This song is called "Roads". The "Dummy" album listening party from a couple years' back is available to everyone here: www.patreon.com/posts/portishead-party-62816321. If you're enjoying my videos, could you do me a favor and follow me on Patreon (for free)? I'm trying to grow my community over there! Thank you!
Hello! Please do a breakdown of 'The Raven That Refused To Sing' by Steven Wilson(ua-cam.com/video/n8sLcvWG1M4/v-deo.htmlsi=TVQ35n-dCjZFUL5L). I'd love to know what you think of that track.
O, man. I was 15 when I saw this concert on television for the first time. I was mesmerized, and honestly, I still am. I love Beths singing, the instrumentation, Barrow behind the decks, Utleys Moogs, the keyboards. What a masterpiece.
It's apparently intentional that the song is titled "Roads" and the "Rhodes" piano is the primary instrument, which I never noticed before in 25+ years of listening to this song...
As a Brit I love the knowledgeable, respectful and serious consideration you give to our music scene - even regional bands like Portishead that have enjoyed some success, but are hardly in the blockbuster league! We have some innovative, distinctive and dedicated musical artists (and associated ecosystem, discerning fans, etc), and it's wonderful to have this recognised.
I was privileged to see Beth Gibbons last week perform this live. I will never forget that moment as it was one of the most special performances I've ever seen.
Yeah, they're so good live. I saw them on the Dummy tour at the Walker theater in Minneapolis. Front row. Even at their loudest, I could still hear Beth, not more than 10 feet away over all the speakers and monitors.
"Roads" is the most goosebumping song ever. Even today listening it for the thousandth time and even hearing bits between the analysis, hair on my arms stood up. Beth Gibbons voice is from another dimension and the arrangements are priceless jewels.
One of the most underrated songs of all time, in my opinion. There's a quiet trauma there, a longing, a body wracking heartbreaking. It has a feeling that i shouldn't even be listening to it - as though I'm looking into a journal entry of someone crying out for connection and understanding before they end their own existence... which strangely enough, saved my life hearing this song years ago (live at Roseland version). I am simply grateful for this song... it made me feel less alone in my own grief and pain.
@@hundovir Perhaps different experiences, "Everyone I know" well, good for you, but where I am, like no one even knows Portishead exists (it sucks). And when it came out, no radio play (except maybe on college radio station once in a blue moon), no MTV rotation, and so yeah, underrated might be the wrong term, but for sure overlooked, at least where I am. And Edit: to add to that, when I got tickets decades ago and was so excited to see them live, people just looked confused when I said i got tickets to Portishead "who?" was the most common reply. Sure, most my friends at that time were into the Cure, Depechemode, Front242 - so not just pop/mainstream, but I always felt alone in love for the band, let alone this song. So - guess I'm jealous your experience is "Everyone I know thinks its brilliant" - everyone I know does too - after I have them listen to it for the first time!
@@swiftigoth So "one of the most underrated songs OF ALL TIME" in this instance means "some of my friends had never heard of it before I did around the time it came out". The over use of this precious phrase is one of my pet peeves. It is solely dependent on the depths of the users musical and cultural knowledge. And when that pool reveals itself to be relatively shallow it nullifies the absoluteness of the phrase... for what?.... for the sake of something hyperbolic to say in a moment of intense musical appreciation. I just wish people would find their own words in these moments.
@@ou7shined972 - i can sort of understand your pet peeve, but your sense of superiority and lack of empathy over another's experience is ... i don't know what to tell you there. And no, negative ghostrider, not "just" some of my friends, the measure of it being underrated is exactly what i stated: no radio play, no streaming, no video rotation - i don't know where you were when this came out, and although i'm grateful the band was not super mainstream (made tickets cheaper), it is entirely underrated in that quantifiable sense, measured and weighed, not be the opinions or reviews of a subjective musical critic - even if in Rolling Stone - but in the reach of the song, the ability for the artists/writers to make money for their work, so yes, I think highly underrated. But I hold myself to the same standard of my own comment, it's subjective and an opinion, that's all. Hope you learn to do the same and just enjoy it for what it is.
