Customer Reviews

Challengers

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

It's probably best to get it out of the way, so here it goes: the New Pornographers will probably never be able to create an album as good or better than "Twin Cinema." When "Twin Cinema" released around two years ago, I had never heard of this "supergroup" or any of the members to whom the label is attributed. But when I picked up the album on the insistence of several reviews and a preview listen, I knew that this was a band that was perfect for me. The power pop music that on that album was near-flawless and it remains just as exciting and powerful today as it was in 2005. So no, "Challengers" is not better or as good as "Twin Cinema." But once you get over that fact, you'll find an album that is great in its own right and definitely worth owning.

It starts off with the first single, "My Rights Versus Yours." I have to be honest, when I first listened to the song a few months ago I was not a fan. The song lacked the powerful hooks and grandiose climaxes that "Twin Cinema" flaunted on pretty much every song. Of course, since then I've been able to appreciate the song for it's absolutely beautiful lyrics, and relentless drive. Carl Newman's delivery is flawless as he sings "We hang suspended from the heights until it's safer to walk here." The hook is a bit weak in my opinion("The truth in one free afternoon"), but it really doesn't distract from this great song. "All the Old Showstoppers" continues the fantastic songwriting from the first track. It really feels like a group effort, especially by the time the bridge rolls around.

It runs head-on into the title track, "Challengers." It's not only one of my favorite tracks on the album, but probably one of my favorites of 2007. Neko Case takes over the vocals here, and she once again nails it. Each line, each note is sung perfectly with Carl harmonizing gently in the background. Everything about the song is beautiful, from Neko's declaration that "We are the challengers of the unknown!" to simple "Nah nah nahs" on the bridge. The song succeeds in being moving and poignant without the help of a chorus or any sort of climax. In my opinion, the song is just like one big climax, it starts off strong and never falters. Without a doubt, it is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever had the pleasure of listening to.

Dan Bejar's next up with his almost humorous, "Myriad Harbor." As he nonchalantly notes, "I took a plane, I took a train..." the rest of the band cuts him off with "Ah! Who cares? You always end up in the city!" By the time they're all singing "Look out upon the Myriad Harbor," chances are you're singing along right with them. The steady drumming and infectious guitars are complimented by some string instruments here, and it sounds awesome. Speaking of things sounding awesome, "All of the Things that Go to Make Heaven and Earth" is one of the few times on the album that The New Pornographers revert back to their wilder days. This up tempo power pop opus is quite an accomplishment, even for this band! The song sounds like it could've fit perfectly on Carl Newman's solo album, "The Slow Wonder," but the background vocals clearly make it a good fit here too.

The energy built up by that song is almost immediately brought to a halt by "Failsafe" in which Kathryn Calder finally makes her debut on a Pornographers record. Unfortunately, the song is pretty unmemorable. Her vocals aren't really the problem, as they're near-Neko quality and impressive. But the melody and the music surrounding it are misguided at best. I can't help but think that the song made the final cut simply because of Calder's notable presence. "Unguided" is also a song that seems out of place. At 6 1/2 minutes, it progresses slowly and really never pays off the way one would expect it to. There is definitely something at work here, especially when Neko Case finds her way into the song, but it still seems like it's missing something. In the end, it's lyrics are its only saving grace and it's worth listening to if only for that.

"Entering White Cecilia" is another song that is fronted by Bejar, but it sounds more like his main project, Destroyer, than The New Pornographers. Anyone who is familiar with Bejar's solo work knows that he loves to half-talk and rush a lot of his lines. In the context of Destroyer, it works well, but here it just sound like he's taking his fellow bandmates on a ride that they weren't totally down for. This is evidenced by the background vocalists awkwardly struggling to keep up with his erratic delivery. Even though the album takes a dip in quality for those three songs, the remainder of "Challengers" is great!

"Go Places" is a Case-fronted song in which she asserts "Yes, a heart will always stay one day too long, always hoping for the hot flashes to come." Again, she does a perfect job of delivering the vocals. The song climaxes at around the 2:30 mark, as Neko sings the chorus with passion and conviction. She continues to amaze me. "Mutiny, I Promise You" is an upbeat group effort whose woodwinds give it a very cool late-60s pop sound, at least for the song's introduction. In the chorus, the members ask "What's the weight of the world worth to ya'?" in traditional Pornographers form. It's a very cool song.

