Portishead
``Portishead''
(Go! Beat/London)
2 stars
The individual details that comprise Portishead's minimalist trip-hop are so arresting that it's easy to praise this British group without contemplating how well everything works together. Vocalist Beth Gibbons' steely shriek is truly an original, and Geoff Barrow supplements it with a sonic bed that, while sparse and moody, implies lushness. Spooky? Yes. But good? Not very. Alternating between somnolent and grating, ``Portishead'' substitutes trendy form for substantive songwriting, resulting in a forest that doesn't look -- or sound -- nearly as good as the trees.