Portishead: 78

I like what the band is doing. This is one of the few bands where a female singer has a distinct style. She has a really weird voice that can be twisted and shaped to her heart's desire. Many mainstream listeners would be totally wacked out, but I think it's really cool for those weird moods. There's strong backup, although it isn't a prominent part of the music. What's different is that I'm unfamiliar with many of the sounds in the background, and that adds to the mystic. A solid album with a lot of variety, which hints towards the direction female singers may be going. It's not generic, boring, or tiresome because it always keeps you off of your seat.