@@swiftigoth I'm sorry but you are mistaken. Just because you feel it was under-played at the time (which of course it wasn't) doesn't mean it is an underrated song... of ANY time. Dummy won the Mercury prize mere months after its critically acclaimed release. And has won many such awards since. That's literally the antithesis of underrated. Roads has gone on to be one of the most recognisable tracks off the album and to this day is used widely in film and other media. Being "underrated" is quantifiable. It's not an opinion. The track is beautiful and emotive and I understand why you used this idiom. But like so many others before you, you used it incorrectly.
You will always hear vinyl crackle and crunch with Portishead because even if they don’t use a sample (although sometimes they do) they record in the studio normally then bounce the stems onto a dub plate which is then kicked around the studio floor then sampled back into the sampler and the song is rebuilt inside the sampler (likely an MPC) before being re-recorded
1:40. When that wah drops and Beth's voice comes in, always gives me the chills. I get them again at 3:20 when that lovely round bass punches through with the strings. I bought Dummy on cassette when this album first came out lol. FYI: Clive Deamer played the drums on this track, it wasn't sampled or programmed. Although you'd be forgiven to think it was, given it's a "loop" and this is -hip- trip hop.
Girl, I love your format of how you do the videos. Fucking cold open with the song. No “taking care of business”. If you like it, you know what to do, kind of attitude. I love it. And your musical acumen is something I strive for.
I love that I can put on pretty much any vid of yours and just go “yup”. You get music in a way that resonates with me. It’s only you and Beato that do that for me :)
That little bass line before the strings soar will always lift my soul upwards, one of the most beautiful records ever recorded- thank you Ixi for showing us their magic and as a Somerset lad I can tell you that the fact they recorded such amazing music named after an insipid nowhere town in the county is mind boggling, big love x
One of the things I love about this song is that they decided to make the introduction 40 seconds of a single instrument. It works here perfectly. And the strings add to the haunting, sad nature of the song ... they sound like they are crying.
@@cyclonasaurusrex1525 Word. Too bad they didn't make more stuff together. Literally a perfect discography. Her solo stuff isn't bad either, but not up to par with Portishead.
@@r.davidsen Agree. I like it quite a bit, but it’s not Portishead. The day III came out, I went to my local Borders when it opened. I went to pay for it, and the cashier said, “Oh my god, they have a new album?” and just left to go grab one for herself. I completely understood.
I bought this album while I was on a road trip with a dear friend at university. Always loved it, especially this song, but I haven't seen that friend in a long time and now it hits different.
The way you verbalise the music you describe is as on-point as the music itself. This is not just analysis but profound insight. Instructive but not dry. Patient and generous with your time, nothing is missed. Wow!
Wonderful homage to a beautiful song. For those of us who would go on to produce downtempo or even breaks in that era, we’d always ask “are we getting real emotion like Portishead? Is this real?”. Triphop and Big Beat might have become a product (whatever your feelings about Moby’s Play), but Portishead’s albums each were an incredible and daring statement. Would love to do a session with Adrian Utley one day - his guitar work is so emotional and understated to this day.
You should see the live at Roseland performance of this song. They have a full orchestra and the atmosphere is electric. I think youd enjoy it immensely
Oh I so much love this very song. The more years have passed the more I realise that it plays a major role in my life. I’m so happy you’ve chosen this one.
This track stops me dead in my tracks every time. Your insight into the song is so interesting. I love your work so much. I love hearing you articulate what you're noticing.
In 1996 I fell madly in love with a woman I haven't seen in over a decade to this album. It is hard to comprehend how much has changed and how much life is so different for me now. My heart is still there, unfortunately and I have never been able to make another relationship work since, though I have tried. I miss who we were, Rhonda.
Girl I'd swear you hacked into my spotify and UA-cam playlists looking at your song selection. And your breakdowns are SO alike my thoughts while I am woefully unable to verbalize them like you can. Very enlightening. Thank you!
@cyclonasaurusrex1525 nah, Harvest festival in Victoria Australia, it was the only set of shows the had done here in like 16 years, and I don't think they've been back since
The band Gone is Gone covered this back in 2017 and it's great. I'll never forget being in art class, and our guest teacher put on this Portishead album. The whole class was weirded out at first, but by week's end everyone wanted it on constantly.
