The New Pornographers - Challengers
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Free Music Notes for Challengers
Free Music Review: Don't believe the hate. This album is awesome.
Hit: 5 Stars
This album has gotten some pretty weak reviews pretty much everywhere except Amazon, which I don't get. I guess NP threw people off because they decided to go with slower songs on this one, but tracks like "Challengers", "Go Places", and "Myriad Harbor" are some of the best songs I've heard in a while. Definitely one of my favorite albums of 2007. If you get this, pick up the Executive Edition box as well so you can get all the B-sides and the live album (which is really good).Free Music Review: Having a bad day?
Hit: 5 Stars
Catchy, upbeat, simple pop fun but with razor sharp musical writing, arrangement and lyrical savvy. If this album played in your local record shop three times a day I reckon sales would double. One of the top five of 2007!Free Music Review: Every bit as good as their previous material
Hit: 5 Stars
These guys continue to put out one great album after another. This one is slower, and more vocal driven than their previous efforts. They are more melodic and slower here, with less keyboard-driven songs chock full of pop hooks. It isn't any less good, just a little different.
These guys are such talented musicians, just about any direction they go is going to be great, and this is their latest example. And the best bands always evolve. I just hope they continue to put out such quality material, which is the way I felt after listening to their previous two CD's.
Free Music Review: A let-down after "Twin Cinema"
Hit: 3 Stars
After three albums of power-pop perfection, the Pornographers slow things down on their fourth album, Challengers, and the results, while not bad, are disappointing. I'm all for a band trying new things, but when A.C. Newman slowed the songs down, he also removed them of memorable hooks. For the first time on a New Pornographers album, there are some skippable tracks: Challengers, Adventures in Solitude, and poorly chosen first single My Rights Versus Yours. Other songs, like Failsafe and Go Places, are good enough, but never really take off. The best tracks are Dan Bejar's contributions, with "Myriad Harbor" taking the spot of best on the album. Free Music Review: Pitch Perfect - A-
Hit: 5 Stars
Music: 7 Vocals: 5 Lyrics: 4 Production: 4
Total: 20 of 25: A-
Sometimes you just want really well written pop music that isn't prechewed for you. Sometimes you want good male/female harmonies. Sometimes you want lyrics written for adults by adults. And sometimes you want subtle but infections melodies and hooks that will keep humming throughout the day. Enter The New Pornographers' album Challengers.
Upon first listen you won't get pulled in. It's a very simple album that is mildly interesting. After a few listens though, you won't be able to get the melodies out of your head. The songs are perfectly constructed using acoustic and electric guitar, bass, keyboards, piano, strings, horns, some kind of whistle, maybe a metal bar on a wood block?! All of these instruments weave in and out in the songs. Usually just the guitar and drums hold the songs together with very simple chord progressions and rhythms. It's all the layers and textures that make the music interesting.
By far the best aspect are the vocals. Songs are roughly split between the male and female singer but they trade back and forth with pitch perfect harmonies. They both write very singable choruses. They use very interesting and unique inflections and pacing. And both have a wide range of emotions in their voice. Particularly memorable is "Adventures in Solitude" where the vocals are very staccato until the swelling and sweeping break which just grabs you and carries you along for the ride. Awesome.
If you want good adult music that will keep you humming, get Challengers. But do yourself a favor, listen a few times before making your assessment. I promise you won't be disappointed.