Music
All-Time High (And Low) Scores
Best Of 2009
Best Of 2008
Best Of 2007
Best Of 2006
Best Of 2005
Best Of 2004
Best Of 2003
Best Of 2002
Best Of 2001
Best Of 2000
Upcoming &
Recent Releases
62
50 Cent
70
AFI
65
Air
70
Alice In Chains
53
Kris Allen
78
Amerie
79
Annie
76
Anti-Pop Consortium
86
The Antlers![]()
75
Arctic Monkeys
68
As Tall As Lions
82
Atlas Sound![]()
77
The Avett Brothers
67
Backstreet Boys
59
Bad Lieutenant
68
Devendra Banhart
71
Lou Barlow
88
Baroness![]()
69
Basement Jaxx
81
David Bazan![]()
72
Beak>
72
Brendan Benson
84
Biffy Clyro![]()
72
The Big Pink
95
Big Star![]()
46
Billy Talent
75
The Black Crowes
72
The Black Heart Procession
68
Blitzen Trapper
75
BLK JKS
53
Bon Jovi
76
A.A. Bondy
65
Boys Like Girls
76
Brand New
73
Tyondai Braxton
83
Brother Ali![]()
72
Ian Brown
75
Michael Buble
77
Built To Spill
61
Colbie Caillat
78
Califone
69
Mariah Carey
81
Brandi Carlile![]()
72
Julian Casablancas
83
Rosanne Cash![]()
71
Castanets
65
The Cave Singers
82
Nick Cave & Warren Ellis![]()
64
Exene Cervenka
79
Vic Chesnutt
75
Choir Of Young Believers
81
Circulatory System![]()
67
The Clean
84
The Clientele![]()
72
Cold Cave
85
Converge![]()
71
Eric Copeland
76
The Cribs
79
Cymbals Eat Guitars
62
Dashboard Confessional
71
Datarock
59
Dead By Sunrise
76
Dead Man's Bones
77
Del The Funky Homosapien & Tame One
88
Destroyer![]()
73
Do Make Say Think
63
The Dodos
77
Drive-By Truckers
67
Bob Dylan
58
Echo & The Bunnymen
61
Electric Six
44
The Entrance Band
69
Fanfarlo
71
Jay Farrar And Benjamin Gibbard
63
Felix Da Housecat
68
Fink
66
Orenda Fink
79
The Flaming Lips
66
Flight Of The Conchords
79
Florence And The Machine
67
John Fogerty
83
Fuck Buttons![]()
71
Nelly Furtado
47
Gary Go
68
Ghostface Killah
79
Girls
69
Gossip
62
David Gray
66
David Guetta
65
Calvin Harris
79
Richard Hawley
74
Mayer Hawthorne
66
Headlights
79
HEALTH
77
Joe Henry
67
Hockey
67
Whitney Houston
80
Hudson Mohawke
68
Imogen Heap
59
Jack Ingram
79
Islands
74
Jamie T
65
Jay-Z
51
Jet
68
Daniel Johnston
76
Norah Jones
77
Karen O And The Kids
72
Toby Keith
69
Kid Cudi
75
Kid Sister
66
Kings Of Convenience
62
Sean Kingston
64
KISS
63
Mark Knopfler
73
Kris Kristofferson
68
KRS-One & Buckshot
76
La Roux
85
Miranda Lambert![]()
72
Ledisi
71
Sondre Lerche
56
Juliette Lewis
62
Leona Lewis
82
Lightning Bolt![]()
74
Little Dragon
44
Pixie Lott
83
Patty Loveless![]()
73
Lyle Lovett
79
Lucero
75
Baaba Maal
77
Madness
84
Madonna![]()
85
Manic Street Preachers![]()
61
Maps
73
Mario
55
Massive Attack
57
Matisyahu
62
John Mayer
67
Reba McEntire
66
Tim McGraw
65
Brian McKnight
79
Mew
75
Mika
68
Amy Millan
76
Mission Of Burma
75
Molina And Johnson
80
Monsters Of Folk
66
Morrissey
85
Mount Eerie![]()
76
The Mountain Goats
62
Múm
72
Muse
66
Willie Nelson
82
Nirvana![]()
96
Nirvana![]()
80
No Age
71
Noah And The Whale
75
Noisettes
79
Nudge
64
OneRepublic
47
Dolores O'Riordan
74
Os Mutantes
78
Osso
67
Alec Ounsworth
81
Owen![]()
73
Paramore
78
Pastels And Tenniscoats
54
Sean Paul
80
Pearl Jam
69
Jemina Pearl
72
Jack Penate
65
Phish
82
Pissed Jeans![]()
61
Pitbull
79
A Place To Bury Strangers
79
Polvo
72
Porcupine Tree
72
Port O'Brien
79
Q-Tip
79
R.E.M.