"Adventures In Solitude" is another Newman-fronted balled, whose beauty and poignancy rivals "Challengers." Newman's subdued singing of "We thought we lost you...welcome back," is countered beautifully in the bridge as the song picks up and Neko takes over the vocal duties. Violins are added here, and they once again integrate perfectly with the band. The album ends with "The Spirit of Giving," in which Bejar makes his third appearance on the album, singing "I'll give you something to be sad about. It's your turn to go down now!" The song features everything from a trumpet to an accordion, and it ends the album in an almost triumphant way. It leaves you feeling good about what you just listened to, and gives you a reason to listen to it all over again.

Perhaps my biggest complaint about "Challengers" is that many of the songs sound like they are not group efforts. In many cases it sounds like Neko wrote a few Neko Case Songs, Carl wrote a few A.C. Newman songs, and Dan wrote a few Destroyer songs and then everybody added background vocals, a little bit of drums, some guitars, and then called it a day. "Challengers" is nowhere near as cohesive, focused, or exciting as it's predecessors. At the same time, however, it is more creative and risky than any of the group's other three albums. Like I said, once you get over the fact that it's no "Twin Cinema," "Challengers" reveals itself for what it truly is; another great album from The New Pornographers and one of 2007's best!

Key Tracks:

1. "My Rights Versus Yours"

2. "Challengers"

3. "Myriad Harbor"

4. "All of the Things that Go to Make Heaven and Earth"

5. "Adventures in Solitude"

7 out of 10 Stars

The New Pornographers are two bands in one. On the one hand, there is the studio version of the band that includes non-touring members like the great Neko Case and Dan Bejar. Then there is the touring version of the band, that takes these amazing songs and performs them live. Both versions are centered around Carl Newman. He helps assure that the Pornographers are a great live band, even without its distinguished non-touring members, but with all members involved, this is one of the truly great studio bands in the world. CHALLENGERS is their fourth album. I honestly can't describe it as their best or their worst album. All four of their albums seem to me to be absolutely masterpieces and I was astonished to discover just how great this album has turned out to be. It isn't quite like earlier albums. For one thing, almost all the songs on CHALLENGERS are slower and statelier than almost any of the songs on previous albums. The first three cuts on the disc - "My Rights Versus Yours," "All the Old Showstoppers," and the title track represent the slowest beginning of any of their albums, but by no means are any of them weak songs. "All the Old Showstoppers" starts off almost delicately, but it gradually builds into a march as one new musical wrinkle after another is introduced to the mix. More than any other band, I would love to see these guys working on a recording. They are just dripping with talent and it would be wonderful to see who is responsible for introducing each new element. An individual song might be written initially by Newman or Bejar, but by the end of the recording process, it has been transformed into something that is obviously a group effort.

One of my fears before hearing this album (the various elements had been leaked onto the Internet over the past few months) was that Neko Case, whose solo career has been soaring, might opt out of the band. I was thrilled upon listening to this for the first time that not only has she not left the band, but contributed as much or more to this album as any other. She sings the lovely, lovely title track, which marvelously keeps the focus on her lovely voice. "Myriad Harbor" follows immediately after "Challengers," and while it doesn't frame her voice as intensely, it is still driven by her stellar singing.

While most of the songs are slower-paced compared to previous Pornographer albums, Newman's "All That Goes to Make Heaven and Earth" would be completely at home on any of the previous albums. Here it is one of the few hard driving songs. "Failsafe" slows things back down again (again focused on the singing of Neko Case).

All in all, I find this album focused a bit less on Carl Newman than previous Pornographer albums. I might have been troubled by this except all of the other members of the band seem to have stepped up to the plate. This might have been intentional. It could well be that this was more of a group effort by design. God knows that as great as Carl Newman is, this band has such a ludicrous amount of talent he could just skip the recording sessions and the rest of the band would undoubtedly produce another masterpiece. There are many collectives in rock these days, but none has the talent these guys do. And for the record, I want Carl Newman completely involved in all future recording sessions (though Carl, how about another solo album?).

