ACCLAIMED SUPERGROUP THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS’ NEW ALBUM, THE FORMER SITE OF, OUT MARCH 27 ON MERGE RECORDS
WATCH / SHARE “VOTIVE” HERE
BUY / STREAM “VOTIVE” HERE
PRE-SAVE THE FORMER SITE OF HERE
PRE-ORDER THE FORMER SITE OF VINYL HERE
NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES BEGIN APRIL 22 - TICKETS ON SALE NOW
“Over the course of their 20-plus-year career, the New Pornographers have often specialized in catchy ambiguity. If leader Carl Newman was just a machine cranking out power-pop tunes, it would get boring. But there’s also a lot of mixed emotions going on under the surface of their studiously nuanced pop-rock formalism—like if Cheap Trick was as quick-witted as Steely Dan, or the Romantics were as thoughtful as R.E.M.” - Rolling Stone
“pure, blissfully irresistible power pop” - NPR Music
“[The New Pornographers] make catchy, sophisticated alternate-universe hits.” - Stereogum
Photo Courtesy of The New Pornographers // DOWNLOAD HIGH-RES
The New Pornographers’ highly anticipated new album, The Former Site Of, is due March 27, 2026 on Merge Records; in celebration of the upcoming release the band is debuting the album track “Votive” alongside a new video.
The record is available for pre-order now via both the Merge and 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.”
WATCH / SHARE “VOTIVE” HERE
BUY / STREAM “VOTIVE” HERE
MORE ABOUT THE FORMER SITE OF
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 band will kick off their U.S. tour on April 22 at The Wilbur in Boston with stops at New York’s Webster Hall, Los Angeles’ Teragram Ballroom, Chicago’s The Metro, Washington D.C.’s 9:30 Club and many more, with support from Will Sheff of Okkervil River. Tickets are available now at thenewpornographers.com, full details and a list of dates can be found below.
In addition to “Votive,” the album features the group’s most recent single, “Ballad Of The Last Payphone,” which is available as a limited 7-inch vinyl first release and is the subject of acclaim from Pitchfork, Brooklyn Vegan, Stereogum and more. Paste named it one of their Best New Songs, raving that “‘Ballad Of The Last Payphone’ hits a different kind of nerve. Less giddy power-pop, more slow-burn meditation, the track leans into melancholy with acoustic strums, ghostly pedal steel, and vocals that swirl like a memory you can’t quite shake.”
WATCH / SHARE “BALLAD OF THE LAST PAYPHONE” HERE
BUY / STREAM “BALLAD OF THE LAST PAYPHONE” HERE
The New Pornographers have released nine studio albums, including their classic debut, Mass Romantic, reissued in 2021 to celebrate its 21st anniversary. Their latest, 2023’s Continue as a Guest, marked their debut for Merge Records; New York Magazine lauded, “The New Pornographers are a massive unit bursting with unique and intersecting talents…the band’s ninth album serves another helping of their signature dish,” while Brooklyn Vegan named it “one of The New Pornographers’ most lush albums, thick with synthesizers and horns and harmonies…their unique chemistry is as distinct and appealing as ever.”
PRE-SAVE THE FORMER SITE OF HERE
THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS ON TOUR // TICKETS ON SALE NOW
April 22—Boston, MA—The Wilbur*
April 23—New York, NY—Webster Hall*
April 24—Glenside, PA—Keswick Theatre*
April 25—Rochester, NY—Water Street Music Hall*
April 27—Detroit, MI—El Club*
April 29—Millvale, PA—Mr. Smalls Theatre*
April 30—Cleveland, OH—House of Blues*
May 1—Milwaukee, WI—Turner Hall*
May 2—Minneapolis, MN—The Fitzgerald Theater*
May 3—Chicago, IL—The Metro*
May 5—Englewood, CO—Gothic Theatre*
May 6—Salt Lake City, UT—The Commonwealth Room*
May 8—Seattle, WA—The Showbox*
May 9—Portland, OR—Aladdin Theater*
May 11—San Francisco, CA—The Castro Theatre*
May 12—Los Angeles, CA—Teragram Ballroom*
May 13—Phoenix, AZ—Crescent Ballroom*
May 15—Austin, TX—Mohawk Outside*
May 16—Dallas, TX—The Kessler Theater*
May 17—Baton Rouge, LA—Chelsea's Live*
May 19—Atlanta, GA—Variety Playhouse*
May 20—Saxapahaw, NC—Haw River Ballroom*
May 21—Washington, DC—9:30 Club*
*with Will Sheff (of Okkervil River)
THE FORMER SITE OF
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
THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS ONLINE
WEBSITE
FACEBOOK
INSTAGRAM
THREADS
TIKTOK