Portugal. the Man

Portugal. the Man is a perfect case study of how a band matures as it gets older. Formed in 2004, the band was extremely experimental sounding and tended to get carried away with excessive instrumental noodling that would often lead to nowhere in particular. After releasing a few albums and touring for a couple of years, the band toned things down and started making pop-friendly music that would entice new listeners instead of scaring them away. The band is based out of Portland, Oregon, and though it's not exactly part of the "mainstream,"it still has strong ties to popular alternative rock scenes.