''Portishead'' is the second studio album by English
electronic music
Electronic music is a genre of music that employs electronic musical instruments, digital instruments, or circuitry-based music technology in its creation. It includes both music made using electronic and electromechanical means ( electroa ...
band
Portishead, released on 16 September 1997 by
Go! Discs
Go! Discs was a London-based record label, launched in 1983 from offices in Wendell Road, Shepherd's Bush, by Andy Macdonald and Lesley Symons. The pair founded the label after Macdonald left his job as press officer at Stiff Records, and Symo ...
. The album cover is a still image from the music video of the song "
All Mine".
Music
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
Kenneth Thorne (26 January 1924 – 9 July 2014) was a British television and film score composer.
Early life
Thorne was born in Dereham, a town in the English county of Norfolk. Thorne began his musical career as a pianist with the big bands ...
's "
Inspector Clouseau
Inspector Jacques Clouseau (), later granted the rank of Chief Inspector, is a fictional character in Blake Edwards' farcical '' The Pink Panther'' series. He is portrayed by Peter Sellers in the original series, and also by Alan Arkin in ...
" and
The Pharcyde
The Pharcyde (currently known as The Far Side) is an American alternative hip hop group, formed in 1989, from South Central Los Angeles. The original four members of the group are Imani (Emandu Wilcox), Slimkid3 (Trevant Hardson), Bootie Brown ...
's "She Said".
"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.
Facts about ''Western Eyes''
Release
Released in September 1997, the album reached 2 on the UK Albums Chart
The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts ...
and No. 21 on the ''Billboard'' 200.
Reception
''Portishead'' received critical acclaim upon its release. '' Spin'' praised the record and noted that the band created a "gothic", "deadly" and "trippy" atmosphere.
Year-end lists
(*) designates unordered lists.
Track listing
Credits
All songs produced by Geoff Barrow, Adrian Utley, Beth Gibbons and Dave McDonald.
Portishead
* Beth Gibbons
Beth Gibbons (born 4 January 1965) is an English singer and songwriter. She is the singer and lyricist for the band Portishead, which has released three albums. She released an album with Rustin Man, '' Out of Season'', in 2002, followed by an ...
– vocals
* Adrian Utley
Adrian Francis Utley (born 27 April 1957) is an English musician and producer, and a member of the band Portishead.Jurek, ThomAdrian Utley Biography, Allmusic. Retrieved 31 December 2016
Career
Born in Northampton,Mejia, Paula (2015)In Search ...
– guitar (tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 7-10), bass (tracks 2, 4, 5, 7, 9), synthesizer (tracks 4, 6), Rhodes piano (track 9), piano (track 11)
* Geoff Barrow
Geoffrey Paul Barrow (born 9 December 1971) is an English music producer, composer, and DJ. He is a member of the bands Portishead, Beak and supergroup Quakers, and has scored several films.
Portishead—formed in 1991—was named after the s ...
– drums (tracks 4, 5, 9), turntables, programming, samples
Additional musicians
* Clive Deamer
Get the Blessing (previously known as the Blessing) are a jazz rock quartet based in Bristol, England. The band formed in 2000 when Jim Barr (bass guitar) and Clive Deamer (drums), who had played with Portishead, joined Jake McMurchie (saxopho ...
– drums (tracks 1, 6, 7, 11), addidional drums (track 3)
* Shaun Atkins – additional vocals (tracks 1, 11)
* John Baggot – organ (track 9), piano (track 10)
* Andy Hague – horns (track 2)
* Ben Waghorn – horns (track 2)
* John Cornick – horns (track 2), trombone (track 7)
* S. Cooper – violin (track 4)
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications and sales
References
External links
Portishead Info
{{DEFAULTSORT:Portishead (album)
1997 albums
Albums produced by Geoff Barrow
London Records albums
Portishead (band) albums