Customer Reviews
Call me a dummy but..... - By: Mr. D. A. Howard, 13 Oct 2008 
I've heard this record for the first time today,(been on another planet!) & the first thing that struck me about it was how the vocal is so similar to my favourite female singer, the little known (in this country}, HEATHER NOVA. I'm not a fan of much electronic music, & I was particularly irritated by the 'vinyl scratching' that appearsin several of the songs, however mainly because of the vocal & the songs that don't involve the scratch I know i'm going to really like this album. If you dont know HEATHER NOVA, do me (and yourself)a favour & go have a listen. If you love Beth Gibbons vocal with 'trip hop' music, you will be blown away by HEATHER NOVA with a live band. I suggest 'oyster' as the first album to try, or 'storm' if you prefer a more mellow sound.
Style Over Substance - By: A. Mee, 09 Oct 2008 
The reference points are obvious: King Tubby, Cocteau Twins, Massive Attack & film noir soundtracks. Backin the '90s Portishead were unfathomably cool & fashionable, & did much to popularise trip-hop. Portishead repackaged soul & jazz music, & sold it to critics who had no real interestin those genres. Tellingly, the album received the prestigious Mercury Music prizein 1995, confirming its status among indie rock critics as that years' most highly regarded novelty record.
For all of Portishead's apparent cynicism, it would be easy to overlook if not for their irritatingly pretentious singer. Beth Gibbons is no Billie Holiday or Ella Fitzgerald, nor does her singing stand up to comparisons with Liz Fraser or Shara Nelson. She has a frail, wispy voice a fact which is not disguised by her ridiculous affected singing style. Gibbons makes the mistake of confusing unrelenting bleakness with emotional depth & Portishead's music only seems even more shallow as a result.
As it stands Dummy is a textured, well produced album so to give it a one star rating would be churlish. However, it's also a shallow, over-stylised album which has dated badly. The slo-mo hip hop beats & film noir pastiches that defined Portishead's sound became embarrassing clichés remarkably quickly. Indeed it was only the novelty of hearing two such disparate styles juxtaposed that made the album stand out at the time. In a word: forgettable.
90's Trip hop at it's best - By: L. Roberts, 25 Sep 2008 
I had heard the name 'Portishead' floating around electronica forums on the net but had never acted on the actions of other people's critic of their music. However, I came onto amazon & found a nearly all 5 star review from all the reviews so I just had to buy as a vivid fan on trip hop style music.
From first glance, you can hear how much Massive Attach have been influenced by this gritty, smooth jazzy 90's trip hop feel, it feels like a 45 minute drug that intises you into a olbivion of funk & future feel.
Trip hop has never really sounded so innovative & fresh evenin the new millenium. The more recent trip hop artists like tycho & bonobo take on more of an electronica influence on trip hop, & as much as I feel that style, this laid back jazzy, guitar influenced style really hits top marks.
The lyrical use is no exception, Again zero 7 taking major influences from the vocal usein the slow trip hop beat.
A stand out track for me is 9, it's sublime feel, or crackling beats & small samples that make you feel pretty much amazing, the use of builds etc. These are all prime examples of exquisite trip hop/down tempo bliss.
You can kinda imagine listening to this when travelling through London on a rainy, dingy night - watching the crime & drugs, it's a beautiful sensation but with a grimey undertone.
As a huge fan of everything electronica, this is a fantastic representation of what trip hop IS & should BE.
I however, feel that people would also enjoy this if they just like to sit back & enjoy the small thingsin lifein music.
I can pretty much see this album being a huge influence on me & my musical desire.
Hugely recommended.
Simply brilliant - By: RoboScorpion, 21 Jul 2008 Hmmm, how does one sum up this albumin just a few words? Dark, mysterious, melodic, industrial, melancholic, desolate - any or all of these apply. Others have already waxed lyrical about the 'feel' of the album, but I think you really have to listen to it - all of it. Maybe even a few times, as it took a few listens for me to really 'get it'.
As soon as I did 'get it' I totally loved it, & it remains one of the most frequently played albumsin my collection even after nearly 15 years.
Never bettered or even equalled by Portishead sincein my opinion.
Hauntingly beautiful album-I urge you to buy it! - By: Someone, 14 Jul 2008 This album is absolutely brilliant. Vocally, it is pure genius, & musically it is perfectly timed. I have just bought this album, as a replacement for the one I lostin my mispent teenage times! It`s jst as great as I remember it being (unlike many of my music purchases of the 90`s)