I remain nervous for the future. The band's best known members all are quite successful in their own projects and with Carl Newman's moving from Vancouver to New York they are becoming more geographically dispersed. I love Neko Case. I would love to hear a new solo album by Carl Newman. And I have all of Destroyer's albums. But while I want more of each, I also want a fifth New Pornographer album. They are all great apart, but they are something truly miraculous together.

Tell me something. Did the Beatles sound the same on "Rubber Soul" as they did on "Meet the Beatles"? No, of course not. Does that make "Rubber Soul" any less interesting of an album? Quite the opposite. The same goes for the New Pornographers' latest release which, like the Fab Four's middle period albums, has more variety and subtlety than their early albums, but still retains the pop song artistry that they've been known for in the past. Actually, they've always had their slower, quieter side on a few songs from previous albums, so this transition shouldn't be completely unexpected by NP fans. And of course, they deliver the goods (meaning manic rockin' out) the same as they've ever done on at least two or three tracks here. So now we also have the opportunity to rest a bit between bop sessions. Is there a problem with that? Not for me.

The New Pornographers were asked in a recent Paste Magazine interview why they dialed down their sound a bit for this, their fourth album. They answered, in essence, that they did so because it was time, and just because they could. Yes, this is the "mellowest" of the New Pornographers' four albums. And yes, like other classic pop bands (think Beatles and Fleetwood Mac), the individual members are showing a bit more restlessness at showcasing their solo talents as their careers mature. But keep in mind this was always considered a "supergroup" of talented folks who get together every couple years to turn out a near-perfect power-pop CD. You may miss some of the kick-butt energy and enthusiasm of the previous efforts, but that's not to say the songs here are of any less merit. There's more of a "gorgeousness" to these tunes, for lack of a better word. Their ensemble has grown to eight members, too, including new vocalist and keyboardist Kathryn Calder. And as far as songwriting is concerned, I still argue that A.C. Newman is the most original pop songwriter this side of Lindsay Buckingham. Danny Bejar and Neko Case are no slouches either. As one would expect from a NP album, this is an album bursting with addictively catchy songs, kicking off with "My Rights Versus Yours", and continuing through gems like Neko's lead vocal in "Challengers", and standout tunes like "All of the Things that Go to Make Heaven and Earth" and "Mutiny, I Promise You". The last two NP albums have easily made my best-of-the-year lists, and there's no reason to doubt that this one will be near the top of my list, too, for 2007.

After 2005's brilliant Twin Cinema, New Pornographers leader Carl Newman made a conscious decision to do something a little different for the band's next trick. Consequently, Challengers pulls back a bit from the bombastic power-pop the group is known for. With the ranks of the band now swelled to eight members, the arrangements take center stage this time out. Well, the arrangements as well as the female vocals. Neko Case has been an integral member of the band since the beginning, providing a powerful voice on both lead and backing vocals. But with her solo career taking off, The New Pornographers had to recruit another woman to sing for them when Case wasn't available to tour. Enter Kathryn Calder on vocals and piano. Although she showed up here and there on Twin Cinema, she really comes into her own on Challengers.

The album kicks off with "My Rights Versus Yours," a mid-tempo song with an irresistible chorus. It starts off sparsely, with just Newman's voice, soft guitar, and a quiet keyboard. Gradually the rest of the band enters- backing vocals, bass guitar, a tambourine, drums. After 90 seconds the song is going full force and the first chorus kicks in. Then, a bridge, with the traditional duet vocals of Newman and Case. But by the end of the bridge, Calder is there, too, adding another layer to the harmony and staying there for the chorus. While the song never bursts out into the full rock you'd expect from earlier Pornographers songs, it's a perfect example of the careful, meticulous arrangements the album is filled with.

"All Old Showstoppers" rides a similar mid-tempo groove and has more of Case's backing vocals providing extra punch to Newman's lead. "Challengers" is next, and the first ballad of the album. Case takes the lead here, soulfully singing over Newman's quiet harmony and "o-la o-la o-la o-la" from Calder and the rest of the band. "Myriad Harbour" is Dan Bejar's first appearance on the album, providing his usual handful of songs. His angular songwriting and sort of yelpy singing voice always give the Pornographers some contrast. The lyrics here and on the album-closing "The Spirit of Giving" sound more like his main band Destroyer than usual, with awkward chatter from the Canadian about the American indie music scene. Still, the song itself is damn catchy, with great gang vocals on the chorus and a well-placed harmonica riff.

"All the Things That Go to Make Heaven and Earth" is one of only two fast songs on the album, capturing more of the sound you'd usually expect from the band. Drummer Kurt Dahle gets to really open up his drums on this one, showing flashes of the creativity he displayed on Twin Cinema. Next up is the fantastic "Failsafe," as things slow back down. Calder takes the lead vocal on this one, although Case provides harmonies throughout the song, to the point where it's basically a duet. A jagged electric guitar echo permeates the song as well, giving the tune an interesting-sounding bedrock to build upon. "Unguided" has the feel of an epic journey- at 6 1/2 minutes, it's the album's longest song. Although the song is relaxed, it has a big, wide-open sound, driven by Dahle's drums and a huge chorus. Afterward, Bejar's bouncy "Entering White Cecilia" changes things up again, and just in time.

Then there's the mid-tempo "Go Places," which is another vocal treat. Case has the lead, but there's plenty of Calder here as well. Calder's piano playing, a catchy guitar line, and a string section drive the music, which is anchored by another beautiful chorus. "Mutiny, I Promise You" is the other up-tempo song on the album, and it's one of the highlights. A riff reminiscent of "Sing Me Spanish Techno" moves the song along to a Newman-Case duet, and yes, there's a great, hooky chorus on this one as well. "Adventures in Solitude" has probably the quietest moment on an album full of subdued moments. Slight instrumentatation by the band and later, a string section, accompanies a beautiful duet from Newman and Calder. Case comes in about halfway through the song with her own unique vocal melody, which drives through to the end of the song. A Bejar song closes out a Pornographers album for the first time with "The Spirit of Giving." This is one of those songs that just has that feeling of a closer. There's a nice wrap-up, closing goodbye sound. A musical interlude in the middle with French horn, trumpet, accordion, and strings goes well with the whole "arrangements are important" attitude that the rest of Challengers has.

Yeah, okay, this review was a little long. But there's so much good stuff inside a New Pornographers disc that it's worth talking about for a while. Yes, the rumors you have heard of this album being quieter than the band's other albums are true. No, that doesn't make this album bad or even a disappointment. I don't think it quite measures up to the awesomeness of Twin Cinema, but the songwriting is just as clever as always, with all the things that make the band great. And if you get a chance to see them on tour this fall, make sure you don't miss them, because Neko Case (finished promoting her excellent 2006 album Fox Confessor Brings the Flood) will be along for the whole thing. I can't wait to see some of these songs live with both ladies singing. 9.0/10

I was introduced to NPs by someone who was way more into indie music than me, but since I was way more into her than she was into me, I tried hard to like them, but I just couldn't stand most of their earlier work. Now, a couple of years later, Challengers falls into my lap, and I can't get enough of it.

That's not true. I can't stand what I consider the more manic stuff on here, like Myriad Harbour, All The Things, Entering White Cecilia, and Mutiny. They scream at me as I rush to turn the sound down.

However...

My Rights Versus Yours, Challengers, Go Places, and particularly Unguided have poignant and rich lyrics that gain more meaning to me after continued listening. They're wrapped in nicely layered sound that just reverberates around my car when I'm listening to them. I listened to a preview of the title track before I bought it and was really sucked in, ended up buying the entire album. Now all four of these tracks are in my top 25 most played on my iPod in the last three years, and I've only owned them for one!

I hope I don't offend the diehards - not my intention! This is just an opinion of a curious listener. I continue to be intrigued by this album that has four of my favorite songs and four of my least favorite in one place. And regardless, it was WELL worth the purchase.

This band is mistakenly lumped with the "indie" movement, partly because they choose to associate with other artists with that profile, due to the fact that Carl Newman and Neko Case just happen to be very nice, sharing types of people. But, to me, "indie" is a negating kind of definition. Indie = Not too much production, not too much fame. Lo-tech, lo-fi, lo-expectations.

The New Pornographers are far more sweeping, ambitious and powerful. They might as well just be rock stars -- they're as good as any rock stars ever to roam the planet. They are all highly skilled musicians, from the drummer on up. The arrangements are meticulous and yet never feel over-thought or overdone. The lyrics on this new album are somewhat less obscure than on previous records -- obviously they are very heartfelt, as other critics have noted.

