Beth Gibbons is best known for being the extraordinary
voice behind Portishead who more or less defined
‘trip-hop’ in 1994. The combination of desolate beats,
atmospheric songs and Gibbons' vocals led to Portishead
becoming near ubiquitous and to winning the Mercury Music
Prize. Then, one follow up album later, they disappeared, and
apart from a live album, nothing has been heard from them
since.
So does this first "solo" album from Gibbons
spell the end for Portishead? Apparently not, as the third
album ‘Alien’ is due for release early next year. This
collaboration with Rustin' Man is no stopgap though.
Rustin' Man is better known as Paul Webb, former bass player
with Talk Talk, and his old group’s evocative moods
are painted all over ‘Out Of Season’. The result is an
album that can stand shoulder to shoulder with both Portishead
releases.
Prepare to be taken aback though, at the change in styles.
Where Portishead specialised in sampling, scratching and
smooth beats, Rustin' Man’s speciality is wispy acoustic
guitars, swooping strings and stark pianos. What dominates
over all though, is Beth Gibbons’ voice.
It’s extraordinary, given that five years have passed
since the last Portishead album, how familiar Gibbons' vocals
are. The opening ‘Mysteries’ features Gibbons backed by
just a plucked acoustic guitar and multi-layered backing
vocals. As soon as she sings "God knows how I adore
life…" you’re reminded that you’re listening to one
of the most remarkable voices around. She could reduce the
listener to tears just by singing the phone book.
The pace rarely lifts throughout the record – this is an
album to be listened to late at night while relaxing from the
stresses and strains of the day. Even one of the more upbeat
tracks – the standout ‘Tom The Model’ – has an air of
sadness thanks to some particularly poignant lyrics ("I
can understand that it can’t be/guess it’s harder as you
were meant for me…I can’t hide my own despair/I guess I
never will"). The soaring, brass-backed chorus somehow
makes the track uplifting.
‘Romance’ makes Gibbons sound almost uncannily like Billie
Holliday – which may make some jazz purists shudder, but
listening to the track sends a shiver down the spine.
Elsewhere, the shuffling beat of ‘Drake’ and the almost
unbearably melancholic ‘Funny Time Of Year’ contribute to
making ‘Out Of Season’ one of the records of the year.
Only the closing ‘Rustin’ Man’ is a disappointment
– the ambient effects overwhelm the song, leaving Gibbons’
vocals indistinct, which is somewhat of a crime, given the
quality of her voice. Overall however, it’s clear that the
next Portishead record is really going to have to be of an
unbelievably high standard to overshadow this release.
Wallowing in sadness never felt so good.
- John Murphy
