Ok guys. Serious AF. The WHOLE Live in NYC album with an orchestra is fire beyond fire. One of the few live albums that are as close to perfect as one could get. I promise you won’t be disappointed. The live version of Roads would be a good start!! And this song is super fire on that album too.
It’s the mid-nineties, it’s 4am, you’re back at someone’s house after a club, everyone’s chilling, smoking and this is on the stereo. That’s trip-hop, downtempo late night vibing.
Portishead Dummy is a life changer. They only released 3 proper albums but each one is unique and highly innovative. The instrumentation is deviously complex in its simplicity. Can’t wait for more Portishead reactions!
Everyone in the UK (of a certain age) knows this song. Absolute classic. Whole album is great, but like others have said, the live in NYC album is amazing.
Trip-hop is the tastiest cocktail-elixir, blending the best ingredients of hip-hop, jazz, funk, soul, rock, ambient, electronica, drum&bass. That's trip-hop!
God tier music period. As far as metal or rock heads messin with it- I know lots of metal and punk fans who love em. Portishead has a ton of crossover all over the place.
Also don’t sleep on Third! Lots of people hated on it when it came out(because it’s not Dummy Part 2🙄)but it’s got a lot of fire and a wider range of sounds. All of their stuff is good though.
@@GarrettOsha exactly. I mentioned in a comment that Machine Gun from Third definitely gave a different sound that most Portishead fans didn't expect but damn was it refreshing and exciting to hear them evolve.
Mysterons (perfect blend of guitar, samples, scratching, and Beth's voice), Biscuit (darker vibe but great groove), Sour Times (another accessible single), Roads (essentially a ballad over a sick laidback hiphop beat) and Wandering Star (driving yet still subdued, easy to vibe to) are all strong recommendations from the 1st album. Humming (ridiculous groove after the string intro), All Mine (another big single, big band meets hip hop), and maybe Seven Months (more aggressive vocals but strong chorus with a sick beat and fun stop/start dynamics in the verses) would be good from the 2nd album. The 3rd album is not as easy to get into (though I love it) but Machine Gun is probably the best bet.
Massive attack - black milk is the definition of trip hop to me. Portishead, Tricky (in his good days) all exceptional music. That Bristol sound is just fire.
Love Black Milk. And Dissolved Girl. But this album??? Man, just about every song is banging, in fact...ok, they all are, even the ones that I don't listen to as much. I rarely listen to this song or Sour Times bc unfortunately they just got so worn out for me, but Roads, Wandering Star, and Biscuit are a few Portishead songs that I have never gotten tired of after all these years. Humming and Undenied too, from the next album.
@@jenniferhill6506 I know exactly what you mean. Masterpieces but once they were on TV they kinda lost their charm. No matter how good a song is, if you play it 1,000,000 times...
I've always felt like that. Even though I know I'm a product of my time, its hard to deny what you're saying. Like the 1960's and 70's people could just feel a cultural explosion underway. If you grew up in the 1990's you could feel it. Video games, CDs, laptops, cell phones, and jadedness, were all becoming mainstream. It was a great time to be alive.
Portishead is super underrated and just not givin a chance. The album Dummy is a truly beautiful album from beginning to end. The samples are sick. Arrangements are sick and they even throw in a Biggie sample with some turntables! Go down the Portishead rabbit hole!
I disagree, they have general recognition world wide as a fantastic band, all their albums have been very successfull, maybe less so in the US, maybe that's what you meant?
I didn't mean for it to come across as not being big through out the world. Meant more as if you were to ask 100 random people, most would not know who the are or if they did, maybe heard 1 song and never attempted to listen to anymore
Was scrolling through comments for this one! 1994 in Alaska I got Dummy, I had always thought "Trip-hop" was just ripping off Portishead! Is my favorite album, so much so that I only listen to a few times a year, just to preserve it.
You know the lads are digging it when there's only two or three pauses and 90% of the rest of the time they're bobbing their heads and not a word out of each of their mouths.
This album is gold. No fillers. Every song has so much repeat value including the album itself. Truly a masterpiece. Please do other songs from this album, you won't be disappointed.
