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Continue as a Guest
An illustration of several houses stacked on top of one another.
Studio album by
the New Pornographers
ReleasedMarch 31, 2023 (2023-03-31)
StudioMultiple locations in Canada and the United States
GenreIndie rock
Length41:00
LabelMerge
ProducerA. C. Newman
The New Pornographers chronology
In the Morse Code of Brake Lights
(2019) 		Continue as a Guest
(2023)
Singles from Continue as a Guest
  1. "Really Really Light"
    Released: January 10, 2023[1]
  2. "Angelcover"
    Released: February 16, 2023[2]
  3. "Pontius Pilate's Home Movies"
    Released: March 7, 2023[3]

Continue as a Guest is the ninth studio album by indie rock group the New Pornographers, released on March 31, 2023.[1] It has received positive reviews from critics and has been promoted with several single releases and a tour.

Recording, release, and promotion

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Continue as a Guest was recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic, requiring band leader and album producer A. C. Newman to work virtually with his bandmates and rely on them recording in other studios and only occasionally recording in-person with fellow musicians.[4] His process included listening to earlier albums by the band backwards and also interpolating unreleased tracks to make new songs out of them, resulting in a co-writing credit for former band member Dan Bejar.[5][6] This is the first release by The New Pornographers to feature outside songwriters, with Newman collaborating with Sadie Dupuis via Twitter and also includes Philadelphia-based saxophonist Zach Djanikian, whom Newman was introduced to by some comedian friends.[5] On this album, principal songwriter Newman sought to expand the band's sound, incorporating both the polished pop music that they are known for as well as more "angular" and "almost abrasive" elements to their style.[7] The music explores the loneliness and isolation of the pandemic, as well as feelings of boredom and media overload.[8]

This is the band's first recording for Merge Records and was preceded by the singles "Really Really Light" on January 10,[9] "Angelcover" on February 16,[2] and "Pontius Pilate's Home Movies" on March 7.[3] The band also embarked on a concert tour, following shows they played in late 2022.[10]

Tour dates to support Continue as a Guest[11]
Date City Country Venue Support
April 19, 2023 Asheville, North Carolina United States Salvage Station Wild Pink
April 20, 2023 Atlanta, Georgia Variety Playhouse
April 21, 2023 New Orleans, Louisiana Tipitina's
April 22, 2023 Houston, Texas White Oak Music Hall
April 23, 2023 Dallas, Texas Studio at The Factory
April 25, 2023 Austin, Texas Paramount Theatre
April 26, 2023 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Tower Theatre
April 27, 2023 St. Louis, Missouri Sheldon Concert Hall
April 28, 2023 Omaha, Nebraska The Waiting Room
April 29, 2023 Kansas City, Missouri The Truman
April 30, 2023 Denver, Colorado Gothic Theatre
May 3, 2023 St. Paul, Minnesota Fitzgerald Theater
May 4, 2023 Milwaukee, Wisconsin Turner Hall
May 5, 2023 Chicago, Illinois Thalia Hall
May 6, 2023 Chicago, Illinois Thalia Hall
May 8, 2023 Cincinnati, Ohio Memorial Hall
May 9, 2023 Columbus, Ohio Newport Music Hall
May 10, 2023 Detroit, Michigan El Club
May 12, 2023 Toronto, Ontario Canada Danforth Music Hall
May 13, 2023 Burlington, Vermont United States Higher Ground Ballroom
May 14, 2023 Norwalk, Connecticut Wall Street Theater
May 15, 2023 Boston, Massachusetts Royale
May 17, 2023 New York, New York Brooklyn Steel
May 18, 2023 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Union Transfer
May 19, 2023 Washington, D. C. 9:30 Club
May 21, 2023 Saxapahaw, North Carolina Haw River Ballroom
November 7, 2023 San Diego, California United States Music Box Finom
November 8, 2023 Los Angeles, California The Fonda Theatre
November 10, 2023 San Francisco, California Bimbo's 365 Club
November 11, 2023 Sacramento, California Ace of Spades
November 12, 2023 Eugene, Oregon McDonald Theatre
November 14, 2023 Vancouver, British Columbia Canada Commodore Ballroom
November 15, 2023 Portland, Oregon United States Revolution Hall
November 16, 2023 Seattle, Washington The Showbox
November 17, 2023 Boise, Idaho Knitting Factory
November 18, 2023 Salt Lake City, Utah The Commonwealth

