Usually, groups wait until they've released at least three or four records before putting out a live album, but PNYC was too good an idea for Portishead to turn down. Recorded with a full orchestra on a cold, rainy day shortly after the release of their second record, Portishead, the project doubled as a live album and the soundtrack for a BBC documentary. In addition to being economical and perhaps lucrative, the disc demonstrates how sampled and sequenced music can be re-created in concert without losing any of the charm or dynamics of the original recordings. All it takes is a 22-piece string section, some horns, and a band whose tightness is exceeded only by its creativity. At times the performances on PNYC sound even more breathtaking and cinematic than Portishead's original recordings, as humming theremin, skittery scratching, and gliding strings mingle with stealthy guitar lines and sultry vocals. For Portishead, sour times seem like a distant memory. --Jon Wiederhorn
Customer Reviews:
Average Customer Review: 4.5 / 5.0
"Surpasses their studio recordings"
"The coolest trip-hop group live with an orchestra"
"The best live electronic music album ever."
"Never record ANYTHING in NYC again"
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
Surpasses their studio recordings:
Hot on the heels of two acclaimed studio albums, the trio of Geoff Barrow, Adrian Utley and singer Beth Gibbons toured the United States and in doing so worked with an orchestra and horns for a live release. It is often thought that electronic music is difficult to capture outside a studio, but "Live: Roseland NYC" is at the very least an exception. Whilst many critics have said Portishead's releases are too similar to each other, a good listen to "Live: Roseland NYC" with reveal a great many surprises... more info
The coolest trip-hop group live with an orchestra:
It seems like it might not work at first, but Portishead's "Live: Roseland NYC" album is probably the most stunning and most original live electronica album. And the string orchestra enhances their songs in unexpected ways. If Portishead's second album sounded like a creepy soundtrack to a Halloween horror movie, the string ensemble take the scary crescendos to a whole new level. Beth Gibbons sings a crooning alto similar to the James Bond singer Shirley Bassey. In the song "Cowboys," the orchestra... more info
The best live electronic music album ever.:
I read a review for Third in the New Yorker, and I found out that this live album existed. I had to get it right away because the reviewer was basically saying that Third is great, but nothing can ever beat the Roseland NYC album.. I have to say that Roseland is genius and I am extremely sd to have missed out on it for so long. Roseland really is a masterpiece.
Never record ANYTHING in NYC again:
One word: "Roads." What a mess the dimwitted NYC audience made of this song. Their stupid little clap-a-long and early applause ruin what really would have been one of the standout tracks on this album. Good news: no clapping on the DVD version! That said, I think most people will be happier with the DVD audio. Buy the DVD, and download "Sour Times" as this is the only performance that is really missing from the DVD.
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