"Somewhat
of a late breaking news story for me, this album just recently jumped out of
the pack. Imagine if a band could combine the best things about Nirvana's
Nevermind
and The Breeders
Pod
in one record. This release is a rock solid recording of a band that just has
it. The songs are big and modest at the same time, and the vocals and lyrics
are engaging and mysterious. This album has everything I love about top shelf
independent music."
Zunior.com
Review of Portico's "Progeny Blues"
"A
delightful leap forward from their debut, this is a confident-sounding
sophomore release that is quite the thing of beauty...The band are going for
atmosphere and they succeed quite nicely, as this album has a great consistent
feel that makes it one of those listens that actually gets better if
experienced as an album."
Exclaim! Magazine
Review of Portico's "Progeny Blues"
"In a week with a plethora of record releases,
Vancouver-based pop band Portico will have a tough time geting noticed. And
that will be a shame, since the group's second full-length is definitely worth
a trip to the record store.
There's a lot to like about this group, starting with their crunchy guitars
and Jale-like sound. While they're not nearly as poppy as some of East Coast
mid-90s Canucks who clearly inspired them, they still have a similar indie
rock sound.
Standouts include All You Daughters and the relatively upbeat Stand Down, but
all the songs, despite being mostly dark and serious, definitely deserve your
attention."
Now Magazine
Review of Portico's "Progeny Blues"
"Had
Kurt Cobain been born a woman, he would've stuck around to record this killer
rock album."
MetroTimes Magazine
Review of Portico's "Progeny Blues"
"Portico are simply one of the
best Canadian bands working today. Even if lead singer Lyn Heinemann wasn’t a
husky sweet powerhouse vocalist, the rest of the band have mastered the art of
mixing delicate musical phrasing with mid-tempo urgency. Whether they function
as a standard four-piece or flesh out the material with epic gang vocals, or a
surprisingly effective horn section, there isn’t one note out of place on
Progeny Blues.
The best thing about the album
is that despite the totally modern sound, Portico is able to borrow quite
heavily from the musical past. It’s not just the references to vintage Face to
Face and Phleg Camp in the lyrics either. The guitars tumble and cascade with
Chicago post-rock precision and Heinemann channels such great indie rock divas
as Liz Phair and Rebecca Gates while the crisp rhythm section keeps it all in
check. With Progeny Blues, Portico surpasses their jaw-dropping debut
and sets the bar high for any that try to follow them up."
FFWD Magazine
Review of Portico's "Progeny Blues"
"The first ten seconds of Portico's new album Progeny
Blues make you want to do that thing where you raise your fist high in the air
and do air guitar with your other arm, in that special way that only indie-rock
nerds can pull off, where they try to be all punk-rock but actually end up
looking endearingly dorky, and then running off to dark corners to hug each
other and talk about feelings. A short pretty burst of a song that nails down
an impressive album right off the bat."
Tooth and
Dagger
Review of Portico's "Progeny Blues"
"Vancouver's
Portico are dreamy. Their arrangements evoke Built to Spill - lush, jangly,
with a soupcon of raw nerve. Vocalist Lyn Heinemann's not a girly breathy
singer (there's some salty pacific in there), but she is quiet. It seems like
she is whispering in your ear and your ear alone."
Broken City
Review of Portico's "Progeny Blues"
"Opening
with the brief-but-solid "We Built a Dynasty," Portico are able to outline
their song structure of choice, moving linearly through varying sections of
music seamlessly. Like "Dynasty," many of the tracks on
Progeny Blues
are written in this variation of 'chain form,' often discarding the
'verse/chorus' model in favor of instrumental explorations that span half the
track. The rhythmically-circular conclusion of "Crime Scene" is nothing short
of impressive in that drummer Greg Murray is able to keep the beat anchored in
spite of the drifting guitar riff. The eerie "It's Not Over Yet, Rochelle"
glooms quietly until suddenly jolting to an up-tempo conclusion. There are
certainly exceptions to this rule, such as the intensely intimate "Sincerely,"
which builds vocals around a single, driving note until the band - along with
a triumphant horn section - builds to a crescendo. Ultimately, it's the
inclusion of characteristic rock songs like "High Walls" and "Stand Down" that
remove the pacing problems of
Shape to Form.
These catchy, melody-driven songs make the ambient, introspective tracks that
much more powerful. As an album,
Progeny Blues
frames its musical diversity extremely well and begs for repeats listens.
Portico's songwriting has certainly benefited from their improved musical
skill and penchant for building upon their atmospheric timbre."
FakeJazz.com
Review of Portico's "Progeny Blues"
"I don’t know how this Vancouver band’s sophomore
album managed to slip under the radar, as it boasts some of the most
understated, husky and unique female vocals I’ve heard since Peppermint
Patty—add to that some captivating melodies and just enough lyrical feistiness
to lend some edge (take the previously featured scorcher, “Sincerely,” for
instance), and you’ve got the recipe for an enticing and highly recommendable
album."
Wolves,
Hawks, and Kites
Review of Portico's "Progeny Blues"
"Copperspine Records is putting out some quality,
quality music. Roger Dean Young, Neins Circa and of course, Portico.
Portico is a four-piece from Vancovuer, and on their second record they've
made some huge strides. Subtle orchestration is added to the energy they were
already known for and the result is impressive. Lyn Heinemann’s vocals are a
perfect mix of sweetness and power, like on my favorite track on the record
Sincerely. She draws you in tight, but her voice is still booming enough to
drive you back. The song moves around her vocals well, with minor tones, big
drums and a nice horn section, but the pace is oddly consistent. They never
let the pace run free and it adds a layer of intrigue.
Musically, All You Daughters is ear pleasing, but the star on this one is
Lyn's voice. Don't get me wrong, the song has great parts - the bouncing bass
line and nice guitar notes - but I can't stop focusing on her vocals. For some
reason I've never made it out to see these guys live, but that will be
remedied as soon as possible."
Hero Hill
Review of Portico's "Progeny Blues"
"What a blessing Lyn Heinemann's voice is; sweet enough to
grab the attention, but with enough husk and edge to know that she means
business . . . Shape to Form just gets better with every listen."
Exclaim! Magazine
Review of Portico's "Shape to Form"
"Portico isn’t shy about naming Slint, Cat
Power, and Pinback as its primary influences, but the Vancouver-based
quartet’s blend of spectral melodies, tricky time signatures, and expertly
intertwined guitar lines is entirely its own."
The Georgia Straight
Portico's "Shape to Form" voted one of 2005's best records
"Some music seems to come from nowhere and everywhere at
the same time, rooted no place in particular but stretching its tendrils in
all directions. Such is the case with Vancouver’s Portico. Portico’s
first full-length CD, Shape to Form, showcases Heinemann’s fluidly imagistic
lyrics and endearingly fragile singing, which are sure to earn her favourable
comparisons to the likes of Chan Marshall and Julie Doiron. This is clearly a
band effort, though: the guitar lines weave together in a way that sounds
intuitive, and the rhythm section is flawless. One of the album’s most
striking features is its subtle oddness. Unexpected chord choices and tempo
shifts suggest that Heinemann has a background in jazz, or at least a
predilection for prog rock, but she insists she just does what comes
naturally."
The Georgia Straight
Excerpt from Portico's Local Motion feature article
"There's
a dreamy tangle of folds and layers of the opener, "Song 10," in which to lose
yourself; or you could chew on the puzzle of abrupt shifts in "A Quiet Life,"
"This City Is Cold" or "Good Ladies Go to Good Graves," the last of which
segues imperceptibly into the bittersweet singalong "Kamouraska," making it
something like a nine-minute song full twists and turns, highs and lows."
CopperPress
"Shape
to Form is subtle, mesmerizing and at times even a little on the dark
side. It the kind of album you could wake up or go to sleep to. When I walk
to school listening to this album I can’t help but let out at humble smile at
everyone I pass. Maybe I’m just a sucker for all that bittersweet stuff but,
regardless, this album definitely caught my ear. Portico has succeeded in
mixing both the folky and the edgy sides of indy-pop with emotionally engaging
chord progressions, rhythms and lyrics that are a treat to listen to.
"
The Sheaf
"Dreamy, heartfelt . . . sounds like it should be the next
big band"
The Peak
"I dropped by just in time to catch Portico finishing off their set.
This was a real highlight of the evening . . . Keep an eye out."
www.Chartattack.com
Review of Portico's NewMusicWest Showcase
