Trouble is, Portishead's 'oeuvre' is pretty slim, up until this summer only 2 albums in the best part of a decade. There are few songs of theirs that don't get a lot of airtime, though it has to be said that songs from Dummy are more often heard than those from their eponymous first album (the 'Shirley Bassey' album, as I always think of it).

Hmmm...let's see.  Millions of fans, millions of dollars, Gwyneth & beautiful children.

Chris Martin = 1
Coldplay haters = 0

 mgkiwi wrote: 

Really? I can't see them on Radio 1 now that John Peel's sadly passed on. PT are way, way too sophisto for the clanging dumbed-down McMusic that gets airtime on R1. I gave up listening to that channel ages ago once Peelie died.

I once described Portishead to someone as "music that makes nerdy bookish girls want to take off their clothes and seduce someone."

He's known for being a prick and starting fights all the time.

Wasn't Tricky gone by this album? PS - love his cameo role in The Fifth Element.

 coolpeople_rule wrote: 
And like too many cooks spoil the pot, so may too many ingredients.....

I just don't like her voice. Too high and constrained. She sounds like a cartoon character.

(YouTube clip of yawning guy)

What's wanted around here is Stockholm Syndrome and Hysteria, both tracks abounding with atom-bomb levels of energy. Abso-frickin'-lutely rockin' songs!

Hang on, this sounds like the track from Monkey Dust
http://www.tv.com/monkey-dust/show/20043/summary.html

You hear this depressing tune when the businessman is walking home in the dark after being out late doing depraved stuff.
Can anyone confirm?

First seconds remind me of 'Personal Jesus' from Depeche Mode....that's ok.

ho hum... I do like Clocks though

i'm sure it's been said a thousand times, but i honestly am disgusted by how much the intro sounds like 'no quarter.' did none of the other guys in the band have the balls to tell steven wilson 'uh, yeah, cool melody man, but hasn't it been done before?'

i hate this band by the way. insipid, overproduced, droll. i've never understood the appeal of this band.

sorry. bring the flames.

Well, at least you won't have to worry about any new releases from Bob Marley.

No one dies an atheist.

Goota have some heavy duty rock n roll to balance things out. How about some Spinal Tap (and Puppet Show)?

yeah, I don't get the mix of French painting and Spanish slogan.

I like your comment about the album Stupid Dream. It has been in my car for the last month and I have probably listened to it like 50 times in the last 6 weeks. I especially like the song "Slave Called Shiver" -Mother I need her. Very deep, very provocative.

Can anyone please explain me the meaning of this?
Sounds funny.

The background vocals are reminiscent of cheesy 80's pop (anyone recall Baltimora's "Tarzan Boy"?).

what is it about dolphins anyway?

Eh? Not sure what your problem is, as it doesn't really make grammatic sense. Not a fan of puns?

Apparently I'm missing something.

The new album gets a major thumbs up from The Observer

At my first attempt at Uni in the mid '70's in a freshman comp class we reviewed this lyric. The ending loop, "hunchback, hunchback, everybody's hunched backed" was heard by one kid as "smoke pot, smoke pot. everybody smokes pot". During the discussion he became enraged and stormed out of the room because he thought the text had the lyric wrong. If you're out there, dude, "cheers!".

Then through in a pre-emptive strike on an innocent country for what ever reason you can pull out of your ass .

Love this song...or Bjork will kick ya ass!

I think Bill plays this version just to piss people off. Of course, it is better to be pissed off than pissed on...

I am just not a Stevie Wonder fan. Too dated for me.

Only one better than this and that was "I'm not in love".

American Guest: "Where is the elevator?"
English Concierge: "The lifts are over there, sir" ( pointing )
American Guest: "They are elevators!"
English Concierge: "We call them lifts, sir"
American Guest: "Boy, we Americans invented the elevator!"
English Concierge: "Sir, we English invented the language"

auberge = inn; hostel : auberge de jeunesse = youth hostel

Some of the best elevator music I've heard.

