‘All We Could Do Was Sing’ is the first studio album from Californian folksters, Port O’Brien. Following on from the release of a compilation of self-recorded material in 2007 and, in late June, the single ‘I Woke Up Today. Though the album cover evokes a drizzly day in a cold and lonely fishing outpost, this album promises “a great summer soundtrack”.

Opener ‘I Woke Up Today’ has all the hallmarks of summer anthem, upbeat, energetic and with a happy go lucky disposition. Yet it lacks any really originality prompting thoughts of the Animal Collective and The Polyphonic Spree. The summery disposition does not continue with ‘Stuck on a Boat’ and ‘Fisherman’s Son mellowing out proceedings with some gentle acoustic folk. This continues until about halfway when ‘My Eyes Won’t Shut’ picks up the pace with toe-tapping, cheerful melody and collective jollity.

There are interesting moments throughout with a satisfying amount of diversity. ‘Pigeonhole’ just about convinces with it’s folk vs grunge output, it sounds almost ridiculous but it works very well. Elsewhere, ‘Will You Be There?’ is a delicate three-minute folk song. ‘In Vino Veritas’, where Cambria Goodwin takes over the vocals from Van Pierszalowski, is a haunting shanty that sets things up nicely for the penultimate and best song on the album ‘Close the Lid’ a well-paced 5-minute folk-rock song, which has a pleasing feel of Neutral Milk Hotel about it. It could perhaps have been positioned earlier in the album but does brings the album to a livelier ending before the sludgy lo-fi ‘Valdez’. A dry crack aimed at oil company Exxon whose tanker sank in the adopted home of Pierszalowski in 1989, it closes the album and the continuing nautical theme with a touch of simplicity. The album grows on you quickly and there is a number of very good songs.

To call this a summer album is somewhat insulting, certainly to some of the better moments on the album which showcase a far more intelligent sound and depth to the band. It would suggest whoever decided to suggest this on the blurb stuck on the album sleeve didn’t get passed the first track. As a collection it comes together far more with each listen, especially if you ignore any notion of this being some kind of jolly summer album. If you have to categorize this record into one of the seasons, then Autumn would be more appropriate. There is a sense of the days growing shorter, the leaves falling and a touch of sadness thanks to the the subtlety and sincerity that Port O’Brien create. That said ‘All We Could Do Was Sing’ makes a great summer soundtrack, providing it is a British one; patchy at times but with bright spells sandwiched between.