I really like The New Pornographers. Their records are near perfect pop. When I saw them last year I was thrilled (especially that they shared the stage with openers Okkervil River). Unlike Okkervil though, who absolutely smoked at Smalls a few months later, I got the feeling before and this night that the band is on auto pilot. Sure the songs are still great but there is a ho-hum vibe coming from the stage when they play that I don’t think even Neko could have remedied. Bummer. More tomorrow…maybe.
