Port Manteau - To Far Away Friends
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| Port Manteau - To Far Away Friends |
Time for some Canadian indie
music and this time it's the turn of Ottawa four piece Port Manteau to show us
what Maple Leaf country can do. Kicking off with 'Away From Here' and after a
relatively subdued start the band immediately hit their stride with choppy,
razor sharp guitars and a sense of agitated energy that is somewhat infectious.
'Nickels & Dimes' has a wistful, end-of-summer kinda feel that bursts
beautifully towards the end while 'Moon Boy' has an edgy, Pixies-esque feel to
it. By the time we reach 'Burden' the mood takes a turn for the darker side of
things and the likes of The Wrens and Engine 88 come to mind which is no bad
thing.
There is a child-like quality to
'Pioneer' that is reminiscent of the lighter moments the Smashing Pumpkins
create while 'l'll Be Damned' is a more slacker grunge affair with jangling
guitars and padding, thumping guitars that are muffled in the background. 'Stay
Loud is a lively, punkish number with snappy drums and a sense of teenage-angst
driven fun which gives way to the brooding, slinky bass line of 'The Lookout', a
song steeped in Placebo-esque tendencies. As the album winds up, 'After Hours'
gives a good quality end of the night vibe while 'All The Others' ends things
with a positive thrum and some seriously wailed vocals. This is a strong whisky
of an album that takes a few sips to get to grips with but once you do the
subtle flavours and rich textures will reward you in full.
More information: https://www.facebook.com/officialportmanteau
Listen/Download: http://officialportmanteau.bandcamp.com/
Live Dates:
29th July - Club Saw, Ottawa