Mass Romantic
Here's a band everyone can love. They've drawn comparisons to Cheap Trick, the Kinks, Phil Spector, and just about every great pop ensemble with infectious hooks and a rock edge. But the New Pornographers, the indie supergroup of Vancouverites past and present (Carl Newman (Zumpano), Dan Bejar (Destroyer), Neko Case, and well-connected friends) quite simply craft pop tunes smarter than any other indie band out there. It's a guitar-based record, but the harmonies somehow stick out, as do the keyboards, gongs, synths, and tons of little aural do-dads that never let up. The lyrics probably have good content, but who cares? You'll be too busy singing along to care. There's a new wave tint to "Jackie"; Case's wailing on "Letter from an Occupant" makes you completely forget her alt-country day job; "To Wild Homes" has an overblown, weird prog-rock feel; and the anthemic "Breakin' the Law" ends with a chorus of kids joining in on the fun. Any way you look at it, this is one hell of a debut.--Jason Verlinde