Intrigued by the cover art......

GREAT segway

Why would I take my Mom out all night??

Thats you and me both.

its been 3 days in here and I haven't washed or eaten

After hearing Orbital, The Beatles sound unpolished, stoned and like a bunch of hippies deranged enough to think they are talented

Best. Drum. Riff. Ever.

Does anyone else hear this as a theme song in some modern Clint Eastwood western?

Anyone else think the lead singer sounds a lot like old David Bowie?

It's called "stereo."

So tired of Radiohead.

They're the Kenny G of Rock & Roll.

What happened to the younger generation? It used to be "If it's too loud, you're too old!"

Now us older (late 30's) folks are saying... "If it's too quiet and boring, it must be Radiohead!"

...no balls.

I'm no huge fan of Nirvana, but they were the screaming eagle of rock 10 years ago. Radiohead is the friendly peacock in the public park. Harumph!

um, no, it's not comparable to Fripp. not equivalent in any manner nor a passable facsimile. It's closer to an obscure quotation entitled "guitar solo here" in place of the real thing.

More mainstream? Have you even heard her last 2 albums? If not, give them a listen: Medulla and Volta.

is there anyone Willie HASN'T done a song with?

...sorry, can't do the Beatles anymore...

I second that, the Damned version is very cool.

hate, Hate, HATE. HATEEEEEEEEEEE.

This is the music that made "the eighties suck".

Not Echo and the Bunnymen, nor Depeche Mode, nor U2, or Smiths, Cure, Alarm, World Party.

This.

Some band Paul was in before Wings.

You do know that Major Tom is slang for heroin and the song is about addiction, right?

Also I note that his hit single ''You're Beautiful'' is a favorite at weddings in the UK.

As someone who uses public transportation most week days, I would say this statement is quite accurate considering the number of people I see preoccupied with iPods, mp3 playing cell phones, portable cd players (yes, people still use those) and chatting on cell phone with no consideration for general public. Everyone is plugged in and tuned out and not necessarily in a good way.

Excellent album by the way.

This is of interest as a novelty only

While you are certainly entitled to your opinion, I think it is ill conceived. They are very diverse in their sound and their effects musically. I saw them in concert last month for the Fear of a Blank Planet Tour and was completely blown away.

No..I'm the walrus!

If you haven't done the military, then you have no right to express any opinion what-so-ever.

Beyond his obvious talent, this song feels horribly dated

My name is Bernadette, and people of a certain age ask me if I know the Four Tops.........but i dig that.

why did they remix this? The original is much better. The drums totally overwhelm here. Still a great tune.

There was a TV interview documented in "The Filth and the Fury" where she was backing up the Sex Pistols (as in she was standing in a line of about six big fans).

My two month old just heard this for the first time in his life. I give it a 10 but the little guy seems to like the song on his Fisher Price Jumparoo better.

One of the greatest songs of All-time.

whatever happened to this band - they did a little in the 60's and then nothing

Wow, this hardly seems like the same PT responsible for the epic bombast of Fear of a Blank Planet. I guess I got more CD's to add to my ever-growing must-buy list. CURSE YOU RP! :)

Too. Much. Porcupine. Tree.

I'd buy it. Just don't let P. Diddy or whatever his name is near it.

pay attention Britty ...these Catz are all that and then sum!

always nice, the zero 7... kinda like a pina colada

i am surprised that this song gets played.. it is constantly still out there. i dont know the attraction. the lyrics are quaint at best. The Byrds did better and Dylan did better.

I'm write, direct and produce a movie just so i can put this song on the soundtrack.

Obligatory

Great song and as Bill said, inspiration for a great BBC tv prog which is now aired in the states. Can I just say, Bill, that Life on Mars is as far as possible from a "cheesy british cop show" as Six Foot Under was from a dark sit-com about undertakers. It was innovative, moving, funny and, ultimately, quite philosphical. And the hero is well fit, as we say over here!!!

Here is a little Phish Phact For all of you: This tune is about driving in your car! You being the sample and your car being the jar! I think that this is the type of thinking that non - Phish heads don't get or care for.

Please do not ever write "phact" ever again.

After a while (not long) Porcupine Tree's songs all sound interchangeable, IMO.

I like the sound of a golf ball dropping into the cup. I also like this song. Make of that what you will.

Whatever you do ... don't mention the war !

I really wonder why this had to be the first single from Lightbulb Sun...or a single at all.

I still can't hear this tune and not think of this comment...more than a year later. Thanks.

Still excellent.

brilliant!

Love the BBC Radio 1 Mark & Lard skit on this:-

Meditating with the Maharishi
Live a life that's pure and sparse
Lamb jalfrezi and twelve pints of lager
Sends a message to your arse

Please, no more Porcupine Tree....

6 guys pissing and moaning

wow. i forgot pants used to be that high...

This was when he was trying very hard NOT to sound like Zeppelin -- short hair...

pontless....

Some of us never listen to local *rock* stations anymore and thus are not caught up in your problem. I only hear this one when Bill plays it or when I drag out the CD myself at home.

I can't believe the high rating this song has. A good solid 1 in my book. Old fashioned pish............ I'm 53 BTW.

While this is an awesome tune, I've heard this for about 2 years now it seems. Let's pick another Stone Roses song.

Michael Moore sticks up for the French pretty strongly in Sicko. But yeah, most of us Americans are pretty ignorant. . .but we've got the nukes, so you better respect our ignorant opinions!

It is kind of remarkable to compare the early Massive Attack to their latest offerings. It is hard to believe it is the same group - and in a way it is not, since DJ Mushroom left after Protection, and Daddy G took a break after Mezzanine, so the 100th Window is more or less a solo album by 3-D.

Still, I kind of prefer the more laidback and soulful grooves of the first two albums over the somewhat dreary darkness of Mezzanine.

Goth-Hop, no thanks.

I HATE THIS CD COVER!!!!!!!!

Why?

Inspires an urge to dig out Blue Rodeo's "5 days in June" cd.

The only one I've ever seen who seems to be impervious? Flava Flav. WTF? He's been hittin the pipe for like 20 years and hasn't changed one bit. In fact, he keeps going....effortlessly...

Great song! So many positive comments but it is only rating at 6.6? What's up?

Out on the road today
I saw a deadhead sticker on a Cadillac
A little voice inside my head said
"Don't look back. You can never look back."

As do I!

As boring as it was 35 years ago.

All other comments aside, I truly have absolutely no idea how anyone with their sense of hearing intact could possibly mistake this for U2 in any way.

PT should stick to their edgier sound. (IMHO)

Are these guys any relation to Goldfrappe's "Strict Machine"?

Obviously you have never had a real migraine. This rocks.

Anyone see my Doc Martens?

Now I understand the reference to Blackfield.

You mean EMO, right?

almost sounds like a live version

well, at least that song has a chance at being 1/3 as good as a Rush song!

I think it's funny how peace, love, and understanding will never be generally achieved on this earth.

Eat that you haters. Even Bill calls this "epic". Eat it.

Have you seen that guy lately? :puke:

Saw them in Bristol last night -- what a great show!

I do not think you have given PTree a fare evaluation. They have a very large libary. Some of there music is not for everybody however. Listen to the whole book, so to speak if you know what I mean. Thanks to RP I have discovered Ptree and I like!

And these guys had three chords!

Techno disco crap :puke:

It took awhile, but I finally did. I bought On the Sunday of Life and as the result of cuts like Jupiter Island, I'm not impressed by the album to the degree that I have been with other PT albums I've heard.

Timeless

Here's to pissing off the Squares with a song title. Love it.

Its not a cover, its an original by Steven Wilson; and at the risk of pissing off another deconstructionist, at some point many songs sound like others - what's your point?

I really like it. The vocals sound like a famous rapper, but I can't quite place it.

I am kind of getting tired of hearing PT.

