Port O'Brien - 'I Woke Up Today'
Carefree Californian folk-rockers Port O’Brien have been generating quite a buzz for themselves of late. I caught their set at the recent Primavera Sound ’08 festival and was suitably impressed with the untroubled energy with which Van Pierszalowski & Co performed.
Fortunately their enthusiasm translates well in recorded form, single ‘I Woke Up Today’ from their forthcoming album ‘All We Could Do Was Sing’ hooning along like a 70s yank-tank, wind whipping through the open windows. Driven by a relentless drum-beat, the track sits at the rockier end of the Port O’Brien sound, the wordless howl of its chorus filled with wildly joyous yearning.
Taken from last years ‘The Wind And The Swell’ (on which ‘I Woke Up Today’ also appeared in a more acoustic form), B-side ‘Tree Bones’ is more restrained, guitar and small percussion providing melancholy company to its hypnotic chant.
For a taste of what Port O’Brien are about, namely enjoying the simple pleasure of making music with untamed vigour, this is a great single.