New Pornographers, The / Continue As A Guest
Album: Continue As A Guest   Collection:General
Artist:New Pornographers, The   Added:Apr 2023
Label:Merge Records  

A-File Activity
Add Date: 2023-04-24 Pull Date: 2023-06-26
Week Ending: Jun 25 Jun 18 Jun 11 Jun 4 May 28 May 21 May 14 May 7
Airplays: 1 1 2 1 1 2 3 5

Recent Airplay
1. Jan 12, 2024: KZSU Time Traveler
Pontius Pilate’s Home Movies
4. Jul 06, 2023: I Like to Dance: Shake Off Your Pants
Pontius Pilate’s Home Movies
2. Oct 26, 2023: down in the basement
Last and Beautiful
5. Jul 01, 2023: Hanging In The Boneyard
Really Really Light
3. Jul 15, 2023: Music Casserole
Marie and the Undersea, Angelcover
6. Jun 23, 2023: KZSU Time Traveler
Pontius Pilate’s Home Movies

Album Review
Francis D
Reviewed 2023-04-12
“Continue As A Guest” The New Pornographers
Indie power pop and rock. This is the 9th studio album from the Vancouver-based band led by A.C. (Carl) Newman. Co-founder Dan Bejar (whose own musical project, Destroyer, is taking more time) has departed — although he did co-write the lead single on this album. Neko Case remains, but she isn’t credited with any of the songwriting. The collection of tunes on “Continue As A Guest” veers away from the band’s trademark power pop anthems toward more layered (and perhaps a little less catchy) electro pop and alternative rock — with Newman’s sharp-edged lyrics addressing important themes. RIYL: Destroyer, Jenny Lewis, Neko Case.
— Francis

Recommended: 2, 1, 8, 6, 9, 3. FCC on Track 5 is edited; original unedited song is now Track 11.

1. (3:21) Really Really Light — 1st single. Chugs along over a slightly warped synth bed. Familiar sound for the band, with A.C. Newman on lead vocals, and Neko Case and Kathryn Calder (Newman’s niece) on harmonies. ****
2. (3:54) Pontius Pilate’s Home Movies — Opens with saxophone, then shifts into a cool, bass-driven, tension-filled anthem with strummed guitar and uplifting choruses. Hookiest tune on the album. 2nd single. ****
3. (3:59) Cat And Mouse With The Light — Airy and flowing soundscape, with playful synths and some sax counterpoint. Case on lead vocals. ***
4. (4:18) Last And Beautiful — March-like…with noisy, clang-y guitars interspersed with occasional ‘yip’ effects and reverbed keyboard arpeggios.
5. (4:24) Continue As A Guest (Radio Edit) — Shimmering and melancholic, trudging toward the reality that we’ll all eventually face a ‘setting sun.’ Steady backbeat, saxophone and female harmonies in the lead.
6. (4:12) Bottle Episodes — Uplifting arrangement, but with cynical lyrics about “dancing with the devil” in a world lit by the artificial glow of screens. ***
7. (4:42) Marie And The Undersea — Case’s swelling vocals soar over big guitar chords, a syncopated rhythm and keys in the lead break — plus that saxophone again.
8. (3:31) Angelcover — Another pulsing, industrial-sounding tune, with male and female vocals in counterpoint, and a synth flute providing a bit of relief. ****
9. (3:22) Firework In The Falling Snow — Appealing mid-tempo pop in a more traditional New Pornographers style, with Newman on lead vocals. ***
10. (5:20) Wish Automatic Suite — Long enough to be considered a ‘suite’ — lighter and wistful in places and rocking in others. Slows about 3 minutes in and becomes contemplative with lots of ‘ahhs’ in the backing vocals. Trails out for the final 45 seconds.
11. (4:24) Continue As A Guest (UNEDITED…sh-t!) — Non-FCC clean version of Track 5.

Track Listing
1. Really Really Light   6. Bottle Episodes
2. Pontius Pilate’s Home Movies   7. Marie and the Undersea
3. Cat and Mouse With the Light   8. Angelcover
4. Last and Beautiful   9. Firework in the Falling Snow
5. Continue As a Guest (Radio Edit)   10. Wish Automatic Suite
  11. Continue As A Guest (Unedited)