Portugal. The Man's major label debut

Portugal. The Man has built its career on pursuing its wild ambitions, no matter where they took the band.

Sometimes, the band from Wasilla, Alaska, would sound like The Beatles. Sometimes, it would sound like prog-rock experimentalists. The unpredictability, especially in concert, only added to its allure, which is what makes "In the Mountain, In the Cloud" (Atlantic) so surprising.

The band's sixth album -- its major-label debut -- builds a sleek, coherent vision of anthemic rock, combining its quirks with a new level of grandeur. "Everything You See (Kids Count Hallelujahs)" is a multilevel, kindred spirit to Arcade Fire's "The Suburbs," while "So American" puts up a bit of glam swagger against an acoustic backdrop.

Even more impressive is how everything is steeped in Portugal. The Man's unique point of view. John Gourley's vocals go from a soaring falsetto to an understated sing-along in "Got It All (This Can't Be Living Now)," as he warns, "Got it all til the revolution comes." The epic, six-minute-plus closer "Sleep Forever" somehow manages to channel bits of Mötley Crüe, Oasis and Coldplay, as it builds into a stadium-ready anthem.

It's a sign of how Gourley and friends have learned to incorporate their ambitions into a single vision on "In the Mountain, In the Cloud," setting them up to have the breakthrough year they have long deserved.

PORTUGAL. THE MAN

"In the Mountain, In the Cloud"

GRADE

A-

BOTTOM LINE

Harnessing wild creativity with great results