Californian indie-folk quintet
Port O'Brien's return with a more grave, melancholic worldview, following on from the tragic death of a family member.
I wasn't blown away by Port O'Brien's first album, 2008's
All We Could Do Was Sing. Perhaps it was the glut of keening, sea-shanty focused beardies at the time, but in between the Arcade Fire, Fleet Foxes and Shins of the world, there didn't seem to be much room for another group of scruffy dudes yelling sweetly over acoustic guitars. Again.
Live however, they proved themselves more than able. When they toured here at the start of this year, they were a clear highlight of the Laneway festival; their singalong folk songs becoming anthemic showroom pieces, their individual characters infusing the narratives in a way that seemed removed on record.
After that tour the band returned to their home on the US West Coast to begin working on the record that would become
threadbare. Their efforts, initially described as "light-hearted and loose", were quickly tempered by the death of co-songwriter Cambria Goodwin's younger brother.
It shows. The set is littered with slow-moving, confessionals; grand, ghostly ruminations on life and its unsettling consequences. Their initial youthful, airy optimism replaced with a grave questioning. The life is still there, it's just a little more guarded. And beautiful.
threadbare is released in Australia on September 25th. Listen to the entire album now on our radio player, over there on the right hand column. Keep an eye out for the ghostly, rubbery snap of 'My Will Is Good', the ethereal Modest Mouse aping 'Tree Bones' and the acoustic skip of 'Love Me Through'. Go forth.
www.portobrien.com
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