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Related Music Theory Alchemy

The song “Roads” by Portishead features a haunting yet melodic chord progression reminiscent of the minor key-oriented pop/rock of the 90’s. It combines chords from the key of A minor along with a borrowed chord from the parallel major key to create a moody, atmospheric soundscape typical of the trip-hop genre.

“The Rip” by Portishead is a classic example of the Trip-hop genre. It features simple, yet effective harmonic progressions that offer a melancholic tone which is widely utilized in this genre. The distinctiveness of this particular chord progression lies on its subtle shifting between minor and major tonalities, as well as its use of borrowed chords.

Verse 1

Tame Impala’s “Let It Happen” is a song in A major key. The chord progression seems simple at first, with a repetitive motive throughout the verse but it creates a hypnotic effect that is very much in line with Tame Impala’s psychedelic style.

The chord progression of “Because” by The Beatles demonstrates the band’s profound exploration of harmony. The song starts in the key of C# minor, revolves around this key, and includes various modulations and tonicizations to explore chords beyond the key. It heavily employs secondary dominants and borrowed chords, particularly the diminished 7th chords, which is not uncommon in Beatles’s songs. The chord progression has a dreamy and fluid flow due to these harmonic explorations.

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The given chord progression is from the verse of Beck’s song “Morning.” The progression is in the key of E Major and follows a cyclical pattern throughout the verse.

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Portishead – Roads – Verse 1

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Chord Progression

[‘Am’, ‘G6’, ‘Fma7’, ‘E7’, ‘Am’, ‘G6’, ‘Fmaj7’, ‘E7’, ‘F’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘F’, ‘G’, ‘Am’]

Chord Progression Analysis

– Am (‘i’)
– G6 (‘♭VII6’)
– Fmaj7 (‘♭VIΔ7’)
– E7 (‘V7’)

(Note: ‘♭VIΔ7’ (Fmaj7) is a borrowed chord)

Similar Chord Progressions

– Radiohead – “Paranoid Android”: [‘Am’, ‘Fmaj7’, ‘Gmaj7’, ‘Cmaj7’]
– Tame Impala – “Yes I’m Changing”: [‘Am’, ‘Gmaj’, ‘Fmaj7’, ‘E7’]

Though not identical, these songs share a similar use of the ‘♭VIΔ7’ chord (Fmaj7) and resolve to a dominant 7th. This creates a similar mood and feel between these songs and “Roads” by Portishead.

Musical Analysis

This intriguing progression forms the verse’s primary harmonic structure. It traverses from the tonic i (Am), to the flat major 7th (‘♭VIΔ7’; Fmaj7), and finally to the dominant 7th (V7; E7). This creates unpredictability as it doesn’t follow a standard harmonic motion usually found in popular music. Emphasizing on the E7 chord’s tension, it calls for a resolution that returns us to the tonic (i, Am).

Overall Analysis

“Roads” by Portishead is set in the key of Am, also known as A minor. In the verse, there is an interesting use of the flat major 7 (Fmaj7) chord. This chord is not typically found within the natural minor key but is considered a borrowed chord from the A major key. Thus, this use of said borrowed chord and its resolution to the E7 dominants gives the song a unique feel, contributing to its mesmerizing and emotive ambience. Portishead tends to blend the use of A minor and A Dorian modality in their music, especially apparent in this composition.

Style Analysis

Portishead is known for their trip-hop genre. Their style often fuses elements of rock, hip-hop, and jazz which is reflected in the mixture of modalities and harmonic progressions used in “Roads”. The use of a ⸗♭VIΔ7 (Fmaj7) chord gives a somewhat jazzy feel to the song. The progression has a poignant and somewhat melancholic vibe that fits well with the overall theme of the song.

Chords in the Verse 1 section of Roads by Portishead are:

[‘Am’, ‘G6’, ‘Fma7’, ‘E7’, ‘Am’, ‘G6’, ‘Fmaj7’, ‘E7’, ‘F’, ‘G’, ‘Am’, ‘F’, ‘G’, ‘Am’]