Beth Gibbons Shows Her Style Isn't Limited to Trip-Hop
Written: May 16 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Beth Gibbons' vocals & lyrics
Cons: Gets a little repetitive at times.
The Bottom Line: See Review.
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| JennJoy's Full Review: Out of Season - Beth Gibbons & Rustin Man Movies |
Most people who are familiar with the name Beth Gibbons know her as the chanteuse of Portishead fame with the remarkably soulful, bluesy voice that is so beautiful and tortured it could make you cry in an instant. Portishead is the group that defined trip-hop for so many in the 90's and though the beats were irresistible, it was Gibbons’ voice that attracted so many people to the music.
Enter Out of Season in late 2002. This album is considered Beth Gibbons’ first "solo" recording, though it is another collaboration - this time with Rustin Man a.k.a. Paul Webb of British group Talk Talk. The most important thing to keep in mind about this album is it is most definitely not a rehash of everything Portishead. Out of Season is not trip-hop in any way. In fact, the only similarity between the two is Gibbons’ vocals. Her singing on Portishead material always seemed otherworldly in the sense that it seemed she had been plucked from a 40's nightclub and contrasted against a modern sound. Out of Season gives us a look into what her voice can do when paired with more traditional folk, soul, and R&B arrangements.
Though the album includes a variety of musicians, including other members of Portishead and Talk Talk, the soundscape is rather sparse in most cases. Many of the tracks here feature fragile acoustic guitar, strings, and piano that serve as a soft backdrop for Gibbons voice and melancholy lyrics. Yes, you will find that Beth Gibbons still writes extremely poignant, somber lyrics and belts them out like she's expelling all her demons. This is not happy music, but it is splendid in its solemness.
Out of Season does get to be a bit too absorbed with Gibbons' anguish at times. While Portishead had enough contrast between voice and music to keep you enthralled, this album is almost too limited and many of the songs seem to blend together just a little too much. There are exceptions of course, and these are the tracks that really stand out from the bunch. These include "Rustin Man," which is the only song that employs any sort of electronica, and the engaging "Tom the Model" that is the most upbeat track with its gospel-like backing vocals and soaring chorus. "Drake" and "May You Never" also stand out due to their folk style and laid back vocals.
Beth Gibbons is one of those artists whose voice and lyrics are hard to ignore. If you love her with Portishead and go into this album realizing this isn't trip-hop, you will likely dig Out of Season. If you somehow aren't at all familiar with her previous work, you should still check out this album if you enjoy introspective, dreary music. I can only take this album in small doses, but they are each listens that are well worth it. Out of Season proves to be a worthwhile album that hopefully sets the stage for Beth Gibbons to branch out stylistically even more in the future.
Track Listing:
1. Mysteries
2. Tom the Model
3. Show
4. Romance
5. Sand River
6. Spider Monkey
7. Resolve
8. Drake
9. Funny Time of the Year
10. Rustin Man
Recommended:
Yes
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