One Track Mind

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Expectations cut both ways. Anyone who has heard Dan Behjar’s work as Destroyer, A.C. Newman’s records under his own name, or Neko Case’s jaw-dropping solo efforts knows that all three artists are immensely and uniquely talented. The music they compose is distinctive from each others’, which makes their continued reprisal of their supergroup, The New Pornographers, all the more intriguing.

Yet to some ears, the sum product has never been equal to the strength of its constituent parts. To some extent, that owes to the double-edged sword of expectations; after all, if the three are so impressive individually, when they form like Voltron it should be a hipster-thrilling spectacle beyond compare, right? But part of me also wonders if it has to do with the inevitable stylistic compromises each artist must accommodate for the sake of the group dynamic, stripping away at what makes each member’s music so exceptional when left to their own devices.

In any event, the band is back with their fifth installment of original tunes, the sound of which is a bit afield of their previous outings. Together will be released on May 4th by Matador Records and boasts a sound more rooted in the rock traditions of the 1970s, from Bolan’s glam to the beefy radio rock of the decade’s tail end. The near-title track, “Your Hands (Together),” is a convenient synopsis of this rejiggered formula, with its verses anchored by heavy blasts of guitar and choruses driven by cascading tiers of bassy drums. Case, who arguably tends toward infallibility more than any other contemporary indie artist, shines on the cut, stretching her notes out with ease and sass. If one can’t be helped for wishing the song had a more consistent groove–it’s herky-jerky format gets a little tiring–it would be tough to argue against the sheer power of “Your Hands,” which it has in spades.

Some fans will be looking for more of the same from The New Pornographers; they will be the most disappointed listeners. However, those seeking a new spin on the group’s collective talents will find new things to love on songs like this one.