By Christopher David<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re trying to resensitize you, enough with the desensitizing,\u201d Neko Case smiled halfway through The New Pornographer\u2019s set at the Vic Theater on Wednesday before the mid-tempo staccato of \u201cHigher Beams\u201d kicked in. A refrain of \u2018thank you for nothing\/fuck you for nothing\u2019 (a political message delivered in a wholly apolitical context) showed how adept vocalist\/lyricist\/guitarist A.C. Newman is at delivering a suitably clever or damningly straightforward sentiment wrapped in the hookiest hooks on earth, time and again. As with any New Pornographers show, that was to be expected.<\/p>\n
The New P\u2019s brand-new record, In the Morse Code of the Brake Lights<\/em>, is, in some ways, a continuation of 2017\u2019s stellar Whiteout Conditions<\/em>, in that the tone of the songs and record feel vaguely political even though nothing is addressed outright. (One could argue that this is the best approach to anything political, unless you\u2019re hoping for something to sound really dated just a few years down the line.) \u201cHigh Ticket Attractions,\u201d an encore highlight at the Vic and one of Whiteout<\/em>\u2019s singles, most surely referenced the 2016 election when noting \u2018this thing could go two ways, won\u2019t be another exit for days,\u2019 and on Brake Lights<\/em>, there\u2019s a similarly ominous tone to songs like \u201cColossus of Rhodes\u201d and \u201cThe Surprise Knock.\u201d<\/p>\n That ominous quality, though, yielded to the general jubilation of their live show, which is to the band\u2019s credit, actually. And of course, it would be reductive to expect direct messages from The New Pornographers, which is part of the band\u2019s continuing magic these eight albums deep. Part of the charm in A.C. Newman\u2019s approach to both song craft and lyricism is his ability to turn phrases, build metaphors, and deliver everything in a way that doesn\u2019t even try to wink and nudge; The New Pornographers are effortless in their ability to charm you, tease you, and tug at your heartstrings with no hint of irony or smugness, which is a rarity in the indie rock world. Perhaps the most under appreciated indie pop juggernaut on earth (Newman was referred to during the press tour for 2014\u2019s Brill Bruisers<\/em> as the closest we\u2019ll come to a modern-day McCartney, and truer words have never been spoken), the eight-piece group, including vocalist Neko Case and keyboardist\/vocalist Kathryn Calder, delivered a 24-song setlist that perfectly balanced old with new.<\/p>\n Straight-up pop bangers like opener \u201cDancehall Domine\u201d and the now-classic \u201cSing Me Spanish Techno\u201d had the crowd bouncing along within seconds, and new tracks like the soaring \u201cYou\u2019ll Need A Backseat Driver\u201d (one of Case\u2019s best moments all night) and the dare-I-say-funky \u201cFalling Down the Stairs of Your Smile\u201d found their place in a set already loaded with favorites; evolving their live set over the years has been one of TNP\u2019s real strengths, revisiting both deep cuts and singles on a revolving basis.<\/p>\n Case and Newman were in particularly fun form, bantering and joking throughout the night about Case\u2019s choice of stage attire: a \u2018hot cop\u2019 outfit purchased at a vintage store just before the show. \u201cI\u2019m wearing a used, polyester costume right now, but I\u2019m actually feeling pretty good,\u201d she smiled before diving into new album closer \u201cLeather on the Seat,\u201d a contemplative affair that showcased some of the new album\u2019s most melodic moments.<\/p>\n When a band has nearly twenty years and a flawless discography behind them, it could be easy to take that band for granted. The New Pornographers could be perceived as elder statesmen of the indie rock scene, in a way. But that, too, would be reductive. Newman and Co. are so much more than that, a distillation of the best parts of nearly every generation before them, and they\u2019ve added more to the musical conversation than dozens of their peers combined. As as the band tucked another amazing Chicago performance into their books with a stomping singalong of \u201cLetter From An Occupant,\u201d it proved once again, in four minutes time, how their combination of staying power, natural growth, and songwriting is unrivaled.<\/p>\n For more on The New Pornographers, click here<\/a><\/p>\n