The New Pornographers -Together

Thu 24th Jun, 2010 in Music Reviews

The New Pornographers latest album was recorded in seven different studios, and boasts nine musical guests – including Okkervil River’s Will Shef and Sharon Jones’ backing band The Dap Kings providing horns – over and above the current eight members in the band.

It is this kind of attention to musical detail that makes the band’s work so rich. No stone remains unturned chasing the sounds that start in their heads and they have talent to spare to take it to tape.

A.C. Newman obviously has an encycopedic music knowledge at his disposal, and with this cast of musicians he has the skills, sounds, and talent to bring his many whims to life. And the biggest weapon in his arsenal being the voice of Neko Case which can effortlessly sway from sultry country grit to striking torch-song and any point in between.

Another intriguing aspect about how The New Pornographers operated on this album was that Newman would declare that a certain song would be in the style of another band. Single Your Hands (Together) found its final form when Newman told his band the song should be in style of Black Sabbath’s War Pigs, resulting in one of the band’s most bombastic efforts.

Newman was quoted as saying “That’s what I do. I write songs about songs.” Together sees Newman again mining music history to eke out his own musical gold. His loyal cast of collaborators have the skills and instruments to add the sonic spit and polish, with the songs packed with harmonies, hooks, whistles and handclaps and with the voices of Case and keyboardist Kathryn Calder add a lustrous layer on top.

Dan Bejar again comes through with his typical three tracks per album. Rather than providing a usual counterpoint and contrast to Newman’s whimsy, have also tacked onto the back of the passing catchiness conga line and help bolster this album into one of the most consistently irresistible efforts from the band. Together is just a complete pleasure.