New Pornographers' Second Night in DC

How meta: I am writing about the New Pornographers concert that I attended last night while listening to a recording of it via NPR. (Being in attendance at an NPR recorded show is a big source of pride for me). Listening to the stream, I am reminded of both the perks and disappointments of last night's performance.

The New Pornographers is a large band that depends on the intricate coordination of eight individuals for a coherent sound. They have three vocalists (Neko Case, AC Newman who also plays guitar, Dan Bejar), a drummer (Kurt Dahle), two keyboarders (Kathryn Calder, Blaine Thurier), a bassist (John Collins), and a cellist (Todd Fancey). They spread out on 9:30 Club's stage in an elegant formation, with five members in front, and the bassist, cellist, and drummer in back. Unfortunately, this smooth formation did not lead to a smooth sound.

Though the New Pornographers is known for its music more than its lyrics, they are also known for the idiosyncratic voices of Neko Case and Dan Bejar. Last night's performance failed to highlight their vocals, as they were kind of drowned out by the drums and guitars. At times, Neko also sounded awkwardly straining. I spent the evening chiming in with the chorus of songs I knew but distracted by songs I didn't. However, the recording captures everyone's voices beautifully. I wonder if the mix for the live performance was purposely configured in a certain way to play down the voices live since they are miked for the recording.

At the same time, NPR's stream also captures the band's banter, that is much better experienced live. Having seen Neko Case on her solo tour last year, I was eager to see how far she's take a joke this time. It all started when AC Newman said "Did you know DC's our favorite city? I said it on Pitchfork...Pitchfork Media. Have you heard of it?"

Neko Case quipped, "Oh you mean those people who hate music?"

"I remember on the Mass Romantic tour when I got an interview with Pitchfork and it was like this seventeen year old kid who we had to sneak in to our show," Newman continued.

"I breastfed him for two years. Yeah we dated a bit. I breastfed him from 17 to 19. That's why he's so strong. He looks like a minotaur." The crowd went wild. "My milk's strong shit. But I'm dried up now."

On the contrary, Neko's actually as voluptuous as ever, even in pajama-type attire last night.

The band gamely tried an old song from Mass Romantic, which they hadn't played in a while. Though they were poorly rehearsed, the audience clearly appreciate this peek into NP rehearsals. Finally, the encore saw the New Pornographers go out with a flourish as they played "Electric Version" with the Guitar Hero version of it projected in the background.

Best of the Best of the Decade Lists

Now that I'm done with LSAT's, I'm trying to revel in non-law school bliss before I need to actually start applying.

In the meantime, the end of the year is always a robust list-making season. Lists of presents to ask for, lists of people to buy for, and lists of resolutions to aim for. Most fun are lists of the year's best media products. What makes this year ten times better is that it also marks the end of the Gregorian decade. I'm tempted to make a personal list of this decade's best, but considering I spent the bulk of the decade being an emo teenager, I am probably not a good source. Instead, I've taken the opportunity to discover all the things I missed while in my emo trance most of this past decade by looking at some publications' best of the decade lists. The top three (one each for books, films, and music) best best of the decade lists are as follows:

Books
The Times Online 100 Best Books of the Decade is a pretty uncontroversial list that's large enough to leave no one slighted. Personal favorites like Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell and The Emperor's Children by Claire Messud both made it. The list spans both non-fiction and fiction and recognizes influence over quality. The DaVinci Code, for instance, appears at number 10 with this explanation "A murder in the Louvre, and the clues are all hidden in the works of Leonardo. Some love it, some hate it (see our worst of the decade article), but you can’t deny that its mix of conspiracy, riddles and action dominated the decade." The most refreshing aspect of this list is its attention to British writers. Two items that got much less press on this side of the Atlantic that this list includes are Lorna Sage's Bad Blood and a collection of poetry, Rapture, by Carol Ann Duffy.

Films
My boyfriend introduced me to The Onion's AV Club several months ago, but it really established credibility in my mind with its month long "Best of the Decade" feature. The AV Club gives kudos in unconventional categories such as best comics, best comedy albums, and best tv episodes. The most helpful list by far is the Best films of the '00s. The list's trustworthiness is revealed in its strong picks included in the top 5: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, There will be Blood, No Country for Old Men, and Memento. The top 5 also includes something I hadn't seen: 25th Hour, which I now trust to add to my Netflix queue. The other 45 picks include many Asian films that I wasn't aware of. Also, don't take my word for it: David Plotz gives the list a shoutout on Slate's Political Gabfest.

Music
Music lists are of a different character than books or films. Music is more of a continuous experience; once you put something on your iPod or download it, it becomes part of your collection. Whereas you can always borrow a book or rent a movie and quickly return it. Music, on the other hand, reflects one's personal tastes more. That's why I find best music lists to be so gratuitous. They can only advise others who have the same taste as you or say what the influential things have been. NPR has taken the latter path with a wholly unsurprising list on All Things Considered. (Kelly Clarkson, Kanye, J-Z inevitably make that list). But I prefer lists that cater to my taste. Paste Magazine has a terrific one that seems targeted towards the aging hipster (40-65) demographic (i.e. perfect for me). It's very strong on mellow productions like Damien Rice's O, the Once Soundtrack, and Jens Lekman. It's also heavy on alt-country and introduced me to Drive By Truckers and inspired me to re-discover Ryan Adams. The story-telling focus on both these acts would have once bored a younger me, but make an older me really happy.