Reception

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Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.1⁄10 (15 reviews)[12]
Metacritic75⁄100 (14 reviews)[13]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Guide[14]
Exclaim!7⁄10[15]
Far Out Magazine[16]
Hot Press9⁄10[17]
The Line of Best Fit8⁄10[18]
musicOMH[19]
Pitchfork6.8⁄10[20]
PopMatters7⁄10[21]
Slant[22]
Under the Radar7.5⁄10[23]

Continue as a Guest received positive reviews from critics noted at review aggregator Metacritic. It has a weighted average score of 75 out of 100, based on 14 reviews.[13] Summing up 15 reviews, editors of AnyDecentMusic? rated this album a 7.1 out of 10.[12]

In Rolling Stone, Jon Dolan opined that the album "delivers its vivid emotional payoff in subtle gestures".[24] Ian Gormley of Exclaim! rated the album a seven out of 10, writing that the band's songwriting has matured and "this is the first of their records that seems to want listeners to marinate in the vibe, if only for one quick moment, before moving on to the next three-minute dopamine hit".[15] For PopMatters, Chris Conlon gave the same score and praised the band for trying out new sounds while "Newman's melodies are as strong as ever, and the three main vocalists sound great".[21] Slant's Jeremy Winogard gave the album four out of five stars for principal songwriter A. C. Newman's experimentation and "more insular tone" on the lyrics.[22] In Glide Magazine, Jeremy Lukens noted a theme of the breakdown of society due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a theme of a "desire to live as an outsider apart from the rest of the world" that is combined with music that includes "swirling keyboards and electronic bloops" that is "still highly analog".[25] Writing for Beats Per Minute, Carlo Thomas rated continue as a guest 67%, praising Newman's growth as a songwriter, but noting that "most of the time, the tone shift on Continue as a Guest comes at the cost of the band's core appeal—their sense of fun—without a compelling replacement".[26]

Arun Starkey of Far Out Magazine gave this album four out of five stars, writing that "all their works are excellent, but this one is notably multifaceted".[16] John Walshie of Hot Press scored this release a nine out of 10, opining that there is "not a weak song here, as the Canadians deliver a career high".[17] The Line of Best Fit rated Continue as a Guest an eight out of 10, with Craig Howieson noting a theme of carpe diem, with the band "surging forward unperturbed by the passing of time or by what has come before".[18] Mariel Fechik of Under the Radar scored the release a 7.5 out of 10, noting the joy the band takes in discussing depressing or mundane themes.[23] John Murphy of musicOMH rated Continue as a Guest four out of five stars, characterizing it as "another reliable chapter in the Canadians' storied career", but not "their most immediate album though – it takes several plays for these song's delights to fully reveal themself".[19] Pitchfork's Ian Cohen scored this release a 6.8 out of 10, noting the strength of Newman's perspective as a songwriter, but complained that "they once tapped into the big, sloppy emotions of pop music without succumbing to its obviousness" and that the band's performances have suffered with the loss of drummer Kurt Dahle.[20] Editors of AllMusic Guide gave this album four out of five stars, with critic Timothy Monger characterizing the music, "the band's inherent sense of craft gives even their moodiest cuts a sense of play and, at times, even mischief" and noting that while this lacks the immediacy of some previous albums by the group, but "it succeeds more subtly on its own terms and begs for repeated listens".[14]

In Under the Radar, Mark Redfern named "Angelcover" one of the top 10 songs of the week.[27] The publication also listed "Pontius Pilate's Home Movies" once it was released a single.[28] KCMP named Continue as a Guest the Album of the Week on March 20.[29]

In a mid-year review, Rolling Stone India included this release in their best albums of 2023.[30] Critics at Rolling Stone included this among the 40 best indie rock albums of 2023.[31] At Under the Radar, this was rated the 98th best album of 2023.[32]

Track listing

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All songs written by A. C. Newman, except where noted.

