Our first official full-length release, consisting of previously self-released, self-recorded songs, featuring "Tree Bones" and an early version of "I Woke Up Today".
"Stuck on a Boat" directed by Joey Izzo on Super 8.
"In Vino Veritas" directed by Joey Izzo on Super 8.
"I Woke Up Today" directed by Blake Behnam.
"At sea a fellow comes out. Salt water is like wine, in that respect." Herman Melville
Port O'Brien began early in the year 2005, as a folk-ish duo of Van Pierszalowski and Cambria Goodwin. The two penned songs while Cambria lived in the tiny Californian coastal town she shares her name with and Van lived in an apartment in Oakland. Shortly thereafter, Cambria moved up to the Bay Area and within the next year, the project added a rhythm section, comprised of Joshua Barnhart and Ryan Stively, and the additional guitarist Zebedee Zaitz.
Every summer, Van works on his father's commercial salmon fishing boat, the Shawnee, on Kodiak Island in Alaska. The work is exhausting and the weather could be much better, but the contrast between the serenity of the wilderness and the rigorousness of the labor seem to cause quite a bit of musical inspiration. Meanwhile, on land and around the corner, Cambria also writes music while maintaining her position as the Head Baker at Larsen Bay. Her days can be even longer, and the work even more tiresome. After both write parts and lyrics separately, they fix them together when Van comes ashore. Their cumulative effort while up in a latitude and longitude few of us may ever see resulted in the creation of the songs that comprise the band's first studio-recorded album "ALL WE COULD DO WAS SING." Because when you're working all day in the freezing cold, what the hell else are you going to do? "Stuck on a Boat" tells of the frustration related to being so close yet so far away.. Van stuck on a little fishing boat, while Cambria bakes across the bay…yet weeks go by without having a chance to go to port. "Fisherman's Son" speaks of the frustrating, yet contented thought of destiny. "Don't Take My Advice" captures the endless quest for settling, while remaining in awe of the entire world to explore. "In Vino Veritas" expresses the flurry of emotion caused by isolation, while emerged in substance.
In the last year, they've become a touring machine since the critically lauded M. Ward first named Port O'Brien his Favorite New Band on Pitchfork Media. After touring the West Coast with Bright Eyes and England with Modest Mouse, they have hit the road with Crooked Fingers, Rogue Wave, Nada Surf, Delta Spirit, Bodies of Water, the Cave Singers, Herman Dune, Get Well Soon, and SSLYBY, while playing shows with the Silver Jews, Fleet Foxes, MGMT, Vetiver, Yeasayer, Man Man, Frank Black, Pegi Young, Bon Iver, Beach House, and all kinds more.
"...it's clear why Johnny Marr is touting the Californian throng as his new favourite band. We've developed a bit of a crush." -NME
"...charmingly rendered and, as in the wigout "Pigeonhold," teeming with joyous abandon a la the Arcade Fire." 4/5 stars -Uncut
"It not only captures the considerable force of their live shows, but shows how much this band has grown in a very short period of time." Pitchfork Media
"Fisherman's Son captures the bleak beauty of the frozen wilderness. If it inspires music like this, they shouldn't give up their day jobs just yet." -Q Magazine
..."everything has come into focus for Port O'Brien, and they have retained their heavy swaying beauty even in this light. You know when you watch old TV shows on new "cleaned up" DVD editions, and you can start to see all the flaws really clearly, and you think "man, just put the 'syndicated re-run' filter on this."? Well, that's not happening with Port O'Brien, they clean up wonderfully. They've gone from curiosity to wonder." -Said the Gramophone
"Port O'Brien crafts beautiful, melodic tunes that utilize string instruments to their fullest. And the group is not afraid to rock out: "Pigeonhold" has it grinding down on guitars and "I Woke Up Today" revels in an Arcade Fire-style energy." -Billboard Magazine
"Think of the way a really good late-party singalong sounds in your drunken, echoing head: a little sleepy, loosey-goosey with the timing, but ecstatic, brilliant, meaningful, epic. Even sober and by the cruel light of day, that's the sound of Port O'Brien." -SF Weekly
July 11th!! Mayhem is having it's biggest night yet!! Make sure you don't miss out on this massive event!! Early arrival is strongly suggested!!! This week we have JOE D!RT as our special guest!! Along with our residents, JANKIES & YOSHI!! And we also have Control Freak!! Don't forget to RSVP @ www.going.com/mayhemdancevshiphop to get on our guestlist for a discounted price!! See you on Jully 11th!!
The Moonlight Orchestra would like to invite you to come celebrate our independence and two of our band members' birthdays at The Great American Music Hall (San Francisco) on Friday July 3rd! We need people to RSVP as soon as they can since tickets are only available through pre sale. This is huge step for our band and we would love for everyone to come out and celebrate two birthdays and see us perform! Check out the GAMH website for the full line up.
This is an ALL AGES SHOW!!!! If you know anyone visiting the bay area for the July 4th weekend, please give them our invitation.
"The past three decades at the Great American Music Hall have been full of music, with artists ranging from Duke Ellington, Sarah Vaughan and Count Basie to Van Morrison, the Grateful Dead and Bobby McFerrin. "
Tickets are $12.00 each, click below: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=6371251
If you are buying a ticket please include your full name and whoever else's name if you are buying a ticket for someone else. also, please include a contact phone number. tickets can be picked up at will call.
More than doubled my views in the past fiew days (almost tripled). Thanks for the views everyone!!! 2 new songs. Workin on another and itll be called "Celebration of Oddity" I have a 51 second demo up!
