The lush musical textures of Portland, Oregon-based Portugal the Man are deeply informed by psychedelic and progressive rock, with lead and harmony vocals that take a cue from Motown. John Gourley's mannered tenor gives shimmy to full-bodied arrangements that shake loose a flowery swell. Lately, the group has become more streamlined, toning down the experimentation in favor of tighter, song-based compositions. Last year's Censored Colors hit the sweet spot between heady artfulness and vibrant, head-bobbing melodicism. The Satanic Satanist, the quartet's fourth release in as many years, arrived in July. The soul-drenched, wah-pedal- and organ-driven breakout is not only the group's catchiest disc but also its strongest top-to-bottom release. PTM hasn't attracted the acclaim it deserves, probably because its albums are ivy growers, requiring time to slowly overwhelm your mental landscape.
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