Roseland NYC Live

---

---

Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
Re-working a selection of tracks from both Dummy and the eponymous follow up, PNYC demonstrates how the recorded can translate equally well into the live, given a little inspiration and creativity. Drawing on full string and horn sections and turntablist intervention from Andy Smith, they explore live soundtrack angles, lacing the original versions with measures of Lalo Schifrin, Barry Mancini et al. Although some may be sceptical at the lack of new material, they shouldn't be put off. As the neo-classical sounds of "Glory Box", post rock of "Sour Times", brazen brass jazz of "All Mine" and theremin-led hip hop of "Mysterons" all comfortably cohabit the same place, managing to re-work and re-charm their way into your sub conscious. PNYC is a class delivery from Portishead, from the arrangement and production to the performance and orchestration. --Found Sounds

---

Customer reviews

review by: date: 2008-05-08 rating:
Brilliant
Other reviewers have said it all - I just want to clarify a couple of things
1) A couple of tracks here are not the same performances as on the companion video. One of them, Roads, was recorded at a festival (and certainly sounds like it!). The other - well, read on...
2) None of the tracks on this album deserve to be damned with the faint praise of "faithful reproduction of the originals". For one thing, they're all loud and vivid-sounding, with a fine balance of ambience and clarity (and this makes a particular difference to the second-album material - Cowboys is a speaker-blaster!). Elsewhere, Mysterons and Strangers have extended codas; Half Day Closing (with all its vocal processing intact) ends with a strange `Liberty Bell'-like sample (!); most importantly, Sour Times is not the standard arrangement but rather the slowed-down `rock' version that's been such a highlight of so many gigs.
The only reason I've given it four stars is that it should have been a double disc with alternate versions of the four video-only songs (and how about an uncut version of Western Eyes - the live version was really heavy (!), far superior to the studio take).
But don't overlook it because of that - after all, you're unlikely to find a bootleg that sounds this good.

---

review by: chappers date: 2008-03-16 rating:
over-flated
I disagree with most comments posted here. The performance was probably mesmerising but here the songs sound too orchestrated/big for me and detract from the atmosphere of the original versions: All Mine sounds like Royal Variety and Only You's original minimal sound seems to have the orchestra appear in the chorus just to give them something to do. It all sounds like a mainsteam cross-over to me: stick with the originals.

---

review by: date: 2007-01-28 rating:
Simply amazing
Its been a long time since the last time I heard something new and loved it. In this case however it wasnt really new, the concert was 9 nine years ago. But it is something new for me, and I'm sure was/will be for many others as well.

I'm coming from a rock/metal background, but also listen to blues and jazz and bands like Pink Floyd and, more the more recent Radiohead and Muse. THANKFULY I did not see the label 'trip-hop' next to Portishead's name when I first listened to this album. Had I seen such a label I probably wouldn't even bother to listen to it. So, don't let the label trick you. It's never a good thing.

---

review by: date: 2006-12-31 rating:
Staggeringly good
Just finished my first listen of this album, and still haven't got my breath back. Sublime, stunning, absolute perfection... words can't do justice to this amazing piece of work. So good, you won't want to play anything else afterwards - nothing could follow this.


review by: ea_solinas date: 2006-01-18 rating:
Live it up
Most live albums pretty much lose the feel of the original studio albums -- sometimes they sound tinny and distant. No such sound here. "Live: Roseland NYC" has not only an orchestra, but the jazzy trip-hop of Portishead's two albums, and the beautiful voice of Beth Gibbons. No wonder it was so good.

Portishead hit the big time with their sophomore album "Dummy," an exquisite blend of smoky jazz and subtle trip-hop. Which, admittedly, sounds like the wrong kind of music to play live, but it works wonderfully here. Portishead includes an almost equal mix of songs from their two albums -- six from "Portishead," five from "Dummy."

And surprisingly, the songs sound like simple redos of the mysterious, melancholy songs from Portishead's too-short career, not stage banter and stripped-down versions of lush songs. It's more than a little unusual to have a band's third album be a live one, but in this case it seems perfectly acceptable.

Backed by an entire orchestra, horns and some wicked turntables, the band plays remarkable versions of their songs. "All Mine" is even more beautiful and haunting than in the album, and "Sour Times" is even more breathtaking than it was originally. Most of the others are faithful renditions, given a powerful new twist with the strings and horns -- only a couple feel less cohesive in a live setting.

Frontwoman Beth Gibbons is known as having a lovely pop voice, and she is in excellent form here. A lot of singers are exposed in live performances as having less-than-stellar vocals, but Gibbons' performance demonstrates what a beautiful voice she has.

"Live: Roseland NYC" is a demonstration of what a good live album should be, showcasing one of trip-hop's best bands. Definitely worth checking out, both as as an accompaniment to Portishead's studio albums, and as a good listen itself.

---

Similar products

Portishead
Third
Dummy
Out of Season
Portishead - PNYC - Live At The Roseland Theatre [1998]

---

Similar categories

Music . Styles . Dance & Electronic . Bestsellers
Music . Styles . Dance & Electronic . Electronica
Music . Styles . Dance & Electronic . Trip Hop
Music . Styles . Indie . Bestsellers
Music . Styles . Rock . Live Albums
Music . Styles . Rock . General AAS
Music . Styles . Pop . Bestsellers
Music . Styles . Pop . Live Albums
Music . Styles . Pop . General AAS
Music . Styles . Adult Contemporary . Bestsellers
Music . Styles . Adult Contemporary . Live Albums
Music . Styles . Adult Contemporary . Pop Rock
Music . Styles . Hip-Hop & Rap . General AAS
Music . Refinements . Format (binding_browse-bin) . CD . CD Album

---