Prolific power pop indie rock band, The New Pornographers, return with their tenth album, The Former Site Of.
The emotive lyrics, coupled with The New Pornographers unique offering of indie pop, always take me to a place where I think of bands such as Belle and Sebastian, with their hazy folk-like material. Reminding us that not all music needs to be delivered with volume at 11 and 150bpm.
It has been some 15 years since The New Pornographers first caught our attention, arriving amidst a massive Canadian indie-rock explosion alongside the likes of Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene, The Dears, and Metric. While that era was crowded with talent, their debut album, Mass Romantic, remains a quintessential classic of the movement. If you haven’t revisited it lately or never gave it a spin, it is a record that absolutely still demands a listen.
The Former Site Of is an album born from ten short stories about people in extreme personal and societal situations, which are gathered as meticulously crafted pop songs. Current single releases from the album, Pure Sticker Shock, Spooky Action and Motive are a great representation of what the album produces, especially the standout title track, The Former Site, which closes the album with a cinematic explosion of brilliance.
The collective influences of all members of The Last Pornographers amalgamate to give them the longevity they are experiencing. A tireless influx of creativity and spirit. A classic indie pop album, I think so.
