| All Artists: The New Pornographers Title: Mass Romantic Members Wishing: 1 Total Copies: 0 Genres: Alternative Rock, Rock Styles: Indie & Lo-Fi, Power Pop Number of Discs: 1 SwapaCD Credits: 1 UPCs: 744861054023, 773871004322, 773871004315 |
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Search - The New Pornographers :: Mass Romantic
 | The New Pornographers Mass Romantic Genres: Alternative Rock, Rock Here's a band everyone can love. They've drawn comparisons to Cheap Trick, the Kinks, Phil Spector, and just about every great pop ensemble with infectious hooks and a rock edge. But the New Pornographers, the indie superg... more » |
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Amazon.com Here's a band everyone can love. They've drawn comparisons to Cheap Trick, the Kinks, Phil Spector, and just about every great pop ensemble with infectious hooks and a rock edge. But the New Pornographers, the indie supergroup of Vancouverites past and present (Carl Newman (Zumpano), Dan Bejar (Destroyer), Neko Case, and well-connected friends) quite simply craft pop tunes smarter than any other indie band out there. It's a guitar-based record, but the harmonies somehow stick out, as do the keyboards, gongs, synths, and tons of little aural do-dads that never let up. The lyrics probably have good content, but who cares? You'll be too busy singing along to care. There's a new wave tint to "Jackie"; Case's wailing on "Letter from an Occupant" makes you completely forget her alt-country day job; "To Wild Homes" has an overblown, weird prog-rock feel; and the anthemic "Breakin' the Law" ends with a chorus of kids joining in on the fun. Any way you look at it, this is one hell of a debut. --Jason Verlinde Similarly Requested CDs
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CD ReviewsPop Music Bliss from Vancouver Indie Rock Supergroup 03/06/2001 (5 out of 5 stars) "Put aside for the moment that "Mass Romantic", "The Slow Descent into Alcoholism" and, most importantly, "Letter From an Occupant" are three of the greatest pop songs ever written, with hooks so catchy you'll be singing them all day (week?month?year?) long. Temporarily ignore that this is a breakthrough performance by Neko Case, whose pipes rival those of any singer in country or rock (especially on "Occupant," which, in a paralell universe I wished I inhabited, has been #1 on the charts for six months). No, what really sticks out about this record is that, having listened to it numerous times now, I can't remember ever hearing an album with this much enthusiasm, that sounded like it was as much fun to record as it is to listen to. I mean, in every song these guys are tripping over each other in a rush to get to the chorus, like it's the only thing that'll save their lives. Like, um, music mattered. If it matters to you, then this gem comes with the highest of recommendations." 4 1/2 half stars...Ridiculuosly catchy Adrien Begrand | Saskatoon, Saskatchewan | 12/11/2000 (4 out of 5 stars) "The New Pornographers, a collective of indie artists from Vancouver, have created an album that's so catchy, so sugary-sweet that it leaves you with a sugar rush while overflowing like sodapop fizz. Every single song on Mass Romantic possesses hooks that stay in your head forever.The songs, written by Zumpano's Carl Newman and Destroyer's Dan Bejar, contain enigmatic, clever lyrics ("Hope grows greener than grass stains") and lift styles from bands like Devo, The Cars, the Go-Go's, The Beatles (of course), Elvis Costello & The Attractions, and the Beach Boys; at one point you even hear Supertramp's influence. If a band can steal a hook from Supertramp, the worst band in rock history, and make it sound good, you know you have something special in your hands.Four of the band's members share vocal duties, but it's Neko Case who steals the show. On the title track, and especially the glorious 'Letter From An Occupant', Case, who moonlights as a terrific country singer, joyously belts out the tunes a la Belinda Carlisle. 'Letter From An Occupant' could very well be the best song I've heard this year. During the bridge two minutes into the song (where they sing "the song, the song that's shakin' me"), you feel it will just peter out and fade out, but the band decides to prolong the fun a bit more and repeats the chorus, complete with its 'woo-ooh' harmony vocals, for another minute. Absolutely perfect. The repeat button on your cd player was made for songs like this.Every song is great, but other standouts are 'The Fake Headlines', the humourously self-deprecating 'The Slow Descent Into Alcoholism', and the gleeful 'The Body Says No'.Lately Canada has been producing musical bores that are either pretentious, soul-gushing female Lilith Fair-types or dull, sound-alike alterna-bands that play the same outdated tuneless grungy sludge. The New Pornographers show there's hope for Canadian music, and this one-off project is too great to yield only one album. here's hoping we'll hear more from them in the years to come." Pure Pop For Now People Devon Reed | San Francisco, CA | 01/17/2001 (4 out of 5 stars) "Creating an album with bands like The Beach Boys and The Zombies serving as primary reference points along side a healthy dose of new wave doesn't seem like the surest formula of success in the year 2000. And in fact the debut by The New Pornographers, Mass Romantic, has to be the most anachronistically poppy album I've heard in ages, but somehow it works. Carl Newman, formerly of Zumpano, has assembled his favorite fellow Canadian popsters on these twelve tracks for the express purpose of hashing out some of the most blissful hooks this side of Radio City, and they don't disappoint. Of course the album is really buoyed by the presence of Neko Case, who delivers vocals on two of the album's highlights, the title track and "Letter From an Occupant." Just for the idea of casting country crooner Case as a pop vocalist, the album deserves special attention, but Case's presence is no gimmick - her tracks are two of the album's strongest. "Mass Romantic" carries over some Nashville stylings from Case's solo career, but it's "Letter From an Occupant," the album's best track, which stands out. This is pure pop music, made especially for people who won't take their pop without lots of oohing vocal lines to sing along to. What's really incredible about Mass Romantic is the degree of consistency the album offers. From the opening drumstick countoff of "Mass Romantic" all the way through to the off-kilter "Breakin' The Law," Mass Romantic is constantly engaging and listenable. The only caveat I'd offer is that music like this inevitably has a limited shelf life, and tracks like "Execution Day" and "The Mary Martin Show" don't shine with the same exuberance after repeated listens as most of the other songs here. So don't expect anything new. Just expect that you'll be humming tunes like "The Fake Headlines" and "The Body Says No" to yourself for the next several months at least. Big guitars, goofy organ lines, and unbearably memorable choruses are what this band is all about, not pushing the envelope of sound. But everyone needs a shot of shamelessly syrupy melodies in their life, so those whose hearts aren't slabs of concrete should feel free to open up and let this little gem brighten things up a little."
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