I had always thought that Portugal. The Man had kind of a whiny, emo sound, thanks to an awfully needy ex-boyfriend.  Fortunately, I decided to give them another try and I'm so happy I did. 'Church Mouth' has a full, modern rock sound without descending into cliche--its sounds are refreshing enough to keep it interesting.  The title track dips into a bit of a bluesy sound, which is pleasant and surprising.  It reminds me a bit of the Canadian band Wide Mouth Mason, which is a reference I doubt anyone will get, but I mean it as a compliment.  By the fourth track, "My Mind", the album has slipped into a slicker sound.  Vocally smooth, with plenty of layers to keep things interesting, it's a good segue into the rest of the album.  The smooth sound persists through the rest of the album--slick guitar riffs and smooth vocals exemplify it.  "Bellies are Full" has a great, strong bassline and I admit I'm a sucker for that sort of thing.

The vocals kind of blend in and the distinct words and phrases are hard to make out. After reading the lyric booklet, it seems kind of fitting for such surreal imagery to be vocalised in a dreamy way.

Overall, the album is great to listen to.  To be fair, as pleasant as 'Church Mouth' is, I wouldn't classify it as excellent.  It's perfect background music: what's going on is good, but nothing will be lost with conversation overtop.  I'm definitely happy that I gave Portugal.
The Man another try and didn't let that lame ex boyfriend ruin them for me forever!

 Reviewed By Arinn W.