Best Of 2009: Port O'Brien

Folk rockers Port O'Brien released one of the strongest albums of the year, the darkly personal and exquisitely crafted Threadbare. The band's sophomore studio effort, a collection of elegiac, heartbreaking songs, gently took shape following the tragic death of singer and lyricist Cambria Goodwin's brother in a car accident. The Alternate Side recently caught up with fellow Port O'Brien singer and scribe Van Pierszalowski to find out how the band was coping after a difficult, yet uplifting, year.

This year has been one of enormous highs and lows for you, especially in the aftermath of Cambria's family tragedy and the time of mourning that shaped Theadbare. How has 2009 altered how you think of yourselves as artists and people?

As a band, its changed everything really. It forced us to make line-up changes, re-focus on what we wanted to do musically and lyrically, and it re-energized us to get into the studio. As people, it really forced us to re-evaluate everything: our friends, situations, everything.

You've credited Jason Quever of Papercuts for really throwing you a lifeline when things became so difficult. You said he saved your band. How so?

Jason not only produced most of the record, but really acted as a grief counselor in a lot of ways. We did something like 23 days in a row at his house studio, and we were always talking things out in between recording.

How are you all doing, especially given the grind of touring?

We are doing better now than we were earlier in the year, and honestly.. we're just really excited for the year to be over. Tour has been great, but really exhausting.

When you look back at this decade, what has made the most impact on you musically?

Well, it's the first decade that [Cambria and I] really remember all the way through. At the start of the decade, we were in junior high school. Obviously, everything has really changed in those years. Musically, what we listen to started with embarrassing mainstream "punk," i.e. Green Day and Blink 182. [And then we] graduated to the Beatles, then to "indie" rock. I feel like that's what most people our age did. In terms of albums: You Can Have What You Wantby Papercuts, Tha Carter III by Lil' Wayne, Ghosts of the Great Highway by Sun Kil Moon, Moon and Antarctica by Modest Mouse, Kid A by Radiohead, For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver.

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As the new year looms around the corner, what are you most looking forward to in 2010?

We're always working on new music, so that's always exciting I guess. We'll also definitely be hitting the road again. It's looking like we'll do [the] U.S. in February and March and Europe again later in spring. I think we're both just looking forward to getting a fresh start on a fresh year.

You've had an exhausting year. What are you hoping to do during your downtime around the holidays?

The holidays are always family time, obviously. Cambria is especially busy during Christmas season, baking and making things for people. In terms of the perfect day off, an isolated California beach on a hot day is heaven.

As partners, musically and in life, what is the best advice you and Cambria can offer for couples who work together?

We're actually no longer in a romantic relationship at all.

Aside from Threadbare, what was a record you really loved that came out this year?

You Can Have What You Want by Papercuts is our "Record of the Year."

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