Portugal. The Man Title: American Ghetto Label: Equal Vision Records Year: 2010 Rating: 4 / 5

In this day and age, the American ghetto’s might be considered to be on a wider margin, in a larger scale and closer to bridging the gap between middle class and lower class citizens. The ghettos will always be a great source of inspiration and now the band that will definitely shed a much different light on the subject is none other than the awesome indie rock outfit, Portugal. The Man. Based on friendships that have ended, remained and some that have forfeited to poor life choices and downfalls of small town life, American Ghetto, seems to be P.TM’s most true to life and honest record to date. Beautifully coated with soul-testifying lyrics, lots of heart and that signature soulful bounce, the record is a definite winner on all levels. The wall of sound found on this record is more programmed, synthesized and drum machined than previous P.TM records but rest assured, the band has maintained the key structures that have made this band so prominent and relevant. Delving deep into issues regarding the album title, the album balances on a thin line between sadness and happiness, which makes the album much more of an experience, rather than just another listen. Listen closely as John Baldwin Gourley, bloodline of this band in my opinion, spits out lyrics that seem to have been swirling in his mind for some time now and you can instantly tell that this record is a special record in this band’s career. It’s surely a majestic follow-up to their highly praised, previously released album, The Satanic Satanist, which I thought I was complete genius. The new record is just as good. As a piece of the lyrics in “When the War Ends” suggests, you’ll have ‘soul for days.’ I couldn’t have said it any better. The band lays out eccentric layers and arranges them in such a way that the songs grab the listener and holds on until the last note. I will admit that the drum machine gets a little much but thanks to the sparse use of it, it barely hinders anything at all. The guitars have also been toned down to make room for more sounds to filter through which I thought is just right. The tracks that magnify the greatness of this record are “The Dead Dog,” “60 Years,” “All My People,” “1000 People,” “Fantastic Pace, “”The Pushers Party,” “Just A Fool,” and “When The War Ends.” Those tracks represent the album’s depth and substance in full form. This record will no doubt have you fall in love with Portugal. The Man, once again. American Ghetto is another success in the band’s superb catalog. It shows another side of P.TM that we’ve never heard and definitely shows that P.TM is one of those bands that continually release high quality work. No fillers here! So my friends, Grab your 40’s, throw on your party clothes, head to the backyard, start up the bonfire and drink to the wonderful sounds of American Ghetto.

By: Gian Erguiza

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Portugal. The Man