Continue as a Guest

カール・ニューマン率いるカナダのインディ・ロック・バンド、ザ・ニュー・ポルノグラファーズ。ダン・ベイハー(デストロイヤー)やセイディ・デュピュイ(スピーディー・オーティズ)との共作曲も収録したマージ・レコード移籍第一弾、自身9枚目のアルバム『コンティニュー・アズ・ア・ゲスト』、リリース。

The New Pornographersのニュー・アルバム『Continue as a Guest』がMerge Recordsよりリリースされる。
これは、同レーベルからは、バンド初の作品となる。2019年のアルバム『In The Morse Code Of Brake Lights』のツアーを終えてすぐ、Carl Newmanは1年をかけてニューヨークのウッドストックの自宅で、『Continue as a Guest』の制作を開始した。収録される10曲はNewman がプロデュース。レコーディングには、バンドのメンバーであるNeko Case、Kathryn Calder、John Collins、Todd Fancey、Joe Seidersに加え、サックス・プレイヤーのZach Djanikianも参加。また、Dan Bejar(Destroyer)とSadie Dupuis(Speedy Ortiz、Sad13)との共作曲も収録される。
The New Pornographersは、傑作デビュー・アルバム『Mass Romantic』(2021年に初演から21周年を記念してリイシュー)をはじめ、これまでに8枚のスタジオ・アルバムを発表している。NPRは最新作『In The Morse Code Of Brake Lights』を「感染力がある」と評価。Rolling Stone誌は「フックが詰まった曲を作り続けている」と賞賛した。

The New Pornographers segue into an interesting new phase on Continue as a Guest, their first record for Merge and ninth overall. As captain and primary songwriter, Carl Newman guides the veteran band into an uncertain future, celebrating its longevity while questioning its place in the modern landscape. In their trademark tandem vocals, he and Neko Case lay bare the realities of maintaining a beloved indie rock institution in its later years, singing "I found a place out on the plains, with some space to fall apart, with a long fadeout." The New Pornographers are something of a rock unicorn; a Vancouver indie supergroup formed in the late-90s, they have not only retained most of their core players but operated at a consistently high level of quality for almost a quarter-century. Experimenting apparently for the first time with home recording, Newman injects some new sonic textures into this introspective batch of songs that touch on themes of societal ambivalence and isolation. Yes, Continue as a Guest is dark, but the bands inherent sense of craft gives even their moodiest cuts a sense of play and, at times, even mischief. Standout "Pontius Pilates Home Movies" is a minor-key master class in tension-building with a Case-sung payoff chorus. Both "Really Really Light," a co-write with former/occasional member Dan Bejar, and the snakey "Last and Beautiful" pair low chugging riffs with woozy shoegaze patinas to great effect. Throughout the set, guest saxophonist Zach Djanikian adds an exciting sonic flair that really suits the albums mercurial nature. As reliable exponents of 21st century power pop, the New Pornographers bring their share of clever melodic twists and turns, especially on "Angelcover," a punchy all-hands-on-deck highlight featuring all three of the bands main vocalists, Newman, Case, and keyboardist Kathryn Calder. While Continue as a Guest may not have the immediacy of career standouts like Twin Cinema or even Brill Bruisers, it succeeds more subtly on its own terms and begs for repeated listens. ~ Timothy Monger