Send "Portugal. The Man " Ringtones to your Cell 
| Sputnikmusic |
 It’s either a blatant disregard for quality control or a remarkable ability to maintain consistency when a band releases as many albums as years it’s been in existence – if you count Portugal. The Man’s various EPs and one all-acoustic counterpart LP, the Portland-based psychedelic quartet has already far exceeded all normal bounds of output. Where other bands might have burnt out, Portugal. The Man have already traced a remarkable creative arc, from jam-band-ish prog to a roots rock securely situated in the psychedelia of T. Rex and similar glam with 2009’s high water mark The Satanic Satanist. In the Mountain in the Cloud shares many similarities with that record’s favorable aspects – a penchant for fuzzy guitar licks married to reverb-heavy hooks that slide off the vinyl as easily as the best of their bellbottom-wearing influences and, of course, singer John Gourley, whose Marc Bolan-esque falsetto defines the band’s timeless sound.But where The Satanic Satanist sounded like a new tack for the band and American Ghetto a grab-bag from their past, In the Mountain in the Cloud seems like more of the same, albeit with a major label budget that allows for an expanded sound. Not to say that things here a retread; songs are as distinct as they come, from the trippy opener of “So American” to the barnstorming riff and cries of the coming revolution on “Got It All (This Can’t Be Living Now),” and the band’s palette is well diversified. It’s just that a band as obviously talented as Portugal. The Man, a group who combines standard verse-chorus-verse with midsections as thrilling as the space-rock of “You Carried Us All (Share With Me The Sun)” or switches directions as effortlessly as they do with the sinister synths of “All Your Light (Times Like These)” always seem like they could be doing more. Yes, there’s an added dimension to everything here courtesy of Atlantic Records, from bombastic horns on “Everything You See (Kids Count Hallelujah)” (have I mentioned that Portugal. The Man needs to lay off the parenthetical song titles?) to an array of strings that color Gourley’s emotive vocals and more. Everything just seems a little on the safe side, content to roam within the boundaries of chorus and hook and Gourley’s vague hippie platitudes....full text |
| Consequenceofsound |
| Since their often-overlooked 2009 psychedelic pop hallmark The Satanic Satanist (and its even better half and all-acoustic counterpart The Majestic Majesty), Portland-via-Wasilla, Alaska, outfit Portugal. The Man have seemingly been caught in a bit of a whirl, unsure of whether to pursue their verse/chorus/verse tendencies in Satanic’s vein or go for a more extended, experimental take on their sound, while nearly completely ignoring the sprawling awesomeness of their stellar, jam-prone live sets on record. In the Mountain, In the Cloud, their first full-length with Atlantic Records, sees Portugal. The Man reprise the sort of vaguely insurrectionist hippie jams they’ve cranked out over the years on such memorable tracks as “The Woods” and “60 Years”. Rather than retread the same ground, though, the band kick right into “Got It All”, which opens on a lick as tasty as any they’ve cut throughout their career, John Gourley howling about “the revolution” with brazen relish. While there are points here where tracks overstay their welcome, such as the plodding midsection of “Everything You See” or the spacey “You Carried Us”, the highlights here are slabs of psychedelic rock gold, capturing the band at their best. Signing with Atlantic has no doubt afforded Portugal. The Man new luxuries, perhaps audible in the sampled drum loop that kicks off “Got It All” or the guttural vocal part and ominous synths (shouts out to Fever Ray?) that permeate album highlight “All Your Light”. Production duties were handled by John Hill and frequent collaborator Casey Bates, the former of whose recent credits include M.I.A. and Shakira’s latest albums. Hill’s influence can be heard intermittently in the way Portugal. The Man have expanded their palette far beyond the jam-prone, prog-rawk they made their name on back on Church Mouth and Waiter: “You Vultures!”....full text |
| Cinemablend |
| Portugal. The Man can seriously play any type of music they want. It’s really surprising to me that its taken them this long to gain national attention, but with the help of Atlantic Records, it has finally happened. Most fans worry about the “selling out” factor for any independent band joining the big leagues, but I’m here to reassure you: this hasn’t happened to Portugal. The Man. Quite the contrary actually, the Oregon by way of Alaska group has held their own in a sea of actual “sell outs” and un-original music. They have clearly gained better skills in recording cohesive records and learned to impeccably alter their sound, again, all thanks to the change in labels. In The Mountain In The Cloud is the newest album by the Approaching AIRballons, Portugal’s recording name, and it’s one of the best endeavors they’ve ever endured. Though this effort provides new soundscapes, sonic experimentation, and lots of synths, it does have its flaws. Still, it comes close to perfection. Delving deep into the Glam Rock back catalog made famous by David Bowie, this album proves that it’s really hard to prescribe them to any genre. In The Mountain In The Cloud is unlike any record they’ve made. Their sensibility towards pop is still here but is refined enough to prove this is the next step in Portugal. The Man’s career. Where some may describe Censored Colors as Progressive Chamber Pop, while The Satanic Satanist was a true to form Psychedelic Pop record, their latest effort undeniably lends their style to Ziggy Stardust and T-Rex of the 1970’s. Not only does the record sound like Bowie, Marc Bolan and Portugal had a love child, but it still has that distinctive sound which is carried through on each record. Heavy synthesized atmospherics, eccentrically distorted vocals, sonic experimentation and spacey art rock takes form on this latest endeavor, but it’s all held together with their infamous harmonized pop vocals. It is evident that every album they made thus far has built each individual plank on an ever greater ladder; a ladder to their future. But what is next for this band?...full text |
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