Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mellower, subtler but just as wonderful, 15 Aug 2007
As its early reactions prove, 'Challengers' will be a divisive record. Some will see this fourth album as betraying the giddy pop thrills of their earlier albums, while many will see it as the most mature and heartfelt offering of new pornography yet. It's a natural follow-up to 2005's Twin Cinema, which leant towards ballads as well as the upbeat indie-rock numbers. Its highlight was 'The Bleeding Heart Show', the melancholy spirit of which is all over 'Challengers', especially in its opening track, the beautiful 'My Rights Versus Yours', which sets the sensitive, emotional tone of the rest of the album perfectly.
'Challengers' offers as many delights as every other New Pornographers album, just different kinds. While there's no instant classic like 'Letter From An Occupant' or 'Sing Me Spanish Techno', we are spoilt with slow-burning love songs. The wonderful 'Unguided', at a whopping six and a half minutes, is their longest song yet, gently building up to its climax of clattering guitars and glockenspiels, in which the wide-eyed Pornographers repeat the line "there is something unguided in the sky tonight." It gloriously shows off how mature their songwriting has become. Similarly, the two Neko Case-fronted songs - 'Go Places' and the title track - are their most moving yet.
The album also sounds like the band's most coherent effort. Dan Bejar's idiosyncracies in his songwriting and voice which he fully explores in his solo work as Destroyer are on display in the three songs he contributes here but, more than on previous New Pornographers albums, they fit in perfectly - check out the glorious backing vocals on the chorus of 'Entering White Cecilia', for example. His holiday-themed 'The Spirit Of Giving', too, closes the album on a suitably melancholic note. The days of The New Pornographers making instantly loveable upbeat pop songs may well be over, but 'Challengers' is a fine example of a band maturing and honing their songwriting. This year has seen The Shins and Modest Mouse jump from the fringe to the US charts. The New Pornographers could easily do the same, and this record is certainly up to the challenge.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beige?, 12 Sep 2007
So far, this album's only review on amazon.co.uk describes it as "beige". Hey, the guy is entitled to his opinion, but he's wrong. I am entitled to my opinion, and I am right. I'm joking, of course. But I am right. And he is wrong. "Challengers" (once you get past the admittedly hideous cover art) is rather good. Like all NP albums, it takes its sweet time about winning you over. But win you over it will. Complex, hook-packed, funny, catchy, surprising stuff from Canada's finest. Yeah, that's it. No different from their previous albums, but just as good as their previous albums. How can you not love these people? Carl, Neko, Dan, and, um, the other nineteen... making excellent 21st century indie rock. Listen. I am right.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Time will tell, but IMO this could be TNP best yet, 5 Jul 2008
On the first few listens of Challengers, I was pretty indifferent to it. But folks, I've learnt the lesson of the past. After dismissing Mass Romantic as unlistenable, it then got under my skin and into my heart and now ranks as one of my all time favourites and this has turned out to be no different in its potential as a 'grower'. So a couple of months down the line and several play throughs later I'm happy to confirm that this will sail into my top ten for 2007.....hurrah!!
The great thing about Challengers is that it is consistently excellent. There are no chuggers or filler here, just damn fine pop tunes throughout. It may not have the immediacy of say a Twin Cinema but I'm convinced that this will have staying power and I will find myself pulling this out to enjoy for many years.
The best tracks? Well just about all of them have degrees of merit but if I was forced to name my highlights then the masterful pop genius of lead track "My Rights Versus Yours" is an obvious choice as is the title track "Challengers" a majestic, soaring ballad and perfect foil for Neko's rich vocal delivery. "Myriad Harbour" contrasts the steady, driving rock beat and conversational delivery of the songs main structure with harmonica interjections in the chorus and string close out to perfection. Other favourites include the typically emotive but contrasting ballads "Failsafe" and "Unguided". The first is perfectly retold to the backdrop of Kathryn Calder's achingly tender but fragile vocal which, like a broken heart, threatens to disintegrate at any moment, the second with delightfully melancholy verse, it then builds to anthemic, air punching chorus. Last but by no means least is the wonderfully eccentric and overtly sexual "Entering White Cecilia" which adds the considerable weight of Dan Bejar's talents to Challengers exceptional mix.
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~ The New Pornographers
~ The New Pornographers
~ The New Pornographers
~ Neko Case
~ Neko Case
