Alaska’s Portugal. The Man made its Atlantic Records debut with this new album, In the Mountain In the Cloud. And because I didn’t really like the band’s past two albums, I’m surprised to see the music moving in a direction I like a lot more this time around.
The ambition that permeated from Portugal’s earlier work is more present here. Though the band still feels it necessary to edit its songs heavily, structuring them down to the most simple of parts, the instrumentation is too big, bright, and joyous to not enjoy. Plus, the band does let go a bit on some of the songs here, allowing the music to wander indulgently and build tension.

It’s not amazing me, but I’ll take it.

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