Only a few months after the release of their last album, The Satanic Satanist, the experimental indie rock band Portugal. The Man has come out with a new LP equally as amazing as the last. The new album, American Ghetto, finds the Alaskan band moving slightly away from the psychedelic towards a more soulful, electronic indie sound. All the swirling guitar riffs and groovy bass lines found on Satanist are still here, but now paired with some great synthesized beats. PTM has found a good harmony between synthesized music and traditional instruments, proving why they are one of America's most unique and creative rock bands.A true 'indie' rock band, PTM have mostly been self financing their own albums and tours since the release of their first EP back in 2006. Known for their ambitious out put of recordings, PTM have released a new album every year with several EPs in between creating a substantial discography for a band only 5 years old. Even with a massive amount of music behind them PTM continue to push the envelope and explore new ideas with each new album, constantly changing and never getting stale.
Almost immediately after recording the critically acclaimed Satanic Satanist, PTM's John Gourley returned to Boston's Camp Street Studios to begin recording "something a bit more beat driven and a bit more spontaneous," as he described in a letter to their fans. "The whole process of the American Ghetto recordings was basically a two week explosion of ideas followed by about 4 months of clean-up and focusing," Gourley continues, "This gave the songs space and time to breathe a bit before finding their true home in the album and in the finished piece."
Believe me when I say there are no filler songs on this album, every track is amazing in its own unique way. The LP starts off with the distorted guitar riff of "The Dead Dog," giving listeners their first taste of PTM's new synth-rock sound. "This track began with a break beat and a loose set of chords that I had put together in the morning before tracking," Gourley said in a press release, "Lyrically, this was the first album where I really went out and referenced the streets and places around where I grew up." The Dead Dog was a bar near the band's Alaskan hometown of Wasilla where "some pretty shady folks" spent their time. "[American Ghetto] is probably the most consistent album lyrically and the most true to some of the harder points of my friendships back home."
The euphoric distortion of "Break" serves as a great intro to "60 Years," an instant classic with its bluesy guitars and jazz feel. Frontman John Gourley is joined by recurring guest vocalist Zoe Manville, who is given a more prominent role on this album. Manville's ethereal vocals perfectly compliment Gourley's soft voice as the lyrics weave together with the catchy guitar riffs and drum beat. Manville shows up again on "All My People" and the beat heavy "1000 Years." Probably the catchiest songs on the album, I would be surprised if college radio stations don't throw them into heavy rotation soon. PTM move to the psychedelic on "Fantastic Pace," a slow burning track with a nice back beat, echoing vocals and some quiet piano in the background.
Motown meets hip-hop on the stripped down "The Pushers Party", one of the few synth-less tracks on the album. Along with Gourley and Manville, bassist Zach Carothers also lends his vocals the the track creating PTM's signature gang vocals. There is a lot of soul flowing through this song. "The pusher was the feet and the feet were the floor," Gourley sings, "when we got a little bit well we got a little more." The guitar work and lyrics of this track are superb and will stick with you long after the song is over. Of all the tracks on American Ghetto "The Pushers Party" is the closest to the 'classic' PTM sound found on Satanic Satanist.
Swirling electronic effects combine with high-pitched vocals on "Do What We Do," again pairing Gourley's familiar falsetto with Manville's angelic voice. The mellow "Just A Fool" works as a good interlude to the synth heavy "Some Men," another slow burning track featuring acoustic guitar mixed with ambient sounds and some profound lyrics. "As he grew into a bigger person, he stood above the people," Gourley sings, "all these little people, and everyone below, they were just little people." I personally could have done without the whale call effects but its a very small complaint on an otherwise amazing track.
The album ends on a high note with the upbeat "When The War Ends," showcasing some great guitar, keyboard and stabbing synth beats working together perfectly. There is even a hint of sitar mixed in with the great lyrics adding a nice touch to this multi-layered track. "When the war ends, yeah, we'll wonder what it was about," Gourley sings in his soaring falsetto, "When we grow old, yeah, we'll wonder how we missed out." This track is a musical feast for your ears there is so much going on. A perfect ending to a great album.
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