The Former Site Of

On their second release for Merge Records, the New Pornographers maintain the moody abstraction of 2023s Continue as a Guest, offering an introspective set that underneath its glimmering exterior burns several degrees cooler. Described by the band as "ten short stories of people at personal and societal extremes," The Former Site Of plays like a tonal cousin to its predecessors themes of isolation and ambivalence. A major part of the New Pornographers appeal has always been their collective nature, captained by leader Carl Newmans steady hand, but united by the members camaraderie and innate group-sense. The atmospheric backdrops and lush multi-voiced attack of its three primary singers -- Newman, Neko Case, and Kathryn Calder -- remain in place, but the overall effect sounds more muted here, echoing the emotional weariness of the characters they describe in song. A palette of mandolin, synths, and bass underpins the quiet desperation of "Wish You Could See Me Im Killing It," one of the more melancholic cuts on offer. This instrumentation spills over into the anxious "Votive," a spikier sibling that features some nice drumming from newcomer Charley Drayton. As a lyricist, Newmans smart couplets still have the ability to dazzle, and the group makes great work of them on standout "Spooky Action" with its radiant chorus of "filling my boots with stardust, filling my pockets up with rocks, follow the breath of empire rise and fall." Like many modern records, the framework was built alone in a home studio (Newmans) then assembled in stages as a group, which is a more recent development for the New Pornographers. Its another subtle outing from a band whose energetic peaks once defined them, but in this later period opt for patience over power. ~ Timothy Monger