Heave Media

Let’s all get Together

The New Pornographers offer up a delightful fifth album to the power pop gods.

The New Pornographers

Together

Released on May 04, 2010

There’s something inherently endearing to me about musical collectives. Maybe it’s because I harbor a longing to go back to summer camp and sing around a fire with some BFFs. Or, since I never actually went to summer camp, maybe I just love the idea of a bunch of people getting together and being creative. Yeah, I think that’s probably it. The New Pornographers happen to be one of my favorite examples of that collective creativity, and while Together isn’t the standout album of their career; fans won’t be disappointed by this effort. 

I hate to contradict myself and make a negative remark now, but since (SPOILER ALERT!) I’m otherwise a fan of the album, I’d like to put this out there. I think Carl Newman and Neko Case are the best part of the group. So why is it that the worst song on the album is the one that they duet on? Seriously, I actively dislike “Your Hands (Together).” It sounds so forced, like they decided that they needed JUST ONE more song that had “together” in the title to round out the track listing. Their voices complement each other’s very well, of course, but the whole song just sounds stilted and off to me.

Now that that’s off my chest, let’s move on to the better tracks of the album, shall we? The opening track “Moves” features some of the most badass violins that you’ll ever hear. They make me wish that I hadn’t given up the strings in 5th grade. And not to gush too much, but is there anyone who does a better falsetto than Carl Newman? There might be, but I don’t think I’ve heard them. While the track doesn’t herald any huge revolution in their sound, it serves as a solid introduction piece.

I think it’s safe to say that the best thing that will come out of this recession is Neko Case singing about it on “Crash Years.” Even though her solo work lends itself to more country sounds, she sounds fantastic against upbeat instrumentation. Oh, and the whistling interlude? Perfection! Nothing says “keep your chin up, unemployed folks” like whistling does. Like most of their songs, it achieves the elusive dual status of catchy and symphonic thanks to their signature layered vocals and use of interesting instruments.

Time to play the “favorite” card. Honestly, for the past five days, “Sweet Talk, Sweet Talk” has been the first thing that I want to hear when I wake up and the last thing I want to listen to before I go to bed. I love the electric guitar solos, the lyrics that reference byzantine Sunday suits with ease, and the simple hand claps that whimsically punctuate the track.

Unlike other bands, where featured guest musicians tend to stand out on a track, the stellar guests on Together (which include Annie Clark of St. Vincent, Zach Condon of Beirut, Will Sheff of Okkervil River, and horn players from Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings) sound like they’ve been in the band since its inception. The laid-back integration of these guests also extends to the album’s feel as a whole.

For the most part, Together is just so…natural. Almost too natural. While I’m not about to penalize them for being at home in their own sound, if someone was to listen to this album once and walk away, they wouldn’t be left with the strongest impression. These tracks are meant to grow on listeners. However, because of my deep and abiding love for their ability to make power-pop sound so rich and interesting, Together will be growing on me for quite some time.

Posted by Alyssa Vincent on May 04, 2010 @ 6:00 am