PORT MANTEAU - ALBUM REVIEW

Port Manteau - To Far Away Friends 
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 

Comments