The New Pornographers

Mass Romantic (Mint)
by Scott Hefflon

Rarely does one get to mention Weezer and T. Rex in the same review, so I’m thankful to The New Pornographers for that. While the band boasts ex-members of Zumpano, Superconductor and Limblifter as well Neko Case (in a very non-country role), it’s really “20th Century Boy” (it’s in a car commercial, kids) and Bowie’s “Suffragette City” that I’d like to reference. Mass Romantic’s got the vintage guitar rock and the shuffle beat that’ve made people slap the steering wheel for decades (and counting), and while it ties back to ’70s glam, there’s a Flaming Lips yelp, a Weezer keyboard whoo-a-woo, and a Partridge Family skippiness to draw in the retro crowd as well as the emo kids looking for something to one-up their friends with. Hell, they might just learn something here, so I’m all for it…
(PO Box 3616 Vancouver, BC Canada V6B 3Y6)