Customer Reviews

All We Could Do Was Sing

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I saw the video to Stuck on a Boat and instantly fell in love with the harmonies of that song. After hearing the rest of the album, the other tracks were just as lovable. I love the diversity you get on this album, from the personal stories like Fisherman's Son to the jamming The Rooftop Song. Only the last song in my opinion is weak but who's complaining when the other 10 songs are fantastic. BTW I woke up today has been used for a Dulux promo ad on Aussie TV. Hopefully this ad makes other Aussies love Port O'Brien as much as I do.

All We Could Do Was Sing is a solid album and is fun to listen to. It has interesting, soulful vocals, beautiful string arrangements, and delightful variations in rhythms and hues. The song, I Woke Up Today, is pumped full of energy, whereas Stuck on a Boat is a mellow ode full of feeling. It's a good mix with alluring nautical tales and stories for everyone to relate to in a salty dog kind of way. The songs easily slips into your mind and you find yourself smiling.

Another great album from Van and crew. These songs will make you happy, smile, and kiss random people.

All We Could Do Was Sing (2008) Port O'Brien's second studio album. ***

The California residents Port O'Brien have churned out an interesting sophomore effort. It's an indie-folk blast reminiscent of the Avett Brothers, Bon Iver, Broken Social Scene, and even Arcade Fire. And although it starts off with intensity and harsh focus, it slowly loses its way (intentionally or not) and crawls towards an end. The anthemic title track sets a great mood of freedom, and the following two cuts establish the album's theme of a yearning soul being trapped by illusionary obligations. But things slip up a bit starting with "Pigeonhold," which seemingly criticizes today's young quasi-hippie crowd, accusing them of stealing the past phenomenon of the 60's and not being as original and free-thinking as they claim to be. An interesting concept, but the band itself sounds like hippies, and thus lines up the hypocritical "I do that, but anyone else who does it is stupid." It may not be true, the members of Port O'Brien might be straight edge, but it's a message not suiting them. After that brief head-turner All We Could Do Was Sing quickly heads downhill into a cycle of pointless jams and boring guitar progressions, and scurries in the last two to three songs to re-vamp the album's themes. While it isn't close to being perfect, Port O'Brien are capable of expressing their ideas eloquently when they aren't thinking too hard.