The New Pornographers
Myriad Harbour

There’s a teasing, coy promise at play on_ ‘Myriad Harbour’ _that aims for the finest Imperial Teen moments, or Pixies at their most laidback (if you do the audio equivalent of squinting your eyes), but it never pays off in quite the same, satisfying fashion.

The Pornos’ embarrassment of vocal riches combine in a slinky game of call and response, led by the craning brittleness of Dan Bejar, and coasts along on a slouchy, self-referential lullaby that’s only ever momentarily diverting. This is a decent tune, no more, no less. It won’t end up on any mixtapes (sorry,_ playlists_) or soundtrack anything of note in your life, but it seems quite at ease with itself as such is an unassuming, polite album ditty.

Out of that context it’s far too airy and spartan to really shake you outta the humdrum of the moment. Best pick up Challengers instead to indulge in the ebb and flow of one of Canada’s finest album specialists.