Portugal. The Man - "In The Mountain In the Cloud"

Last week Portugal. The Man released In The Mountain In The Cloud, their sixth album in as many years and Atlantic Records debut. The new album produced by John Hill (Santigold) and co-produced by frontman John Baldwin Gourley and longtime collaborator Casey Bates is their most concise and focused effort yet, adding touches of glam-rock to their highly melodic brand of psych pop.

“So American” opens the album with subtle political jabs against a dreamy backdrop of strings and twinkling steel drums. Both “Floating (Time Isn’t Working My Side)” and Got It All (This Can’t Be Living Now)” feature a spacey Bowie-inspired glam rock influence, with a light, soaring chorus of “Oh, Oh, Oh’s” on “Floating”, which works well with Gourley’s falsetto croon. The funky, bouncy and soulful “Senseless” stands out with stabbing keys and a choir of voices on the huge chorus. “Head Is A Flame (Cool With It)” features twangy guitar and swaths of paranoia-inducing psychedelics. “You Carried Us (Share With Me The Sun)” is loaded with spacious reverb, echo and reversed guitars on the poppy, sing-along track. “Everything You See (Kids Count Hallelujahs)” stands out with horns that mimic the melody of the chorus. The Gospel-inflected psych-pop of “All Your Light (Times Like These)” also stands out with a blown-out beat at the beginning and an unhinged guitar solo. “Once Was One” goes from a laid-back Country-esque tune with sweeping melodies to a swirling freak-out and back again. The album closes with the upbeat, piano-led 60’s pop of “Share With Me The Sun” and the epic “Sleep Forever” which builds slowly with rafters-reaching melodies and swelling vintage organs into a crazed ending with an anthemic chorus of voices.

With In The Mountain In The Cloud, their most cohesive album yet, Portugal. The Man seems to have finally found their sound while continuing to blur the lines of classification, setting them apart once again.


For more info click here: http://www.portugaltheman.com/ and http://atlanticrecords.com/