Track Listing

1. Miracle Drug
2. Drink To Me Babe Then
3. On The Table
4. Most Of Us Prize Fighters
5. The Battle For Straight Time
6. Secretarial
7. Come Crash
8. Better Than Most
9. Cloud Prayer
10. The Town Halo
11. 35 In Shade

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #91936 in Music
• Released on: 2004-06-07
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .20 pounds

CD Description
New Pornographers frontman A.C. Newman goes solo for this instant classic of slightly retro rock-pop. Clocking in at a little more than 30 minutes, 2004's THE SLOW WONDER is a gem--a rocking, orchestrated album that recalls the best tunes on the airwaves in the 1970s. A close inspection of lyrics reveals the sad underside to that era's optimism, however, with tales of failed novelists, bruised ideals, and bored romantics.
Highlights--in a record full of highlights--include the strings and female harmonies of "The Town Halo", the dueling whistle chorus and compressed guitar on "Drink to Me,Babe, Then", the piano arpeggios and thunderous drums on "35 in the Shade", and the bursts of brass on "The Cloud Prayer". Through it all, Newman's pleasing vocal timbre makes himsound like his own one-man Beach Boys. Fans of Pornographers standouts like "From Blown Speakers" will eat this up, as this whole album retains that tune's evocation of the thrilling ache of half-remembered adolescent longing. It's all ceaselessly listenable--sunny and dark, hungry and satisfying in equal measure.

Customer Reviews

A Wonder Indeed
I heard about AC Newman from the work he does with the New Pornographers, where he's songwriter in chief - and who could resist anyone who can write a song as amazing as "Mass Romantic"? Sure enough, this album, though clocking in at just under 35 minutes, is an absolute gem. In an era where three chord wonders, drum machines and reality television "celebrity" cast-offs are all over the charts like a nasty rash, this album should be played from start to finish all year round to keep everybody musically sane.

What does it sound like? There's bits of the Kinks in here (and Newman's songwriting is up there with the best of Ray Davies), a bit of ELO, some Wilco, but it's so so so so SO much more than that. For proof, listen to "The Town Halo" and "The Cloud Prayer", two tracks which are at the same time intelligent, gorgeous and powerful. It may only be 34 minutes long, but there's more ideas on here (and more quality) than most bands manage in an entire career. I just wish he'd think about releasing a follow-up, as the world needs more of this.

Slow Burner
Seldom can an album have been so aptly named

This is a real grower, and just when you think you've picked a favourite track, a new one starts working through your cranium.

My personal favourites are the final three on the album, from the absolutely beautiful The Cloud Prayer through to the Abba-esque and bombastic 35 In The Shade (please don't let that put you off).

This music sounds like all the greatest pop you've heard, but apart from the last track you can't quite think where.

A genuine wonder