truth be told, ports of spain were one of my first favorite local bands. starting with tea leaf bloom and on, they’ve never left my “heavy rotation” playlists, and “water from a well” is a tune i check in with about once a week. and so any time drummer/vocalist sam carlson releases something new, my ears perk up, whether that be ports of spain, laundry day (also great), or his solo work as s.g. carlson (also, also great). today carlson announced that his second solo album, sing the hits, will be out some time this fall. the announcement came with a video of a live performance of ‘holy motors’ — check it out below.
carlson has mentioned on social media certain rumblings of a second lp, and today’s the first official look we’ve gotten at what he’s been working on. i’ve always felt like ports of spain had a certain wilco-ish vibe, with their penchant for clear songwriting with a touch of noise. and if that’s the case, s.g. carlson reminds me of jeff tweedy’s solo acoustic work, complete with warm melodies and lyrics that easily catch your brain’s eye. a favorite line from “holy motors” walks through the bliss of domesticity:
“and when you’re making your coffee / and when you’re brushing your teeth / i’ll be there living the dream.”
keep an eye on this link for pre-order information when it’s posted (or if you just want to check out his self-titled debut): https://sgcarlson.bandcamp.com/releases