88
Raekwon![]()
69
Rain Machine
70
Ramona Falls
75
Dizzee Rascal
74
The Raveonettes
79
Real Estate
76
Jay Reatard
81
Rodrigo Y Gabriela![]()
66
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez
78
Russian Circles
69
Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions
78
Say Anything
61
Sally Shapiro
78
Shudder To Think
70
Simian Mobile Disco
58
Simple Minds
72
Six Organs Of Admittance
80
Slayer
61
The Slits
77
Speech Debelle
58
Spiral Stairs
55
Steel Panther
75
Sufjan Stevens
52
Rod Stewart
68
Joss Stone
83
Barbra Streisand![]()
77
A Sunny Day In Glasgow
74
Susanna And The Magical Orchestra
79
The Swell Season
80
David Sylvian
83
Taken By Trees![]()
80
Tegan And Sara
68
The Temper Trap
78
The Dutchess & The Duke
71
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart
74
Them Crooked Vultures
72
Themselves
82
They Might Be Giants![]()
66
J Tillman
69
Times New Viking
57
Tokio Hotel
67
Trey Songz
73
Frank Turner
71
The Twilight Sad
60
Carrie Underwood
56
The Used
68
Various Artists
69
Various Artists
77
The Very Best
70
Kurt Vile
65
Vivian Girls
71
Volcano Choir
73
Rufus Wainwright
78
Wale
57
Weezer
81
White Denim![]()
76
Why?
83
Wild Beasts![]()
80
Wildbirds & Peacedrums
69
Robbie Williams
59
Andrew W.K.
65
Wolfmother
84
The xx![]()
79
Yo La Tengo
83
Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band![]()
52
Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson
59
Zero 7
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
Electric Version
EMAILPRINTby The New Pornographers

Universal acclaim
Based on 22 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 20 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Matador / Mint
Release Date: 06 May 2003
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Indie, Rock, Pop
Summary
The Vancouver, Canada indie supergroup attempts to duplicate the success of 2000's 'Mass Romantic' with this sophomore release. Neko Case returns to handle vocal duties.
Also By This Artist: Challengers Mass Romantic Twin Cinema
Also On Metacritic
MUSIC: A.C. Newman: The Slow Wonder
Also On The Web: New Pornographers @ Matador New Pornographers @ Mint
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Entertainment Weekly
Electric Version may be a bit less delirious at times, but it's still christened with that same sort of mystical, pop-hook abracadabra that results in happily ingratiating tunes. [9 May 2003, p.76]
Nude As The News
This is fun, fun, fun stuff -- one of the years best albums, no doubt.
Read Full Review >The Onion (A.V. Club)
What's the point in complaining that Electric Version doesn't offer enough of one of its countless good things? The only thrill missing here is the enviable joy of hearing New Pornographers for the first time.
Read Full Review >PopMatters
The lyrics might not make much sense, and there's nothing groundbreaking here, but with songs as ridiculously catchy and fun as these, who cares?
