A.C. Newman

Carl "A.C." Newman is nothing if not consistent. Best known as the ginger-haired nervous system of the New Pornographers, evidence of Carl Newman's songwriting brilliance can be unearthed in mid-'90s recordings of his old band Zumpano. (Look What The Rookie Did remains a personal favourite; hunt it down, kids.) While nothing here is as blatantly radio-friendly as "Mass Romantic" or "Letter From An Occupant," stunners like "Submarines of Stockholm," "Young Atlantis" and "The Collected Works" solidify the fact that Newman is your go-to guy for shimmering, multi-layered indie pop magic. Okay, so Get Guilty is pretty but is it clever? Is it poetic? Is it quirky? Does it get the hell under your skin like every really great record should? Indeed, Newman is guilty on all counts.