Reviews > Portugal. The Man
Portugal. The Man Brightens Up The Ghetto
By Johnny Firecloud
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
With a release rate of roughly an album a year for the past five years, Portugal. The Man have a relentless work ethic – but the pace comes natural to them. “I always think this is the funniest question to ask, how do you write an album every year… but I mean, it’s a year, man,” frontman John Gourley said through laughter in a recent interview with KCRW.
It’s not quite so funny when one takes into account how far Portugal goes to keep from repeating themselves. As evidenced by their latest release, American Ghetto, there’s simply no way of knowing how the next album will sound by the way the previous one leaves off. The Satanic Satanist was brilliant (read our review), and stacked the deck for disappointment in a quick follow-up. Thankfully for fans and newcomers, let-downs are not on the menu for American Ghetto.
Recorded just a few weeks after the completion of Satanist, it’s surprising to find that Ghetto sounds like anything but an extension of those sessions. Launching from the Motown grooves of last year’s release, thick flavors of soul-folk psychedelia and funk run through the Rock current, with new directions taken in experimentalism that blow open a new sense of spirit. Bass fuzz and drum machines counter beautiful layered melodies and an undercurrent of yearning hunger with a layered depth that enriches on repeat listens. In short, the album’s deceptively catchy, pretty in a way that defies the album’s true depth.
Opener Dead Dog set the precedent as the first single, with echoing horns, gritty drums and retro sci-fi noises dancing in the background lending a hip-hop funk groove that remains through much of the album. American Ghetto’s lyrics are particularly personal to John Gourley this time around (read his own explanation), but there’s plenty room left for interpretation in small-town reflections and walks through the places we came from.
That’s not to say there’s a Springsteen-esque lyrical quality akin to The River to be found here. Some of these tales grab the heart, but with a beat-heavy album full of electronic exploration and upbeat tones there’s no mistaking this for wallowing in pensive reflection. Perhaps the most touching is the story of those unfortunate souls who “grow into nothing,” those who “no one wants,” as described in Fantastic Pace. It could be an observation of those who never managed to break out of the band’s tiny hometown, it could be a sad assessment of culture castaways in America.
Zach Carothers turns in a career-high bass performance on American Ghetto, alternating between pop-funk blasts and porno grooves, particularly on trippy highlight Pushers’ Party and weirdo fuzz-crunch disco-melody burst When The War Ends. Massive Attack cousin All My People and goes down easy with a laid-back electro-beat core, heavy on harmonies and catchy chorus, while Zoe Manville returns to provide backing vocals, her voice a gorgeous counterpart to Gourley’s throughout the record – specifically here. The end of the track is a beautiful display of heart-soaring harmonies.
The hand-claps and gang vocals in the chorus of Do What We Do could’ve replaced the Sopranos opening song, and it’s infectious enough to replace whatever jingle you can’t get out of your head as you toss & turn in the middle of the night. By contrast, Just A Fool is a dark, soft-stepping walk through melancholy lane with a Michael Hutchence-meets-Beck kind of sexiness. As Gourley sings into silence, “still there is nothing beautiful in me,” it’s hard to figure whether to fall in love or be heartbroken. Or both.
It wouldn’t be unfair to view American Ghetto as a collective of the strongest flavors from the band’s work thus far. It’s not a weakness to build on your strengths, and while there’s many things you might call Portugal. The Man, unoriginal is not one of them. If a film were built around the album, it would be a bright technicolor one, with bathing light of hope outshining the more somber realities lurking in the margins. If John Lennon were an entire band, less hung up on saving the world and more focused on poignant pop sensibility with a side of spontaneous psychedelics, he would be Portugal. The Man.
- 01. The Dead Dog
- 02. Break
- 03. 60 Years
- 04. All My People
- 05. 1000 Years
- 06. Fantastic Pace
- 07. The Pushers Party
- 08. Do What We Do
- 09. Just A Fool
- 10. Some Men
- 11. When The War Ends
Great review yet again! These guys have yet to disappoint me with any of their albums or live performances.
I also reviewed the album over at Music for Perfect People: http://musicforperfectpeople.wordpress.com/2010/03/03/review-portugal-the-man-american-ghetto/
Good read, man. Did they really play the entire thing before shows on their last tour?
Awesome album, can’t wait to get my hard copy. Also, that last sentence of your review is brilliant.
They played it before the NYC show at the Apple store and Boston I believe .. It wasnt announced or anything .. it was just the music they had on in the venue while they were setting up. Sweet treat!
Thought this album was merely good at first, but its grown on my quite a bit, really great all around. I can’t believe how fast this band became one of my favorites. Caught them at the 930 club a few weeks ago and they fucking destroyed the place. They only played two American Ghetto tunes (Dead Dog and 60 Years) but they were both transformed into some nasty snarling guitar jams.
Does the cd (if you guys saw it) come in a fancy ass case like the last one? I reallyloved the packaging on it and almost felt like i should get one to display and one to listen to.
Not sure about that just yet – we deal in digital currencies these days, and the days of promo CDs being sent out are grinding to a standstill with this newfangled internet business.
man, I got to get you a new publicity photo. Email me and I will send one. We will continue to send out promos in the future but as you know this record was released with zero promotion and sending out promos would go against that.
Yes, we played the record at select shows on repeat. Yes the Apple Store was one of those places. Mixes were still being worked on but we could not think of a cooler way to leak the record then on our own to the people who came to see us play
thanks as always
rich
Jumping Christflakes that one didn’t even have the right band members…. fixed! Thanks for the confirmation/new photo Rich.
Great review! Been lovin’ this album for a couple of weeks now. I was hooked hard on Satanist, and with this one I confirm my stay.
Am I the only one in the world who thinks Waiters was really their most solid and most innovative album? Ever since then, they just started trying to sound more bluesy 60’s and everything has been getting more and more bland. Although I like American Ghetto much more than Satanic Satanist, I can help but feel John Gourley’s singing and lyrics are just getting worse. His voice is still one of my favorites ever.
Dude, the singing on Waiter’s was almost painful. Wayyy to close to emo whining. The music was still good though, and those songs are great live, but I definately like where they’ve gone more.
i can’t believe i didn’t check these guys out earlier. my god. good call antiquiet. good call.
[...] Related The Details On Our Upcoming… Portugal Is The Name Of This… Portugal. The Man Brightens Up… Portugal. The Man Has A New… [...]
[...] Dog is the lead track from the band’s latest album American Ghetto. If you missed our review, check it out. Portugal. The Man is one of the most creative bands we’ve discovered since starting [...]
[...] are new to you? Well shit. Check out our review of The Satanic Satanist, and of its 2010 follow-up American Ghetto, aaand their videos for The Sun and The Dead Dog. And lots more over at the band’s regularly [...]
[...] Atmosphere Fights For The… Related Finding Portugal (And… Portugal. The Man Brightens Up… Portugal. The Man Has A New… Revisiting Portugal. The… [...]