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Related Music Theory Alchemy

“Glory Box” by Portishead from the album Dummy (1994) presents a haunting and somewhat melancholy ambience commonly found in their trademark trip-hop style. This song, in particular, draws from a palette of jazz-influenced harmony. The chords used, their extensions, and inversions, conjure complexity beyond basic triadic harmony. The chord progression listed appears to be in the key of D minor and employs common jazz techniques like ii-V-I progressions and usage of the half-diminished chord.

“Glory Box” by Portishead is a Trip Hop masterpiece which blends elements of blues, rock, soul, and electronic music together in an innovative and influential way. The song’s chord progression, as illustrated by the verse, is D minor, D minor with C in the bass (notated as Dm/C), B minor 7 flat 5, and B flat major 7. This particular chord progression gives an overall melancholy and haunting feeling throughout the song and sets the tone for the track.

The chorus of “Closer” by Nine Inch Nails is built around a progression that oscillates between a single major chord, F, and a single minor seventh chord, Cm7. This is quite minimalistic. Major chords usually have a happy, positive feel, while minor chords induce a somewhat sad, introspective mood. The use of C minor 7th gives a particular color to the progression: it’s a minor chord with an added minor seventh, which means it’s a bit less stable than a regular minor chord.

The chorus of Taylor Swift’s song “ME!” employs a bright and catchy chord progression that’s emblematic of pop music’s joyful and exuberant character. This progression underpins the song’s themes of self-affirmation and positivity, making it an infectious and memorable part of the track.

“Wild Horses” by The Rolling Stones is a rock ballad with a minor tonality and is composed in the key of G major. The song incorporates the use of modal interchange, more commonly referred to as borrowed chords, from the parallel minor. This common technique in rock music contributes to the melancholic and emotionally resonant feeling of the song.

Portishead – Glory Box – Chorus

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Chord Progression

[‘Dm’, ‘Dm/C’, ‘Bm7b5’, ‘Bbmaj7’, ‘Dm’, ‘Dm/C’, ‘Bm7b5’, ‘Bbmaj7’, ‘Dm’, ‘Dm/C’, ‘Bm7b5’, ‘Bbmaj7’, ‘Dm’]

Chord Progression Analysis

“`
Dm (‘i’)
Dm/C (‘i with VII in the bass’)
Bm7b5 (‘vi half-diminished’)
Bbmaj7 (‘♭VI Major 7’)
Dm (‘i’)
Dm/C (‘i with VII in the bass’)
Bm7b5 (‘vi half-diminished’)
Bbmaj7 (‘♭VI Major 7’)
Dm (‘i’)
Dm/C (‘i with VII in the bass’)
Bm7b5 (‘vi half-diminished’)
Bbmaj7 (‘♭VI Major 7’)
Dm (‘i’)
“`

Similar Chord Progressions

1. Radiohead’s “Exit Music (For A Film)” also utilizes a minor to major seventh movement, though in a different key:
“`
Am (‘i’)
E (‘V’)
G (‘♭VII’)
Dmaj7 (‘IVmaj7’)
“`

2. Billie Eilish’s “when the party’s over” uses a similar pattern to start, moving from minor to half-diminished:
“`
Fmaj7 (‘I’)
Fm7 (‘i’)
G7 (‘V’)
Fmaj7 (‘IV’)
“`

Musical Analysis

This progression is quite intriguing, utilizing a mixture of chord types – minor, half-diminished, and major seventh – that adds considerable depth to the piece. This progression does not follow a typical pop/rock pattern but rather leans into Portishead’s characteristic trippy, brooding style. The chord transitions smoothly thanks to common tones and stepwise movement in the bass.

Overall Analysis

The “Glory Box” by Portishead chorus progression is based in D minor and moves between this primary D minor chord and three other chords: Dm/C, Bm7b5, and Bbmaj7. The Dm/C chord is the same as the D minor, but with a different note in the bass (C). The Bm7b5 is a half-diminished chord. The Bbmaj7 is major seventh chord.

Style Analysis

Portishead is known for their unique, cinematic blend of styles known as trip-hop, which marries elements of jazz, rock, hip-hop, and electronic music. The unusual chord progression in “Glory Box” helps create the moody, atmospheric sound that defines this song and much of their work. The progression’s focus on dark, minor chords and half-diminished chords highlights their jazz influences, while the bass movement underscores the rhythmic drive found in hip-hop and electronic music.

Chords in the Chorus section of Glory Box by Portishead are:

[‘Dm’, ‘Dm/C’, ‘Bm7b5’, ‘Bbmaj7’, ‘Dm’, ‘Dm/C’, ‘Bm7b5’, ‘Bbmaj7’, ‘Dm’, ‘Dm/C’, ‘Bm7b5’, ‘Bbmaj7’, ‘Dm’]