is the word 'diary' better than the word 'blog'? probably not.

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Pornographers I Love.

Even though as a band The New Pornographers often swim perilously close to rock opera territory--ha, and there's even a song called "All the Old Showstoppers"--both in terms of orchestration and vocals (in all the worst ways, and it is only made worse by how Neko Case, when you see her sing live, sounds like a precocious child taught to belt out tunes on Broadway. I swear she has no volume control at all. It is all sound and fury. And sure it sounds great. But she could modulate it a bit, you know?), I can't stop loving them. Their brilliant lyrics, amazing musicianship, tunes that are hooky without being too treacly, and their great harmonies. Also, though, in a band of remarkable musicians and songwriters, I think A.C. Newman is the most remarkable--transcendently great, even (do you own his album The Slow Wonder? You should!)--it is a band FULL of great songwriters. And, as to A.C. Newman, his stage manner is, well, unmannered. There's no there there. My friend Emma, when we were at their show in Philly last year, said that she doubted he should be allowed to be a rockstar. Ha. But I would hate a world absent his songs, so we'll let him keep going.

In fact, no one in the band, the night I saw them, seemed to have dressed thinking, "hmm, I'm going to be on STAGE tonight, what should I wear?" Nope. It was all jeans and tshirts.

But that's something I don't understand about the kids today in general, the ones I've taught at the various places I've taught. It's jeans and tshirts everywhere. Why are they not interested in interesting clothing? Or are the weirdos all hidden somewhere? Was I hidden when I was a weirdo? I guess all this adds up to: I am an old person now. There are probably whole subcultures I just don't see, save on the occasional rock video I might happen to watch. And I'm fine with it.

But this album I'm talking about, Challengers, it's awesomely good.

And I do not agree that this album can't compete with Twin Cinema. There really isn't a "Jackie, Dressed in Cobras" on Challengers, sure. But the effect of the album, whether you take the songs separately or combined, is just as brilliant. And so, no, rock geek, I will not accept your "their older stuff was better" crap. And thus I throw down my gauntlet.

It's amazing that so many truly talented, singular songwriting types (Case, Newman, Bejar) have continued to come together to work on something that adds up to combined greatness, in addition to having their solo careers. I wonder what a Behind the Music about them would look like. We know it would involve Bejar and a lot of Booze. But the rest of them... I can't even imagine what their follies might be, given how bland they seemed on stage that one time I saw them.

Moments of the most greatness on the Challengers album: My Rights Versus Yours, Go Places, Unguided, Challengers. You must have it!

1:27 p.m. - October 28, 2008

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