One More Time: Port O’Brien

August 14, 2008 by Svetlana  Send to a Friend

Jeff to me: Svetlana, this AMAZING band Port O’Brien is playing the Cat this Sunday. BYT has to do something about them.
Svetlana to Jeff: Jeff, we actually already ran a listening party on them and did a giveaway last time they were in town.
Jeff to me: I never saw it.
Me to Jeff: Apparently no one did.

So, since Port O’Brien is back (and playing with Bodies of Water this Sunday) we shall rerun this:
initially run in March

I will continue to push Port O’Brien this week. As I said earlier this week, Bay Area’s wonderful banjoing bonanza is coming to the Cat on Sunday. (they were here last time with Delta Spirit @ DC9)
Fronted by a bonafide Alaskan fisherman Van Pieszlowski the band makes raucuous folk music that has been described as everything from “a clap-and-sing-and-stomp-along jamboree whose rival we’ve not seen” (Spin) to “a warm campfire sing-along” and whose live shows are nothing but a legend-of-energy-in-the-making.

They have a new album coming out in May which is going to be big in all the right circles and so we set down and asked them do do a little listening party for you….2 recorded songs and “Don’t Take My Advice” (off All We Could Do Was Sing) and “A Bird Flies By” (off of their The Wind and The Swell release), these great Live From The Triple Door (seattle show with Nada Surf) recordings, so it is a tres exclusive treat for you, fair readers.

Listen.
And go.

“Stuck on a Boat”
This song was written after summer 2006. There was a long period during that summer when we were fishing directly across from Larsen Bay, where Cambria was working in the cannery bakery. I wanted to go into the cannery so badly to see her (obviously), but there was just no way that could happen because the fish had just started coming. The whole summer was full of bad weather and no fish, which is a painful combination.

“I Woke Up Today”
This was one of the first songs written for Port O’Brien. Its gone through so many phases throughout its life already, but I do feel that this is the definitive version. The song finally has the live energy captured on tape. I really don’t know what this song is about. Cambria says she does, but she won’t tell me anything about it.

“Don’t Take My Advice” – Live at the Triple Door

I wrote this song in Seattle when my family was visiting up there so my sister could check out colleges. It starts off feeling liberated and scared, and ends up feeling angry that the feeling isn’t really true. It has to do with leaving home, I guess, and thinking you are free and then realizing you are more confined than ever.

“A Bird Flies By”- Live at the Triple Door

This is also on the oldest Port O’Brien songs, which has also gone through many phases of arrangement. Cambria and I wrote it in Oakland the night before I went to Alaska a few summers ago. Its one of our favorite songs to play live. Cambria wrote most of the lyrics and only she knows what its about.

 Send to a Friend