The New Pornographers

Mass Romantic
Electric Version
Twin Cinema
Challengers


Mass Romantic (Matador ‘00) Rating: A-
The New Pornographers are supposedly comprised of some sort of “indie supergroup” (main songwriter/vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Carl Newman of Zumpano, secondary songwriter/vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Dan Bejar of Destroyer, bass player John Collins of The Evaporators, keyboardist Blaine Thurier, drummer Kurt Dahle, and guitarist Todd Fancey), only most of the people reading this review will have never heard of most of those bands. So let’s concentrate on The New Pornographers, shall we? Anyway, I’ve been interested in checking out this band ever since my friend Chris Willie Williams raved about this album, and the lofty praise they’ve since received from many a mainstream critic seems justified as well. The band’s signature style consists of busy, bustling melodies that are singable yet surprisingly rocking, in large part due to their propulsive rhythm section. Multi-colored keyboard parts and high-pitched multi-part harmonies are other major components of the band’s sound, and lines like “so visualize success but don’t believe your eyes” are worth paying attention to as well, making this more than simply a ridiculously catchy pop album. Besides, not all of these songs are absurdly catchy - just most of them - especially the ones sung by sexy country chanteuse Neko Case (“Mass Romantic,” “The Slow Descent Into Alcoholism,” “Letter From An Occupant”), who steals the show whenever she opens her mouth (note: she's also a well-respected solo artist). Pity she doesn’t sing more often (though she sings harmonies elsewhere), as Newman/Bejar’s at-times annoyingly wimpy vocals and a sound that sometimes tries to do too much are this album’s admittedly minor weaknesses. Other personal favorites include “The Fake Headlines,” “To Wild Homes,” and “The Body Says No,” which show off the band’s choir of voices as well as their debt to The Beach Boys. The end of the album tails off somewhat, but this was a consistently stellar first album with some truly fantastic tunes that showed that it’s still possible to deliver upbeat pop songs with a bit of bite to them.

Electric Version (Matador ‘03) Rating: A
With a major buzz about them after the leftfield success of Mass Romantic, The New Pornographers delivered more of the same with Electric Version, which is fine by me. Though she’s less of an overall presence this time out, once again Neko Case steals the show whenever she appears, whether singing lead ("The Laws Have Changed," "All For Swinging You Around") or harmonies ("The Electric Version," "The New Face Of Zero and One," "Miss Teen Wordpower"). However, once again even the songs she doesn't appear on are uncommonly catchy as well, as the band's instantly appealing, multi-colored sound remains totally intact. Once again angular guitars, burbling keyboards, big propulsive beats, and creatively arranged male/female harmonies are thrown into a blender, and if anything there's even more going on during these songs this time around. Electric Version is crammed full of layers of sonic details, but by and large the band’s crafty attention to detail works in their favor, as it’s often a subtle detail or unexpected instrumental interjection that makes a song special, such as the gorgeously repeating keyboard riff on "Loose Translation," the fragile, angelic vocals on "Testament To Youth In Verse," the rip roaring glam guitar on “It’s Only Divine Right,” and the stellar chorus that elevates the otherwise unexceptional "July Jones." Really, if you liked the last album there's no reason you won't like this one as well, with its beefed up sound and even more hyperactive hooks upon hooks to dig into. Indeed, if anything this album is even more clever, quirky, and consistent than its predecessor, but regardless of which one you prefer, both are very good, extremely fun "feel good" albums that were easily among the best albums released in their respective years.

