Portishead are an English electronic band formed in 1991 in Bristol. The band comprises Beth Gibbons (vocals), Geoff Barrow, and Adrian Utley (guitar).
Dave McDonald, an audio engineer who helped produce their first two albums, is sometimes regarded as the fourth member.
named after: Portishead
members: Geoff Barrow
formed in: Bristol
labels: Island Records, Go! Discs
genres: trip hop, experimental rock, downtempo, alternative rock, electronica
Facts from Wikidata and Discogs, free to use.
Geoff Barrow and Beth Gibbons formed the band after meeting during a coffee break at an Enterprise Allowance course in Bristol in August 1991. Barrow knew an old local DJ Andy Smith who had a "brilliant record collection and had some soundtracks". He borrowed records off him all the time to sample tunes: he then used them as "straight up hip-hop" loops for their own material. The band took their name from their "dreary home town" Portishead, situated some 8 miles (13 km) to the west of Bristol. They soon recorded "It Could Be Sweet", their first song for their debut album. They then met Adrian Utley while they were recording at the Coach House Studios in Bristol, and Utley heard the first song Barrow and Gibbons had recorded, and began to...
Portishead's music was influenced by a wide range of singers and composers. New York hip-hop producers inspired them deeply for their ability to take "a sample from Shostakovich and have a big orchestral thing", and then taking "a horn riff from Fred Wesley or Miles Davis". Barrow and Utley were also inspired by Barry Gray and his orchestra and the music they recorded for sci-fi TV programs like Thunderbirds, Stingray, and Captain Scarlet. 1960s and 70s soundtracks were another reference point because "there is emotion, and it's not hidden". Gibbons's voice has been compared to singer Billie Holiday's voice. Utley has mentioned the spaghetti western guitar music composed by Ennio Morricone as a big influence; he said that "[Morricone's]...
Are you them, or do you know them? The mail slot is open.
"Glory Box" is a song by English electronic band Portishead, released on 26 September 1994 by Go! Beat as the third and final single from their debut album, Dummy (1994).
It samples "Ike's Rap II" by Isaac Hayes and was produced by the band with Adrian Utley, peaking at number 13 on the UK Singles Chart. Additionally, the song was a top-10 hit in Iceland, while entering the top 20 in France and Ireland.
The song was released as a single on 26 September 1994, despite the misgivings of Portishead. Geoff Barrow said, "We had a row with the record company because we didn't want to release it because it felt too commercial." Despite their reservations, the single's success contributed to their financial stability, with Barrow adding, "['Glory Box' is] fine in a body of work, but not as a standalone track. We lost the argument really. But we bought houses!" Subsequently, the success of "Glory Box" not only impacted Beth Gibbons financially but also emotionally, as she commented on the challenges of conveying genuine emotion, stating that achieving success with the song sometimes made her feel more isolated. She reflected on its success in an...
"Glory Box" features a blend of trip hop, electronic, and jazz elements, incorporating a prominent sample from Isaac Hayes's "Ike’s Rap 2" alongside original production techniques. It is characterized by a slow, seductive rhythm, deep bassline, and ethereal instrumentation, including a distorted guitar line.
In his weekly UK chart commentary, James Masterton said that "Glory Box" "is definitely one of the more gloriously slinky indie records released in ages". A reviewer from Music & Media commented: "Put the violin of the late Papa John Creach on top of it, and you get the Jefferson Airplane for the '90s. Based on a sample from Isaac Hayes's Isaac Moods it's 'suspense dance'." Maria Jimenez from the magazine's Short Grooves wrote: "This bluesy, emotional and hypnotic number is set to a very mellow, minimalistic and spacious hip hop musical backdrop. Potent vocals reminiscent of Cowboy Junkies and intense guitar energy and dub bass amplify the power of 'Glory Box.'"
The music video for "Glory Box" was directed by Alexander Hemming, produced by Lizzie Ross for Fat Fish Films and released on 14 November 1994. It is set in a 1950s jazz club where Beth Gibbons performs as a jazz singer. The narrative features various office workers, portrayed as separate couples, watching her performance as they attend the club. Sexual tensions begin to rise between them subsequently. The entire cast, apart from the band, appears in drag. Hemming had previously directed the video for "Sour Times".
"Sour Times" is a song by English trip hop group Portishead, from their debut album, Dummy (1994). It was written by all three members of the band and released as a single by Go!
