Portugal. The Man, 'Censored Colors'

Backstory: Until Sarah Palin, the most popular export from Wasilla, Alaska was this esoteric, proggy rock group. On its third album, the group continues to experiment at will with song structures and sounds.
 
Why you should care: Despite releasing it latest album on the hardcore label Equal Vision, PTM is far removed from the mosh pit crowd. Horns, violins, Hendrix-esque guitar squalls and chanted vocals drift in and out of songs on “Censored Colors.” At times, they’re a less layered, more dissonant take on Arcade Fire (“Lay Me Back Down”); elsewhere, frontman John Gourley’s high-pitched squeal and the band’s acoustic-tinged classic-rock vibes (see “Out and In and In and Out”) suggest a group that’s spent a lot of time listening to “Led Zeppelin III.”
 
Verdict: Chaotic but never uninteresting, PTM creates headphone music--tunes that need time and dedication to dissect. While they lack the anthemic qualities of the aforementioned Arcade Fire, the group creates a challenging, but rewarding, racket.
 
X-Factor: Yes, the group has its own opinions on the Republican VP candidate. “She has billed her self as this overly average ‘hockey mom’ and it is just not what I see,” writes Gourley on the band’s Web site. “I see the sport hunter, the censor, choice taker, the revelations reader, and the high school cheerleader. It is endlessly embarrassing to watch people fall all over this idea. This is not my Alaska.”

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