One morning I pulled into the parking lot for masters swim practice while Glory Box was playing. Tough song to interrupt, but I was already late. As I walked to the door, I was singing “Give me a reason to be a woman. I just want to be a woman.” I’m a middle-aged man but did not give AF if anybody heard me.
The beautiful fragility of Beth Gibbons' voice belies her power. If you want to hear an absolutely epic example of how amazing her voice can be, check out her singing Henryk Górecki's 3rd Symphony (Symphony of Sorrowful Songs) with the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra. Normally the vocals are sung by an operatic soprano. Beth's deceptively powerful fragile voice is perfect alongside the beauty of the orchestral score and the absolutely tragic lyrics that she sings in Polish without speaking the language. If, like me, you're not a Polish speaker, listen to it first without reading a translation of the lyrics, and enjoy the stunningly beautiful music and vocal performance. Then prepare to be absolutely gutted on a second listen along with reading a translation of the lyrics, as a world of symphonic beauty becomes suddenly VERY DARK.
Knew which song you were referring to before I opened the link. Everything about this song is incredible. The organ. That first snare hit. Beth. And those strings off course. One of my absolute favorites of all time.
I still listen to this album ocationally, but during the 90`s and early 2000's it was one of my most played CD's. It was a cd I wanted from the first time I ever heard one of the songs.
This song takes me back to my first year of university in 2002, listening to a cassette that a classmate gave to me. It was a cold winter and the room was cold too, I was doing my best at that time to keep focus on studying while my mom was getting cancer treatment for her brain tumor.
The harmony keeping the high A until the last chord during the verses, when it goes down a semitone (kinda, as we get yet another higher note in the B, but the ear follows to the Ab I feel), is a super simple yet so effective device.
I never knew this songs name.. I never thought about the instrument that gave it the mood …. It was an instant love affair with the voice …. Thank you for sharing your insights on one of my favourite classics.
Several years ago, I was at a friend's place listening to records one night. It was mainly Big Black, and some Shellac 7"s (he had the lounge version of "Rambler", which was the first time I'd heard that version). Anyway, the night went on, and we wound up on this. I hadn't heard it. He was was like, "You HAVE to hear this." He wound up gifting me a copy. Fast forward to a few years later, and I was at a listening station that was connected to a speaker system at a Best Buy (when this store was still big) going through their music database (which had unedited versions of NWAs albums!), and put "Dummy" on (specifically "It could be sweet"). Someone walked by, and goes, "WHO is THIS?!" Lonely came to mind when hearing this again. It really does sound lonely.
I was in my 20s during this time and Portishead bridged my love for old 70s soul, 80s hip hop and at that time electronic techno, all while reminding me of Prince’s boutique songs he would write ever so often. There’s no wonder why you still hear their music in movies and tv shows in 2024. It’s the past, present and future of the best in music.
I was hoping when I saw the title that it would be "Roads", and it is "Roads"! It's such a knock-down, crushingly beautiful song and leaves my soul bare every time I listen to it.
The power of this song performed live is intoxicating …witnessing people ’s jaw drop whom had never heard “Roads” before is something special ! Luv it!
Was lucky to see them like 6 years ago live at a festival. Concert started at 22h, sun was setting down, incredible soundmixing , stellar performance by the whole band.... But when the first chords of roads were played, you could feel the energy of this song flowing through the whole crowd like a big crushing wave of emotions. Definaiely in my top 3 concert memories ever!
Saw the video for Numb on MTV back in the day and knew immediately I had to have this album. Out of all the tracks on it Roads is the masterpiece I think.
This song has the ability to reach deep within anyone's soul and elicit answers to questions never asked - and raise questions to whose answers one might not be prepared
Beth Gibbons has recently released a solo album that is mega and is touring it so you should try catch her live if you can, the show is epic! Great breakdown, the drums aren't sampled though, but they are processed to make it sound like it's sampled.
This video was just suggested to me today, coming from Pianote reharmonisation with Anomalie! I have been a fan of Portishead since 1994; ironically, I live only 50 miles from the actual Portlishead! I have liked and subscribed :D
I just posted a comment above about her singing Henryk Górecki's 3rd Symphony (Symphony of Sorrowful Songs) with the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra. Check that one out. It's a whole new level of Beth Gibbon's greatness.