Read Full Review >Billboard
Power pop just doesn't get any more powerful or poppy than this, with all three singers in fine form and the band -- all high-strung keyboards and frenetic drums -- blazing away at the speed of sound.
Read Full Review >Almost Cool
It feels more like a band effort, allowing itself to breathe a little more in places.
Read Full Review >Pitchfork
Those expecting the dense, powerful, and insistently upbeat onslaught of Mass Romantic will no doubt react to Electric Version with some degree of initial disappointment. Repeated listens, however, reveal that Electric Version not only displays Carl Newman's brilliant and unique pop sensibility, but allows it enough space to reveal previously obstructed layers of emotional depth.
Read Full Review >ShakingThrough.net
Nothing here approaches the pop perfection of Romantic's "Letter From An Occupant," but songs like Newman's "The Laws Have Changed" and Bejar's spirited "Testament to Youth in Verse" nonetheless add weight to one of the year's strongest and unabashed pure-pop releases.
Read Full Review >All Music Guide
Electric Version is an enjoyable and easy listen, chock-full of hungry hooks and brimming with indie rock's classic humility.
Read Full Review >Dusted Magazine
At their best, the New Pornographers effortlessly dress down emotional defenses and bestow, for at least a moment, simple joy.
Read Full Review >Blender
New Porn songs gush eagerness and surge like the front car of a roller coaster. [May 2003, p.122]
Splendid
Electric Version does little to alter the successful New Pornographers formula. It's a longer, louder and (most importantly) more assured album than its predecessor, but if you liked Mass Romantic, you won't be disappointed. And if you disliked Mass Romantic, you may have a difficult time telling the two albums apart.
Read Full Review >Alternative Press
The kind of album that functions as both background BBQ beat and windows-down sing-along. [Jul 2003, p.112]
Flak Magazine
It's an album's worth of smart, solid pop music that lingers in the memory.
Read Full Review >Filter
Though not perfect, the New Pornographers are getting closer. [#5, p.87]
Uncut
There's nothing profound about Electric Version. But classic pop has seldom sounded so much fun. [Jun 2003, p.98]
Rolling Stone
Despite their hookiness, the thirteen uniformly upbeat tracks do sound a little too samey at times.
Read Full Review >Austin Chronicle
The album has textures that make the group's 2000 debut, Mass Romantic, sound medieval by comparison.
Read Full Review >Mojo
The awe fades quickly as this album progresses. [Jun 2003, p.100]
Stylus Magazine
The main, fundamental problem with this album is that as good as the melodies are, it really does fall flat in trying to get you to feel anything.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 8.3 (out of 10) based on 20 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Gina P gave it a10:
Beyond amazing album. Althogh it has their usual sound, you don't hear what you would expect to. They put more "umph" into this album. Carl Newman has never sounded better.
Jared gave it a10:
Maybe not so Duh! that it's a 10 but this band to me is perfection.
Ben D gave it a9:
With song after song of bouncy pop goodness, Electirc Version will brighten up anyone's day.
Ian G gave it a 9:
As good as Mass Romantic IMO, with 'All For Swinging You Around' the highlight, one of the best feel-good songs I've ever heard. 'Miss Teen Wordpower' and 'The Laws Have Changed' aren't far behind, while 'Testament To Youth In Verse' is this album's Execution Day (i.e. skip-fodder).
Troy P. gave it a 10:
A plethora of amazing tracks, a wealth of hooks, and more energy than anything else you will hear this year. "Miss Teen Wordpower" and "All for Swinging You Around" are both high points on an album with no valleys.
Milo M gave it a 9:
If this doesn't reach you, you really *are* dead to the world. The Bejar stuff is ok, particularly "Chump Change", but I'm humming the Newman powerpop pieces incessantly -- can't get enough.
a w gave it a 9:
The New Pornographers capture what it truly means to be a supergroup. The hooks on Electric Version straight up impale your skin and reel you in. I couldn't ask for a better album to kick start a summer.
