Portishead | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 29 September 1997 | |||
Recorded | 1996–1997 | |||
Studio |
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Genre | Trip hop | |||
Length | 50:30 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer |
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Portishead chronology | ||||
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Singles from Portishead | ||||
Portishead is the self-titled second studio album by the English electronic music group Portishead, released on 29 September 1997 by Go! Discs.[1] The album cover is a still image from the music video of the song "All Mine".
With Portishead, the band chose to eschew sampling other records, which had been a defining feature of their debut album Dummy. Instead, they created original pieces which they weaved into the songs, resulting in a more textured sound. The only song to employ samples was "Only You", which incorporates elements of Ken Thorne's "Inspector Clouseau" and The Pharcyde's "She Said".[2] "Western Eyes" is listed as sampling "Hookers & Gin" by the Sean Atkins Experience in the album's liner notes. In reality, this song does not exist; like most of the samples on the album, it was created by the band.[3]
Released in September 1997, the album reached No. 2 on the UK Albums Chart and No. 21 on the Billboard 200.[4][5]
On 3 December 2008, Universal Music Japan re-released Dummy and Portishead as a limited SHM-CD version.[citation needed]
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [6] |
Entertainment Weekly | A[7] |
The Guardian | [8] |
Los Angeles Times | [9] |
Music Week | [10] |
NME | 8/10[11] |
Pitchfork | 8.2/10[12] |
Rolling Stone | [13] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [14] |
Spin | 9/10[15] |
The Village Voice | B−[16] |
Portishead received critical acclaim upon its release. Spin praised the record and noted that the band created a "gothic", "deadly" and "trippy" atmosphere.[15] Commenting on the textures of the music, music journalist Barry Walters observed that the group got "darker, deeper and more disturbing" in comparison to their previous effort Dummy.[15]
Publication | Accolade | Year | Rank |
---|---|---|---|
Melody Maker | Albums of the Year | 1997 | 18[citation needed] |
NME | 1997 Critics' Poll | 1997 | 32[citation needed] |
Q | 50 Best Albums of 1997 | 1997 | (*)[citation needed] |
Spin | Top 20 Albums of the Year | 1997 | 6[citation needed] |
Village Voice | 1997 Pazz & Jop Critics' Poll | 1997 | 14[citation needed] |
(*) designates unordered lists.
All tracks are written by Geoff Barrow, Beth Gibbons and Adrian Utley, except where noted
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Cowboys" |
| 4:38 |
2. | "All Mine" | 3:59 | |
3. | "Undenied" |
| 4:18 |
4. | "Half Day Closing" | 3:49 | |
5. | "Over" | 4:00 | |
6. | "Humming" | 6:02 | |
7. | "Mourning Air" | 4:11 | |
8. | "Seven Months" | 4:15 | |
9. | "Only You" |
| 4:59 |
10. | "Elysium" | 5:54 | |
11. | "Western Eyes" | 3:57 |
All songs produced by Geoff Barrow, Adrian Utley, Beth Gibbons and Dave McDonald.
Weekly charts[edit]
|
Year-end charts[edit]
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[38] | Gold | 35,000^ |
Belgium (BEA)[39] | Gold | 25,000* |
Canada (Music Canada)[40] | Gold | 50,000^ |
New Zealand (RMNZ)[41] | Platinum | 15,000^ |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[42] | Gold | 25,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[43] | Platinum | 300,000^ |
United States | — | 635,000[44] |
Summaries | ||
Europe (IFPI)[45] | Platinum | 1,000,000* |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |