The Satanic Satanist Leaks and Portugal. The Man Responses

Portugal. The Man's latest album The Satanic Satanist has leaked to the internet. In response, singer/guitarist John Baldwin Gourley has issued a statement about his feelings towards the early leak. This isn't your typical 'you are hurting the artist' rant. Quite the contrary, he asserts that he has always been a proponent of downloading but understands the complexity of the issue. The lengthy statement can be read here and I highly recommend it because the statement touches upon a lot of the aspects involving how much the interaction between fans and music has changed since downloading has become a norm.

I think this was a very admirable thing to do. I can appreciate what went into putting this message out. He said what needed to be said and clearly put thought into it but still didn't discourage downloading. I agree with every point he made. Downloading has very polarized effects and has changed the way people interact with music for better or for worse. I like the idea of bands themselves contemplating the overall effects of the issue instead of just putting it in black and white terms.

As for the album itself, it is a delicious slab indie rock sprinkled with blues and classic rock and roll. Each song blends smoothly together to create a cohesive mix of easily digestible tunes. The evolution of this band has been remarkable from album to album and The Satanic Satanist serves as a welcome culmination of everything the band has worked hard to accomplish. If this isn't the album that makes Portugal. The Man blow up, then it simply wasn't meant to be. Songs such as "People Say", "The Sun", and "Mornings" contain that timeless classic rock sound while maintaining a voice of their own. Standout "Everyone is Golden" is the perfect soundtrack to the impending summer days with its bright guitars and catchy melody despite its veiled melancholy chorus of "Nobody will love you". Really, there isn't a track on here that won't have you tapping your feet and singing along. The record also features gorgeous and elaborate artwork courtesy of Austin Sellers. I am posting leak of the album below and it is certainly worth your dollar when it is officially released.

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