Atmospheric dream pop akin to My Bloody Valentine and Ride combined with drugged out psychedelic rock.

10 MP3 Songs
ROCK: Shoegaze, ROCK: Psychedelic

Details:
Ports of Call began in 2007 when guitarist Tom Fleischer and guitarist/vocalist Thomas Mosher reunited and joined forces with drummer Daniel Salerno. The band began writing material at a feverish pace but knew that something was missing. The group began to search for a second vocalist and soon found a perfect match in Carolynne McNeel who added essential guitar, string, and keyboard elements as they entered Second Story Studios to record their album. Upon completion of the record, bassist Andrew Grossman departed and was replaced by Stephanie Hesser. The now complete quintet has self-released their debut album "Like Thievesâ¦" amidst a growing internet buzz.

"As simple as it may be for many musicians to hum a melody and relay it into instrumental form, capturing a sense of atmospheric believability is a skill that cannot simply be taughtâ¦it would be quite easy for me to group Ports of Call into the masses of shoegaze revivalistsâ¦but they, unlike many of their contemporaries, clearly have the ability to craft an audible atmosphere through their musical prowess alone. Whether it be through their haunting production effects, reverbed vocals, or resoundingly sterile guitars, their atmospheric ability is easy to admire."
- Obscure Sound

"Philadelphia five-piece Ports of Call arenât the first band to bathe in the tuneful shoegaze jangling of Ride, but theyâve soaked up the influences to nice effect. On "Washout", from their self-released Like Thieves..., some wobbly guitar strums,smoldering distortion, and faraway warbles surround a measured bass line, cymbals splashing right behind them. Thomas Mosher, on guitar, and Carolynne McNeelâwho plays guitars, violins and keyboards in the groupâtrade sweet, C86-ready nothings in duet, their whispery voices barely emerging above the din."
â Pitchfork Media

"With their debut album "Like Thieves...." they have cleverly sidestepped all of the faux pas that led to the genres demise first time around. Shoegaze came under heavy fire for itâs self-congratulatory attitude, meaningless lyrics and pretentious pomposity coupled with shy, awkward live performancesâ¦With "Like Thieves...", Ports of Call have married the shimmering effulgent walls of noise with tangible melodies, resplendent reverb-infused vocals and a firm anchorage to the philosophy of alternative rockâ¦Rather than feeling like youâre listening to half an hour of pretty noise, the end result is a rich, evolving tapestry of heartfelt art."
Rating: 8/10 - Strangeglue, UK

People who are interested in Yo La Tengo Ride My Bloody Valentine should consider this download.