Third - Portishead
Third Image
Metascore
85 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 38 Critics What's this?

User Score
8.1 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 143 Ratings

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0 out of 10
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  • Summary: The English rock band returns with its first studio album in 11 years.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 35 out of 38
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 38
  3. Negative: 1 out of 38
  1. Uncut
    100
    Third is the most stunning, stark and superb Portishead album yet. [May 2008, p.84]
  2. Dot Music
    80
    Exquisitely detailed, you can well believe that this is an album many years in the making and one with twice those years of pain inscribed in its emotionally wracked songs.
  3. Q Magazine
    60
    Third will probably be more admired than listened to and, you suspect, this suits Barrow, just fine. [May 2008, p.131]
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  4. Blender
    30
    It's groove-deprived and difficult, and not in a particularly inventive way. [May 2008, p.78]

See all 38 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 63 out of 82
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 82
  3. Negative: 9 out of 82
  1. MitchellZ.
    9
    Third is not as instantly gratifying as Dummy. The hyper-stylized noir paranoid fantasy is gone. Instead, Third sounds as fractured and threatening as the times it reflects, while pulling up musical references to psychedelia of the 60's. I've only listened to it twice through, and it requires a bit of attention. But the music is astoundingly mesmerizing at times. And it really sets you on edge, with the vocals subdued and other parts sounding like their being played from the back of an empty hall (to good effect). Really worth the wait!… Expand
  2. JimmyH.
    8
    Has some of their best songs (The Rip, Plastic) and also their worst (nylon smile). But being the worst Portishead song is like being the slowest ferrari. A solid effort overall.… Expand
  3. JeremyF
    7
    Some really amazing tracks ("The Rip", "We Carry On", "Machine Gun", and "Small") but the rest just kind of don't impress much. While there isn't any BAD tracks here, I would much rather go listen to Dummy ten times over.… Expand
  4. TheodoreRoosevelt
    4
    It's meh. definitely overrated and definitely a disappointment..

See all 82 User Reviews

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