Emily's Albums A to Z

Listened: Thursday June 30

Portishead’s performance at Coachella 2008 (just after they had released Third) is one of the more amazing performances I’ve ever seen. I wouldn’t even say it was pleasant – more like being run over by a train, but in an amazing way.

Beth Gibbons doesn’t look like a rock star (more like someone’s vaguely hip middle-aged British mum at this point) but as the huge screens made plain to us in the audience at the main stage, she rips herself apart as she sings and screams Portishead’s songs, especially the songs on Third. Her pain was palpable. Listening to this album after seeing that performance brings that all back to me, which often isn’t a comforting experience.

Oh, and Machine Gun? Amazing, a classic.