The New Pornographers’ highly anticipated new album The Former Site Of is due 27th March on Merge Records; in celebration of the upcoming release, the band is debuting the album track “Votive” alongside a new video; which can be seen below..
The record is available for pre-order now via both the Merge and the band’s webstore; find the exclusive “Mai Tai” LP variant HERE and the exclusive “Spilled Ink” LP variant HERE.
Built around the sound of frontperson A.C. Newman’s mandolin, “Votive” builds from an atmospheric synth and keyboard opening into a wide-open jam. The video, animated by Michael Arthur, draws on the imagery of Newman’s lyrics alongside his and keyboardist/vocalist Kathryn Calder’s hooky refrain, “I didn’t see you there.”
On The Former Site Of, the tenth studio album from the acclaimed supergroup, ten short stories of people at personal and societal extremes are collected as meticulously crafted pop songs. The record was first crafted by Newman in his home studio before being brought to the band, composed of A.C. Newman, Kathryn Calder, Neko Case, John Collins and Todd Fancey. The band is joined for the first time by storied session drummer Charley Drayton (Divinyls, The Rolling Stones, Fiona Apple). Josh Wells (Destroyer, Black Mountain) will join as the touring drummer for the band’s upcoming dates in the Spring.
Of the making of the album, Newman shares, “Having time in my studio really opened things up. I don’t like wasting my bandmates’ time, and always felt guilty when I’d give them a song, ask them to do something, then completely change the song and ask them to do it again. Now I can get the skeleton of a song together first – just a couple of elements, the key feeling, really as little as possible – before bringing it to the band and running from there.”
The New Pornographers
THE FORMER SITE OF
Out March 27th on Merge Records
1. Great Princess Story
2. Pure Sticker Shock
3. Ballad Of The Last Payphone
4. Spooky Action
5. Wish You Could See Me I’m Killing It
6. Votive
7. The Wine Remembers The Water
8. Calligraphy
9. Bonus Mai Tais
10. The Former Site Of
TOUR DATES:
22 April—Boston, MA—The Wilbur*
23 April—New York, NY—Webster Hall*
24 April—Glenside, PA—Keswick Theatre*
25 April—Rochester, NY—Water Street Music Hall*
27 April—Detroit, MI—El Club*
29 April—Millvale, PA—Mr. Smalls Theatre*
30 April—Cleveland, OH—House of Blues*
1 May—Milwaukee, WI—Turner Hall*
2 May—Minneapolis, MN—The Fitzgerald Theater*
3 May—Chicago, IL—The Metro*
5 May—Englewood, CO—Gothic Theatre*
6 May—Salt Lake City, UT—The Commonwealth Room*
8 May—Seattle, WA—The Showbox*
9 May—Portland, OR—Aladdin Theater*
11 May—San Francisco, CA—The Castro Theatre*
12 May—Los Angeles, CA—Teragram Ballroom*
13 May—Phoenix, AZ—Crescent Ballroom*
15 May—Austin, TX—Mohawk Outside*
16 May—Dallas, TX—The Kessler Theater*
17 May—Baton Rouge, LA—Chelsea’s Live*
19 May—Atlanta, GA—Variety Playhouse*
20 May—Saxapahaw, NC—Haw River Ballroom*
21 May—Washington, DC—9:30 Club*
*with Will Sheff (of Okkervil River)