The intensity of most of the Newman numbers is perfectly balanced by Bejar's goofy but equally compelling contributions, and, appropriately, they give him the closer because it's the most beautiful song he's ever written for the band.

Like "Twin Cinema," this album holds up to repeated listenings, and each time a new song emerges as a favorite. Now I've come round full circle and my favorite song is the first track, "My Rights Versus Yours," an ingenious tune with a great melody, a dramatic arrangement, a perfect vocal arrangement and solid lyrics. The song, which kicks off the CD, perfectly encapsulates the CD as a whole. It starts out very delicately, quieter than anything they've done up to this point. But after the first verse, the rhythm section kicks in and starts driving the song, and you see that the fragile melody is actually quite a bit sturdier than it first seemed. Finally the whole thing resolves into a churning, thrashing beat, over which Carl, Neko and whoever else harmonize on a lyrical fragment like a kind of chant. And then it's over -- NP songs generally do not outstay their welcome. Nor does this album.

A few other current favorites: "Challengers," great vocal arrangement. "All The Things That Go To Make Heaven and Earth," a Twin Cinema-remiscent rocker, but somehow cleaner and more from the gut. "Myriad Harbor," one of Dan Bejar's most amusing tunes ever. "Unguided," the emotional heart of the album, and their longest song ever. "Go Places," where, after a diversion for some more Bejar zaniness, comes the payoff. "Mutiny I Promise You," the album's only real throwback, this song would have been the best tune on Electric Version.

If you've read this far, you know you're going to get it, so just buy it and enjoy it.

When I first listened to Challengers (which was just the other day), I had the same reaction I did with Twin Cinema the first time I heard it. And that was something along the lines of "damn!, this is nothing like, and not nearly as good as {previous album name here}!!!" But after I got a little familiar with it, select songs from Twin Cinema would start playing themselves in my head, taunting me ever more for acceptance. Eventually, my ultimate reaction to Twin Cinema became something along the lines of "this is beautiful!, and blows Electric Version away!!". And so comes along the new creation from New Pornographers, and I've weighed it against Twin Cinema with extreme criticism, the same way I compared Twin Cinema with Electric Version. Now I'm at that stage where the songs from Challengers queue themselves up in my head to taunt me for acceptance.

I'll tell you, every song has a hook that sends chills up my spine, it's that good!! For example, in Unguided, they all sing "Do... do do... do ooh lah".... wow!!! That little hook alone makes the song brilliant! So is Challengers better than Twin Cinema??... In my honest opinion, I don't know! But it's brilliant I say!!!

Contrary to what I've read in reviews, with Challengers, I hear the New Pornographers as a united band, not solo-ists. The harmonies, for example, do not "feature" Neko or AC, but rather blends them very well....and along that note, it's fascinating how they are in exact synchopation when the band sings quirky lyrical structures together, all harmonious, not just in harmonies, but in precise word accentuation! No soloists here..this is the New Pornographers!!

Challengers is toned-down a notch or two, but it's really not THAT mellow. However, "All The Things That Go To Make Heaven And Earth" is the only "fast fast" song on the album and compared to it, other songs do sound mellow. Did I just contradict myself?...I think not.

If you like New Pornographers, you will not be disapointed! If you think that Twin Cinema is gold fairy dust that nothing can beat, I say give Challengers a chance, and try not to be too critical at first...it's really a brilliant album!

For anyone else reading, buy it!! lol! Nothing is like New Pornographers. They have a beautiful sound that's all their own!

This was my first New Pornographers CD purchase. I bought it for my husband, and was looking for new and interesting music. We both love this CD and listen to it over and over. Each song sounds so different as they utilize 4 different lead singers and many different styles. I enjoy all the songs, but I think my 2 favorite are "Go Places" and "Myriad Harbor"---which are completely opposite songs! What a creative CD! With songs that are both fun, upbeat, slow, and beautiful. Nothing is boring!

I stumbled on this and liked it immediately. I've gone back and listened to their earlier efforts and I don't care for them. I can understand why fans of their earlier works will find this a bit slow, but it strikes me as reflecting a maturation of their talents.

I suspect that this will widen their audience.