New Pornographers’ classical values for new lucidity

New day, old lies, recycled hype. More dead, more carnage, ‘G-Dub’ is on television plotting to invade another country in the name of his ‘holy’ war against terrorism. American food is poison, American culture is de-evolutional, American outlook is pollutionous, Americans spoil the universe! We all are guinea pigs in the ‘great American experiment’, programmed to receive and consume things we know are detrimental to humanity in us all.

Most of the music emitting from the North America (Canada has given us Nickel-smegging-back!) is usually so processed and GM-altered to suit the taste-lobotomised masses. How else can you explain global success of Destiny’s Child, Avril Lavigne, Jenni ‘Le Bonk’ Lopez? Thank the Divinity for sanity-saving music by outfits like New Pornographers.

‘Electric Version’ is the second album by a group of artists who are otherwise engaged in their own careers. The debut, ‘Mass Romantic’, emerged in 2000 and became a firm pop-rock favourite. That album was pieced together from different sessions in variety of locations while the ‘Electric Version’ is the result of pre-written, pre-arranged and, often, road-tested songs.

It has worked wonders with ‘Version’ containing some of the finest pop-rock you’ll hear this side of Beach Boys. Or the vintage Buzzcocks, Syd Barrett, The Byrds, early Blondie, CSN&Y… Yeah, this lot are that good and, it should be pointed out, do not trade in nostalgia but are all members of the appreciation society of Great Songwriters and Craftsmen of potent pop songs.

The title track opens the album with a jolly vibe full of sunshine and youthful energy not even repeated sex can exhaust. It gets more psychedelic on ‘From Blown Speakers’, sounding like if Mamas & Papas were transplanted into the XXI century. A bit countrified gets on ‘ The Laws Have Changed’ with goddess-like Neko Case on vocal, totally muscle-engaging is ‘Chump Change’, part girlie-poppy (á la ‘60s) part-garage is ‘All For Swinging You Around’, with a bass-break that could have come out of The Stranglers… Quite irresistible!

Ms Case brings up the rear with an emo-kickin’ and beat-rollin’ ‘Miss Teen Wordpower’ to brilliantly round up this diverse disc. Idiosyncrasy is the spice of enjoyment.

‘Electric Version’ can become your best program of the day.

8/10