Touring + Album Review : Portugal. The Man

If you haven't yet heard,  Portugal. The Man officially released their impressive fifth full-length, titled The Satanic Satanist, two weeks ago. Officially being the key-word.

Portugal. The Man have always been a "larger than life" band. From the name of the band itself to the music they make, P.TM are sure to stick out in a crowd due to their genuinely talented ideas and humble attitude. However, nothing seems to stop their creative minds from cranking out more songs, even if it means releasing two albums within ten months of one another.

Portugal wowed many with a seemingly more established sound on their last album, Censored Colors, which was released in September 2008. However, the band was back in the studio by January 2009 recording their newest album that was said to have been written and entirely laid-out before the band even entered a studio. Sure, nobody minds hearing new material from an amazing group, but what was most impressive was the fact that the short timeline between the release of one album to the recording of the next seemed to be completely natural for the band. Even more surprising was that the band had little-to-no down time between the preparation of the album's release and their next tour. 

After a brief stint in Tennessee for Bonnaroo in early June, the band travelled overseas for an extensive European tour that would eventually end in Portugal. Yet it was only a couple of weeks into their European tour that many fans were feeling a mixture of shock and excitement when John Gourley, the band's founding member, announced via his Twitter account and the band's blog that the album had been leaked only a month before its intended release of July 21st.

However, the boys had to move on. As time went on, Gourley emphasized that despite being frustrated, the band understood and were encouraging many to go ahead and download the album. Surprising to say the least.

Still, the insanely timed arrival and journey of The Satanic Satanist was well worth it, as it has proven to be the kind of album worth holding on to. With opening track "People Say" blatantly mocking the ideals of pro-war Americans, the humor is not only found in the lyrics, but how deliberately catchy and up-beat the song is. Leave it up to boys of Portugal. The Man to find and expose the irony in it all.

As the album moves on, it never slows down from the bluesy opening track. The shorter tracks of Satanist blend easily into one another despite an album that pulls inspiration from various points on the music spectrum, making a cohesive experience out of variety that could promise disastrous if not carefully constructed. In fact, the albums most appealing quality is not the beautifully blended vocals or even the subtle-yet-brilliant additions from keyboardist Ryan Neighbors, but the fact that such an experimental band properly found a way to present even more experimentation to the table for old fans to appreciate and new fans to fall in love with. As "Lovers In Love" brings fast-paced bongos and strong synths to the table, tracks like "The Woods" and "Everyone Is Golden" showcase a more organic sound. With their fifth full-length, Portugal prove yet again that they are able to vary their inspiration to a degree that works easier than it should. As the album nears a close with the slow, echoing track, "Let You Down", you get the feeling that this magical album might just represent what its like to live a day in the majestic land of Alaska, and the feeling itself will have your head spinning.

If you ever had a doubt that Gourley, Neighbors, bassist Zachary Carothers and drummer Jason Sechrist knew what they were doing with their music, you can finally rest your worries. The Satanic Satanist clearly reveals just how talented each musician is on their newest record that will grab ahold of your soul and keep you reaching back for more.

Although you can pick this album up on iTunes, Amazon, or other websites that offer The Satanic Satanist digitally, I'd recommend dropping by your local record shop and buying the album (vinyl or CD) there. Sure, you can get it faster by downloading it, but you won't get the beautiful artwork John drew and designed himself.

The album, which was in fact inspired by the band's upbringing in Alaska, is a testament (artistically and musically) to the way nature is seen through the eyes of an Alaskan - or something like that.

Portugal. The Man will be touring this fall, making numerous stops throughout North America that will keep them on the road for three months. If you're in the area of any of these shows, please go out and support them. I promise you that it will be one of the most entertaining shows you will see in a while.

August

4 - Brooklyn, NY @ Union Pool

5 - New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge

7 - Cleveland Heights, OH @ Grog Shop

9 - Chicago, IL @ Lollapalooza/Playstation Stage (1:30P)

11 - Des Moines, IA @ Vaudeville Mews

12 - Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room

14 - Denver, CO @ Hi-Dive

27 - Santa Cruz, CA @ Crepe Place

29 - San Francisco, CA @ Outside Lands

September

16 - Vancouver, British Columbia, CA @ The Union Ltd.

17 - Seattle, WA @ Chop Suey

18 - Eugene, OR @ WOW Hall

19 - Portland, OR @ Roseland Theatre

22 - Sacramento, CA @ Harlow's Night Club

23 - San Francisco, CA @ The Independent

25 - West Hollywood, CA @ The Troubadour

26 - Pomona, CA @ The Glass House

28 - San Diego, CA @ Belly Up Tavern

29 - Tempe, AZ @ The Clubhouse

October

1 - Santa Fe, NM @ Santa Fe Brewing Company

2 - Boulder, CO @ B-Side Lounge 

3 - Boulder, CO @ B-Side Lounge

8 - Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre

9 - Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall

10 - Chicago, IL @ Schuba's Tavern

11 - Chicago, IL @ Schuba's Tavern

13 - Ferndale, MI @ The Magic Bag

14 - Toronto, Ontario, CA @ Horseshoe Tavern

16 - Hoboken, NJ @ Maxwell's

18 - Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club

20 - Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground

21  - Northhampton, MA @ Pearl Street Downstairs

22 - Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda's

23 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom

If you like The Satanic Satanist, make sure you also check out Portugal. The Man's four previous albums; Waiter: "You Vultures!", It's Complicated Being A Wizard, Church Mouth, and Censored Colors. 

