‘Hooray for Canada!’

New Pornographers on Boston honoring their homeland

PROFILE. “Canada Comes to Berklee” is a one-off show featuring three Canadian acts: acclaimed indie rock band The New Pornographers, soul hip-hop MC k-os and the comparatively unknown Bill King’s Saturday Nite Fish Fry. The show will be broadcast live in Canada and the U.S. on Sirius Iceberg 95 to, says Berklee’s Web site, “call attention to the unsung influence music from Canada has had on American popular culture.”

Unsung? The press has been overtly praising north-of-the-border bands like Broken Social Scene, Stars, Arcade Fire et al ever since the New Pornographers broke around 2001. 

The Pornographers’ AC Newman is perplexed by the whole Canada is/was the new Seattle thing, but, if we’re counting, he thinks his homeland has outdone grunge-central artistically.

“Canada, in the last few years, has spawned way more bands than Seattle ever did. Aside from Nirvana, you’re really reaching. Nirvana and Mudhoney. That’s it. Does anyone listen to Soundgarden or Pearl Jam anymore? Probably millions actually,” he corrects himself with a laugh. “I’m talking about bands that have endured with snobby indie rockers.”

Of which Newman is undoubtedly one.  The Vancouver native is speaking from Spain, where the weather is warmer and cheerier than in Canada or Boston right now. But, he can’t wait to get back to his new home. And to the recording studio, where he intends on spending a good part of the winter writing songs for a new solo album he thinks might be out sometime next year.  

“That’s the part I like best, creating something new. Promoting something you’ve already created isn’t quite as much fun.” As for his fellow Canadian bands, he adds typically semi cynical praise.

“It’s good, of course. All you can do is say, “‘Go team! Hooray for Canada.’”

Canada Comes to Berklee
Tonight, 8:15
Berklee Performance Center
136 Mass. Ave., Boston
MBTA: Green Line to Hynes
$22.50 - $30,  617-747-2261
www.berkleebpc.com