of their earlier material for a fresh acoustic approach, rendering some stunning moments. “Machine Gun” is an industrial nightmare, while “We Carry On” & “The Rip” wield Kraut-rockisms with ruthless efficiency. Attention to craft & the hauntingly familiar wails of Beth Gibbons ground Third as a brilliant reinvention for Portishead.