Album
The Former Site Of
2026 · Rock
Rare pressing on Gatefold
The Former Site Of is an Alt/Indie album by The New Pornographers, originally released in 2026. On Gatefold: 4 pressings tracked.
About
The New Pornographers open their 10th album with an assessment of our potential near future, and the diagnosis is not good: “It’s quite a view from my deck chair/Sailor on this ship of doom.” It doesn’t get much sunnier from there. The zippiness that once propelled the indie-pop all-stars has given way over time to a sound that’s more layered and reflective, and on <i>The Former Site Of</i> they try to put on a brave face as they delve fully into the darkness. As a refrain on “Calligraphy,” the album’s grooviest track, goes, “God knows it’s Armageddon somewhere.” Over The New Pornographers’ nearly three decades in existence, they’ve transitioned from supergroup to largely the primary creative outlet of singer and guitarist Carl Newman, who wrote all the songs here. Sometimes he takes on the perspective of characters he creates (the aforementioned stranded cruise-ship passenger on “Great Princess Story,” a clergyman on the album’s title track who won’t abandon his church as the land around it is subsumed by water), sometimes he goes semi-autobiographical (choosing flowers for his parents’ graves on “Wish You Could See Me I’m Killing It”). He’s never sounded sadder, and it’s the best they’ve sounded in years.
via Apple Music
The Clerk says
The Clerk knows this whole record — the pressing quirks, the credits, the take.
Tracklist
Side A
- A1Great Princess Story4:11
- A2Pure Sticker Shock4:09
- A3Ballad Of The Last Payphone3:49
- A4Spooky Action4:53
- A5Wish You Could See Me I’m Killing It3:39
Side B
- B1Votive3:45
- B2Wine Remembers The Water1:48
- B3Calligraphy 3:47
- B4Bonus Mai Tais4:34
- B5The Former Site Of6:38
Sound DNA
- Alt/Indie
- Indie Rock
- jangly
- euphoric
- art school
Notes from the original pressing. Later editions may differ.
Hype sticker
- The New Pornographers
- The Former Site Of
- "like if Cheap Trick was as quick-witted as Steely Dan, or The Romantics were as thoughtful as R.E.M." -
- Merge Peak Vinyl logo
- Limited edition "Mai Tai" vinyl
- Barcode
- Merge Records logo
Issued with a custom inner sleeve containing artwork, credits, and lyrics.
Recorded at:
Little Blue, Woodstock, NY, engineered by A.C. Newman
The Hive, Victoria, BC, engineered by Colin Stewart and additional engineering by Kathryn Calder
Monkhouse Studio, Mount Tremper, NY, engineered by Zach Djanikian
Fidelitorium Recordings, Kernersville, NC, engineered by John Pfiffner
Afterlife Studios, Vancouver, BC, engineered by John Raham, studio assistant Brendan Guy
Creation Audio, Minneapolis, MN, engineered by John Fields
Welcome to the Trailerdome, Galiano Island, BC, engineered by John COllins
Carnassial Sound, Saint Johnsbury, VT, engineered by Jeff Galegher
Todd Fancey's house, Vancouver, BC, engineered by Todd Fancey
Area 52 Studios, Saugerties, NY, engineered by Dave Cook
Sikiyadigo, Chicago, IL, engineered by Macie Stewart
8EAST, Vancouver, BC, engineered by JP Carter
The Roost, Brooklyn, NY, engineered by Nora Stanley
Vancouver, BC, engineered by David Carswell
West Village Audio, Evanston, IL, engineered by Nora O'Connor
Mastered by Matthew Barnhart at Chicago Mastering Service, Chicago, IL
The runouts are all etched on both sides
Credits
The people behind it.
Performers
- A.C. NewmanBAND , VOCALS, GUITAR, BASS, KEYBOARDS PERFORMER , VOCALS, GUITAR, BASS, KEYBOARDS VOCALS, GUITAR, BASS, KEYBOARDS
- Charley DraytonDRUMS PERFORMER , DRUMS
- J.P. CarterPERFORMER , TRUMPET, EFFECTS TRUMPET , EFFECTS
- John CollinsBAND , BASS, GUITAR, KEYBOARDS BASS, GUITAR, KEYBOARDS PERFORMER , BASS, GUITAR, KEYBOARDS
- Kathryn CalderBAND , KEYBOARDS, VOCALS KEYBOARDS, VOCALS PERFORMER , KEYBOARDS, VOCALS
- Macie StewartPERFORMER , STRINGS STRINGS
- Neko CaseBAND , VOCALS PERFORMER , VOCALS VOCALS
- Nora O'ConnorPERFORMER , VOCALS VOCALS
- Nora StanleyALTO SAXOPHONE , TENOR SAXOPHONE PERFORMER , ALTO SAXOPHONE, TENOR SAXOPHONE
- Paul RigbyPEDAL STEEL GUITAR PERFORMER , PEDAL STEEL GUITAR
- Todd FanceyBAND , GUITAR GUITAR PERFORMER , GUITAR
- Zach DjanikianBASS , GUITAR, MANDOLIN, SOPRANO SAXOPHONE, TENOR SAXOPHONE PERFORMER , BASS, GUITAR, MANDOLIN, SOPRANO SAXOPHONE, TENOR SAXOPHONE
Rare pressing on Gatefold · 4 pressings tracked on Gatefold
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