Indie rock supergroup The New Pornographers are gearing up for the release of their new album, Continue as a Guest, which is due out March 31 via Merge Records. This will be their first for the venerable indie label. In advance of it, they’ve shared a new single called “Really Really Light”, which you can hear below.
The 10-track collection was produced by A.C. Newman and features Neko Case, Kathryn Calder, John Collins, Todd Fancey, Zach Djanikian, and Joe Seiders — and includes writing contributions from Dan Bejar and Sadie Dupuis (Speedy Ortiz, sad13).
Anchored by sci-fi blips, complex vocal harmonies, and drumming that aims to undermine the walls we place around ourselves, “Really Really Light” finds the band doing what they do best: unending indie rock tropes and creating art from emotional volatility. It’s a great introduction to the album and sets the bar high for what’s to come.
Newman recalls the genesis of “Really Really Light”: “Part of my process throughout the years has been messing with things I never finished. I really liked Dan’s chorus, and for a while I was just trying to write something that I felt like belonged with it. I was thinking of the Aloe Blacc song ‘The Man’ which interpolated the chorus from Elton John’s ‘Your Song’ and thought it would be fun to interpolate a song that no one knows. Not trying to sound like Aloe Blacc, just doing some interpolating of my own. It became a game of writing a verse that felt like a part of the same song. In my mind, I was striving for a little Jeff Lynne–era Tom Petty, a classic go-to.“
Check out the band’s upcoming tour dates below and watch the Christian Cerezo-directed video for “Really Really Light”.
Tour Dates:
April 19: Asheville, NC—Salvage Station*
April 20: Atlanta, GA—Variety Playhouse*
April 21: New Orleans, LA—Tipitina’s*
April 22: Houston, TX—White Oak Music Hall*
April 23: Dallas, TX—Studio at The Factory*
April 25: Austin, TX—Paramount*
April 26: Oklahoma City, OK—Tower Theatre*
April 27: St. Louis, MO—Sheldon Concert Hall*
April 28: Omaha, NE—The Waiting Room*
April 29: Kansas City, MO—The Truman*
April 30: Denver, CO—Gothic Theatre*
May 3: St. Paul, MN—The Fitzgerald*
May 4: Milwaukee, WI—Turner Hall*
May 5: Chicago, IL—Thalia Hall*
May 6: Chicago, IL— Thalia Hall*
May 8: Cincinnati, OH—Memorial Hall*
May 9: Columbus, OH—Newport Music Hall*
May 11: Detroit, MI—El Club*
May 12: Toronto, ON—Danforth*
May 13: Burlington, VT—Higher Ground Ballroom*
May 14: Norwalk, CT— Wall Street Theater*
May 15: Boston, MA—Royale*
May 17: New York, NY—Brooklyn Steel*
May 18: Philadelphia, PA—Union Transfer*
May 19: Washington, DC—9:30 Club*
May 21: Saxapahaw, NC—Haw River Ballroom*
*with Wild Pink
The New Pornographers’ latest album, Continue as a Guest (pre-order), is due out March 31 via Merge Records. Keep up with the band on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
