Portishead Working on New Album

[BlackSwan]

This is was too exciting not to start a thread about:

Portishead are back in the studio working on their fourth album, which they hope to release by the end of 2010, Geoff Barrow has confirmed.

If it comes to fruition, it would be a surprisingly rapid return for the band, who left 11 years between their second and third records, resurfacing in 2008.

But Barrow told BBC 6 Music the trio had already discussed new song ideas.

"We're going to start writing and if all goes well it could be [out] in a year's time," the musician said.

"That would be the most perfect thing to do."

Barrow said that Portishead, who aren't currently bound by a recording contract, were in negotiations with several companies about how to release the album.

He dismissed the idea of the band taking on the duties of a record label themselves.

"It would be a complete nightmare," he said. "It would end in a nervous breakdown.

"[Being without a record deal] is a really lovely place to be for the first time. We're meeting labels and just talking about the future and where the business is going."

Barrow added that he and band-mates Beth Gibbons and Adrian Utley had discussed Portishead's long-term future after the release of Third in 2008.

"Beth said 'are we going to do this forever?', and I said, 'Well, yeah, maybe'," he revealed.

Recently the Bristol-based producer/instrumentalist completed an album with another trio, called Beak.

He admitted that their process of recording was a huge contrast to Portishead.

"With Portishead there's long periods of thinking, without any ideas. It is about progressing music and our problem is that if we don't think we can progress it forward we get stuck in a hole."

"I think Beak is slightly more forgiving in its ideas. We didn't talk about it much, we just went in and played it. It was quite refreshing really."

The group, which includes Billy Fuller and Matt Williams, made their debut record in 12 days - reflected in the title, Recordings 05/01/09 > 17/01/09 - without any overdubbing after the original performance.

Barrow said he was inspired by the avant-garde Dogme 95 doctrine, as advocated by film director Lars Von Trier, to put limitations on the recording process.

Beak's album is out on 19 October on Invada Records, a label that Barrow runs with Paul Horlick.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8275835.stm

Maybe a proper tour this time around?

[TallGuyCM]

YES.

[rage patton]

Coachella 2011?

[Kid B]

AWESOME!

[stinkbutt]

Coachella 2011?

Yes please

[faxman75]

Portishead / Massive Attack 2010

Get ready.

[PassiveTheory]

Oh fuck.

[psycobetabuckdown]

I'd like to see Portishead for more than 1 hour. I hope they tour this album.

How about AIR opening for Portishead?

[PassiveTheory]

I don't think that'd necessarily work anymore. Portishead's going in this weird direction where I'd almost see a band like Liars or Clinic as an opener more so than another downtempo electronic music act like Air or Morcheeba.

[obzen]

Impressive.

[anti-square]

What you almost see sucks.

[captncrzy]

Woohoo!!!!!

[Alligator Bogaloo]

Portishead, Coachella 2011, do it!

[psycobetabuckdown]

Liars? Third isn't that avant-garde. Neither is Radiohead, I know, but I don't see why Liars fit any more than AIR. But anyway, I just want some epic opener, it can be Queens of the Stone Age too.

[BlackSwan]

Radiohead/Portishead Co-headline World Tour 2011.

[digitaldragon03]

Holy shit. I hope they continue to go deeper in the direction of Third.

[mattpach]

This is great news.

[slurpee]

I am so in love with Beth Gibbons.

[Grant]

I NEED to see them live. Please tour!!!

[summerkid]

Coachella 2011?

i doubt that they will ever play coachella again they weren't too happy about being bumped down from headliner status in 2008. I think Geoff Barrow made it known he was upset about it and said that he didn't even like prince.

[Alchemy]

I think AIR would be an amazing band for Portishead to tour with. Portishead and Massive Attack, however, would be a fitting tour.

[unknown]

This is FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!

[PassiveTheory]

i doubt that they will ever play coachella again they weren't too happy about being bumped down from headliner status in 2008. I think Geoff Barrow made it known he was upset about it and said that he didn't even like prince.

What? I thought he was kidding when he said that.

[hendrixfan143]

Fucking yes, i would love to see them again

[zimmy1222]

They just need a proper tour... I would be fine with them not being at Coachella as long as they toured... and played longer than they did @ coachella

[summerkid]

What? I thought he was kidding when he said that.

i dont think so.

http://drownedinsound.com/news/32108...ying-coachella

[Cdubby]

Well they sounded amazing and they deserve more than an hour (my favorite Coachella set I've seen). I don't care if they come back to Coachella, just give me a CA date somewhere.

[BlackSwan]

Seriously, proper tour pleeeeeeeeeeeease.

[boarderwoozel3]

Been there done Coachella. Whatever. I'd do some seriously degrading things for a US theater tour.

[zimmy1222]

Been there done Coachella. Whatever. I'd do some seriously degrading things for a US theater tour.

Fox Theater in Oakland Portishead with Sneaker Pimps (outta nowhere!) as the opener???

I wouldn't complain.