Beth Gibbons and Rustin 'Out of Season'

BETH GIBBONS (the inimitable voice of Portishead) and PAUL WEBB aka RUSTIN MAN (bassist of Talk Talk) will embark on an exclusive U.S. tour for the first time in support of their debut collaboration Out Of Season. The album due out October 7 on Sanctuary Records has been universally praised:

"Staggering" - GUARDIAN
"The most intensely moving music of recent times" - UNCUT
"Bewitching" - ESQUIRE
"Spellbinding" - Q
"Gorgeously uneasy" - THE GUARDIAN
"The find of the year..." - MAIL ON SUNDAY
"A dusky, acoustic masterpiece, haunted by the ghost of Billie Holliday." - SCOTSMAN

Dealing with the autumnal issues of decay and the passing of time, Out Of Season is an intimate musical portrait steeped in stark melancholy, wistful melodies and passionate grit. BETH GIBBONS and RUSTIN MAN have undoubtedly delivered an assured, exquisite and evocative masterwork.

The pair met pre-Portishead days when Beth auditioned for Paul's post Talk Talk outfit O'rang and the two have remained friends ever since. Following Portishead's last tour, one conversation led to another and the genesis that would become Out Of Season commenced. This is an esthetic departure for both Gibbons and Webb in that the album is free of the trip hop rhythms and electronic imagery which helped define their respective groups. The result is a moving, emotional collaboration which effortlessly takes the listener on a timeless and enchanted journey.

The album (written between Beth and Paul's respective homes in the UK) contains guest contributions from their immediate band circles: Adrian Utley (guitar, co-production) of Portishead; drummer Clive Deamer and pianist John Baggott from Portishead's live band and drummer and percussionist Lee Harris and guitarist Simon Edwards from Talk Talk. Out Of Season was mixed by Phill Brown (Spirit Of Eden - Talk Talk, Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix)

For this exclusive tour BETH GIBBONS AND RUSTIN MAN will be joined by: Utley, Harris and Edwards along with keyboardist Jason Hazeley Smith and violinist Clare MacTaggart. Of the limited UK live performances, reviewers have exclaimed:

"The results are exquisite"
- GUARDIAN (Oct 18, 2002)

"Breathtaking subtlety, leaving you hanging on the gaps between every word"
The Independent Review

"Her voice exudes other-worldly beauty. Led gently by melodica, piano, and accordion, the opening Mysteries allowed Gibbons to brood in a way she rarely can with Portishead."
- THE STANDARD (Oct 17, 2002)

"Breathtakingly beautiful melange of soul, folk and jazz"
-Independent on Sunday

"The voice is still instantly recognizable, still chillingly beautiful, and even more out of step with what's going on in the current music world. But it doesn't matter - the so-acoustic-it's-naked 'Mysteries' is pure Nico, while 'Tom The Model' is unsettling."
-NME (Oct 26, 2002)

"Seductive"- TIMES (Oct 19, 2002)
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