Portishead is so specific. Like, you want to chill out and be kinda mellow sad. Slanted and Enchanted is this great rorschach test where you can plug almost any emotion into it and have it reflected back if you misinterpret the lyrics just right. The voice emotes, but doesn't say anything concrete. Over the long run, that's the stuff that'll last forever. "She's got the radio-active and it makes me feel okay, I don't feel okay" What does that mean? Dunno, but you can probably warp it into a deeply personal statement if necessary.
"Nobody loves me, it's true, not like you do" ok, relatable in a certain state of mind, fair enough. But a little on the nose, too. You'd think the record that's always name checked as "spy movie music" would be more mysterious, but you'd be wrong. S & E.

Dummy is this year's Pittsburgh: getting overrated as a 3 seed gives them an easy route to the Sweet 16.

If I'm not mistaken (always a strong possibility) wasn't it Pavement that perfected the "talk-don't-sing + nonsense-guitar-soloing + obtuse/insightful-lyrics + who-give-a-shit-production" that is still pretty much the template for any successful indie rock band? Calling this album hugely influential would be an understatement. What has Portishead ever done?

A cool byproduct of this tournament is checking out these albums again and clearing what can sometimes be years of shelved musical memories. Dusting them off with fresh listens tends to solidify one's vote, at least that has been my experience. Pavement in a rout, forcing CBS to cut away with 9:00 min left in the 2nd half.

It's funny, I loved Dummy and wore my copy of it out, and never, ever got into Pavement, and for the most part have hated its influence (well articulated by Monty, above) on rock music.

That said, I have to reluctantly vote for Pavement simply because its influence has been so pervasive.