“We Carry On” is a magnum opus. At 6:33 it’s the second longest song on the album (“Small" clocks in at 6:53). Gibbons sings the verses slightly behind the beat, pulling even more emotion from dark lyrics (The pace/The time/I can’t survive /It’s grinding down the view). “Carry” is followed by the Depression-era sounding, ukulele-driven “Deep Water.” It would have been a perfect fit for the O’ Brother soundtrack. The first single “Machine Gun” is about as anti-single as you can get. There are no instruments, apart from a looping, staccato drum pattern, punctuated by a simple keyboard part halfway through. No melody, nothing to hum along with, yet it works.
With two classic works of flawless experimentation under their belt, the band could have coasted along and still turned out a 10. Instead, they went to 11.
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Article comments
1 - Benny
Derek Smalls wrote this album, that's a fact.
2 - Christopher Rose
I haven't heard this new album yet. I hope it's different enough to make me listen to Portishead again. They had a great sound but I tuned out after hearing Beth sing "I need a man to make me a woman", which is a pretty pathetic sentiment...