New Pornographers growing old

The mostly Canadian indie rock supergroup The New Pornographers has amassed a reputation for putting out albums full of gorgeous pop hooks. Its new album, “Together,” is an improvement on its previous release but fails to live up to the group’s best work.

“Together” begins with a nearly flawless run; the first three songs rock more than anything else on the album and are instantly catchy. All written by founder A. C. Newman, the songs mix crunchy guitars with strings, which give the tracks an expansive feel.

Unfortunately, the album fails to sustain that high. Destroyer’s Dan Bejar contributes three tracks, none of which match Newman’s songwriting. Newman doesn’t do much better; the last two thirds of “Together” are full of vaguely upbeat songs that never get out of a mid-tempo rut. “Valkyrie in the Roller Disco” is the album’s strongest track and the only one to experiment with a darker, more lonesome tone.

“Together” is still a fun album, but it fails to work as a cohesive statement. It’s too bad the best moments are over so quickly.