Portugal the Man. has released their fourth album in four years since breaking out into the idie music scene in 2006 with Waiter: You Vultures! Their newest album, American Ghetto, has a unique blues/electronic sound that is very different then their previous popularly ambitious album The Satanic Satanist. American Ghetto, however sounds more comfortable playing in crowded clubs rather then hit radio stations with electronic beats like in 1,000 years and the Pushers Party. Portugal. the Man have found a seemless balance between instrumentals and produced sounds that has never been heard from them before. Though they have put out an album every year, The Man seems determined to put forth an album that is unique to all their previous work.
They have thrown into the mix electronic beats as well as down trodden blues riffs and hip hop samples like with Fast Pace which John Gourley croons about the tale of a displaced kid who should stay young and “colorful” instead of growing up dejected who noone wants. Added into the rotation is The Dead Dog which is a lo fi electronic gem about being uncharacteristically happy though having nothing to be happy about. The album is not all forlorn and switches its focus eagerly to a new direction with All My People and Some Men. These songs will no doubt be played in clubs all summer with plenty of remixes to follow. DJ’s who know the band as an indie project will quickly throw these club hoppers on the turn tables after hearing the bands shift into mainstream electronic music.
Overall the album keeps its audience guessing which the band has not failed to do so far. Though American Ghetto, which is a questionable album title, winds down too early it is a cool take on modern music in the indie circles. The new direction is fairly obvious yet refreshing where you can hear previous songs coming through the new tracks but they are always striving to present you with new music which is rare in the music industry. I hope they take their time with the next album while we enjoy their previous work. This is said however without the fear of them running out of ideas as Portugal the Man is as ambitious and inventive as they are talented.
