Music: Rising to the challenge

It's hard to imagine that the New Pornographers even know the word "happenstance," let alone live by it. The band's music, though often exuberant and upbeat, is always tightly wound and intricately arranged. Yet lead singer Carl Newman isn't quite sure which New Pornographers will make it to the Rock the Garden concert at Walker Art Center on Saturday -- and he's not too concerned.

"We're a band that functions with three different lineups," says Newman, audibly shrugging over the phone. "We kind of have to fill in the blanks, or we cease to exist."

The New Pornographers formed in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1996. Its members were also in more popular bands, and while the Pornographers have since eclipsed some of those, members Dan Bejar and Neko Case have seen their solo careers flourish. This, of course, makes touring tricky. Case and Bejar were both with the band when it played First Avenue last fall, but this rarely happens.

The ever-changing lineup "is kind of a unique situation," acknowledges Newman. "It does give us an ability to roll with it, which is a good skill to have."

It wasn't easy at first. The band unexpectedly grew in popularity after its first record, "Mass Romantic," exploded onto the scene in 2000 on the strength of its hummable songs and pure pop energy (albeit with downer song names such as "The Slow Descent Into Alcoholism" and "Centre for Holy Wars"). Suddenly, these friends from different bands had to figure out how to make their moonlighting gig a reality.

The Pornographers found kindred spirits in fellow Canadians Broken Social Scene, whose members include Emily Haines (of Metric) and Feist. The collective has a rotating roster of 11 people, and plays gigs with whoever is available.

"It was actually thinking of them," says Newman, "that made me decide we should keep playing, even without the full band." Newman can't say what lineup will appear on Saturday, but he's definitively counting out Bejar.

This process sounds grueling, but it's clearly working. The New Pornographers' first three albums -- "Mass Romantic," "Electric Version" and "Twin Cinema" -- won over critics almost unanimously. Last August's "Challengers" came out to mostly positive reviews, but the praise was faint compared to that of their previous work. Critics who were only mildly impressed missed the band's usual vigor (Pitchfork's Rob Mitchum wrote that it veered too often into "widescreen midtempo power-ballad territory").

Newman says he both understands and disagrees with this characterization.

"['Challengers'] is a massive departure if you put it beside 'Mass Romantic,'" he says, "but if you listen to them all in a row, you can see the direction we're heading in. As a songwriter or as a band, you want to do different things. But I still think it sounds like us." Besides, he added, "People thought 'Twin Cinema' was a weird departure."

The record contains some of the Pornographers' best work, from the typically cryptic Bejar track "Myriad Harbour" to the gorgeous title ballad, sung by Case.

Rock the Garden, which also features Andrew Bird and local favorites Cloud Cult and Bon Iver, will be held at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, which turns 20 this year. The event kicks off a mostly lazy summer for the band, but Newman will be busy elsewhere. His second solo album under his A.C. Newman moniker is due out next winter, and he's also writing songs for the next New Pornographers record. Newman is especially excited to work on the followup to "Challengers" because "that's my job. I've been trying to have a work ethic."

"I think," he begins, "it will be a little more rock than 'Challengers' was. I think 'Challengers' was about as quiet as the band will get."

As for that work ethic, Newman is eager to put it to good use.

"You have to have a work ethic to songwriting. There's a lot of work to it. When I first start working on a record, my wife hates me."

However, he adds, it's worth the time and temporary marital discomfort.

"If you can put out two albums you feel really proud of in two years, that's great. The key is that you're proud."