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Portishead\'s third studio album, *Third*, was originally released in 2008 on Island Records. This highly anticipated follow-up marks a significant evolution in the band\'s sound, showcasing a darker, more experimental approach while maintaining the emotional depth that fans have come to expect.
Formed in Bristol, England, in 1991, Portishead consists of core members Geoff Barrow, Beth Gibbons, and Adrian Utley. The band gained widespread acclaim with their debut album *Dummy* in 1994, which featured hit singles like \"Glory Box\" and \"Sour Times\" and earned the Mercury Music Prize in 1995. Their second album, *Portishead*, released in 1997, introduced a grittier, more organic sound, with singles such as \"Cowboys,\" \"Over,\" and \"All Mine,\" the latter reaching the UK Top 10.
Following their initial success, the band took a hiatus from 1999 to 2007, focusing on solo projects and other pursuits. In 1997, they performed a notable orchestral show with the New York Philharmonic at the Roseland Ballroom, which was later released as *Roseland NYC Live* in 1998. After several years of silence, Portishead re-emerged in 2005, performing live at the Tsunami Benefit Concert in Bristol and teasing new material on their MySpace page in 2006. During this period, they also contributed a cover of Serge Gainsbourg\'s \"Un Jour Comme un Autre (Requiem for Anna)\" to the tribute album *Monsieur Gainsbourg Revisited*.
In late 2007, the band announced that *Third* had been mixed and was nearly complete, with a planned release in April 2008. They curated the All Tomorrow\'s Parties festival in Minehead, England, in December 2007, where they performed their first full live sets in nearly a decade and premiered five tracks from the upcoming album, including \"Wicca,\" \"Hunter,\" \"Machine Gun,\" \"Mystic,\" and \"Peaches.\" The album features 11 tracks with a total length of 49 minutes and 13 seconds, and its sound is characterized by heavy, brooding rhythms, vintage electronics, and spindly guitar work, replacing the more jazz-influenced, turntable-heavy style of their early work.
Critical reception highlights the album\'s boldness and innovation. Louis Pattison described *Third* as \"a brave and forward-thinking return, and one great enough to justify its lengthy gestation.\" The opening track \"Silence\" features a dense drum loop that falls away to reveal Gibbons\' cold yet magnificent voice, singing, \"Wounded and afraid, inside my head/Falling through changes.\" Meanwhile, \"Nylon Smile\" exemplifies the album\'s occasional folksy edge, blending acoustic elements reminiscent of Leonard Cohen with a propulsive electronic rhythm, as Gibbons holds a clear, hard note beneath bubbling synthesizers. At times, the album\'s electronic drums, as heard in \"Machine Gun,\" create a harsh and foreboding atmosphere, challenging listeners expecting more conventional fare.
Beyond the album, Portishead has been involved in numerous remixes and collaborations, continuing to influence and innovate within the music scene. Their return with *Third* is celebrated as a bold, experimental statement that redefines their sound and cements their legacy as pioneers of trip-hop and alternative electronic music.

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Portishead Third Double LP 2 Vinyl 12" 45's 2008 Mercury B0011142 VG+
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Portishead Third (Vinyl) 12" Album
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