Power pop supergroup the New Pornographers have announced a new album. Continue as a Guest is due out March 31 through new label home Merge Records, and the single "Really Really Light" is out today.
"Really Really Light" is co-written by bandleader A.C. Newman and Destroyer's Dan Bejar — the latter of whom hasn't appeared on the last couple of New Pornographers albums. It's based on an unfinished outtake from 2014's Brill Bruisers. Bejar can't actually be heard on the new song, however, which is sung by Newman and Neko Case; Bejar didn't otherwise contribute to the album. Hear the song below.
"Firework in the Falling Snow" was co-written with Sadie Dupuis (Speedy Ortiz, Sad13). Regarding the album title, Newman said in an announcement, "The idea of continuing as a guest felt very apropos to the times. Feeling out of place in culture, in society — not feeling like a part of any zeitgeist, but happy to be separate and living your simple life, your long fade-out. Find your own little nowhere, find some space to fall apart, continue as a guest."
Continue as a Guest marks the band's first album for Merge, following a long stint on Matador Records. Newman tweeted that "to join that roster is an incredible honour," and added that he's longtime friends with the founders.
Watch the video for "Really Really Light" below. Scroll past that to see the album tracklist and the band's spring tour schedule with Wild Pink.
Continue as a Guest is the band's ninth album, and their first since 2019's In the Morse Code of Brake Lights.
Continue as a Guest:
1. Really Really Light
2. Pontius Pilate's Home Movies
3. Cat and Mouse with the Light
4. Last and Beautiful
5. Continue as a Guest
6. Bottle Episodes
7. Marie and the Undersea
8. Angelcover
9. Firework in the Falling Snow
10. Wish Automatic Suite
The New Pornographers 2023 Tour Dates:
04/19 Asheville, NC - Salvage Station *
04/20 Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse *
04/21 New Orleans, LA - Tipitina's *
04/22 Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall *
04/23 Dallas, TX - Studio at The Factory *
04/25 Austin, TX - Paramount *
04/26 Oklahoma City, OK - Tower Theatre *
04/27 St. Louis, MO - Sheldon Concert Hall *
04/28 Omaha, NE - The Waiting Room *
04/29 Kansas City, MO - The Truman *
04/30 Denver, CO - Gothic Theatre *
05/03 St. Paul, MN - The Fitzgerald *
05/04 Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall *
05/05–06 Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall *
05/08 Cincinnati, OH - Memorial Hall *
05/09 Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall *
05/11 Detroit, MI - El Club *
05/12 Toronto, ON - Danforth Music Hall*
05/13 Burlington, VT - Higher Ground Ballroom *
05/14 Norwalk, CT - Wall Street Theater *
05/15 Boston, MA - Royale *
05/17 New York, NY - Brooklyn Steel *
05/18 Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer *
05/19 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club *
05/21 Saxapahaw, NC - Haw River Ballroom *
* with Wild Pink
"Really Really Light" is co-written by bandleader A.C. Newman and Destroyer's Dan Bejar — the latter of whom hasn't appeared on the last couple of New Pornographers albums. It's based on an unfinished outtake from 2014's Brill Bruisers. Bejar can't actually be heard on the new song, however, which is sung by Newman and Neko Case; Bejar didn't otherwise contribute to the album. Hear the song below.
"Firework in the Falling Snow" was co-written with Sadie Dupuis (Speedy Ortiz, Sad13). Regarding the album title, Newman said in an announcement, "The idea of continuing as a guest felt very apropos to the times. Feeling out of place in culture, in society — not feeling like a part of any zeitgeist, but happy to be separate and living your simple life, your long fade-out. Find your own little nowhere, find some space to fall apart, continue as a guest."
Continue as a Guest marks the band's first album for Merge, following a long stint on Matador Records. Newman tweeted that "to join that roster is an incredible honour," and added that he's longtime friends with the founders.
Watch the video for "Really Really Light" below. Scroll past that to see the album tracklist and the band's spring tour schedule with Wild Pink.
Continue as a Guest is the band's ninth album, and their first since 2019's In the Morse Code of Brake Lights.
Continue as a Guest:
1. Really Really Light
2. Pontius Pilate's Home Movies
3. Cat and Mouse with the Light
4. Last and Beautiful
5. Continue as a Guest
6. Bottle Episodes
7. Marie and the Undersea
8. Angelcover
9. Firework in the Falling Snow
10. Wish Automatic Suite
The New Pornographers 2023 Tour Dates:
04/19 Asheville, NC - Salvage Station *
04/20 Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse *
04/21 New Orleans, LA - Tipitina's *
04/22 Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall *
04/23 Dallas, TX - Studio at The Factory *
04/25 Austin, TX - Paramount *
04/26 Oklahoma City, OK - Tower Theatre *
04/27 St. Louis, MO - Sheldon Concert Hall *
04/28 Omaha, NE - The Waiting Room *
04/29 Kansas City, MO - The Truman *
04/30 Denver, CO - Gothic Theatre *
05/03 St. Paul, MN - The Fitzgerald *
05/04 Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall *
05/05–06 Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall *
05/08 Cincinnati, OH - Memorial Hall *
05/09 Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall *
05/11 Detroit, MI - El Club *
05/12 Toronto, ON - Danforth Music Hall*
05/13 Burlington, VT - Higher Ground Ballroom *
05/14 Norwalk, CT - Wall Street Theater *
05/15 Boston, MA - Royale *
05/17 New York, NY - Brooklyn Steel *
05/18 Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer *
05/19 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club *
05/21 Saxapahaw, NC - Haw River Ballroom *
* with Wild Pink