In The Groove: Portishead and their game-changing ‘Dummy’ debut album 30 years later
Listen to “In the Groove” with Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET.
It’s the type of show I dream of doing — the celebration of an album that has meant so much to me over the years and its 30th anniversary.
This time, it’s all about the trip hop classic Dummy by Portishead, released on this very day back in 1994. The otherworldly voice of Beth Gibbons (who has some of her solo work played on the show today, too), the production duo of Adrian Utley and Geoff Barrow (his new Beak> album gets a spin, too).
It’s like down tempo lightning in a bottle.
I bought this CD blind when I was still in high school at a now-closed record store in Royal Oak called Wendell’s. The cover sucked me. I took it home, turned it up and my world was forever changed.
And I said that on air today — “anyone hearing this for the first time? Is it changing your life like it did mine?” And I got an email from Josh in Sarnia, Ontario who wrote in, “This is the first time I’ve heard Portishead! Gorgeous.”
That made my whole damn week. Thank you for listening and enjoying one of my favorite albums with me!
There’s some other trip-hop building blocks in the playlist today including Massive Attack, Tranquility Bass and, I’d argue, you can hear the influence on Digable Planets’ “Black Ego,” too (they’ll be in town this week with the Roots). Plus new stuff from SAHRA, Astrid Sonne, Adrianne Lenker and more.
Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.
In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for Aug. 22, 2024
- “Glory Box” – Portishead
- “Strawberry Line” – Beak>
- “My Girls” – Animal Collective
- “Reaching Out” – Beth Gibbons
- “Black Ego” – Digable Planets
- “Love and Happiness” – Monty Alexander
- “Grandma’s Hands” – Bill Withers
- “Risk It All” – SAHRA
- “Bittersweet” – LIanne La Havas
- “Hammers” – Kessoncoda
- “Say You Love Me” – Astrid Sonne
- “God Herself (Tune-Yards Remix)” – Madison McFerrin
- “As” – Stevie Wonder
- “Rock Steady (Sure Is Pure Remix)” – Aretha Franklin
- “Protection” – Massive Attack
- “They Came In Peace” – Tranquility Bass
- “It Could Be Sweet” – Portishead
- “Mysterons (Roseland NYC Live)” – Portishead
- “Count The Days (feat. Jenny Lewis)” – Swamp Dogg
- “Once a Bunch” – Adrianne Lenker
- “Wild Wood (Sheared Wood Remix) [Paul Weller Vs. Portishead]” – Paul Weller & Portishead
- “Strangers” – Portishead
- “Into The 90s” – Photek
- “Crushed Velvet (feat. Thee Sacred Souls)” – Molly Lewis
- “909” – Starflyer 59
- “Fishbrain” – Mount Kimbie
- “Too Much, Enough” – Nation of Language
- “Build A Bridge” – Deeper
- “Favourite” – Fontaines D.C.
- “Lullaby” – The Cure
Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.
