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In the Mountain in the Cloud by Portugal. The Man

Portugal. The Man

In the Mountain in the Cloud

Release Date: Jul 19, 2011

Genre(s): Pop/Rock, Alternative/Indie Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock, Indie Rock

Record label: Atlantic

71

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Album Review: In the Mountain in the Cloud by Portugal. The Man

Very Good, Based on 8 Critics

Rolling Stone - 100
Based on rating 5/5

There's a fine coat of glitter across the major-label debut by Alaska's Portugal. The Man. For In the Mountain in the Cloud, they piled on the mascara, set the way-back machine for 1972 and turned out 11 tracks full of vintage glam-rock pouting and preening. Songs like "So American" and "Got It All (This Can't Be Living Now)," with their cascading celestial-choir vocals and rangy guitars, make the band sound like Ziggy Stardust's distant cousin, and frontman John Gourley's elegant alto packs all the drama and grandiosity songs this regal require.

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Paste Magazine - 83
Based on rating 8.3/10

Portugal. The Man hasn’t sold out. Sure, they’ve signed with a major label. But if the new record is any indication of what that means for the Alaskan psychedelic-rockers, the outlook is good—very good, actually. Since their debut record in 2006, Portugal. The Man has released a full-length ….

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AllMusic - 80
Based on rating 8/10

On their sixth album, the increasingly prolific neo-psych outfit Portugal. The Man look to the past for inspiration on In the Mountain in the Cloud. The album represents a breakthrough for the band on a couple of levels, the most obvious of which is their signing to major-label Atlantic, which comes as a big step up after years of quietly working their way through the indie circuit.

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Filter - 77
Based on rating 77%%

From the finest folks to come from Wasilla (sorry, Sarah Palin), this latest is a culmination of what Portugal. The Man have been crafting for the better part of a half-decade. Their first for Atlantic (and sixth overall) is a carefully crafted collection of 11 songs that don’t stray from the band’s alt-psychedelic formula, yet are a refreshing step forward.

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Sputnikmusic - 70
Based on rating 3.5/5

Review Summary: Psychedelic rock straining to get out of the box.It’s either a blatant disregard for quality control or a remarkable ability to maintain consistency when a band releases as many albums as years it’s been in existence – if you count Portugal. The Man’s various EPs and one all-acoustic counterpart LP, the Portland-based psychedelic quartet has already far exceeded all normal bounds of output. Where other bands might have burnt out, Portugal.

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NOW Magazine - 60
Based on rating 3/5

PORTUGAL. THE MAN play the Opera House October 18. See listing Rating: NNN It's taken six albums for a major label to finally catch on to Portugal. The Man. It's not hard to discern what Warner subsidiary Atlantic Records sees in them. Lightweight glam-psych melodies, big singalong choruses and a ….

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Consequence of Sound - 58
Based on rating C+

Since their often-overlooked 2009 psychedelic pop hallmark The Satanic Satanist (and its even better half and all-acoustic counterpart The Majestic Majesty), Portland-via-Wasilla, Alaska, outfit Portugal. The Man have seemingly been caught in a bit of a whirl, unsure of whether to pursue their verse/chorus/verse tendencies in Satanic’s vein or go for a more extended, experimental take on their sound, while nearly completely ignoring the sprawling awesomeness of their stellar, jam-prone live sets on record. In the Mountain, In the Cloud, their first full-length with Atlantic Records, sees Portugal.

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Tiny Mix Tapes - 40
Based on rating 2/5

You should know two things about Portugal. The Man’s newest album: (1) It further cements their place as the greatest thing to ever come out of Wasilla, Alaska, and (2) it proves psychedelic music has no business on a major label in the era of shitty speakers. Although the White Witch of Wasilla’s career may be foundering lately, Portugal. The Man’s is not.

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