Portishead

There’s something very eerie about Portishead frontwoman Beth Gibbons’ vocals. They’re one part longing, two parts creepy witch chick from that Nicholas Cage movie, all parts hypnotic. She brings a vulnerability and a darkness that work perfectly with trip-hop music tracks. All of these components add up to a mysterious, yet approachable sound. With only three albums since starting shop in ’91, the mystery and legacy of Portishead won’t quit. Not a lot of bands can pull off a spot in Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Albums Of All Time” with such a miniscule discography. Heck, some bands whip up two albums a year and still can’t get arrested. What this means is that the gloom and doom collective brings the awesome each time Gibbons creeps on the microphone.

Updated 09/28/2011