A. C. Newman had a dream. Following the dissolution of his bands Superconductor and Zumpano in the 90s, he hit upon the idea of a Vancouver super-group, encompassing some of the city’s most distinctive indie musicians. Thus, The New Pornographers were born.
Debut album Mass Romantic (2000) attracted rave reviews, as did follow-ups Electric Version (2003) and Twin Cinema (2005). Now touring to support their sixth record Brill Bruisers (2014), the band are stopping off in the Shepherd’s Bush Empire.
The band’s sound has often been described as power-pop, but their range encompasses numerous styles while always remaining lively and catchy. Think The Who, Big Star and Blondie, with dashes of the Beach Boys, Fleetwood Mac and the Beatles.
Newman stands at the forefront of most Pornographers songs, contributing guitar and lead vocals to many tracks, though he isn’t the sole front person – this is a band of talented songwriters, many of whom have their own parallel careers. Kathryn Calder, formerly of Immaculate Machine, has her own repertoire of Pornographers songs to lead, in Cocteau Twins-esque vocals. Daniel Bejar, better known as Destroyer, contributes his own compositions to the band. And then there’s Neko Case, whose country-rock solo career has seen her soar to mainstream success.
Brill Bruisers follows on from two more introspective albums – Challengers (2007) and Together (2010) – by returning to their initial vigour. ‘Backstairs’ is the most raucous song the band has ever recorded, while ‘Fancy Fools’ could be a classic track excised from Rumours. From Bejar’s anthematic ‘War on the East Coast’ to Newman’s psychedelia-inflected title track, this is a collection of pure pop-rock perfection, sure to translate well to a live setting.
Debut album Mass Romantic (2000) attracted rave reviews, as did follow-ups Electric Version (2003) and Twin Cinema (2005). Now touring to support their sixth record Brill Bruisers (2014), the band are stopping off in the Shepherd’s Bush Empire.
The band’s sound has often been described as power-pop, but their range encompasses numerous styles while always remaining lively and catchy. Think The Who, Big Star and Blondie, with dashes of the Beach Boys, Fleetwood Mac and the Beatles.
Newman stands at the forefront of most Pornographers songs, contributing guitar and lead vocals to many tracks, though he isn’t the sole front person – this is a band of talented songwriters, many of whom have their own parallel careers. Kathryn Calder, formerly of Immaculate Machine, has her own repertoire of Pornographers songs to lead, in Cocteau Twins-esque vocals. Daniel Bejar, better known as Destroyer, contributes his own compositions to the band. And then there’s Neko Case, whose country-rock solo career has seen her soar to mainstream success.
Brill Bruisers follows on from two more introspective albums – Challengers (2007) and Together (2010) – by returning to their initial vigour. ‘Backstairs’ is the most raucous song the band has ever recorded, while ‘Fancy Fools’ could be a classic track excised from Rumours. From Bejar’s anthematic ‘War on the East Coast’ to Newman’s psychedelia-inflected title track, this is a collection of pure pop-rock perfection, sure to translate well to a live setting.
| What | The New Pornographers, Shepherd's Bush Empire |
| Where | Shepherd's Bush Empire, Shepherd's Bush Green, London, W12 8TT | MAP |
| Nearest tube | Shepherd's Bush (underground) |
| When |
On 02 Dec 14, 7:00 PM – 10:30 PM |
| Price | £22.40 |
| Website | Click here to book via the New Pornographers’ website. |
