All The Things That Go To Make Heaven and Earth - The New Pornographers - Challengers - 2007

...And this is an example of a song from Challengers that has tons of energy but no actual melody.

Meh.

All The Old Showstoppers - The New Pornographers - Challengers - 2007

As I think I mentioned previously, I am not a big fan of the most recent NP album, despite being fairly bullish about their previous records. This song however is one of the standouts. It actually has the dynamics and energy of the Twin Cinema without the weird inertia that takes over so much of Challengers.

I'm also the kind of guy who can spend hours staring into the Rorschach blot that are Carl Newman's lyrics. Unlike other abstract lyricist Newman doesn't really throw Dada at the wall (Like Pollard) or deal in ominous insinuations (Like Yorke)...his songs seem to actually mean something...or at least have the semblance of meaning something...if only you had the appropriate Rosetta Stone.

This song for instance may or may not have a fantastic pun in it...I just don't know. It's possible that this song is actually about the book of Revelations and the references to John and Gabriel and the numbers could all be read at face value. Perhaps the song is about someone who believes the word is ending...or about the falacy of believing the world is going to end in a biblical apocalypse (as oppossed to the rather mundane drowning polar bear apocalypse we seem to be approaching).

Or alternately, the song could be about music. The John of the first line could be bass player/producer John Collins (though this gives no answer to who Gabriel is) and the "numbers" are sales figures. And maybe that line in the chorus is NOT "The Princess of the Paupers" but "The Princess of the Poppers"...which is actually really funny...if that's what he means...but I clearly have no idea.

I'm going to shut up now.

All For Swinging You Around - The New Pornographers - The Electric Version - 2003

While I'd still take it over Challengers, The Electric Version is probably the most confused TNP album. Slightly baffled by the success of his wacky side project with his drinking buddies, Carl Newman threw himself full time into the band...but wasn't entirely sure what to do with it. Most of the album sounds like Newman's old band Zumpano with better production values/musicians or like an attempt to recapture the ramshakle charm of the first album.

Case in point, this blatant (if charming) attempt to write another "Letter From An Occupant"

Adventures in Solitude - The New Pornographers - Challengers - 2007

I have often said, and will continue to say that between his work with Zumpano, The New Pornos and his solo record, Carl Newman is one of the great pop songwriters of our time. But Jesus, does this song ever blow.

Challengers isn't quite the snooze-fest that my original reaction to it suggested, but this song is the album at its worst. Newman's love of multi-vocal harmonies seem ripped from show tunes, and the dynamics that made the ballads work on Twin Cinema are almost entirely absent. Carl, I'm not saying you have to keep writing "Letter from an Occupant" or "The Party Rages On" over and over...but no one needs a power ballad with no power.