Album Review: Third

Portishead: Third

Let’s get this little bit of relevance out of the way without wit: it was in excess of 10 years between albums. (holy shit)

Do you ever catch yourself in the checkout line waiting on that old bag up front to finish writing her damn check, look over, see that candy you REALLY liked as a child, get instantly nostalgic, and buy it? Later, you take a big, feel-like-a-kid-again bite only to exclaim, “It used to taste better.”

Welcome to Portishead’s Third, at least for the first bite.

The first track “Silence” sets the tone for the entire album: despondent lyrics (as usual), haunting rhythms like you’re being chased in a dream (this record is not about kittens or sunshine or ice cream), and an abrupt ending (the shock treatment will continue.)

Beth portrays a very passionate, yet demure lady on “Hunter” and her vocals really stand out here – it’s everything you like about her voice and the years have not treated her poorly in this regard. It was here that I really started to settle into the album, only to be up-ended soon afterward.

“The Rip” is another exercise in surprising the listener. The first half of the song totally lulls you in with what I will characterize as 2 minutes that could pass as Stevie Nicks with Lindsey Buckingham (acoustic, mind you.) Then Bang! For the last half of the song you find yourself asking questions like, “How long can Beth really hold her breath? When did I start dancing? Is this the same song?” One of the true gems on the album, for certain.

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Videos of The Day: Coachella 2008

Here’s some vids from Coachella over the weekend:

Prince covering Radiohead:

Animal Collective “Comfy In Nautica”:

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Friday Free-Style

Let’s get your weekend started with some local flavour. Atlas Sound will be remixing a Sian Alice Group song for a forthcoming EP. Here’s a video for one of my favourite Atlas Sound songs, “Recent Bedroom”:


Atlas Sound- Recent Bedroom from Michael E Palm on Vimeo

Atlas Sound : Virtual 7″ No. 3 : No Longer
The Snowden tour is coming soon:

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Torrents Of The Day: Portishead, Genghis Tron, Porcupine Tree

The new Portishead album, Third, drops at the end of the month, here’s the video for the single and a show from this month to jam:

PORTISHEAD 2008-04-03 Columbiahalle, Berlin, GER (FLAC)

I’ve been really loving the new Genghis Tron album so here’s a show from last week:

Genghis Tron 2008-04-08 The Triple Rock Minneapolis, MN (MBHOs) (FLAC)

And here’s some cool demos from In Absentia from Porcupine Tree:

Porcupine Tree 2002-xx-xx In Absentia Sessions (Demos & Outtakes) (SHN)

The Humpday Catch-Up

Ok, time for the best of about 3 weeks of music news I have been slacking on. Let’s begin with festivals, since that’s all we’ve covered lately.

Lollapalooza has yet to release the official line-up, but the rumours have it looking like potentially the best fest of the summer. Here is what the good folks at the Lolla message board have complete with a source for each rumour:

MAJOR MEDIA AND BAND CONFIRMATIONS
Dierks Bentley (http://www.gainesville.com/article/20080214/NEWS/802130312/1006/NEWS)
Bloc Party (http://www.pollstar.com/tour/searchall.pl?Content=V-BILCHGP&By=Venue&PSKey=Y&StartSearch.x=10&StartSearch.y=10)
Does it Offend You, Yeah? (http://www.virtualfestivals.com/latest/interviews/4408)
John Butler Trio (http://www.smh.com.au/news/stay-in-touch/unlikely-recruit-for-delta-force/2008/03/06/1204779965382.html)
Radioheadhttp://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/turn_it_up/2008/03/radiohead-nine.html)
Nine Inch Nailshttp://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/turn_it_up/2008/03/radiohead-nine.html)
Yeasayer (http://blogs.suntimes.com/derogatis/2008/03/sxsw_dispatch_2_on_parties_pan.html)
Rage Against the Machine (http://blogs.suntimes.com/derogatis/2008/03/rage_and_wilco_to_play_at_loll.html)
Wilco ( ( (http://blogs.suntimes.com/derogatis/2008/03/rage_and_wilco_to_play_at_loll.html)

THE REST
Flogging Molly (http://www.lollapalooza.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=199838)
Black Lips (http://www.lollapalooza.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=206530)
Nicole Atkins & the Sea (http://www.lollapalooza.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=205239)
Gogol Bordello (http://www.lollapalooza.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=207845)
Bang Camaro (http://www.lollapalooza.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=210111)
Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings (http://www.lollapalooza.com/forum/fb.aspx?m=220797)
Miley Cyrus (http://www.lollapalooza.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=230481)
CSS (http://www.lollapalooza.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=230377)
Gnarls Barkley (http://www.lollapalooza.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=230256)
Rhymefest f/ Mucca Pazza (http://lollapalooza.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=179933)
MGMT (http://lollapalooza.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=194476)
Jimmy Eat World (http://www.lollapalooza.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=230158)
CRS (http://www.lollapalooza.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=229774)

Pitchfork Fest released their initial line-up:

Friday, July 18:

Pitchfork Music Festival and All Tomorrow’s Parties present “Don’t Look Back” Public Enemy performing It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
+ more, to be announced

Saturday, July 19:

Animal Collective
!!!
Vampire Weekend
Dizzee Rascal
No Age
Atlas Sound
Fleet Foxes
+ many more!

Sunday, July 20:

Spiritualized
M. Ward
Boris
Extra Golden
El Guincho
+ many more!

Not a bad start, but I don’t think it comes close to how great their line-up was last year yet, so hopefully they will have some hot additions soon.

Atlanta’s Luigi is going into some sort of long hiatus/maybe break-up after their March 28th show at The Earl.

The Tabernacle got thrashed by the tornadoes, but they won’t have a full damage assessment until Friday.

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