The Former Site Of provides a welcome, albeit slightly darker, collection to help us reintegrate ourselves into the work of Canadian supergroup The New Pornographers.
The last of their albums we reviewed was the marvellous Brill Bruisers from way back in 2014. This was full of brilliant guitar pop and trademark vocal interplay from their regulars Carl Newman, Neko Case, Destroyer’s Dan Bejar and Kathryn Calder.
Since then, three albums have passed us by.
So, what have we missed?
Quite a bit it seems for the band. They had to sever all ties with their drummer for those three albums, Joe Seiders, who was arrested, and later convicted of, multiple charges including possession of child pornography last year.
Also, Bejar has now left the collective, for the second time. This is a miss from their heyday, especially as his lead vocal tracks were among their best.
New drum parts
Complete with new drum parts, hastily recorded over Seiders’ contribution by session drummer Charley Drayton, they have emerged here a little battered and bruised, but ultimately intact as one of Canada’s best musical exports.
Among highlights here on this tenth, and understandably sadder than usual, album from the band are Pure Sticker Shock, with smart electronica supplementing the gang’s vocals. Another is Votive, especially when the guitars kick in at around the half way point.
Among the most melancholy are Ballad of the Last Payphone and the title track, which closes the album.
Spooky Action is another strong track of note on The Former Site Of. The vocals here are particularly strong. Hearing Case’s voice anywhere is wonderful especially alongside Newman and co.
Given Newman’s desire to rerecord the Seiders’ era albums with new drum parts, to remove all trace of him from the band, it seems we can safely swerve those for the time being anyway.
By Joe Lepper
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