Port O'Brien

"All We Could Do Was Sing"

American Dust Records

By Jeff Johncox

pop writer

Port O'Brien's first full album effort, "All We Could Do Was Sing," is at times wistful, thought provoking, moving and frustrating.

Wistful, because much of it reminds you of some of the great acoustic work done in the early- to mid-1990s. Thought provoking because the lyrics make you re-examine your own views on life, your own goals and how you see the world around you. The album is moving in songs like "Stuck on a Boat," because we've all felt that inability to be where we want when we want. And "All We Could Do Was Sing" is sometimes frustrating because as brilliant as some of the tracks are, there are a few that are missing that one last piece of the puzzle, which is nothing new in first album efforts.

Port O'Brien formed in 2005 as a two-part collaboration between Van Pierszalowskie and Cambria Goodwin.

Goodwin, who according to the band's bio page on their Web site, portobrien.com, is the Head Baker at Larsen Bay, and Pierszalowski, who summers on his father's fishing boat, discovered something special in their collaborations.

When they added Caleb Nichols and Joshua Barnhart as a rhythm section, the band found an original, wonderful voice that is part Eddie Vedder, part Neil Young and part '60s folk band.

Not that "All We Could Do Was Sing" can be compared to anything, really.

The multi-tonal singing in "I Woke Up Today" and, especially, "Fisherman's Son" works perfectly with some incredible acoustic guitar and string parts, rolling the tempo along while not drowning out or taking attention away from some pretty poignant lyrics.

Port O'Brien even goes a little bit southern country in "Don't Take My Advice." Songs like "Advice" and the aforementioned "Stuck on a Boat" probably work best on the album, when Pierszalowski's haunting voice matches his lyrical sensibilities. When Pierszalowskie sings alone, the songs are really, really good.