Hey Ixi. Love Portishead and a lot of the other trip hop artists. If you haven’t already listened to Goldfrapp I would highly recommend Felt Mountain. An amazing album.
I hated most of the music my dad played in car radio back when I was a tiny man and now as a 26 year old one I am such a sucker for most of this stuff. I especially hated portishead and after all these years I consider these songs I've been hearing played to death the masterpieces. Having said that, excellent video as always and I silently hope for more dummy soon!
When I was 16 years old, I was in a band. I was the one who made our website and I loved this song so much that I made a midi file and used it as a background music for our site. Apparently, I wasn't the only one who loved this because so many people asked me about the midi file and where they could find it!
If death was a portishead song, you would not be afraid to leave this life, but would want to live to hear all their music orchestrating the moments that sequence this thing called life. Each portishead album is a favourite.
This song is called "Roads". The "Dummy" album listening party from a couple years' back is available to everyone here: www.patreon.com/posts/portishead-party-62816321. If you're enjoying my videos, could you do me a favor and follow me on Patreon (for free)? I'm trying to grow my community over there! Thank you!
Hello! Please do a breakdown of 'The Raven That Refused To Sing' by Steven Wilson(ua-cam.com/video/n8sLcvWG1M4/v-deo.htmlsi=TVQ35n-dCjZFUL5L). I'd love to know what you think of that track.
@@reyals66
Every time Portishead shows up in my recommendations I go back and watch that live in NYC performance.
O, man. I was 15 when I saw this concert on television for the first time. I was mesmerized, and honestly, I still am. I love Beths singing, the instrumentation, Barrow behind the decks, Utleys Moogs, the keyboards. What a masterpiece.
Iconic recording
Oh to be at the roseland
Portishead live recordings make me want to put a knife in my ears?
Roseland was my favorite venue ever.
It's apparently intentional that the song is titled "Roads" and the "Rhodes" piano is the primary instrument, which I never noticed before in 25+ years of listening to this song...
🤯asplode.
...well shit.
Blimey.
As a Brit I love the knowledgeable, respectful and serious consideration you give to our music scene - even regional bands like Portishead that have enjoyed some success, but are hardly in the blockbuster league! We have some innovative, distinctive and dedicated musical artists (and associated ecosystem, discerning fans, etc), and it's wonderful to have this recognised.
I was privileged to see Beth Gibbons last week perform this live. I will never forget that moment as it was one of the most special performances I've ever seen.
Yeah, they're so good live. I saw them on the Dummy tour at the Walker theater in Minneapolis. Front row. Even at their loudest, I could still hear Beth, not more than 10 feet away over all the speakers and monitors.
When that bass solo comes in, gets me every time... 😥👌
"Roads" is the most goosebumping song ever. Even today listening it for the thousandth time and even hearing bits between the analysis, hair on my arms stood up. Beth Gibbons voice is from another dimension and the arrangements are priceless jewels.
One of the most underrated songs of all time, in my opinion.
There's a quiet trauma there, a longing, a body wracking heartbreaking. It has a feeling that i shouldn't even be listening to it - as though I'm looking into a journal entry of someone crying out for connection and understanding before they end their own existence... which strangely enough, saved my life hearing this song years ago (live at Roseland version).
I am simply grateful for this song... it made me feel less alone in my own grief and pain.
Underrated? Everyone I know thinks it's brilliant. All the music critics think it's brilliant. What do you mean by "underrated" here?
@@hundovir Perhaps different experiences, "Everyone I know" well, good for you, but where I am, like no one even knows Portishead exists (it sucks). And when it came out, no radio play (except maybe on college radio station once in a blue moon), no MTV rotation, and so yeah, underrated might be the wrong term, but for sure overlooked, at least where I am.
And Edit: to add to that, when I got tickets decades ago and was so excited to see them live, people just looked confused when I said i got tickets to Portishead "who?" was the most common reply. Sure, most my friends at that time were into the Cure, Depechemode, Front242 - so not just pop/mainstream, but I always felt alone in love for the band, let alone this song.
