PORT O’BRIEN
Threadbare
Over the course of their career, California’s Port O’Brien has pretty much held the same steady course, producing similarly sweet sing-alongs riding on rickety arrangements, unpolished vocals, and campfire aesthetics. On their latest LP, Threadbare, the trio takes a very familiar, if-it-ain’t-broke approach to their songwriting. They only occasionally include some autumnal, Arcade Fire-esque orchestration, but they generally maintain their established formula. Somber, fleeting numbers like “In the Meantime” and “(((Darkness Visible)))” roll at the same quarter-speed pacing you’ve come to expect from a band like this, meditating on themes of loss and mortality—no doubt a result of vocalist Cambria Goodwin’s brother passing away early last year. To that end, Goodwin is far more of a presence across Threadbare, taking on almost half of the lead vocal duty. It’s a nice touch, bringing a diversity to the arrangements that previous releases have been lacking. She manages to pull the album away from what could potentially be clunky, endlessly downtrodden material. However, diversity is something that Threadbare is sorely missing. After the fifth dense, slowly-strummed track, it’s obvious that there is no “I Woke Up Today” to be found here. The only reprieve is the punchy “Leap Year,” the one truly upbeat song out of 13. The uninterrupted slow tread of the album makes it easy for monotony to set in early. Threadbare is more cohesive, thematically and sonically, than the band’s previous efforts, but it’s missing the energetic optimism they’ve had in the past. (TBD, www.tbdrecords.com) Kevan Hannah
Winnipeg music & culture since 1989