Waiter: You Vultures!

Portgual The Man shows a knack on its debut album for being unafraid, unconventional, and well versed in a variety of musical genres. Fans of post-rock and the newer “prog” rock sounds have taken notice, although PTM — as it shows in later releases — is chameleon-like enough to shed that skin for a new one at the drop of a hi-hat. The band actually does it here, song to song, moving from playful, melodic pianos and treated vocals on indie-pop tracks (“How the Leopard Got Its Spots,” “Tommy,” and “Chicago”) to post-rocky guitars (“Marching With 6”) and arty noodling (“Waiter” and “Stables and Chairs”). John Gourley’s high-pitched, near falsetto shows signs of promise here, adding an interesting dimension (especially on the sinuous, downtempo-flavored tracks) with its unusual timbre and grace. There are a handful of diamond-in-the-rough moments, but Gourley’s voice is unquestionably an added attraction. “AKA M80 the Wolf” is a core track for the album, with a gurgling electric piano and Gourley’s vocals tumbling along like a backwoods stream. Waiter: You Vultures! is an underrated, adventurous work deserving of more notice than it's gotten.