CD Review: American Ghetto [2010]

Band: Portugal. The Man
Release: 3/2010
Label: Equal Vision

1. “The Dead Dog” – B
2. “Break” – B-
3. “60 Years” – B+
4. “All My People” – A-
5. “1000 Years” – A
6. “Fantastic Pace” – A-
7. “The Pushers Party” – B+
8. “Do What We Do” – B
9. “Just A Fool” – B-
10. “Some Men” – B
11. “When The War Ends” – B+

Comments: This band was a fresh discovery for me last summer. I very favorably reviewed their 2009 LP The Satanic Satanist. That was a unique record for me… definitely plenty psychedelic, but plenty pop as well. The beauty of this band is that it’s really hard to say that they are this or they are that. Given the title alone, you’d probably think this was a hip-hop record. There is, without a doubt, influence coming from hip-hop and neo-soul on a lot of Portugal. The Man’s tunes. That’s why I don’t mind throwing out a band like Outkast for comparison purposes. I guess I’ll even name drop Cold War Kids for a track like “Fantastic Pace.” I don’t have many complaints about this album, but I’d probably say top to bottom I prefer Satanist.

Grade: B (86)