So - guess I'm jealous your experience is "Everyone I know thinks its brilliant" - everyone I know does too - after I have them listen to it for the first time!
@@swiftigoth So "one of the most underrated songs OF ALL TIME" in this instance means "some of my friends had never heard of it before I did around the time it came out".
The over use of this precious phrase is one of my pet peeves. It is solely dependent on the depths of the users musical and cultural knowledge. And when that pool reveals itself to be relatively shallow it nullifies the absoluteness of the phrase... for what?.... for the sake of something hyperbolic to say in a moment of intense musical appreciation. I just wish people would find their own words in these moments.
@@ou7shined972 - i can sort of understand your pet peeve, but your sense of superiority and lack of empathy over another's experience is ... i don't know what to tell you there.
And no, negative ghostrider, not "just" some of my friends, the measure of it being underrated is exactly what i stated: no radio play, no streaming, no video rotation - i don't know where you were when this came out, and although i'm grateful the band was not super mainstream (made tickets cheaper), it is entirely underrated in that quantifiable sense, measured and weighed, not be the opinions or reviews of a subjective musical critic - even if in Rolling Stone - but in the reach of the song, the ability for the artists/writers to make money for their work, so yes, I think highly underrated.
But I hold myself to the same standard of my own comment, it's subjective and an opinion, that's all. Hope you learn to do the same and just enjoy it for what it is.
@@swiftigoth I'm sorry but you are mistaken. Just because you feel it was under-played at the time (which of course it wasn't) doesn't mean it is an underrated song... of ANY time. Dummy won the Mercury prize mere months after its critically acclaimed release. And has won many such awards since. That's literally the antithesis of underrated. Roads has gone on to be one of the most recognisable tracks off the album and to this day is used widely in film and other media.
Being "underrated" is quantifiable. It's not an opinion.
The track is beautiful and emotive and I understand why you used this idiom. But like so many others before you, you used it incorrectly.
Fell back in love with Beth's voice with her new album, some of the most beautiful music I've heard this year.
I need to try it again. It didn’t catch me yet. Need to give it a chance.
agreed
Beth Gibbons has a new album out?!? 😮
@@UnterDerSonneOhUnterDerSonne oh please go listen to it rn! It's called Lives Outgrown and it's a gorgeous album
You will always hear vinyl crackle and crunch with Portishead because even if they don’t use a sample (although sometimes they do) they record in the studio normally then bounce the stems onto a dub plate which is then kicked around the studio floor then sampled back into the sampler and the song is rebuilt inside the sampler (likely an MPC) before being re-recorded
yup came here to say this, I think all their main drum lines are all played
@@weedanwine sort of yeah they sample a live drummer playing then it chop it up and re-sequence it in an MPC. Live they are all playing.
There's a 331/5 booklet about the making of dummy (a must read)
@hollownation yep that's correct and Clive Deamer was the drummer on "Roads" and I believe the entire album.
1:40. When that wah drops and Beth's voice comes in, always gives me the chills. I get them again at 3:20 when that lovely round bass punches through with the strings. I bought Dummy on cassette when this album first came out lol.
FYI: Clive Deamer played the drums on this track, it wasn't sampled or programmed. Although you'd be forgiven to think it was, given it's a "loop" and this is -hip- trip hop.
Girl, I love your format of how you do the videos. Fucking cold open with the song. No “taking care of business”. If you like it, you know what to do, kind of attitude. I love it. And your musical acumen is something I strive for.
I love that I can put on pretty much any vid of yours and just go “yup”. You get music in a way that resonates with me. It’s only you and Beato that do that for me :)
Can recommend @DeadWaxShow - I think you'll love it. Passion, humour, very analytical, great recommendations.
Saw Beth Gibbons perform a version of this recently and it was spectacular. The crowd were perfectly silent and in awe. 10/10
That little bass line before the strings soar will always lift my soul upwards, one of the most beautiful records ever recorded- thank you Ixi for showing us their magic and as a Somerset lad I can tell you that the fact they recorded such amazing music named after an insipid nowhere town in the county is mind boggling, big love x
One of the things I love about this song is that they decided to make the introduction 40 seconds of a single instrument. It works here perfectly. And the strings add to the haunting, sad nature of the song ... they sound like they are crying.