Which fits since Alex Lifeson plays on this album. He has a solo in Anesthetize, I believe.

Music to slit your wrists by.

elicits such total protestation or prostration (me of course in the latter group)... perfect for an MRI study. course i have a feeling those who hate bjork are decerebrate hindbrain-drivers, but that wouldn't be very encompassing

Vocals While some of the "Dynamic Lead Vocalists" FZ had had/have really great voices - Napoleon Murphy Brock, Ray White, Ike Willis, Bobby Martin - FZ himself didn't and had a big hangup on making fun of conventional and "Jazz" singing styles (lots of over-enunciation) A lot of people (my wife included) HATE to hear him sing.

I'm certain I've heard the male voiceover in some trance music before... who is it?

I'd like to hear RP play the Marilyn Manson version. I remember liking it but haven't heard it in many years.

MORE COWBELL!

LESS COWBELL!

Jess I like !!

A very happy Beatles tune

Dudes - they formed in '81 - Kim Gordon turns *54* in two weeks...

You *go* girl!

I am big fan of PT. I have seen them twice and have deadwing and in absentia. It is nice to hear the earlier stuff here. they do seem to be taking a "heavier" progression, which is just fine by me.

More specifically, their black nail polish-sporting, Doc Marten-wearing, clove-smoking mascara-encrusted, angst-ridden superfans did. Ugh.

TOO SHORT!

You don't actually believe that do you?

Ditto. And I adore the picture of her on the cd . . . such an amazing visual sensibility.

Oh Boy! More techno Euro crap! :puke:

Or vise-versa.

I'm sorry, but this is just silly...has college rock written all over it.

Agree. Like it for the same reasons. "Stop Me If You Think that You've Heard this One Before" is one of my favorite 2-3 Smith's songs, hands down.

Prophetic....maybe not.

Maybe the song was chosen as the title song, and the the title, because -
it came out in 1973 (actually HD was 1971 from memory but close enough)
it sounds pretty good
it is almost as weird as the prog
and it contains those very words......

I wonder if Iggy ever recorded a version of this? I would love to hear it if he did. I think that given the lyrics, this would have an ENTIRELY different feel if Iggy would sing it. More menace.

King Kong works both ways ;-)

Paper

Along the same line...monotonous drivel...unless I'm drunk...really drunk...then maybe not monotonous

But can YOU tell the difference between Detroit and Chicago? Huh? I thought not.

SCIENCE!

That's become a common phrase around here - I'm not really sure why. Has to be done with that chesty quasi british voice though. (SCIENCE!)

An absolutely sad and pathetic personality we are dealing w/ here.
I feel so sorry for him. Living w/ a cold heart is horrible – and he probably doesn’t even know it.

for the title...

Unfortunately, only for the actual song...

WOW! It's been years since I've heard this...great song. FWIW, this was the first CD I ever purchased, you know, like when they were first invented! Crazy.

Maybe make a batch of black T-shirts with 'KARMA POLICE' in big white block letters...

Hohum indeed. The only thing worse that Radiohead is a Radiohead fan. The passive, woe-is-me type. Ugg...spare me

Why don't they just make 10 the loudest?

Have you ever turned Japanese?

I agree also. Boring as hell. Play something that I can dance too!!!!

Ummm...Matrix Sound Track...I believe it was Massive Attack...anyone else follow

It looks like that album cover was a picture cut out with an exacto knife and glued to an air filter with some Elmers glue,then photographed

Very true. An amazing song. Even better live.

This song always reminds me of the 2 weeks I spent in Bora Bora... mmmmm topless women and french cuisine in the tropics.

.088*1+.085*2+.058*3+.032*4+.061*5+.097*6+.23*7+.21*8+.079*9+.059*10 = 6.038

The more I hear this, the more it sounds to me like The Beatles vs Chemical Brothers

Video of her playing First Brain
(click here)

Definitely not as cool as this
(click here)

Does remind me of like a shaving cream ad or a beer commercial ...

