- Band Members: Carl Newman, Kurt Dahle, Fisher Rose, Daniel Bejar, Todd Fancey, Kathryn Calder, John Collins, Neko Case, Blaine Thurier
- Genre: Rock & Alternative
- Influenced by: The Zombies, The dB's
- Followed By: Hot Panda, Sh! The Octopus, The Sneaks, The Neins Circa, The High Strung, The Mood, Kill the Lights, Scott Andrew
- Similar Artists: Field Music, Peter Bjorn and John, The Little Ones, The Awkward Stage, Mother Mother, The Swimmers, The dB's, The Posies, Sloan, Sneetches, The Figgs, Spoon, The Wondermints, Brendan Benson, Cub, Duotang, Maow, Neko Case, Alien Crime Syndicate, The Essex Green, The Shins, Moods for Moderns, Frisbie, Novillero, Sweet Apple Pie, Communiqué, The Gay, Sparrow, Buttless Chaps, Nathan, Devin Davis, Dr. Dog
The Vancouver indie rock supergroup the New Pornographers features the talents of Zumpano's Carl Newman, the Evaporators' John Collins, Destroyer's Dan Bejar, cartoonist/filmmaker Blaine Thurier, drummer Fisher Rose, and guest vocalist Neko Case. Newman began the band in 1996 as a lark after releasing Zumpano's Goin' Through Changes; one by one, the other members joined the fold, and the New Pornographers' first official rehearsal took place in 1997. By the following year, the group had completed four songs, but then Case left Vancouver for Chicago, Thurier began work on his film Low Self Esteem Girl, and the other members attended to their other bands and projects. Rose left in 1999, and Limblifter/Age of Electric drummer Kurt Dahle and guitarist Todd Fancey joined the Canadian supergroup. With a solid lineup in tow, the New Pornographers reunited and began recording again in early 2000, completing their debut album, Mass Romantic, in time for a fall release and critical acclaim. Ray Davies joined the band at SXSW in fall 2001, performing the Kinks classic "Starstruck" for the first time ever. After a brief North American tour, each member returned to their respective projects by 2002. Bejar recorded with Destroyer, and Case headed out on the road with Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds in support of her second solo album, Blacklisted. Nobody strayed too far, however, for the New Pornographers headed back into the studio before the year's end to work on a follow-up to Mass Romantic. The pop-powered Electric Version, which appeared in spring 2003, marked their first for Matador. Twin Cinema followed in 2005 and garnered a good deal of critical praise, receiving near-perfect rankings from such influential outlets as Rolling Stone and Pitchfork. Bolstered by such a positive reception -- as well as the success of Neko Case's Fox Confessor Brings the Flood in 2006 -- the group went in a mellower direction with 2007's Challengers. ~ Heather Phares & MacKenzie Wilson, All Music Guide