Portishead are brilliant. Their "Dummy" album is a beginning to end classic. Lots of scratching involved and even Hip-Hop sounding beats. Also, if you do any other songs by them, you have to do it from their live show from Roseland NY. The sound quality is awesome and they're backed up by a symphony orchestra. It's one of their best live shows and "Roads" is really awesome from that show, but anything from that performance is gold.
The live version from their concert at Roseland NY is a thing of beauty, with full orchestral backing. Roads would be your next option from this band, the whole Roseland concert is something all music fans should watch at least once.
Portishead are top 5 of all time for me - absolutely love them. If you want more classic Trip Hop I'd recommend reacting to Gorecki by Lamb - incredible track and group.
Everything by Portishead is fire! I luckily discovered them in the beginning and have loved every song they have released. Never dissapointed . I think it was a crime they never got them to do a James Bond theme. Would have been magic.
If you like this, give the song Hell Is Around The Corner by Tricky a listen. He used the same sample as they did and to good effect. This song is a game changer for me as a guitarist that grew up on metal, punk, power pop and shoegaze. Well done, guys!
This and your Massive Attack reaction are such a joy. This music is so timeless. Neither group cares for the trip hop name (something magazines came up with) since it’s just pure music in both cases. Keep digging into these bands, they’re both the best. Managed to see Portishead live three times, twice in the 90s when they toured their incredible second album and once more in 2014 at a music festival in Iceland.
To me trip-hop always defined a certain time period of music and not a hard and fast genre…hence why such a variety of songs are considered trip-hop classics, but sound so different from one another
“Glory Box” is my favorite Portishead song. The group is on another level. When Marsha Ambrosius covered another one of their hard hitters, “Sour Times,” I knew she was an official music lover.
This song takes me back so hard. My dad died unexpectedly in early 1994 and I can still feel the deep, dark places this took me. I was so lost for a long time and somehow needed the music from this era to take me down before I could climb back up.
Amazing band, this whole album is life changing. Wandering Star, Roads... just pure beauty. Other good trip hop/Bristol stuff - Tricky, Roots Manuva, Massive Attack, Sneaker Pimps, Leftfield, Unkle..
A huge part of why it's so smooth is because it's built around a sample from Isaac Hayes' "Ike's Rap II". "Glory Box" also is definitely one of my faves off the album -- which is sublime from start to finish.
@@jontspam4134 you didnt know it was a sample? the fact it repeats and never changes is a big giveaway. Tricky used the same sample of 'Hell is around the corner' from same era too.
@@coldgoldcan2781 I figured it may have been a sample, but usually a sample gets a bit more work. Glory Box is to my mind an Isaac Hayes song with the lyrics changed. Not knocking it entirely, they've got another tune that's a complete take off of Silver Apples, I still danced to it.
@@jontspam4134 It was pretty common in the 90s to just grab a sample and loop it, most 90s hip-hop is the same. At least with portishead you have a band playing around it, there was a big criticism of hip hop at the time that it was just stealing. My philosophy is that if it sounds good I dont really care how it was made or how complicated it is.
First two albums in full are totally legit! They were a great transition band for me going from being an East Coast hip hop head to getting into rock and roll.
When most people think of rap and hip-hop today, they think gangsta, but haven't heard De La Soul's album - 3 Feet High Rising. Now that's some story-telling. 🎶Three is a magic number🎵 I just realized that this album is 35 years old next April...
I have a playlist on Spotify that I created myself that’s 12 hours of trip hop. All classics: Portishead, Massive Attack, Morcheeba, Björk, Zero 7, Tricky, DJ Shadow, Hooverphonic, Air, etc. Reactions are my favourite YT content. For me, there’s nothing like when a new song moves through me and I FEEL it for the first time ever. One of my absolute favourite genres and I love your reaction so much.
You boys should now check out “Hell is Round the Corner” by Tricky, which is not only another great trip-hop classic, but which also uses the same Isaac Hayes sample in the verses. Will be a great comparison for you… they’re both 🔥
Glad you enjoyed this one, they were so tight live. To me, best way to describe trip hop is dark, sultry, and chill af. Check out a track from Tricky's album Maxinquaye, you won't be sorry
I love that you two loved this song. It’s seriously such a chill song. One of my favorites I must say. Girl has an amazing voice and the instrumental was so good. Kept changing up making it so different.
