Portugal. The Man will have listeners wondering why the hell there’s a period in the band name, as well as scrambling to pin down just how many influences the Alaskan band mines. First and foremost, the soul-tongued trio offers fruit at the altar of Jack White, incorporating his wide-eyed howl and distorted blues into Church Mouth. Where the band goes from there is diverse and damn enjoyable.
The library of influence doesn’t end at the Detroit bluesman with the candy cane clothes, and the album presents itself as a showcase of all the right tidbits with a heaping plateful of individual personality to boot. “Bellies Are Full” stomps like a mix of Queen, Mother Love Bone, and The White Stripes where pounding rhythms ensnare the falsetto glam leads and pulverizing axework. Beatles song craft is evident prominently on two tracks, with singer John Gourley hitting the vocal cadence of both Lennon and McCartney on “Shade” and “Sleeping Sleepers Sleep” respectively. “Telling Tellers Tell Me” sounds like what Stone Temple Pilots would have been if that band ditched the ‘70s arena heroics and grunge costume. All the best elements coalesce in the high point on the album, “Sugar Cinnamon.” The vocal harmonies duck and dive through the flash-fried guitars like bombers on this catchy burner.
The core of Portugal. The Man is all about the groove and the band spills melodies effortlessly over the blues. If Alaska has enough people to qualify a music scene, then these three members of Portugal. The Man could be the pride and joy with this admirable sophomore effort.
--Matt Wendus
