The New Pornographers - 'Brill Bruisers' (Album Review)
Friday, 29 August 2014
Written by Huw Baines
There are few rushes quite like falling for a pop song, and there are few bands out there with as many star-crossed moments in the vault as the New Pornographers.
Still, the torches carried for ‘Twin Cinema’ certainly outnumber those for ‘Challengers’ and ‘Together’, the band’s most recent efforts and albums stocked with beautiful songs that nevertheless deviated a touch too far from the mellifluous heights of their predecessors for some.
‘Brill Bruisers’, as its Brill Building, hit factory-referencing title might suggest, is a more forthright, bold proposition that acts as a ringing endorsement of their strengths while delivering a few satisfying surprises.
Firstly, it does a fine job of shining a light on the New Pornos’ constituent parts. The title song is an ebullient riff on classic ELO led by Carl Newman, Marching Orders a synth-dotted gem anchored by Neko Case and Hi-Rise a distinctly Shinsy drop of indie. Kathryn Calder, meanwhile, almost steals the whole shebang with the gorgeously understated Another Drug Deal Of The Heart.
But, above and beyond, this is a record that runs on the conflicted heart of Dan Bejar’s contributions. Seemingly still firing on all cylinders following the release of Destroyer’s ‘Kaputt’, he drives up the tempo with War On The East Coast and Born With A Sound, which finds him aided and abetted by Amber Webber of Black Mountain, and the rest of the record breaks a sweat to keep pace.
For those left wishing ‘Challengers’ and ‘Together’ had kicked off the shackles a little more, it’s a welcome shift. Backstairs, lit by neon synth and carried off by dizzying harmonies, and Dancefloor Domine are similarly quick on the draw, with 'Brill Bruisers' representing a remarkably coherent piece of pacing given the band’s inherent logistical issues.
Pick it apart or take it as a whole, this is a very good New Pornographers record and one that could, in time, command a distinctive place of its own among their other work. Pop music ain’t dead.
The New Pornographers Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Mon December 01 2014 - MANCHESTER Manchester Deaf Institute
Tue December 02 2014 - LONDON O2 Shepherd;s Bush Empire
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