Live Review: Portugal. The Man & Givers @ The Metro 7/2/2012

Can they play?  Check.

Is the band tight?  Double check.

Do they rock?  You betcha.

Have they great songs?

Just check their CDs or my review here.

Did they do great covers?

A bulldozing rendition of The Beatles' Helter Skelter and a

rollicking version of David Bowie's All The Young Dudes.

Were they loud?

Fact is, the band was great and most songs were beefed up, given a terrific boost live; so much so, vocals (Both frontman John Gourley's and the band's backing) should have been twice as high in the mix.

I was expecting sweet psychedelic pop/rock but was surprisingly (& pleasantly) served muscular, steroided rock bordering on Metal!  Only unfortunate casualty of the night was John's sometimes soulful and funky croon which was largely drowned by a band in top form.

A much better mix on French TV:

  7.8

Special mention must go to Sydney support band Guineafowl who held their own with a great selection of indie songs and Louisiana-based Givers who shared the bill with their take on alternate Calypso-Ragga rock.  They had a track which featured flutes and was almost Canton-flavoured.  Tiffany Lamson (on percussion duties) was especially impressive as she banged on those poor drums (in unison with Kirby Campbell, drums) within an inch of their lives...

Album Review: Portugal. The Man - In the Mountain in the Cloud

Portugal. The Man was formed in 2004, Wasilla, Alaska from the ashes of defunct band Anatomy of a Ghost and then relocated to Portland, Oregon.

In the Mountain in the Cloud, their sixth album and in as many years as a recording band, sees them fully embrace the romanticism of 70's radio-friendly pop-rock.







Cue the opening chimes and acoustic strums, the melodicism and lyricism instantly recalls the best years of Elton John / Bernie Taupin partnership...

In fact, throw into that same blender Supertramp, Electric Light Orchestra, David Bowie, Marc Bolan, Bee Gees, Santana, Scissor Sisters circa 2006's Tah-Dah and MGMT circa 2008's Oracular Spectacular.

It's a formula destined for disaster in less adroit hands.

But John Gourley (lead vocals, guitar), Zachary Carothers (bass guitar, backing vocals), Ryan Neighbors (keyboards, synthesizers, backing vocals) and Jason Sechrist (drums) have collectively pulled in the big guns to help realise their vision this time around.

Enlisting Santogold’s John Hill as the producer-of-choice and masterfully mixed by Andy Wallace (Grammy award winner behind Nirvana’s Nevermind and Jeff Buckley’s Grace), this has ambition writ large all over it but successfully sidesteps selling out their indie cred whilst debuting on major label Atlantic Records.

The story-driven songs are chorus and anthem heavy, suggesting lighters aloft sing-alongs at concerts.
The electric Bolan boogie-stomp swaggers perfectly on Got It All, Head Is a Flame channels MGMT, horn and synth embellishments on Everything You See feels as though filtered through psychedelic prisms and the panoramic Sleep Forever informs their Beatles' influence.

Before you know it, it's time for another spin. ☺

Simply Brilliant.  8.9/10

Portugal. The Man - In The Mountain In The Cloud by ATL REC

Paste Magazine Interview


WARNING: 
This arthouse videoclip spans 13 minutes and contains a shocking element not for the faint of heart.
It starts with Sleep Forever, ends with Got It All.  Bravo.