Portugal first caught my eye (or ear) with their video for their single "People Say". The slightly sixties feel of the bluesy intro to the song immediately had me entranced, and lines in the chorus such as "May have lost a million men, but we got a million more" and "We may make it through the war, if we make it through the night" had me and my eight year old brother singing along by the second refrain. Portugal is dynamic, catchy, and individual. They are more than a simple breath of fresh air to us indie fans that have begun to notice a pattern. They break barriers and even do a little protesting along the way (The sarcastic "I'm a president's son, I don't need no soul." obviously targetting the younger President George Bush). Lyrically, vocalist/guitarist John Gourley is an absolute genious. Portugal. The Man reaches an almost psychadelic level of reverb and dynamic while still retaining an indie base. In my opinion, one of the best outfits out there.
Songs to Hear:
"People Say" of 'The Satanic Satanist'
"AKA M80 The Wolf" of 'Waiter: "You Vultures!"'
