419 - Portishead - Dummy

[csberry]

I definitely fell in love with "Sour Times" when the album came out 17 years ago. Unfortunately, at the time, I didn't really care for the other tracks I heard from Dummy. I found the other songs that I heard from the album as too slow and quiet for my liking. Either age or repeated listens over the past 10 days has changed my mind. While I'm not about to rush out to buy the album, I've grown rather affectionate about several of the tracks.

I think it is fair to compare Portishead's sound on this album as a modern version of jazz cabaret or torch songs. Replace the piano player and drummer from the jazz tradition and replace with a programmer and guitarist, but maintain the sultry singer leading the audience through spare songs of love lost and found.

Songs I knew I liked: "Sour Times"

Songs I didn't know but now like: "Strangers," "It Could Be Sweet," and "Numb"

Songs I can go the rest of my life without hearing again: "Biscuit" started to grate on my nerves after repeat listens.