Dear listeners and readers of Soundville,

let’s take a small break from reality today to fully dive into Chris Portka’s ‘The Album Everyone Wants.’ The album includes 11 tracks, four of them original compositions. And as soon as you start listening, it becomes clear how much energy, effort, and love went into bringing this release to life. To convey the heart and soul of the music and the calm spirit of the country sound, Chris Portka was joined by a whole team that shared his drive and his vision. The record was co-produced and mixed by indie legend Jasper Leach, and even includes a cover of a song from Leach’s previous band Brasil. It also features members of the Al Harper Band, Al Harper and Omar Negrete, together with other Bay Area and NYC collaborators: Mike ‘Bonecrusher’ Vattuone on drums, Beardwail aka Tom Meagher delivering wild guitar solos, Alison Niedbalski adding backing vocals, and Kyle Carlson bringing in the pedal steel. The mastering was entrusted to JJ Golden, known for his work with Calexico, Vetiver, and Thee Oh Sees.

When such a large team comes together on a release, it becomes immediately clear that what you are hearing is the result of immense labor, inspiration, and power, something that truly deserves to be heard and understood. I’d like to point out the tracks that hit me the most, and so I suggest you stop whatever you’re doing right now and listen to ‘The Album Everyone Wants’, an album that lets you switch off from reality, discover something entirely new, and reimagine familiar songs in atmospheres transformed by Chris Portka’s interpretation.

The album opens with the first track, ‘She Looks so Good Tonight,’ a very gentle and light song with a minimalist arrangement and a very cozy atmosphere. It is a soft start that gives the feeling of a completely new dimension of music while remaining familiar. I like that ‘The Album Everyone Wants’ opens with ‘She Looks so Good Tonight,’ unhurried and reflective, because against this contrast the next track, ‘Fun in the Summer,’ with a faster rhythm, sunny energy, and cozy country style with a slight touch of psychedelia, adds dynamics. I like how Chris Portka’s vocals in ‘Fun in the Summer’ float relaxed and sound so light that it seems all difficulties that may exist are only temporary, and you just need to trust yourself, your heart, and listen to great music.

I can’t help but highlight the track ‘Dear Betty Baby’ with its dense, low atmosphere, thick sound and Chris Portka’s quite low, hypnotic voice. ‘Dear Betty Baby’ stands out among the tracks on the album, giving a feeling of complete detachment from reality and adding such an exciting and unique psychedelic sound to Chris Portka. And I like how bright and distinctive ‘Poor Moon’ sounds. It feels something very cozy, interesting, but on the other hand inexplicable and mystical. ‘Poor Moon’ will appeal to any music lover because it has quite a lot of styles and influences, while Chris Portka’s vocals follow their own line, allowing for a very unusual, almost existential experience.

Don’t pass by ‘Trucker Speed’ with its Wild West atmosphere, classic country, and very cozy swinging melody. I felt like I was in a bar somewhere at the edge of the world, and only Chris Portka’s voice brings back a light of hope to this forgotten place. I like that ‘Trucker Speed’ is so cozy, and the story immediately turns into a short film in the mind. It’s pretty cool and very cinematic. Amazing. With the track ‘Tennessee Whiskey,’ the album starts to take on faster rock sounds, driving riffs, and strong vocals. Thanks to very cool lyrics and storytelling, ‘Tennessee Whiskey’ feels like a story you want to listen to again and again. And you know what’s interesting about this track? That you can’t say exactly what genre it belongs to. It’s something on the edge, something in between. Something that music needed right now. And because of that, ‘Tennessee Whiskey’ becomes one of my favorite tracks.

The album ends with the tracks ‘The Observer’ and ‘Molly,’ and it’s a very stylish ending that creates a safety net and a sense of calm. The very calm and measured ‘The Observer’ has a soft rhythm, sensual guitars, and Chris Portka’s light, cozy, and sunny vocals. When the last beat fades, there is a feeling of cozy reflection, as if Chris Portka is a best friend who always knows which key to your heart to pick and knows all the right words. I like that in the final ‘Molly’ the musician’s vocals come to the forefront, creating a feeling of a live performance, and the backing vocals add lightness and romance. It’s worth noting that the feeling of a live show is always present in the sound of ‘The Album Everyone Wants.’ The release has a lot of very soft, cozy sound where each instrument keeps its uniqueness and soul. It’s very pleasant to listen to such high-quality and enjoyable music.

Wow, this was amazing! An incredibly cool album where the energy feels alive, flows, shifts, and leaves a very cozy feeling after listening. You can enjoy ‘The Album Everyone Wants’ while doing your everyday things, walking through the city, or simply stopping and listening to ‘The Album Everyone Wants’, reflecting and taking pleasure in its truly high-quality and gripping sound. And what’s also wonderful is that the album ‘The Album Everyone Wants’ is available on vinyl. And you can, you know, create that magical moment, almost a ritual, when you just pause, put the record on and really feel the music, because it takes on a genuinely alive sound and becomes tangible in this world. And that’s just wow!

So definitely get the vinyl and add your favorite tracks to your streaming playlists. Also, right now Chris Portka is performing at Vintage Elmwood Wine Bar (Berkeley, California), where you can enjoy his music live. Don’t forget to follow Chris Portka on social media to catch even more shows and new music.

Hello, Chris Portka! Thank you for releasing such wonderful music. This was really great, full. Listening to ‘The Album Everyone Wants’, you really understand how much effort and how many ideas went into it. I really liked the tracklist, it’s very harmonious, with songs you can dance a little to in your living room, and others you can just sway along with. Another side of the album is more reflective, with elements of psychedelia and some very cool harmonies, which makes ‘The Album Everyone Wants’ very unique and emotional. Thanks to this, each new listen can feel different, and I really appreciate that. I’ll definitely show your release to everyone, everyone, everyone. Let them also hear such wonderful music. It was great. I love it, and I’m your fan!

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With much love,
Soundville