2008 Woodie Awards
Portugal. The Man
Pete Aleksa
Issue date: 2/9/06 Section: Arts and Entertainment
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Portugal. The Man is an oddly named, indie-rock band comprised of two members of the defunct emo band Anatomy of a Ghost, guitarist/singer John Gourley and keyboardist Wes Hubbard, along with Zach Carothers on bass, Jason Sechrist on drums, and Jesse Cunningham on guitar.
The band, who hail from the arctic cultural Mecca that is Alaska, recently released their debut album, entitled Waiter: "You Vultures!", on January 24 of this year. Often compared to indie-rock contemporaries Wolf Parade, Pretty Girls Make Graves, and Circa Survive, the band shares an experimental style somewhat heavily influenced by The Mars Volta; as is the case with almost all bands on the cutting edge of the indie scene these days. This however, should not be taken to mean Portugal. The Man is by any means derivative, as they have certainly created a sound that is fresh and uniquely their own.
Utilizing a mix of traditional instruments such as guitars and piano, and more experimental electronic elements including drum machines, lo-fi recording, programming, and sampling, the band creates a blend of electronica, pop, funk, soul, emo, and a little 70s-era classic rock, fashioning a sound that is both unique and progressive yet highly catchy.
Reverb drenched keyboards and delayed guitars swirl over dance beats, as Gourley ruminates on modern life in a melodic wail, his lyrics subtly infused with social and political commentary.
The highlight of the album undoubtedly comes in its final track, Guns. Guns... Guns, which weaves its way through sections of trip-hop, electronica, and progressive rock, remaining precariously cohesive before finally descending into a cacophony of electronic sound as spoken word samples and impressionist piano weave their way through the background.
You can check out Portugal. The Man at the Fearless Records site, fearlessrecords.com, or at portugaltheman.net, the band's official site, or hit their Myspace page, myspace.com/portugaltheman, for mp3's of AKA M80 The Wolf, Kill Me. The King, and Bad, Bad Levi Brown.
The band, who hail from the arctic cultural Mecca that is Alaska, recently released their debut album, entitled Waiter: "You Vultures!", on January 24 of this year. Often compared to indie-rock contemporaries Wolf Parade, Pretty Girls Make Graves, and Circa Survive, the band shares an experimental style somewhat heavily influenced by The Mars Volta; as is the case with almost all bands on the cutting edge of the indie scene these days. This however, should not be taken to mean Portugal. The Man is by any means derivative, as they have certainly created a sound that is fresh and uniquely their own.
Utilizing a mix of traditional instruments such as guitars and piano, and more experimental electronic elements including drum machines, lo-fi recording, programming, and sampling, the band creates a blend of electronica, pop, funk, soul, emo, and a little 70s-era classic rock, fashioning a sound that is both unique and progressive yet highly catchy.
Reverb drenched keyboards and delayed guitars swirl over dance beats, as Gourley ruminates on modern life in a melodic wail, his lyrics subtly infused with social and political commentary.
The highlight of the album undoubtedly comes in its final track, Guns. Guns... Guns, which weaves its way through sections of trip-hop, electronica, and progressive rock, remaining precariously cohesive before finally descending into a cacophony of electronic sound as spoken word samples and impressionist piano weave their way through the background.
You can check out Portugal. The Man at the Fearless Records site, fearlessrecords.com, or at portugaltheman.net, the band's official site, or hit their Myspace page, myspace.com/portugaltheman, for mp3's of AKA M80 The Wolf, Kill Me. The King, and Bad, Bad Levi Brown.