Tag Archives: Portugal. The Man

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)

Favorite Discoveries of 2009

Cool bands (in alphabetical order?) that I discovered for the first time in 2009. Rule: they must not have been formed in 2009/must not have released their first record in 2009. Anything questionable, I didn’t include. And no doubts that I forgot some.

– Atlas Sound
– Black Moth Super Rainbow
– Bloodshot Bill
– Bobby Ubangi
– Box Elders
– Galaxie 500
– Mika Miko
– Portugal. The Man
– Thee Oh Sees

CD Review: The Satanic Satanists

Band: Portugal. The Man
Release: 2009

1. “People Say” – 8.3
2. “Work All Day” – 8.9
3. “Lovers In Love” – 8.6
4. “The Sun” – 8.8
5. “The Home” – 9.3
6. “The Woods” – 8.8
7. “Guns and Dogs” – 9.1
8. “Do You” – 9.3
9. “Everyone Is Golden” – 9.4
10. “Let You Down” – 8.6
11. “Mornings” – 9.6

Comments: What’s going on in this album is essentially marginalized pop music. It’s the kind of music that could easily become “big,” but as a whole is a bit too obscure for that level. I sense a variety of reggae and R&B influence. For its genre(s), it’s no doubt top-tier. The latter half of the album consists of some of the best pop-rock this year has seen.

Final Grade: 9.0 out of 10