The Top 50 Albums of the 2000s – Electric Version
Today I begin a new series of posts dedicated to the best albums of the last decade, posting analysis of one album at a time.
50. The New Pornographers – Electric Version
While Mass Romantic introduced the world to a phenomenal Canadian supergroup, Electric Version transformed the New Pornographers into a solid band all on their own, never mind that the crew consists of some of indie rock’s finest. Carl Newman’s and Neko Case’s vocal trade-offs provide the highlights for this unforgettable 2003 disc, mostly written by Newman, though Dan Bejar contributed a few memorable nuggets of his own, particularly “Testament to Youth In Verse.” Still, the gems here are both Newman-penned and Case-sung, including the masterpiece “The Laws Have Changed” and the single “All For Swinging You Around,” which featured an incredible jump-rope music video.
Electric Version gave the already-superb pop craftsmanship of Carl Newman a new standard to beat, and he would rise to the challenge and come close to matching his best with 2005’s Twin Cinema. Still, this, the New Pornographers’ sophomore effort, is their finest, an earnest, hook-laden, beautiful album that is impossible to stop listening to.
The New Pornographers – The Electric Version