Beat Records in August 1994, accompanied by three bonus tracks: "It's a Fire", "Pedestal", and "Theme from To Kill a Dead Man". It is also the band's only song to date to appear on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, at number 53, becoming their biggest US hit.
The song uses a sample from Argentine composer Lalo Schifrin's "Danube Incident" from the 1967 album More Mission: Impossible. Portishead sped up the sample to a desired tempo which took Schifrin's arrangement up nearly a semitone, giving the song a dissonant kind of "hip-hop tuning".
"Sour Times" was released as the second single from Dummy on 1 August 1994. It initially reached only number 57 in the UK Singles Chart, but after the success of "Glory Box" in 1995, it was re-released and peaked at number 13 in April. It is also the band's only song to date to appear on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, at number 53. "Sour Times" was the band's first entry on the Australian ARIA top 100 singles chart, peaking at number 66 in March 1995. The B-side track "Airbus Reconstruction" was actually recorded by the band Airbus, who were former school friends of Geoff Barrow.
"Sour Times" received positive reviews from most music critics. Upon the release, Larry Flick from Billboard magazine wrote, "And yet, we truly believe that imaginative turntable artists will give this jewel a casual spin and be forever moved by its slowly insinuating acid-jazz/funk rhythms, [and] compelling Edith Piaf-like vocals by Beth Gibbons". Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report described the song as a "moody, mysterious and haunting production." Chuck Campbell from Knoxville News Sentinel felt the "stalking" track is "a modern rock hit that could bloom into more for the English band, but the single's relative directness doesn't accurately reflect the more obscure path the group favors." In his weekly UK chart commentary, James...
The music video for "Sour Times" was directed by Alexander Hemming and produced by Liz Ross for Flat Fish Films. It was released on 25 July 1994 and taken from a 10-minute short film, To Kill a Dead Man, featuring the band cast in a thriller.
"Numb" is a song by English trip hop group Portishead, released on 13 June 1994 by Go! Discs as the lead single from the band's debut album, Dummy (1994).
It was both written and produced by the group. NME magazine ranked the song number 43 on their list of the "Best Albums and Tracks of 1994".
The single was released on 13 June 1994 in the United Kingdom and on 17 October 1994 in Australia. It did not chart in Europe, reaching the top 300 only in Australia at number 213.
Andrew Smith from Melody Maker wrote, "Eerie, slow-burning and cinematic: the spiritual love child of Billie Holiday and Jazzie B. Scary stuff. The rumours about Portishead are obviously true." Another Melody Maker editor, Sarah Kestle, named it Single of the Week, adding, "The film of the record should be made in black and white. Grainy black and white. And it will be genius. Pure genius." Pan-European magazine Music & Media said, "Not to be confused with U2's number, although they share the love for cinema. Will their short film To Kill a Dead Man bear as much suspense as this song in a Fever spirit?" They added, "Toying with pop, jazz, cinema and dance—or all at once on 'Numb'—Portishead is the edelweiss among the weed." Andy Beevers...
"Only You" is a single by English band Portishead, released in 1998 by Go! Discs and London Records as the third single from the band's self-titled second album (1997).
The song was later released in a promotional French language lyrics version. Portishead performed the song on American television variety show Saturday Night Live on January 17, 1998.
British magazine Music Week gave "Only You" three out of five, writing, "Beth Gibbons's vocals are in typically gothic form on this smoky single, accompanied by Geoff Barrow's looping bassline and hip hop scratching."
The music video to "Only You" was directed by Chris Cunningham, who has also worked with Aphex Twin, Björk, and Placebo. It involved Beth Gibbons floating in air, and a young boy. The people were shot in a tank of water and then digitally inserted into an alleyway of a street scene.
"Over" is the second single from English electronic music band Portishead's self-titled second album (1997). It peaked at number 25 on the UK Singles Chart and has been used in numerous TV shows and movies.
The promotional black-and-white music video directed by Chris Bran featured lead singer Beth Gibbons singing to the camera in the middle of the darkness and occasionally running from one spotlight to another.
British magazine Music Week gave the song three out of five, adding, "Typical of the mood of the parent album, this second spin-off single finds the quartet in very dark emotional waters, though still featuring all the classic Portishead sonic cues. Further listening reaps rewards."
Ecuadorian electronic duo The Bunnies included a live version of the song in their 2016 eponymous EP.