March 3rd, 2010 
James Shotwell 
Artist: Portugal. The Man
Album: American Ghetto
Genre: Experimental Indie Rock
Label: Approaching AIRballoons, Equal Vision
Alaska’s Portugal. The Man have claimed the title of one of America’s most creative rock bands but are most notable for their ambitious out put of recordings. Since 2006 they have released an extensive five albums on top of four EP’s, not only are their large discography impressive but their hard work as a whole is also commendable. They have self financed much of their career and they rarely rely on support from outside contributors and this is almost unheard of in today’s music scene. Continuing to stray from industry stratagem Portugal. The Man are hard to pin to one genre but are heavily rooted in indie rock while incorporating elements of blues, soul and folk. Traditionally, while remaining true to their sound they are still constantly evolving and that remains true on their latest creation and sixth studio album, American Ghetto, now available on Approaching AIRballoons and Equal Vision.
Opening on a darker side, “The Dead Dog,” starts with a distorted guitar riff and introduces their newer synth noises that are frequently used throughout this album. Following with an eerie interlude “Break,” employs almost a “white noise,” affect with whispering vocals and keyboard work, this proves that Portugal. The Man are extending further by experimenting among spontaneous sounds, however, at times become overbearing. Fading almost flawlessly into the next track, “60 Years,” frontman John Gourley’s soft yet strong voice is complimented by recurring guest vocalist Zoe Manville’s ethereal vocals. Both vocalists interweave perfectly together and Gourley has drastically matured and offers a much deeper range than his higher pitched falsetto that we’re used to.
“All My People,” and “1000 Years,” become instant favorites with catchy hip hop/electronic beat driven vibes that in “All My People,” are layered over subtle “oohs” and ‘aahs.” Still adding in technical guitar lines and fun grooves, these two tracks are easily the catchiest and most memorable. Moving back into the tranquil, psychedelic aura, “Fantastic Pace,” is slow moving until a drawn out echoing vocal effect with an upbeat finale. The, aforementioned vocals continue to shine with the multi-layered vocal technique in “Do What We Do,” which also has a chorus that steals the show, gang vocals and hand clapping included. “Just a Fool,” is definitely the black sheep of the album, it’s melancholy, dark and ultimately shows they are capable of toning down electronic fuzz. Ending, stripped down to just Gourley singing, “still there is nothing beautiful in me,” hits dead in heart. Furthermore, Portugal. The Man are known for lyrics that rely on imagery akin to the melodic line, “We watched him grow into a bigger person and as he grew into a giant person, he stood above the clouds and all these little people, and as they looked above, they were just little people,” on “Some Men,” almost paints a picture and leaves a lot up to interpretation. Gourley stated in a press release that his lyrics on this record mainly consist of the harder points of friendships back home due to poor life choices and the hardships of small town life.
American Ghetto is an amalgam of it’s predecessors by including beats from It’s Complicated Being a Wizard, and The Satanic Satanist, while incorporating grooves from Waiter: “Your Vultures,” but also expands further into an even more experimental sound. There are waves of different styles and moods employed and Portugal. The Man continue to evolve and go against preset trends. Their future style is always a mystery but I’m sure they are already working on another album to add to their already extensive and diverse collection.
Score: 8.5/10
Review written by: Nerissa Judd
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this is an awesome album! good review too; there’s nothing bad said about it though, so it should be at least a 9 .. ?
:p whatevr f*ck yeah PORTUGAL. THE MAN!