A.C. Newman

A.C. Newman, also known as Carl Newman, got his musical start in the Sub Pop baroque pop band Zumpano. But perhaps he is better known as the fire-haired frontman for twang rockers the New Pornographers. Like many an Americana frontman, Newman needed to go solo to break out of the somewhat constricting alt country parameters. With his own music he brings to the table a cornucopia of powerful pop songwriting influences such as Ray Davies, Johnny Rivers, Harry Nilsson, Colin Blunstone, Dave Edmunds, Andy Partridge, Wayne Coyne, Ben Folds and Britt Daniel, to name a few. Not since Kelly Stoltz has a newfangled singer/songwriter been able to channel his influences through his own trademark voice without approximating a human jukebox.