Pop-Rockers Porter Block: “If You See Eulene” is Classic and They Weigh In
Quarter-note chords banged out on a piano, strummed hollow-bodied electric guitar, sweet vocal harmonies, handclaps, witty and self-deprecating lyrics, and a soaring melody delivered by a singer with attitude to burn: is this a lost track from the British Invasion? No, it’s Porter Block, a New York City band with a knack for a tune and absolute faith in the pop-rock verities. For the past two decades, they’ve been a constant source of effervescent, energetic, marvelously written guitar pop songs simultaneously reminiscent of the best of the classic era, the new wave’s sprightliness, and the power-pop revival’s crunch. “If You See Eulene” is Porter Block at the band’s giddiest and most irresistible.
Which is a bit of an irony, since the song is a reaction to an act of resistance. “If You See Eulene” is an open, if indirect, apology to a woman who has stopped returning the singer’s calls. Lead singer Peter Block knows he’s bugged his friend, but he doesn’t know how to repair the relationship. He’s willing to concede that he’s at fault, but he doesn’t have much hope that he can change who he is. Block sounds resigned, and maybe a little miffed too — though it’s unclear whether he’s angry at Eulene, or angry at himself.
The Porter Block Extended Play follows the dazzling Clean Up Your Living Room, the band’s seventh album, and a forceful, outspoken, delightfully tuneful set praised by the independent press. Though the 2021 project is undeniably fun, it’s also something of a survivor’s tale: Peter Block had been hospitalized with a mysterious ailment that deprived him of the use of his hands. He’s fought through that misfortune and emerged with an irrepressible will to rock. “If You See Eulene” is an upbeat stomper, but if fans listen carefully, they can sense the undercurrent of darkness and anxiety that runs through all of the material Block has recorded since his ordeal.
Peter Block is at the center of Monique “The Infamous HER” Staffile’s throwback performance video for “If You See Eulene.” The director surrounds the pop-rock singer and songwriter with beautiful women in dresses suggestive of Mary Quant and sets them dancing. Block moves to the beat, too, and interacts with the girls around him, but you can tell he’s haunted by his regrets. As the dancers point Super-8 cameras at Block and his bandmates, he registers a heartfelt confession. “We used to be friends,” he sings of Eulene, directly into the lens, determined to get his message through.
Porter Block Weighs In
How did you guys come together to form Porter Block
Caleb and I both grew up in New York City. It was just after 9/11 and I was attempting to
relocate my studio from lower Manhattan and I ended up a little uptown on canal street. It was probably 2002/2003 and first we played together in a band I was in called Tripasaurus , from there we naturally migrated towards writing and recording demos and eventually some of that stuff made it onto our first album “Suburban Sprawl” in 2005.
How do you hype yourself up before performing live on stage in front of an audience?
I’m not sure either of us really need “hyping”. There are always a few nerves that keep the adrenaline flowing . For me the key is to just relax and not get too amped up because you tend to push vocally, and tempos. I think the key is to actually use the least amount of conscious effort and do whatever is most natural and easiest. The greatest live performance for me is just naturally flowing, no extra effort needed.
How do you usually overcome creative blocks when writing music?
That can happen from time to time and the key is to not make a big deal about it. Some things are self fulfilling prophecies. If we get stuck we usually change things up. If I’m writing on guitar, I’ll start fresh on piano. Sometimes it’s again not pushing the song but letting it come. I like to accumulate notes and phrases and ideas for songs on my phone and often I’ll scroll through stuff I don’t even remember writing, but invariably it delivers a fresh idea or pathway toward a new exciting idea.
What was the inspiration for the song “if you see Eulene”
That’s an easy one. Caleb was not getting along with his sister and got excited about the lyric. The key for me is the devastating discovery that as the songs says “used to be, ain’t what it used to be .” As a follow up to the album we did during the pandemic, (“clean up the living room “) it felt like the right sentiment of the moment.
What line from “if you see Eulene” has the most personal meaning to you ?
Like I said “used to be , ain’t what it used to be “ is a pretty dark reality. Within the confines of an otherwise happy pop song, there is a real sense of loss.
What was the collaboration like with Monique Staffile on creating the music video for “If you see Eulene”
Monique directed the video and from the start had a real vision of doing it like “Shindig“ or “Hullaballoo”, very mid 1960’s television aesthetic. What was nice was the band interaction with the go go dancers. It was a perfect mix of old and new.
What are your favorite cities’ venues to perform?
The best gig I think we ever played was out of doors at the Jones Beach Theater on Long Island. Unfortunately that same night we had tickets to see Tom Petty at Forest Hills in Queens, so we gave up our tickets to Monique who took her parents. Tom died a few months later and we were devastated. We missed that last chance to see him.
What can we expect from you next?
We’ve finished a new record which was a collaboration with Andy Paley who was a member of the Paley Brothers and Brian Wilson’s primary song writing partner and co-producer during his solo career. It’s unlike anything we’ve really attempted so far and just having Andy in the mix really helped create a new sound and sonic template for about a dozen songs. We can’t wait to release this record soon for summer listening.
Follow Porter Block
https://linktr.ee/