Another thing I love about it is how late the bass comes in. It's just fantastic.
There are few perfect albums, but this is one of them. Not a bad track on there.
Not a bad track in their entire discography.
@@cyclonasaurusrex1525 Word. Too bad they didn't make more stuff together. Literally a perfect discography. Her solo stuff isn't bad either, but not up to par with Portishead.
@@r.davidsen Agree. I like it quite a bit, but it’s not Portishead. The day III came out, I went to my local Borders when it opened. I went to pay for it, and the cashier said, “Oh my god, they have a new album?” and just left to go grab one for herself. I completely understood.
This song wrecks me everytime. The production, the performance, her voice to paint such an ode to loss.
I bought this album while I was on a road trip with a dear friend at university. Always loved it, especially this song, but I haven't seen that friend in a long time and now it hits different.
That's what music does
One of my favorite songs of all time. Thank you for all your wonderful insights as always!
The way you verbalise the music you describe is as on-point as the music itself. This is not just analysis but profound insight. Instructive but not dry. Patient and generous with your time, nothing is missed. Wow!
There are many great Portishead songs, but Roads has always been my favorite.
Beth gibbons has been playing this as part of her ‘lives outgrown’ live set recently, so so good
You cover all the best music. Got to see Portishead in 2011, and they sounded soooo clean live!
I saw the thumbnail and before clicking I already heard this song in my head. The whole album is crazy good...
Wonderful homage to a beautiful song. For those of us who would go on to produce downtempo or even breaks in that era, we’d always ask “are we getting real emotion like Portishead? Is this real?”. Triphop and Big Beat might have become a product (whatever your feelings about Moby’s Play), but Portishead’s albums each were an incredible and daring statement. Would love to do a session with Adrian Utley one day - his guitar work is so emotional and understated to this day.
Great, accurate singing when demonstrating!
The Rhodes/Roads pun pleases me.
never even got it til now.
Amazing group, amazing album, amazing song. ❤
one of my most favorite Portishead songs
Music is such a precious thing. I shall never forget that.
You should see the live at Roseland performance of this song. They have a full orchestra and the atmosphere is electric. I think youd enjoy it immensely
Oh I so much love this very song. The more years have passed the more I realise that it plays a major role in my life. I’m so happy you’ve chosen this one.
This track stops me dead in my tracks every time. Your insight into the song is so interesting. I love your work so much. I love hearing you articulate what you're noticing.
In 1996 I fell madly in love with a woman I haven't seen in over a decade to this album. It is hard to comprehend how much has changed and how much life is so different for me now. My heart is still there, unfortunately and I have never been able to make another relationship work since, though I have tried. I miss who we were, Rhonda.
Your voice is also amazing.😮❤ Just an old dude here finally trying to learn bass guitar. It's fun trying to keep up. Cheers.
Roads is one of my fave songs. Brings me back to college days.
Girl I'd swear you hacked into my spotify and UA-cam playlists looking at your song selection. And your breakdowns are SO alike my thoughts while I am woefully unable to verbalize them like you can. Very enlightening. Thank you!
Best track by Portishead
My favourite portishead song of all time. Got to see them play it live back in 2011 I think. It was beautiful
@@LocalCryptidGhostdoll Coachella? I was there!!! III had just come out.
@cyclonasaurusrex1525 nah, Harvest festival in Victoria Australia, it was the only set of shows the had done here in like 16 years, and I don't think they've been back since
@@LocalCryptidGhostdoll But we got to see them!
The band Gone is Gone covered this back in 2017 and it's great.
I'll never forget being in art class, and our guest teacher put on this Portishead album. The whole class was weirded out at first, but by week's end everyone wanted it on constantly.
Adore your thoughtful and emotional countenance when listening 💜
love the initial reaction on this...... not a word spoken by IXI for several minutes, jaw dropped - and the bass hadnt' even dropped!
Beautiful analysis of a bitter sweet song of which I have a long standing emotional attachment.
Thank you for this one. Instant subscribe.
Absolutely my favorite Portishead track. So much to unpack.
Someone who properly gets Portishead. A great advert for their music. Much like.
