In the wake of releasing their latest album Censored Colors, Portugal The Man embarked on its summer tour.  Hitching a ride with them was California-based band, Facing New York. Included in their travel plans was Fort Lauderdale's Culture Room.

Though their regular bass player, Zack Carothers, was off on family leave, and frontman, painfully shy John Gourley, sang the numbers with his back turned three quarters toward the audience, it didn't stop them from cranking out one extraordinary song after the other. Each one received resounding cheers of approval.

The first number, "Telling Tellers Tell Me", was performed with participation from the fans in the front row.  The members of the band handed out tambourines, an act that was very brave of them.  The song's Brother-Where-Art-Thou style and mood made me feel as though I was deep in the mountains of Alaska or the Blue Ridge Mountains, sipping moonshine, for that matter.  The twanging guitars, funky blues beat, and haunting vocals combined gave their sound that  Deliverance  touch.

The band went on to spice things up with a rock number, conveying a heavy Beatlesque, Abby Road, Revolution time period.  Portugal the Man magically doused it with acceptable, present day, alternative attitude.

Most of the band's music and arrangement can be summed up as hard core, non-studio-cover-up alternative rock.  It's just raw drums, bass and guitar, playing wholesome, pure, basic blues, like the waters that run through the state from which Portugal the Man's lead singer hails.

To keep things interesting, some of the songs sporadically changed tempos.  Their rendition of "One Is the Loneliest Number", originally recorded by The Three Dog Night, was updated with an edgier touch, falsetto McCartney-style vocals, and pure tones.  The band's version holds true to the original mood of the song.  Keyboardist, Ryan Neighbors, lended his backup vocals as John captivated the crowd with his whimsical voice.

In "My Mind", a slower, haunting melody carried a hint of creepy, the band suddenly blurred into an unexpected but most welcomed reggae beat.  It was more like a blues-rock-reggae sound, if that's even possible.  It gradually segued into John's spot-on guitar solo.  As he continued to play, his sultry vocals chanted John Lennon's famous, soulful mantra, "I want you so baaaaddddd."

Never has there been such a unique sounding band as Portugal the Man. Their music and their stage presence is something no true music lover should miss.

While waiting for the website to get up and running, check out their MySpace: www.myspace.com\portugaltheman. 

This Reviewer's Rating: 4 / 5

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