THE CLOSEST SHAVE A MAN CAN GET...

the end of the Bush era.

Significantly better during the second listening. Interesting.

Is there anything these girls can't do?

People who tell Elton John he's a great artist will have much to answer for before Saint Peter.

One of the most over-rated bands ever at least as far as the singing and singer went. The song writing was ok and the guitarist was too good for the singer. A real singer would have helped this band greatly. Never too soon to get a stacks of tracks version of this song.

is it even possible to hear this outdated crap anymore? Anything older then 1996 = 1

I'm a PT newbie- I like what I hear, and would like to buy a cd or two- any suggestions?

Nice "Telstar" feel to this one.

I really dig PT, but there are times I wish they'd rip it up a bit more. This tune is a bit too derivative of early PF for me.

I'd start with their 2 most recent, In Absentia and Deadwing and then move to Stupid Dream & Lightbulb Sun - Much of their earlier work (with very few exceptions) is acquired taste (IMHO)

george martin;
the "5th beatle".
he overproduced
he got in the way
i would like to imagine how they would have sounded without him.
perhaps, with a producer with a softer touch,
and less ego.

I'm not a huge Elton John song, but this is one of my all-time favorites.

I like DP, but why does music like this always reminds me of Beetlejuice?!?

They were celebrated as innovative back in the day but are now universally derided by anyone looking to make a comment on changing music styles.

Cash's song was, is and always will be regarded by non-Americans as worse than Bowie's egregious Gnomesong.

I went to Erpland once, after a night of tequila and champagne.

this song always reminds me of that movie about the group of kids who go on a hike to look at a dead guy... now, what was the name of that movie again?

giving it a 1 just based on the cover

Does anybody else think this song is rather Keane/Travis-ish?

"Mardy bum" is colloquial ( northern ) English slang and translates as an affectionate term for a close friend who is being short tempered or angry. The word 'mardy' means (sort of) angry, and the addition of the suffix 'bum' reduces the impact of the adjective and adds a degree of familiarity to the phrase.

The girl in the song is angry at the man for being late and his litany of excuses cut no ice with her. He is acknowledging her feelings and trying not to provoke her further.

In my experience, the phrase is mainly used in Yorkshire. I used to live in Sheffield and one of the joys of listening to this band is the unashamed use of local references which take me back to when I used to live there.

Isn't learning about another culture a journey of discovery?

Apologies if you thought I was calling you a wanker.

I disagree. I've recently become aware of Porcupine Tree and sounded pretty good to start with but waore off very quickly.

Lightweights I'd say

they are wankers

"The Arctic Monkeys are just like a rough Yorkshire version of George Formby. I can't listen to any of their tracks without imagining the next line to be 'when I'm cleanin' winders'."

There's a trend at RP that I'm noticing -

#1: "I really love this"
#2: "I really hate this"
#3: "You, #2, are an idiot."

Which is much meaner than it needs to be. Can we keep this about the music instead of insulting the poster for their opinion? It would be so much less...Republican, and so much more in line with what the Beatles were trying to stand for, right?

I think she's a lesbian.

I don't understand why people are so freaked out by the cover art of this record.

What's the big deal?

After watching the video, it's pretty self explanatory:

(click here)

Her accent sounds a lot like Rose from the new "Dr. Who" TV series. For a moment, I thought Bill decided to play some of her music, which I've never heard.

This song is pretty good. . .and that's a 6, yet 6 feels too low because, after all, this song is pretty good. What to do?

"frel" was how Farscape could swear without getting in trouble with the censors. Compare to Battlestar Galactica's "frack". Definitely better than badly redubbed "forget you"s. Apparently you can't censor made-up alien synonyms for swear words.

In your opinion Rush suck. In my opinion they don't suck but are in fact one of the really great bands from the 70s.

"Fearless" has always been on my mix tapes (remember cassettes?), and now my iPod mixes.

Spoon, I summon you--and bring Knife and Fork with you. I'm hungry.

