Tuesday, July 10, 2007

I always end up in the city

The New Pornographers – Myriad Harbour

The Internet is pretty neat. I can get home, click on the torrent link on my browser and there you go: the new record from Tuung? Yes please! New Architecture in Helsinki? Hmm (what happened?!). The new Interpol? Why not! (Although I must say I haven’t made it all the way through yet, gloom and groomed’, zzz). Venetian Snares making dub songs out of Black Sabbath songs? Heck yes! It’s not quite Jah Division but still, pretty nifty, and not too harsh on yr ears for once.

I’ve had this new New Pornographers record for a while now and I’ve been playing it a fair bit. It’s a fair bit different from Twin Cinema; more understated, perhaps? They’re taking their time, they’re good at that. But when the drums kick in for sure in the first track and it’s ooohhh-oooh-wooo and a steady build up. Maybe they’re too assured for some, (dad rock?) but they’re the fucking masters. Those vocals layers! I’ve found myself listening to REM’s Murmur for similar reasons but that might seem a bit naff. Do I hang out with the wrong people if they get into fistfights about the quality of REM’s back catalogue?

Anyway, my favourite Pornographer is Dan Bejar, but I’m not sure just how much exactly he does with the band, he certainly doesn’t play live with them very often. I’d take Destroyer over the NPs any day so it’s not surprising my favourite from the new Challengers LP is largely from his brain. He's a bit of a prick, I think; 'all the boys with their homemade microphones/a very intersting sound'; snide! A snarl maybe too sardonic. It’s full of gems, though, this album, and it’s a grower, too; typical for them.

No comments: