“ Bo Bar, ba-ba-ba-bo; Bo Bar, ba-ba-ba-bar” who can resist the joy of a big, fat sing-along? Fortunately not The New Pornographers as that's how the opening title track of the new album from the Canadian (mostly) purveyors of power-pop begins.
Main songwriter A.C. (Carl) Newman provides the usual selection of songs with more hooks than an episode of Extreme Fishing with Robson Green. Sex, Drugs and Rock and roll are covered ,'Another Drug Deal of the Heart' and 'Champions of Red Wine' chugs along with a lovely vocal from Neko Case. Dan Bejar contributes three tracks along with his distinctive almost croaky speak-singing vocals galloping through a rocking 'War on The East Coast' and ' Born with a Sound' in a duet with guest vocalist Amber Webber.
The whole album moves along with more pace and drive than previous with Kathryn Calder's keyboards providing little motifs and fills throughout adding to the upbeat , joyousness, sing-along feel of the whole album.
Along with the strength of the song-writing one of the distinctive features of The New Pornographers is that they have four lead vocalists so the sound and texture of tracks through each album never feels tired ; witness the contrast between the verse of 'Wide Eyes' and the chorus,
“And if I see no hope for me , I still see hope for you”, any number of the duets and the final track 'You Tell Me Where' which just might be one of my favourite by TNP . It starts with a sweet keyboard introduction accompanying Carl's vocal and by the end has morphed into a mass sing-along between Carl, Neko, Kathryn and another guest vocalist Kelly Hogan providing a huge wall of surround sound, “So you tell me where to be ,I'll be there” and we're back to where we started, with a big, fat sing-along with a killer whale size hook to finish.
Another great album from the (cliché alert) criminally-underrated The New Pornographers.
Alisdair Whyte
8/11
Please catch them on two dates in the UK as part of a European tour at the end of the year.
Monday 1st December , The Deaf Institute Manchester
Tuesday 2nd December , Shepherds Bush Empire.
Tracks
Brill Bruisers
Champions of Red Wine
Fantasy Fools
War on the East Coast
Backstairs
Marching Orders
Another Drug Deal of the Heart
Born with a Sound
Wide Eyes
Dancehall Domine
Spidyr
Hi-rise
You tell me Where