Twin Cinema (Matador ‘05) Rating: A-
After two brilliantly bouncy, upbeat, and surprisingly rocking pop albums, the loose collective known as The New Pornographers, now nine members strong (new members include Nora O'Connor and Kathryn Calder), mess with the formula on album number three. As usual, A.C. Newman writes and sings lead the majority of the time, Dan Bejar writes and sings three songs ("Jackie, Dressed In Cobras," "Broken Beads," "Streets Of Fire") before disappearing into Destroyer (he no longer tours with the band), and solo star Neko Case absolutely dominates the proceedings the all too infrequent times she appears. But things are different this time, too. For example, only a few songs (the title track, "Use It," "Star Bodies") are as instantly hummable as, and are stylistically similar to, the first two albums, and Neko Case, whose previous lead vocals typically were on the band's most upbeat material, here sings two simple, melancholic ballads, "The Bones Of An Idol" and "These Are The Fables," neither of which are as memorable as her previous showcase numbers (they're still good though). Overall, the album tries out more styles and moods, and though the songs aren't as immediately accessible or as instantly loveable as what we've come to expect, most of these songs also turn out to be catchier than I originally thought, whether it be through their trademark harmonized choruses or a chanted sing songy verse. From my perspective the beginning and end of the album are terrific, and the middle of the album strings together a bunch of songs that I've grown to appreciate, whether it be for the edgy guitar solo on "The Jessica Numbers," Newman's fragile falsetto on "Sing Me Spanish Techno" (a song that I've belatedly come to consider a major highlight), or the hooky synths and "la la la" vocals on "Broken Beads." As for the beginning of the album, "Use It" delivers the album's most oft-quoted sound bite ("two sips from the cup of human kindness, and I'm shit-faced") and an extremely catchy chorus (even if I think it bears a slight similarity to REO Speedwagon's "Someone Tonight"), while "The Bleeding Heart Show" is a glorious anthem and the band's best song yet. It starts slow but boy does it pick up, and when the swelling chorus kicks in, with Neko of course leading the way it's one of those moments that simply makes you glad to be alive; it's that good. As for the end of the album, "Star Bodies" delivers a ridiculously catchy harmonized chorus along with propulsive rhythms (drummer Kurt Dahle remains the band's secret weapon), and Newman correctly calls Bejar's "Streets Of Fire" a "campfire sing along." It's a really good one, too, and though "Stacked Crooked" didn't seem like anything special to me at first, I soon realized that it's like several songs in one, each more inventive than the last; plus it has mariachi horns! Again, the album on the whole requires more effort than Mass Romantic or Electric Version, yet it could be argued that these more experimental, less formula driven songs are actually more interesting in the long run, and that the album has a range of emotions and an overall depth that the previous albums lacked. Personally, I still prefer the other two, but only slightly, in part because perhaps at 14 songs this album is a tad too long. Regardless of which you prefer, this is another really good album, and the album that the band needed to make to keep moving forward. Indeed, this albums subtle charms reward repeat plays and an attention to detail, as The New Pornographers continue to confirm that they're one of the most creative collectives currently around. I just hope that the band can find time amid all their respective solo careers and side projects to keep things going, for The New Pornographers have something special going for them, and Twin Cinema is a special album, if in decidedly unexpected ways.

Challengers (Matador ‘07) Rating: B+
The band continues to tone things down, and much more so this time, though the end result is again extremely impressive, even if I'd rank Challengers below the band's three previous albums. This subdued, mature, more reflective album is what you'd call a "grower," and it isn't that different from what came before it. For one thing, as per usual Newman writes the majority of the songs and Bejar chimes in with three oddly endearing offerings ("Myriad Harbour," "Entering White Cecilia," "The Spirit Of Giving"). Also, like on Twin Cinema Neko Case sings a pair of pretty ballads, the evocative title track and the poppier "Go Places," and provides essential harmonies throughout. Kathryn Calder also gets a rare lead vocal on the groovy "Failsafe," which is also notable for Dahle's trademark big beat and some tremolo guitar, while "Unguided" is the band's first truly epic song at 6:33, and a soaring, grand highlight it is. What's mostly different about this album is that only two songs ("All The Things That Go To Make Heaven and Earth," "Mutiny, I Promise You") recall the ultra-hooky, colorful, upbeat perkiness of early New Pornographers, and neither these songs or any of the others could be called an instant classic along the lines of "Letter From An Occupant," "The Laws Have Changed," or "The Bleeding Heart Show." What this album instead offers is consistent quality; even if I miss the band's joyous exuberance, there's no denying that tunes such as "Adventures In Solitude" and "The Spirit Of Giving" are awfully pretty, and the two songs that begin the album, "My Rights Versus Yours" and "All The Old Showstoppers," both build nicely if unspectacularly. Then again, you can't expect spectacular every time, and The New Pornographers have had their fair share of stupendous tunes over their first three albums. Challengers is merely a very good, consistently enjoyable collection, which is still darn good for a group that's constantly being pulled in so many different directions. That said, maybe its members' busy schedules are starting to take a toll on the band, if ever so slightly.

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