Win A Pair of A.C. Newman Tickets!

• Congratulations...whoever it was that won.

• And the winner is?

• "you have got to be ***king kidding me" --- so simple and made so sweet - -and kind of daring for a guy who rides the fringe of pop --- here is to poetry in music :)

• <p>There is plenty of diversity in A.C. Newman's portfolio but a single essential choice would have to be a power-pop number, preferably from the near-perfect "Twin Cinema" album. It has to be <b>"Use It"</b>?</p> <p>From the beginning, the rolling, jazzy, piano lines and the relentless drumming can stir a dead man. The urgency in Carl's voice exhorts us to make the best of our talents, not someday, but <i>tonight</i>. (I think. Right? The match between the cryptic lyrics and the audacity of the music is special.)</p> <p>Who can resist shouting <i>"You had to...send a wrecking crew...aft...er...me! I can't walk right!"</i> Certainly not the Pageant audience the last time the Pornos were in town. Blend in the pure harmonies of Neko Case (has there been a better, more versatile vocalist performing in a power-pop band?) on the chorus <i>"to...nigh-y-igh-y-igh-ight!"</i> and it's another fix for my NP addiction. </p> <p>Oh, and the video is fun, too. (Isn't that Tobias from Arrested Development?)</p>

• Miracle Drug, the first song off of his first solo album. Losing a bit of anonymity by putting himself out there all by his lonesome, and he hits it on the first track.

• Not to be a copycat or anything, but i also like "like a hitman, like a dancer." I like anything that references hitmen.

• Letter From An Occupant is one of a few perfect rock and roll songs. It also marks the first moment I fell in love with Neko's voice.

• "Like A Hitman, Like A Dancer" I bet even AC isn't sad when he sings that song.

• "The Fake Headlines" off Mass Romantic sets the tone for the rest of that album...Catchy as anything he's ever written...In fact so catchy, you'll cry.

• I change my mind about my favorite Newman song all of the time, but right now I'm going with "The Electric Version." From the opening fill, the song gets my blood pumping. The nervy drumbeat and descending broken chords create a wonderful tension that only builds with the spaztic drumming in the pre-chorus. It finally boils over to a sweet pop release on the chorus that's highlighted by Newman and Neko's harmonies. The Beach Boys-esque coda is a nice touch too.

• Probably "Letter From An Occupant". Even though AC relinquishes the main vocals to Neko, his wordless section of the chorus is just rediculously catchy.

• Picking a favorite AC Newman/New Pornographer song is like asking OctoMom to pick her favorite child, but for me it is the relentless "Mass Romantic". The first time I heard this song, it was like an Aqua Velva slap in the face after a shave with a rusty butter knife - it got my immediate attention and compelled me to try and sing along despite knowing noe of the words. Learning later of the scintillating beauty of Neko Case was the sweet icing on the cake.

• all of "Electric Version" is awesome, but I guess my favorite is "The New Face of 0 and 1"... it's super catchy and I like the implication that geeks can be celebrities too.

• "Drink to me, babe, then"--beautiful and haunting. I'll drink to it!

• For all of the many, many Big Pop Moments in the Newman catalogue, "The Laws Have Changed" is the one that slays me every time. When the hard-crunching verses give way to that CHORUS! My God... it's Neko Case leading the charge on the refrain, while Newman's Beach Boy falsetto drizzles the whole thing in Technicolor sunshine. "Form a line to the throne!" With pleasure.

• "Jackie Dressed In Cobras" is my favorite. Newman's popiness compliments Bejar's lovely strangeness so well, and then they throw in a little bit of a jam band feel to make it all the more interesting.

• I like Town Halo from The Slow Wonder...I thinks it's catchy-as-hell.

• The Slow Descent into Alcoholism has to be my favorite. It makes me think of someone that's falling apart and loving it.

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