Port O'Brien's 2007 debut helped established the nomadic collective in the upper tier of the wind-swept, Pacific Northwest folk scene. Like Fleet Foxes or Blitzen Trapper, the band's penchant for dreamy, reverb-heavy forays into the wilds of the rainy Northern California coastlines elicited numerous comparisons to indie folk demigods like Will Oldham and Jason Molina, and their blue collar day jobs (crabbers, bakers, and canners) brought an authenticity to the songs that most landlocked bands looking for the ocean in a cornfield with a conch shell lack. 2009's Threadbare follows in its predecessor's wet footsteps, and the death of a bandmember's sibling casts a long shadow over the project that sadly meshes beautifully with the outfit's sparsely delivered, yet emotionally rich sound. Bookended by a pair of oddly infectious laments called "High Without the Hope 3" and "High Without the Hope 72," Threadbare is most compelling when it's operating at half speed. Stand-out cuts like the aforementioned "High Without Hope 3," "Next Season," and the brooding title cut feel distinctly of the moment, and while the more upbeat tracks on Threadbare are competent and downright catchy, they're ultimately engulfed by the fog from which they were born.
Loss weighs heavy on Port O'Brien's new LP. While it's not the dreaded "sophomore slump," the band is certainly in an emotional one.By any standard, Port O'Brien's sophomore LP, Threadbare, is a somber, introspective work, but it seems even more so when compared to the band's rough and ragged debut, All We Could Do Was Sing. Sadly, there is a very good reason for this: the younger brother of band
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Maybe once upon a time all they could do was sing, but ‘Threadbare’ proves that Port O’Brien are so much more than careless frolics around the sea and on the beaches.
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Port O’Brien have been one of my top five favorite bands for the past three years. Each album they release far exceeds my expectations and slowly becomes an addiction. I’ve seen them in San Francisco, Austin and once in Boston where I had the opportunity to chat with lead singer Van Pierszalowski over a pint. [...]
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Port O’Brien just premiered another new track (via Stereogum) called “My Will Is Good.” The album entitled Threadbare will be released on October 6th.What strikes me about this album, in addition to Cambria Goodwin taking on more vocal duties, is the change in Van Pierszalowski’s vocals on most tracks. His delivery is less forced and [...]
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Threadbare, the second studio effort of California's Port O'Brien, picks up right where 2007's All We Could Do Was Sing left off: hardworking fishermen, bakers and cannery workers getting their collective rocks off courtesy of singers Cambria Goodwin and Van Pierszalowski's skillful narratives that sit back and reflect as often as they boil and spill over with fistfuls of freshly sharpened word...
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Port O’Brien have been one of my top five favorite bands for the past three years. Each album they release far exceeds my expectations and slowly becomes an addiction. I’ve seen them in San Francisco, Austin and once in Boston where I had the opportunity to chat with lead singer Van Pierszalowski over a pint. [...]
More >
Maybe once upon a time all they could do was sing, but ‘Threadbare’ proves that Port O’Brien are so much more than careless frolics around the sea and on the beaches.
More >
Loss weighs heavy on Port O'Brien's new LP. While it's not the dreaded "sophomore slump," the band is certainly in an emotional one.By any standard, Port O'Brien's sophomore LP, Threadbare, is a somber, introspective work, but it seems even more so when compared to the band's rough and ragged debut, All We Could Do Was Sing. Sadly, there is a very good reason for this: the younger brother of band
More >
>For those of you who didn't get to see Port O'Brien steal the show earlier this month when they opened for Sea Wolf and let the audience play pots and pan, the next best thing might be the sunny video for "My Will Is Good", the lead track off their stellar new album, Threadbare.
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Californian folk-rock masters Port O'Brien are highly revered here at SG so it's with much pleasure and excitement that new news comes today of an upcoming record from the collective. Threadbare marks the second full-length from the band and follows on from last years astounding All We Could Do Was Sing.
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TheBayBridged.com and New, Improved Recording are proud to present the fourth installment of New, Improved, LIVE, our ongoing series of live studio sessions with top indie bands, recorded at the New, Improved Recording studio in Oakland, California. This month’s session features Port O’Brien delivering exclusive recordings of songs from the band’s upcoming album Threadbare [...]
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Like Bon Ivor, there’s great romance in Port O’Brien’s back-story. The group’s two main players Cambria Goodwin and Van Pierszalowski are romantically linked, with their lives played out in a manner you might expect of a novel. Part-time musicians, Pierszalowski spends the summer months away from his partner, working aboard his father’s Alaskan commercial salmon…
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Upon first glance at the post title, you might be saying to yourself, "Sheena Beaston, have you lost your mind? Since WHEN do you like and write about folky acoustic bands!" Let it be known, that while I do favor writing on beat and bass heavy dancers, there is a softer side to this lil' gal; and that version of me is nourished by acts like Port O'Brien.The Oakland via Alaska set are ready to f...
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American roots rock band Port O'Brien are releasing their new studio album threadbare on October 6th. We've got a new remix of the first single "My Will Is Good" for you to download. Grab it here:"My Will Is Good (Bodega Girls Remix)"- MP3Port O'Brien plays Sneaky Dee's in Toronto on October 9th with Sea Wolf and Sara Lov.Port O'Brien's websitePort O'Brien's Myspace
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SF roots rock band Port O'Brien are poised to release their new studio album. Threadbare has been scheduled for an October 6th release.You can get a download from the album here:"My Will Is Good"- MP3One of my favorite blogs, My Old Kentucky Blog, has an MP3 for the track "Sour Milk/Salt Water" as well.Port O'Brien play Sneaky Dee's in Toronto on October 9th with Sea Wolf and Sara Lov.Port
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 "Threadbare")
