Church Mouth

Portugal. The Man | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 24, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Fearless Records
• ASIN: B000RGSOMI
• In-Print Editions: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #26,093 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

While this new album maintains its artistic mix of aurora borealis-avant-indie pop and post-punk, "Church Mouth" paves a new musical path for the band. A departure from 2006's drum-machine and sequencer-heavy "Waiter: You Vultures!", "Church Mouth" leans on Led Zeppelin, The White Stripes, and Santana for inspiration. Front man John Gourley was also listening to a lot of Blind Willie Johnson, Muddy Waters, and Robert Johnson when he wrote the record. While most of us who grew up in the continental US were raised on Saturday morning cartoons and sugary cereal, Gourley's Alaskan upbringing was unorthodox; his youth spent exploring nature in one of the few virtually untouched territories left in the world. As a result, his striking enigmatic vision makes its mark on the band's packaging, merch design, videos, photos, posters, and the music.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Really folks?, February 8, 2009

By 

Andrew John Wilhoit III "Andy" (Villa Park, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Church Mouth (Audio CD)

I usually waste time and energy by going into full blown, overly descriptive reviews about albums that probably don't get read by most anyway, but I am posting this review in response to the unfair negative response this album is garnering.

No doubt this album is a huge departure from "Vultures", but I am starting to wonder if Portugal fans realize that bands cannot release their favorite album over and over again; save that for the trash that is let onto the radio and TV. Church Mouth has a fuller rock sound than the first album, and at times can remind me of something along the lines of White Stripes or an older school blues sound, but still has the Portugal melodic edge to it. This album plays a lot in the same way the first album did, and each track is incredibly diverse.

"Bellies Are Full" would've sounded at home on 2003's "Elephant" while other tracks would've seemed at home on "Vultures." I can't personally decide which album I like better, and I don't care to decide either. I love both of them for much separate reasons, because I love the band. My favorites on this album would be "Sugar Cinnamon", "Telling Tellers Tell Me", "Shade", "Oh Lord", "Bellies Are Full", "The Bottom". To show the diversity of the disc further, if someone were to tell me that "The Bottom" was the new Arctic Monkeys song, I would believe them and like Arctic Monkeys a heck of a lot more.

All I am asking is to please hold the ignorant reviews towards such an innovative band that deserves more of the lime light, but won't get it because of the absolute disaster the music industry has become. Give this a chance, an extremely enjoyable listen from a band that refuses to stay grounded in one genre, as their now new released album "Censored Colors" took yet another 180 in musical direction, but I'm still on board, and I hope you'll join me.

5.0 out of 5 stars In a defying need to help redeem the album..., April 1, 2009

By 

E. Knoblock (CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Church Mouth (Audio CD)

This is, by far, my favorite album at the time. But not only that, Portugal is my favorite artist. Owning all of their albums (both on CDs and Vinyl) I can personally say this one is my favorite so far.
And since it is tip toeing on the ratings of 3.5 stars, hopefully this will give it at least the 4 stars that it rightfully deserves.
To everyone saying this doesn't sound like their previous album (Waiter: You Vultures!), you are right. But that does NOT mean in any way that you should give it a poor rating. Have you even taken the time to listen to each song and the depth in all of them...? It is so so sooo good.
This will be my favorite album for quite sometime, and I can only hope when they release their next one shortly, it will blow 'My Mind' just like Censored Colors did.

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good sophmore album, October 4, 2007

By 

M. Amsterdam (South Orange, NJ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Church Mouth (Audio CD)

The first time I hear this album was when i saw them live a couple of weeks back. (phenomenal live, i might add.)

Church Mouth is a very good follow up album, with a fuller, bluesier sound than Vultures. Different in a sense, with a lot more intricate vocals and a great flow. It reminds me of an old 70's rock band infused with a new age sound, which Portugal pulls off seamlessly, I think.

After a few listens, i can truly say this is a very, very good album, but i still have a soft spot for Vultures...indi