EAR SHOT: Portishead, 'Third'

By Scott L. Miley

May 21, 2008 08:18 pm

— Portishead, "Third" (Mercury),
3.5 (of 4)
Portishead has lived the emotional paralysis behind inaction, the drain on the soul of being unable to function and react in a caring world. Perhaps “Third” explains why this is the trip-hop trio’s first studio disc in 11 years. “I’m worn, tired of my mind / I’m worn out thinking of why I’m always so unsure,” sings Beth Gibbons, again battling her haunted self-doubts. She struggles to surface above overwhelming gloom as Geoff Barrow’s drums and Adrian Utley’s guitar and keyboards develop the mood. The sounds are sudden, dissonant and conflicting before fading into solitude: military bug zappers, robotic heartbeats and scary carnivals. The trick — accomplished here — is to capture the drowning elements of disconnecting from the world while connecting with fans. While more challenging than the debut “Dummy,” “Third” will be difficult for some; others have waited years to reconnect with the trio. And to those fans, the journey will prove fulfilling if daunting. As Gibbons sings, “I battle my thoughts I find I can’t explain / I’ve traveled so far but somehow feel the same.”