Portugal. The Man ProfilePortugal. The Man's latest offering Evil Friends is a charming little slice of pop pie that trades on vocal melodies that hook hard, yet doesn't become tasteless with repeated listens, despite the initial giddy sugar rush.
After the slow plod of opener Plastic Soldiers runs through its three progressive acts, second track Creep In A T-Shirt sets the standard for the rest of the album to follow: goofy drumbeat, simple keys and the distinct vocal styling of John Baldwin Gourley combining to sculpt seemingly effortless pop. It would be easy to dismiss the melodies as throwaway ditties, but this would be a disservice to the quiet confidence of a band that clearly takes pride in song structure and writing melodies that stick in one's head. Compared with the band's earlier work this release is cohesive and considered, and as an album it flows seamlessly, no track begging to be played more than another, each possessing individual musical merit. This may be in part due to the enlisted services of Danger Mouse, whose production credits list Beck and The Black Keys among a host of others. There are plenty of woos and hoos, not to mention a preponderance of group chorus chants, but these never become tiresome, as the songs would be lesser for their absence. Sea Of Air builds and builds, from a simple acoustic chord progression accompanying Gourley's voice, ending with a circular guitar lick skirting about the vocal melody as it fades to nought.
Skipping through the album rapidly, it's hard not to get sucked into listening to whole tracks upon landing on a chorus that tugs at the ear, and there's a lot of that action to be had on this wee pearler.
