“Super-groups” are not always a good idea. For every Them Crooked Vultures there’s a Murderdolls and so it’s with caution that we approach Together, the latest album from the New Pornographers. Comprising of Canadian indie alumni like Neko Case, Carl Newman and Dan Bejar (there’s eight in the band) the record calls to mind The Beatles during their happy-clapppy period and there are hints of the Byrds and the Lemonheads on there too (‘Silver Jenny Dollar’).
Together is the collective’s fifth record and in many ways their best. ‘The Crash Years’, a hook heavy number, is the best song Ms Case has put her name to in a while; the theatrical ‘Sweet Talk Sweet Talk’ is a fun-filled soundtrack to the good times. While there are moments where the cheery vibe can get a little tiresome (‘What Turns Up In The Dark’), for the most part Together proves that there really is something, well, super about this group.