Carl Newman, who writes most of the band's material, has said, "When I seriously started to try to write songs, my main influences were, like, Burt Bacharach, Jim Webb, and Brian Wilson. Those were the guys I kinda looked at their music and went, 'What the hell are they doing here?' I was just fascinated by the structures and the harmonics."
The melody of the first and eponymous track on their second album Electric Version, for instance, begins with an arpeggiated diminished triad --- a rare and strange opening flourish for a pop song.
The band have released a series of well-received albums: Mass Romantic (2000), Electric Version (2003), Twin Cinema (2005), Challengers (2007), Together (2010), Brill Bruisers (2014) and Whiteout Conditions (2017). In 2019 they released In the Morse Code of Brake Lights.
The band members include:
- Carl Newman - vocals, guitar, ebow, synthesizer, harmonica, pump organ, xylophone
- Dan Bejar - vocals, guitar, synthesizer, melodion
- Kathryn Calder - vocals, piano
- Neko Case - vocals, tambourine
- John Collins - bass, guitar, synthesizer, ebow, vocals
- Kurt Dahle - drums, percussion, vocals
- Todd Fancey - guitar
- Blaine Thurier - synthesizer
The New Pornographers are frequently referred to as an indie supergroup because of the following members' associations:
- Carl Newman, solo artist (as A.C. Newman), also of Superconductor and Zumpano
- Dan Bejar of Destroyer,Swan Lake and Vancouver Nights.
- Kathryn Calder of Immaculate Machine.
- Neko Case, solo artist, also of Maow and cub
- John Collins of The Evaporators
- Kurt Dahle of Limblifter and Age of Electric
- Todd Fancey of Fancey
- Blaine Thurier, independent filmmaker
Newman, however, doesn't care for the term: "I'm really tired of that supergroup label, and I wish people would stop using it. None of us were known at all outside of Canada --- I just don't think it's accurate."
Twin Cinema
The New Pornographers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Still projecting
Undestructing
A voice from the back of your
Double feature
Soft and harder
Wait in silence
While planning your attack
Shining through the hollow today
Thinking maybe heavens away
They've shown this on both screens
They've shown this on both screens
In torn seats are
Film leaders
Lead the charging
Of armies into war, yeah
Lead the charge of
Twin teachers
False and feature
Picture the euphoria
Flipping through the photos they send ya
Going to 16th and Valencia
They've shown this on both screens
They've shown this on both screens
Team
Teeming with things
You can find in the dark
Dust in the light
Falling through
Day after night
Follows you
Follows you
Ooh
In soft seats are
Stills projecting
No protecting
From voices in the back of ya
Double feature
Soft and heartland
Stone the hop then
They slip ya through the cracks, yeah
Flipping through the photos they send ya
Going to 16 and Valencia
They've shown this on both screens
They've shown this on both screens
They've shown this on both screens
They've shown this on both screens
The lyrics to "Twin Cinema" by The New Pornographers depict a movie theatre experience, but with a slightly surreal and ominous twist. The "twin cinema" of the title refers to both the dual screens projecting different movies, as well as the duality of the experience - the "soft and harder" double feature, the "false and feature" teachers, and the "voices in the back of ya." The repetition of "they've shown this on both screens" suggests a sense of repetition and predictability, but also a sense of being trapped or manipulated by outside forces.
The lyrics also touch on the power of movies and media to shape our perceptions and even influence our actions. The "lead the charge of armies into war" line suggests the way that films can glorify violence and militarism, while the "flipping through the photos they send ya" line hints at the way that media can manipulate our desires and expectations. The image of "dust in the light falling through day after night" also suggests the way that movies and memories can become layered and distorted over time.
Overall, "Twin Cinema" uses the metaphor of a movie theatre to comment on the way that media shapes our experiences and perceptions, and the potential dangers of being caught up in those narratives.
Line by Line Meaning
In home theaters
The setting of the song is in people’s homes where they have their own theaters to watch movies.
Still projecting
The movies are still playing, and the projection of the movies is uninterrupted.
Undestructing
The projection keeps going without any signs of stopping.
A voice from the back of your
The voice is coming from the back of someone’s mind.
Double feature
There are two different movies playing back to back.
Soft and harder
The two movies are either contrasting in tone, pace or intensity.
Wait in silence
The audience is silent in anticipation of the next movie.
While planning your attack
People are discussing and planning their reactions to the upcoming movie.
Shining through the hollow today
The light shining in the theater is harsh and bright.
Thinking maybe heavens away
People are wondering if there is an alternative to the harsh reality of the movies being played.
They've shown this on both screens
Both movies have a similar theme or message.
In torn seats are
The condition of the theater's seats is poor.
Film leaders
The people in charge of the movies are leading the charge.
Lead the charging
Those in charge are leading people into an emotional experience.
Of armies into war, yeah
The movies are intense, like a battle.
Lead the charge of
The people in charge are continuing to lead the audience through an emotional journey.
Twin teachers
The two movies are teaching the audience something.
False and feature
One of the movies is fake or not truthful, while the other is more factual.
Picture the euphoria
Imagine the emotional high the audience goes through while watching the movies.
Flipping through the photos they send ya
People are scrolling through the pictures they took or were sent to them about the movies they watched.
Going to 16th and Valencia
People are leaving the theater and heading to a specific location.
Team
The people in the audience.
Teeming with things
The many emotions and thoughts that the movies evoke from people.
You can find in the dark
The movies have a dark and intense nature that is hard to find elsewhere.
Dust in the light
The studio lights are shining on the dust in the air.
Falling through
The dust is falling through the air.
Day after night
The screenings take place both during the day and night.
Follows you
The emotional impact of the movies stays with you long after leaving the theater.
Ooh
An exclamation of the emotional toll the movies have taken on the audience.
No protecting
The movies do not hold back emotionally or mentally.
Stone the hop then
People are stoned, inebriated, or using another substance to cope with the intensity of the movies.
They slip ya through the cracks, yeah
The movies have an intense effect that takes people out of reality and their senses for a while.
They've shown this on both screens
The movies being played have a similar message that the audience must contemplate.
They've shown this on both screens
The movies being played have a similar theme or message that people were able to pick up on.
They've shown this on both screens
The music is repeating lines to emphasize how both movies have a similar theme or message.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Carl Allan Newman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind