The Former Site Of. The New Pornographers

The band with one of the most outrageous names out there returns with a new album, The Former Site Of. I'll be be honest. Despite me being enthusiastic about the single 'Votive' a few weeks ago, I was disappointed listening to the album for the first time. Quite often my ears betray me while listening to a new album and that proved to be true giving the album a second and third chance.

My encounter with The New Pornographers came through A.C. Newman's solo album 'The slow Wonder' from 2004. From there I followed the band's career, saw a great live show in the old Tivoli in Utrecht. Come 2026, it may be that I've missed an album here and there. Not so The Former Site Of.

The new album is not an overly exciting one. The New Pornographers are more thorough than exciting today. The vocals are exquisite, the arrangements certainly decent with surprises here and there. It's the combination that really works and what makes the band so attractive to listen to.

Besides Newman today the band exists of Kathryn Calder, Neko Case, John Collins and Todd Fancey, with session drummer Charley Drayton joining the band in the studio. Calder and Case sing with A.C. Newman and together they make a large part of The New Pornographers' sound. The ladies wrap their voices around Newman's and create vocal magic for most of the time. In a song like 'Spooky Action' the harmony vocals are the driving force of the melody of the song. Listening more closely and you'll find that a lot more is happening. That bass line is certainly worthwhile following, just like that meandering synth.

I'm sure that a lot of attention was given to the arrangements of the songs, but in a lot of songs the less is more principle was applied as well. Songs are relatively bare. That caused me to think at first The Former Site Of was a bit boring. The attraction is in the details and to hear them the listener needs to pay attention. It pays off abundantly to do so.

The New Pornographers are still called a supergroup. A band that is around for 29 years is a band in its own right. Most supergroups from the past were around for one album before they disbanded, often due to personal differences. The Canadians are still around and hopefully they will be for many more to come. And that single, 'Votive'? That is the price song of The Former Site Of as far as I'm concerned.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

 

You can listen to and order The Former Site Of here:

https://thenewpornos.bandcamp.com/album/the-former-site-of