I'm not the one to explain the whole Portishead phenomenon, but (1) interest in a band among wide swaths of critics can easily increase during the years the band stopped and when it restarted, the Dolls and the Stooges being two obvious examples (not to mention the Troggs and ? and the Mysterians etc. etc. etc.) and (2) I wouldn't be surprised if some of the critics live in the Midwest, which after all is where Pitchfork Media has its physical location. Also, though I've only heard one song from it (and only remember one song total from their first two albums), from what I've read their new sound is an actual departure. In fact, I'm told that Beth Gibbons has made zero compromises this time out: her lyrics uniformly bleak and her singing in a very 'closed' performance style, not looking for empathy.