Official Portugal. The Man Website

Official Portugal. The Man Myspace

Join the Campaign to Save Paste Magazine!

        

Paste is in trouble. But instead of throwing in the towel and giving up, they started a campaign that would bring in money to keep their publication afloat.

Why should we care, you might ask? Well, for one, magazines are but a small extension of the type of people we all are.

While most of us are sitting around idly in doctors offices, or need some sort of entertainment while on the can, we typically resort to flipping through the pages of magazines. For some, its an informative column in Time or Newsweek. Others prefer reading Inked, Better Homes, or cycling tips from Pedal. Regardless of what you enjoy in life, there is a magazine out there for you.

For me, there is nothing I enjoy more than diving head first into the articles and columns of glossy music magazines. The stacks taking up space in my room pay tribute to my deep love for all things music, and those magazines all play a special part in why I'm an aspiring music journalist. Without them, I would not even be writing this blog.

With each issue I read, its hard to be surprised by the controversy that surrounds today's music industry. With the scandalous money-hungry tactics of TicketMaster highlighted in each issue of Rolling Stone, to the CD vs. mp3 wars, the heart and soul of music seems to be lost these days. As more and more famed record stores go out of business and artists are increasingly unable to tour, nobody can deny that the recession is hitting an already money-strapped industry. But although there is a recession now, research graphs and charts give cold, hard evidence on just how much CD sales have declined in recent years due to the rise in illegal downloading. 

Recently, John Gourley of Portugal. The Man took to the band's blog after their upcoming album The Satanic Satanist leaked only a month before its release. In it, he defines the fine line between promoting a band and supporting a band. True, sharing music isn't all bad. But not supporting the music is.

When you sit back and think about all it takes to produce, promote, and tour for an album... money seems to disappear quicker than the blink of an eye. And while I respect musicians more when they do this, I still feel the need to point out that lack of funding and fan support are some strong influences on why so many bands have taken to the DIY scene. Bands these days simply can not afford to live lavish lifestyles of generations past. 

When I think about music then and music now, I am simply amazed. The variety of music available alone is enough to make my heart sing, especially when I walk into a record store or browse the internet for new acts to follow. I realize that without a burnt copy of my friend's new favorite band, there would be so many bands I'd never heard of, and vise versa. But those burnt CDs were the same inspiration behind me taking action and spending money to support those bands when they came to town. Its kind of like the scene when Heroin Bob gives Steve-o his first punk tape in the movie SLC Punk!; where would Steve-o been had Bob not shown him that tape?

So, when I think of this campaign and what it means, I want us all thinking on a larger scale: what music means to every person involved.

In the form of a music magazine, it starts with a person or group of people who love music enough that they reach out to musicians and a certain audience. The magazine then hires a team to go out and start the grunt work; on any given day there are writers, musicians, photographers, editors, ad personnel, and designers. And when they fail, they all fail together. 

This is why artists all over have agreed to do what they can to make sure Paste doesn't fail. Without music magazines, most of the bands I listen to would have a hell of a job promoting their work; be it a cover-story or a simple 4x6 ad in between articles, these artists are given a place to promote themselves to the entire world.

This is why we, as the fans, need to step up and support a medium that supports the music. All for one, and one for all.

Paste is published once a month, and have been cranking out issues since July of 2002. Since their first issue, they have interviewed hundreds of artists, reviewed thousands of albums, and had fresh ink of their magazine shed upon millions of fingertips. And you'd better believe that each issue comes with a bonus sampler disc that promotes bands even more.

Magazines like Paste are the kind of magazines that prove to us all that the aforementioned heart and soul of music isn't completely lost. They're they type of magazine that understands that the Jonas Brothers might not feel the economical strain that Annuals does, and they will go out of their way to promote these bands (sometimes without cost). Without each issue and online article that are beaming testaments to their love of music, almost every artist I listen to (or have listened to) wouldn't be where they are today.

It is this generosity that has inspired artists such as The Decemberists, Neko Case, Of Montreal, Josh Ritter, String Cheese Incident and William Fitzsimmons to donate rare and/or unreleased tracks for the 75+ compilation "Thank You" disc for all who donate even the smallest amount to the campaign.

Even better, if you donate, you can get some serious special treatment. From being entered to giveaways for signed goodies to a trip in an ocean-side cabin, Paste and its supporters will give to those who share their good fortune.

So please, click here to donate. It may not be much, but it will always mean more than you think; who knows, I might be writing for them someday.

You can also support by buying an issue of Paste, or subscribing if you're a long-time reader. And if you're near Manhattan on July 25, visit Webster Hall for a dance party/benefit concert hosted by Noise Problem.

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