Together by The New Pornographers

 

Quick quiz: What band successfully integrates influences like The Beach Boys, Ramones, The Who, and Queen? Well, you already know the answer, but seriously—who else can pull this off, dropping sophisticated, dramatic pop constructions into an energetic rock ‘n’ roll stew? One listen to “Your Hands (Together)” and you’ll see what we mean. It’s as if Keith Moon, Brian May, Joey Ramone, and Brian Wilson formed a band. Yeah….see what we’re saying?

 

Together finds The New Pornographers in excellent form, returning somewhat to the energetic bounce of 2003’s Electric Version while showing off what they’ve learned from the explorations of the last two albums. As in all NP albums, the compositions are sophisticated yet filled with catchy and accessible melodies; the harmonies are plentiful; the arrangements are complex yet still within the confines of concise pop; and the energy is infectious. NP continues to churn out songs that never go where you expect them to, but without being too jarring or labored. All four singers turn in spot-on performances, and Dan Bejar’s songs and performances on here seem more of a piece with the remainder of the album than in the last few offerings. This is one of those rare albums that make an immediate impression but also bear up to repeated listens, with each one yielding some new as-yet-unheard piece of the whole. And you know what? If you don’t like to think too much about music, you can just put it on and sing along—because if you put it on, you *will* sing along. Trust us.