I absolutely love this deconstruction of one of the most important and beautiful songs of my life. It is truly haunting and melancholy. Thank you ixie
One morning I pulled into the parking lot for masters swim practice while Glory Box was playing. Tough song to interrupt, but I was already late. As I walked to the door, I was singing “Give me a reason to be a woman. I just want to be a woman.” I’m a middle-aged man but did not give AF if anybody heard me.
Based king
Both Dummy and Their self titled albums are no skips for me.
I appreciated when Mike Patton covered it and didn't change the lyrics.
@@mxx720I love Patton and had no idea this existed, I’m off down the rabbit 🕳️
@@Outsider46n2 The crowd was spitting on him and he was pointing at his tongue and opening his mouth lmao. He also had buzzcut and moustache
this came out when i was in uni. Totally set a vibe for my life
The beautiful fragility of Beth Gibbons' voice belies her power. If you want to hear an absolutely epic example of how amazing her voice can be, check out her singing Henryk Górecki's 3rd Symphony (Symphony of Sorrowful Songs) with the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra. Normally the vocals are sung by an operatic soprano. Beth's deceptively powerful fragile voice is perfect alongside the beauty of the orchestral score and the absolutely tragic lyrics that she sings in Polish without speaking the language. If, like me, you're not a Polish speaker, listen to it first without reading a translation of the lyrics, and enjoy the stunningly beautiful music and vocal performance. Then prepare to be absolutely gutted on a second listen along with reading a translation of the lyrics, as a world of symphonic beauty becomes suddenly VERY DARK.
Thanks for this breakdown. I love Portishead. Their music so often conveys such raw emotion, it cuts right to the heart.
Knew which song you were referring to before I opened the link. Everything about this song is incredible. The organ. That first snare hit. Beth. And those strings off course. One of my absolute favorites of all time.
The production, the lowend is fantastic. Thanks for showing.
Your sentimental and intellectual basis is nothing less than amazing. Love this song so much; reminds me who I am. ❤
I still listen to this album ocationally, but during the 90`s and early 2000's it was one of my most played CD's.
It was a cd I wanted from the first time I ever heard one of the songs.
One of my favorite tracks, really enjoyed listening to your analysis - it was like hearing it for the first time again.
This song takes me back to my first year of university in 2002, listening to a cassette that a classmate gave to me. It was a cold winter and the room was cold too, I was doing my best at that time to keep focus on studying while my mom was getting cancer treatment for her brain tumor.
The harmony keeping the high A until the last chord during the verses, when it goes down a semitone (kinda, as we get yet another higher note in the B, but the ear follows to the Ab I feel), is a super simple yet so effective device.
wonderful analysis. you have an amazing voice!
Wandering Stars is another very emotional Portishead song, my favourite from Dummy!
Thank you! I've seen them live and it made me cry
Ixi I am so happy. This makes me so happy. More Portishead please!
As it is explained, it is a pleasure to see each video and I like how ixi sings
I never knew this songs name.. I never thought about the instrument that gave it the mood …. It was an instant love affair with the voice …. Thank you for sharing your insights on one of my favourite classics.
When that record came out it was an instant classic. They started playing Sour Times on Live 105 and within weeks just about everyone had that disc
I bought a Yamaha Reface CP just because of the rhodes in the intro of Roads. It nails the sound right out of the box.
Fantastic breakdown - unwrapping so much of what makes this a truly great track
Appreciated this insight into this trip hop classic
First time I heard you sing - amazing voice.
Several years ago, I was at a friend's place listening to records one night. It was mainly Big Black, and some Shellac 7"s (he had the lounge version of "Rambler", which was the first time I'd heard that version). Anyway, the night went on, and we wound up on this. I hadn't heard it. He was was like, "You HAVE to hear this." He wound up gifting me a copy. Fast forward to a few years later, and I was at a listening station that was connected to a speaker system at a Best Buy (when this store was still big) going through their music database (which had unedited versions of NWAs albums!), and put "Dummy" on (specifically "It could be sweet"). Someone walked by, and goes, "WHO is THIS?!"
Lonely came to mind when hearing this again. It really does sound lonely.
Excellent breakdown if i may say of this beautiful song.
I was in my 20s during this time and Portishead bridged my love for old 70s soul, 80s hip hop and at that time electronic techno, all while reminding me of Prince’s boutique songs he would write ever so often. There’s no wonder why you still hear their music in movies and tv shows in 2024. It’s the past, present and future of the best in music.
I LOVE this song. For my first year in music college, I made my own string arrangement for it, with a small choir and 2 synths. It was great 😊
I was hoping when I saw the title that it would be "Roads", and it is "Roads"! It's such a knock-down, crushingly beautiful song and leaves my soul bare every time I listen to it.
The power of this song performed live is intoxicating …witnessing people ’s jaw drop whom had never heard “Roads” before is something special ! Luv it!
Was lucky to see them like 6 years ago live at a festival. Concert started at 22h, sun was setting down, incredible soundmixing , stellar performance by the whole band....
But when the first chords of roads were played, you could feel the energy of this song flowing through the whole crowd like a big crushing wave of emotions. Definaiely in my top 3 concert memories ever!
I really enjoyed this. Great analysis of a stone cold classic!! I wish I had your ears ❤
Saw the video for Numb on MTV back in the day and knew immediately I had to have this album. Out of all the tracks on it Roads is the masterpiece I think.
Thanks for reminding me of what just might be a perfect song. Fantastic commentary. Liked and Subbed.
Thank you so much for this video, I can sit and play this for hours!
I use the Stage-73 V-2 Plugin "the great one" preset and it sounds perfect!
It's haunting, it's beautiful. I told my close friends I want this song played at my funeral.
Dummy is the best album in my ears and this song is one of Portishead's best for sure. Nice analysis, thanks.
This song has the ability to reach deep within anyone's soul and elicit answers to questions never asked - and raise questions to whose answers one might not be prepared
Beth Gibbons has recently released a solo album that is mega and is touring it so you should try catch her live if you can, the show is epic!
Great breakdown, the drums aren't sampled though, but they are processed to make it sound like it's sampled.
I'd love to see your take on Beth Gibbons' haunting "Funny Time Of Year". Cheers from Brasil!
I really loved that Rustin Man album.
This video was just suggested to me today, coming from Pianote reharmonisation with Anomalie! I have been a fan of Portishead since 1994; ironically, I live only 50 miles from the actual Portlishead! I have liked and subscribed :D
❤❤❤ I've been waiting for you to get to Portishead
Thank you!!!
Love your show Ixi !!
this brings back memories
Recommend to see Portishead or the singer live if you get a chance. She sings live ever bit as good as she is on the record
I just posted a comment above about her singing Henryk Górecki's 3rd Symphony (Symphony of Sorrowful Songs) with the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra. Check that one out. It's a whole new level of Beth Gibbon's greatness.
Hey Ixi. Love Portishead and a lot of the other trip hop artists. If you haven’t already listened to Goldfrapp I would highly recommend Felt Mountain. An amazing album.
Yes! That synth solo on Lovely Head goes straight to my soul.
@@CarbonSolutions The solos that play during Lovely Head are actually Alison Goldfrapp’s voice run through some vocal effects, most likely a vocoder.
I hated most of the music my dad played in car radio back when I was a tiny man and now as a 26 year old one I am such a sucker for most of this stuff. I especially hated portishead and after all these years I consider these songs I've been hearing played to death the masterpieces. Having said that, excellent video as always and I silently hope for more dummy soon!
When I was 16 years old, I was in a band. I was the one who made our website and I loved this song so much that I made a midi file and used it as a background music for our site. Apparently, I wasn't the only one who loved this because so many people asked me about the midi file and where they could find it!
Been listening to Portishead since the 90’s it’s always
Playing in my vehicle or at home
Omg I love you 🙏
Perfect sad smile song.
I’m always so thankful for Portishead 🌀🌀🌀🙏🙏🙏
Good god this album and the one with Only You on it are SO amazing. 90s vibes big time.
If death was a portishead song, you would not be afraid to leave this life, but would want to live to hear all their music orchestrating the moments that sequence this thing called life.
Each portishead album is a favourite.
Genius!!! ❤
masterpiece ♥