Portishead - Dummy

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• Portishead - Dummy

Music reviews of Dummy

Music Review: Forging something incredible
Rating: 5 Stars

"Mysterons," the kick-off for the album, is the best example of their mastery and technique. With a sci-fi, quasi-wailing Ondes-Martenot from Star Trek line going through it, Gibbon's trembling, on-the-verge-of-breaking voice carries a plaintive melody that's hard to resist. Same goes for their one hit, "Sour Times," which with its spy-film soundtrack sensibilities and longing vocal still packs some strong emotional punch. "Strangers" picks things up a bit, with a driving beat and synth tones giving Gibbon's impassioned vocals some oomph.

Everything's a gem on here; even the tracks which seem most obviously filler benefit from their trappings and become just as catchy. "It Could Be Sweet," though overtly Sade-alike, has a delicate smoky atmosphere that's hundreds of times more subtle and adventurous than anything she's ever done. "Numb" has an almost bratty vocal to it and a strangely Jamacian sound to its beat and tempo.

The two classics on this record, though, "Roads" and "Glory Box," are what launch this record to immortality. "Roads" is probably the most emotionally simple and sincere song I've heard in a long time, with a muted beginning building up to a steady beat and lush orchestration, as Gibbons reflects on alienation, loss, and passion. Towards the end as the song nears breaking emotionally, a gentle bassline brings everything back to earth. Simply awesome. "Glory Box," on the other hand is more direct in its longings, as Gibbons pleas to "give me a reason to be a woman," over a bluesy beat, strings, and bass, maybe suggesting to her nameless lover that this is something serious and not trite. As the beat deconstructs the song, Gibbons wails "This is the beginning of forever and ever," we can't do anything but take her, and her band, seriously, as one of the greatest collections of musicians of the 90's.

Description of Dummy

Dance & DJ CDs

• Music > Styles
• Pop
• Rock