August 2 - Mysterons

I have said it before - I really like Portishead. They have released three studio albums, and they just don't disappoint. Their debut album, Dummy,  was released in 1994, and while Glory Box and Sour Times were songs that really attracted a lot of buzz and attention, it was clear that this was something special from the very opening of the album. There is tension and drama, the production is echoing the earliest days of recording, and Beth Gibbons' voice is haunting. Geoff Barrow puts together a canvas of beats and themes, often using the Fender Rhodes (an electric piano heard throughout their album), while producer Adrian Utley plays the guitars as well as some keyboards and adds texture to the extent that he became a permanent member following the release of Dummy. I don't know what to call their music - or how to classify it - but does that really matter as long as the music is this great? Evidence #1: Mysterons