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17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
What an Album!, August 31, 2004
I wish this album wasn't so good, you see I have a bet with some of my friends, I say that Bejar is the great Genius of the New Pornographers, they all say Newman is. Well, I was hoping this album would be just pleasent, maybe hook filled, but in the end not as good as the New Pornographers records because it lacked the Bejar songs. But then I was wrong, this album is better than either Mass Romantic or Electric Version. The hooks are better the lyrics are better, heck even the singing is better. Gone are some of Carl's overproduction tactics (It is still layered, but it seems, added are trumpets, recorders, cellos, and people whistling.) These songs are darker, sharper and are more rock than pop. Slow Wonder starts with a driving drum beat and the first great hook of the record in the song Miracle Drug (Performed on The McEnroe Show Sept 1.). "Drink to Me Babe Then" slows it all down a notch, adding Whistles, a light keyboard, and organ. On the Table is the first Perfect song on the record, Piano that brings to mind something on Destroyer's "Streethawk a Seduction", but added are female backup vocals and subtle guitar hook. I'm not going to go through every song, because it is all more of the same (not repeated, but fantastic), I will say that my fav on the record is Come Crash, with it's constant crashing cymbols, slow sad hook, and trumpet solo.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A distinctive, introspective gem, June 13, 2006
If you love the New Pornographers (Newman is their unannounced band leader) but would occassionally like something a bit more introspective and chilled out then this could very well be what you're after.
Carl Newman has a way with a melodic hook and a pop reference that is utterly unique.
Without fail, my response to his work goes something like this: First listen - everything seems pleasantly hard to grasp, but there are one or two songs (always different for each listener) that instantly hooks you. For me, on this album it was - 'The Battle for Straight Time'.
Next step - play that song to death. While drilling this track, you accidently hear other tracks from the album again - "damn, that's catchy, why didn't I notice that before? - possibly better than my favorite track". And so it goes on, and on, and on... Eventually, you're in raptures and you've even learnt how to hear music a little differently.
This album has a variety of laid back, edgy, insanely catchy riffs and progressions.
Although he draws on a subconscious library of pop music references that are detailed and eclectic, he is able to turn the songs into personal statements.
They're always ever so slightly twisted to make them unique to Newman's particular style of presentation. He also has a great way of processing and altering his vocals to fit each song perfectly.
At the moment, I can't stop listening to 'The Town Halo' (a new millenium take on T-Rex), and the beautiful, dispassionately powerful 'Come Crash' but I'm sure tomorrow I'll be rotating two different tunes from this album.
It is an altogether more personal and soul baring outing than anything he does with the New Porno's. In that sense it's a legitimate exercise as a solo album.
Music this literate and melodic doesn't come along often. I hope Newman continues to grow and explore. There's no limit to what he might discover.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Slightly Different Newman than the NP's, July 26, 2006
Where this one fits: The Slow Wonder follows the New Pornographers' Mass Romantic and Electric Version, but precedes Twin Cinema. It is the transition from the frenetic power-pop of the first two NP albums and the deeper, more timeless quality of their latest. Without the burden of the NP "sound" to live up to, Newman stretches, writes ballads and Pink Floyd-y space out songs (though always concise), and if anything gets more Pet Sounds-like in his musical arrangements (the gorgeous trumpet on "Come Crash," the driving, rhythmic cello on "Town Halo").
Newman is, quite obviously, very prolific and his batting average is stunningly high. It's okay with me if he mixes in solo albums with his NP output, using them as places to experiment with new kinds of songs that he thinks maybe his NP fans won't cotton to.
But this album is full of hits, just as melodic and with just as many "how does he do that?" high-wire assemblages of melody, rhythm and arrangement as the NP delivers. If you like the New Pornographers, you'll be joyous at hearing "On the Table," "Mystery Drug," "Secretarial" and my favorite "The Town Halo." A.C. Newman is rapidly becoming the most valuable pop artist on the planet, a keeper of the great tradition of pop/rock songwriters that has nearly died out.
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A.C. Newman shares his favorite music with Amazon customers. See all artists' picks on our Music You Should Hear page.
~ A.C. Newman
~ New Pornographers
~ New Pornographers
~ New Pornographers
~ New Pornographers
is A.C. Newman's 