This was the perfect end of a crazy night, come down music in the 90s. I distinctly remember laying on my back on some random trip-friend's livingroom floor watching nonexistent shadows ebb and flow to this album. Lawdy, how did I make it to 50! Thanks for unlocking some fun memories. Gonna go dust off some cds.
Portishead was THE shit back in the day. Used to listen on repeat for a serious vibe all night. Great to see them appreciated so many years later. Nice reaction & great channel.
Portishead long ago struck me speechless when I heard Sour Times. If you check more of their stuff, that's what I suggest next. It's another stunning piece.
The instrumental of this track is from Ikes Rap II Isaac Hayes, they just added a string at the end of the bar. An essential part of UK people of a certain ages growing up soundtrack.
This is one of those genius albums. Every song is amazing. My personal favourite probably Wandering Star, but you have to listen to them all! Portishead are also one of those bands who have massive cross over appeal, and I know at least in the UK a lot of punk and metal fans are into them. Even though the sound is super smooth and chill, it also has that raw energy you find in punk and metal. Thanks for another great reaction 🖤🖤
I'm so excited that you've hit your trip hop era! haha it is a genre that seems to draw people from almost every other genre of music. It is so excessively moody and thick and minimal and just...strap yourself in because trip hop just hits differently.
Thanks for the shout out, guys! Mikaby started the Trip Hop diversion with "In the Waiting Line" and I compiled that list to learn more about the genre myself. So, big thanks to Mikaby.
Dummy as an album is timeless and utterly beautiful. Few of this calibre exist. The best description I can give is it makes you feel like you are in a James Bond movie but only the sexy parts
Sick reaction! I've never really thought of this band as being strictly "trip hop." I'd strongly recommend Morcheeba for the music that is similar to what you just heard but with more hip hop influence. Their song Big Calm has the musical style with hip hop style barz. Their song Ten Men is a masterclass in vocal range IMHO. I think Morcheeba must be a part of any budding trip hop aficionado's library.
You would also love Only You if you like this one….layed back like this with some more hip hop elements…turntable scratching, etc….my fave Portishead. The live video from, I think it’s the Roseland Ballroom, is a knockout…but watch the vid, not just the soundtrack.
Ultimate coding and writing fiction scene music. Love these groups. I've always felt that their art was in narrowing down the affect to a particular set or singular emotion -- and then composing that into a song that operates something like an objective correlative for that affect.
This album came out, I was working in Liverpool on a big flooring job, 1994. 2 weeks. Myself and my pal played it on repeat day in day out, until my dad snapped and cut the cable to by boom box the absolute bastard.😂😂 Absolutely nothing like portishead.. Utterly ridiculous unique.. The live new York set is ground breaking.. Beth gibbons is a cross between Nina Simone and Janis Joplin....and not my words...
Thank you, gentlemen! It is so much of a treat right now to hear Portishead getting it all over RU-vid. My favorite band from the 90s; but I felt like I was the only guy in my social circle listening to them.
Portishead is one of my favorite underrated groups. I love the tone and tenor of their music. It's very hypnotic and meditative... kind of like being underwater. I always thought they would have been a perfect choice to compose a theme for a James Bond movie.
I loved this album. There isn’t a bad song on it. I just wish the band kept that going. Every other album seems to be chasing the vibe they had on this album. Wandering star is my favorite on this album.
I love this song, it samples “Medley: Ike’s Rap” by Isaac Hayes. A ton of his stuff never got super popular but was sampled on a bunch of successful songs. Awesome to see what different people do with the same sounds.
This reminds me when I would wake up in the middle of night with the TV on and this would be playing on Musique Plus in the 90s... I'm a metalhead but always had a soft spot for Portishead
I would consider this basically part of the first wave of Trip Hop. The genre gets a lot more diverse in it's sound in later years. This whole album is amazing btw.
