Review
To fill the six-year gap since Portishead’s last foray into film-noir trip-hop, vocalist Beth Gibbons has paired with ex–Talk Talk electropop bassist Paul Webb (a.k.a. Rustin Man) for the haunting, ephemeral Out of Season. Gibbons is that rare British singer, like Annie Lennox and PJ Harvey, who can sing like she owns the blues, and Webb sets her quivery voice elegantly in minor keys swaddled by strings, acoustic basses and guitars — and, on the downright spooky “Spider Monkey,” a toy piano. Siphoning mojo from jazz-soul queen Nina Simone and art-rock atmospherist David Sylvian, Out of Season’s usefulness as ambience almost trumps its self-importance and paucity of standout material. Gibbons could sing a telemarketing pitch backed by Webb, and hipsters would still probably shag to it.
Blender's Most Popular
Most Popular Slideshows
Most Popular Videos
Most Popular Posts
