It’s easy to understand why I didn’t like the New Pornographers at first. The group is billed as the power pop supergroup of Canadian rocker Carl “A.C.” Newman, a man with a pedigree that could make Rufus Wainwright blush. Given my knee-jerk aversion to anything that bears the moniker “supergroup” coupled with my aversion (or is it hatred?) to the power pop genre in general, I wasn’t exactly brimming with excitement when I popped in this CD.

Did I mention that these guys are Canadian? For anyone who dares to question their super status, I need only remind you of A.C. Newman’s earlier bands of the ’90s (Superconductor, Zumpano) and the formidable solo career of band member Neko Case. Not to mention the Pornographers’ other renowned members: Dan Bejar of Destroyer, John Collins of the Evaporators and who can forget Kurt Dahle of Limblifter and Age of Electric.

Not that I wasn’t impressed with the r