Episode 11 - Third by Portishead

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You’d be forgiven for thinking that we’ve got a penchant for glum records. The evidence certainly points that way. Our discography is made up of overwhelmingly dark records so far, and let’s be honest here, this week’s album is no exception.

Chris mentions that a lot of the reviews for this album seemed to focus on how critics admired it more than liked it, that it was a good album but not an enjoyable one. We beg to differ. Indeed, the same could be said for many albums we’ve covered so far, and sometimes a great album takes a few listens to unfurl in your head. Sometimes these great records are challenging, their sounds, aesthetic and atmosphere appearing monolithic as you listen and try to come to terms with exactly what you’re hearing.

Indeed, isn’t that the beauty of music? It doesn’t always have to be easy to be rewarding. Now, we’re not saying that challenging records are better. That would be silly. But there’s joy to be found in sitting with an album and coming back to it to find new things. Mark had this exact experience with ‘Third’, and he talks about how something kept pulling him back even though it was a tough listen at first. Weaver backs this up too, talking about how the way this record seems to be approached, and the sounds that are on it, help build this record into something quite extraordinary.

We think the discography would be worse off if this album wasn’t in it. Do you agree? Listen and vote on our Facebook page.

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Intro Music: Discose by Marvin