 The
New Pornographers
"Electric Version"
CD
Mint
Records
Genres: power pop
Mint Records
PO Box 3613
Vancouver, BC
V6B 3Y6 Canada
May 12 - 18 2003 |
Don't
fret, kiddies. This is only the sophomore album, The New
Pornographers have not yet attempted a big
"reinvention." No, that will come somewhere between
their fourth and fifth albums, most likely. But until then,
we've got years of uppity power pop ahead of us (assuming they don't
break up anytime soon), so get out your dancing boots and get ready to
sing along. I'm going to keep this short. Electric Version is a
fantastic album. If you liked Mass Romantic, then you're
pretty much obligated to shell out the twelve-odd dollars this disc
costs to satisfy your urgent thirst for New Porn pop. And
you're not going to be disappointed. Songs like the title-track
and the genius "All for Swinging For You Around" are pure
throwbacks to the energetic explosions of pop sound that characterized
their debut. Meanwhile, tracks like "Testament to Youth
in Verse" and "Ballad of a Comeback Kid" - perhaps the
least Mass Romantic-esque songs on this album (and that's not
saying much) - aren't as
relentlessly driving, instead taking things a bit slower. This
combination of energy and gentleness adds more depth and balance to The
New Pornographers' sound, which could help win over those who felt
that Mass Romantic was a bit too much of a power pop overdose.
To put it bluntly, you know you're gonna go out and buy this album. The New
Pornographers have recorded another record jam-packed with melody
after melody, and you're only going to regret it if you miss
out. Immediately accessible and satisfyingly long-lasting, Electric
Version is the type of summer pop album that keeps you singing along until
long into November.
90%
Matt Shimmer [Vitals:
13 songs, distributed by the
label, released 2003] |