I continually return to 'Hard Again' and 'I'm Ready'

What this station needs is some Rammstein!

Let's start a list of songs that are now valueless, since they're being used for commercials.

Ah... the "laughing bird" / "squeaky sneaker" song again...

Might be a bit overplayed, but so is Roundabout, and I would love Roundabout no matter what. Same as I've Seen All Good People. Just because it is played more, doesn't mean I get tired of it. I like that others are allowed to enjoy the awesomeness of Yes.

Anyone know if this band has any relation to Pet Shop Boys? Besides sounding a lot alike?

What I don't get is that all of a sudden we see an influx of Muse tracks on the main channel, while previously B&R largely ignored them. (Check the many rejections in the LRC database.) Their old stuff (Showbiz, Origin of Symmetry) also rocks!

A couple of bullets would be a good Cure for this band. Just a joke liberals settle down.

"I come in value packs of 10" WTF?!?!?!?!? bleh

i feel it is my mission to give a 1 to every porcupine tree song i hear. Why so much porcupine tree but so little Rush??

I love The Cure.

But I don't think Robert Smith has transitioned the undereyeliner/erratic lipstick look very well. I saw him recently and he kind of looks like a grandmother who was into their grandkids makeup and got caught.

Cruithne3753 wrote:
Being a small child you don't appreciate fabulous music even when its this obvious

9/10!

Good disc. Didn't I hear something fairly recently about a tragedy among the band members?

quite the disturbing album cover.

I really should listen to more jazz. This is great.

Heard the funniest story the other day! My friend, who's been to over 1000 concerts in the last 20+ years, went to a Stranglers concert in the Bay Area in the early early 80's. He said some guy in the front row was messing with the bass player and was throwing stuff at him. The bass player kicked the guy in the head, jumped off the stage and beat the *** out of him, jumped back on the stage, and continued playing the song! I'm not a violent person, but I thought that story was hysterical!

That's because they are blind, dude.

I remember an old Muppet show episode where Kermit sings this song and yes, he is wearing the white suit and doing the hand gestures with his flipppers! I would love to see that video again!

I definitely thought it was Bono too.

Hm... Are you talking about the Tory John Major here? Cause last time I checked Tony Blair is the prime minister of the UK. (Unless you're just joking.)

I'm not a big fan of Echo & the Bunnymen, but I do like this tune.

Is it just me, or does anyone else here The Doors in there. ...must be the organ...

Marilyn Manson's cover is actually better. Some kind soul plz dig it out, so Bill can play it instead.

I get so disappointed every time I hear the intro to this song and it doesn't continue into the ghostbusters theme.

How many votes would this get in the U.K. as the preferred national anthem? To me, it has the good, clean taste of patriotism without the bad after-taste of nationalism.

Well, Brit listeners? What might the Queen say?

Everytime I hear the beginning of this tune I think its "I don't like Mondays"....fooled again Bill.

I'd be pretty peeved if someone tried to twist my melon man, I can tell you.

"Forget Yourslef" is a great return to form

I miss the original R&B, funk and hip-hop. RAP isn't even music.

I like Spoon!

I remember this having a richer guitar. Maybe it's just my weak computer speakers...

It is even rumoured that he is also the reason British troops won't come back from Iraq (unless he trades places...)

Apprently, that's a myth. (multiple sources to be searched online)

That sax is playing a melody from another tune...reminds me (gasp) of "Careless Whisper" by George Michael.

Yeah i noticed that right away and it bothers me on a few levels.

OK, Gonna assume you're serious... "Steely Dan" is/was the name of a solid-metal dildo in the novel Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs

Is Indiana next? Connect the dots: Michigan, Illinois, Indiana!!!!

glam

The spiderman is having me for dinner... Tonight..

I'm hearing Pink.

Anyone know what happened to Krispian after this? I heard a single by a band called the Jeevas but nothing else

This is a really wonderful song. Have they released it as a single? They should!

Absolutely right. It has to be followed by: "Mean Mr. Mustard…"

Can't stand it on its own.