Chris Portka is a California-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who has been making music for over two decades. He now returns with his new album, The Album Everyone Wants.
The title of this blog, Motel Void, nods to a song by David Berman, so it was a joy to discover that Berman is one of Portka’s inspirations as well. But this isn’t imitation – Portka inhabits his own world, shaped, like all great art, by many influences. He cites Berman, Bob Dylan, and Captain Beefheart among them. Personally, I also hear echoes of Bill Callahan.
The album opens with the lively She Looks So Good Tonight, a song that balances dreamlike melancholy with playfulness, evoking Silver Jews or Smog. Fun in the Summer follows, and I can’t help but feel the atmosphere of Purple Mountains here – more upbeat musically and overall brighter in tone. Then comes It Is Obvious, where the production deserves attention: the record sounds strikingly natural to the ear. Recorded at New York’s Sear Sound and Oakland’s Brothers (Chinese) Recording, it was co-produced and mixed by indie legend Jasper Leach and mastered by JJ Golden (Calexico, Vetiver, Thee Oh Sees).
Dear Pretty Baby shifts into more contemplative territory, with a hypnotic, minimalist beat and keyboards. Backing vocals add a mysterious layer, and while you expect a big change-up, what comes instead is a subtle transformation. The track closes with a slightly jagged but melodic guitar solo that fits perfectly. Midway through, Poor Moon makes a bold impression with its prominent drums. I’ll admit I wasn’t entirely sold on the repetitive vocal opening, but once the main melody kicks in, it becomes instantly catchy. Still, it feels like one of those tracks you’ll either fully embrace or skip ahead. Personally, I moved on to the gorgeous ballad Trucker Speed, which transported me back to my own time in the U.S., driving along the lesser-traveled roads of California. The song captures that atmosphere beautifully, with colorful instrumentation and, above all, an incredibly memorable chorus. For me, it’s the highlight of the record.
From the latter half, Tennessee Whiskey stands out – a groovy, pedal-steel-laced krautrock reimagining of the Dean Dillon/Linda Hargrove classic. It all closes with Molly, a stripped-down acoustic song featuring a second vocal that adds texture. But honestly, Portka’s voice hardly needs the support. It may not be the kind of voice that wins singing competitions, but it carries real character – and it’s endlessly pleasant to listen to.
The Album Everyone Wants is Chris Portka’s most collaborative project yet: an 11-track full-band tapestry weaving four new originals with seven covers. It’s a record for fans of warm, deep music that draws from smart, timeless albums of the past. The vinyl is available here: seekcollective.com.
This album was discovered via SubmitHub
motel void 
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