  1. "Really Really Light" (Newman and Dan Bejar) – 3:21
  2. "Pontius Pilate's Home Movies" – 3:54
  3. "Cat and Mouse with the Light" – 3:59
  4. "Last and Beautiful" – 4:17
  5. "Continue as a Guest" – 4:24
  6. "Bottle Episodes" – 4:12
  7. "Marie and the Undersea" – 4:42
  8. "Angelcover" – 3:30
  9. "Firework in the Falling Snow" (Newman and Sadie Dupuis) – 3:21
  10. "Wish Automatic Suite" – 5:20

Personnel

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The New Pornographers

  • Neko Case – vocals (lead except on "Really Really Light" and "Firework in the Falling Snow")
  • Kathryn Calder – keyboards, vocals (lead on "Really Really Light"), engineering
  • John Collins – bass guitar, guitar, keyboards, engineering
  • Todd Fancey – guitar, engineering
  • A. C. Newman – vocals (lead except on "Cat and Mouse with the Light" and "Marie and the Undersea"), guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, recording, mixing on "Cat and Mouse with the Light", additional mixing on all other tracks; production
  • Joe Seiders – drums, vocals, engineering

Additional personnel

  • Matthew Barnhart – mastering at Chicago Mastering Service, Chicago, Illinois, United States
  • Pete Caigan – recording assistance
  • Amy Casey – cover
  • Zach Djanikian – tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, guitar, bass guitar, engineering
  • Lee Falco – recording assistance
  • Jeff Galegher – engineering
  • D. James Goodwin – engineering
  • Pete Hanlon – mixing on all tracks except "Cat and Mouse with the Light"
  • Daniel Murphy – design, layout
  • Paul Rigby – pedal steel guitar

Recording locations

  • The Building, Marlboro, New York, United States (Hanlon and Newman, assisted by Falco)
  • Carnaissal Sound, Saint Johnsbury, Vermont, United States (engineered by Jeff Gelegher)
  • Todd Fancey's house (engineered by Fancey)
  • Flymax, Woodstock, New York, United States (Hanlon and Newman, assisted by Caigan)
  • The Hive, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada (engineered by Calder)
  • The Isokon, Woodstock, New York, United States (engineered by Goodwin)
  • Little Blue, Woodstock, New York, United States (Newman)
  • Moonlight Lane, Woodstock, New York, United States (Hanlon and Newman)
  • Monkhouse Studio, Mount Tremper, New York, United States (engineered by Djanikian)
  • Ocotillo Sound, Palm Desert, California, United States (engineered by Seiders)
  • Welcome to the Trailerdome, Galiano Island, British Columbia, Canada (engineered by Collins)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Geraghty, Hollie (January 10, 2023). "The New Pornographers announce new album 'Continue As A Guest' and share single 'Really Really Light'". NME. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  2. ^ a b Clarke, Patricia (February 16, 2023). "The New Pornographers talk new album 'Continue As A Guest' and "vocals-obsessed" single 'Angelcover'". NME. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
  3. ^ a b Redfern, Mark (March 7, 2023). "The New Pornographers Share New Song "Pontius Pilate's Home Movies"". Under the Radar. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
  4. ^ Golden, Audrey (March 27, 2023). "Interview: The New Pornographers' A.C. Newman on Continue as a Guest". Louder Than War. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  5. ^ a b Douris, Raina; Junod, Kimberly. "On 'Continue as a Guest,' The New Pornographers skirt creative expectations". World Cafe (in Canadian English and American English). WXPN, via NPR.
  6. ^ Pappis, Konstantinos (March 31, 2023). "The New Pornographers' A.C. Newman on Woodstock, Isolation, Machu Picchu, and Other Inspirations Behind Their New Album 'Continue as a Guest'". Our Culture Mag. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  7. ^ Shemesh, Yasmine (March 8, 2023). "The New Pornographers find hope in contentment on Continue as a Guest". The Georgia Straight. ISSN 1485-1318. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
  8. ^ Durchholz, Daniel (April 20, 2023). "New Pornographers don't ignore pandemic on latest album, 'Continue as a Guest'". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. ISSN 1930-9600. OCLC 1764810. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  9. ^ Monroe, Jazz (January 9, 2023). "The New Pornographers Announce Album, Share Song". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  10. ^ Dillon, Ryan (April 20, 2023). "The New Pornographers Kick Off 'Continue As A Guest' Tour At Asheville's Salvage Station". Glide Magazine. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  11. ^ Hudson, Alex (April 4, 2023). "The New Pornographers Announce West Coast Tour". Exclaim!. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  12. ^ a b "Continue as a Guest by The New Pornographers". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  13. ^ a b "Continue as a Guest by The New Pornographers". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  14. ^ a b Monger, Timothy. "The New Pornographers – Continue as a Guest". AllMusic Guide. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  15. ^ a b Gormley, Ian (March 29, 2023). "The New Pornographers Are Far from Fading on 'Continue as a Guest'". Exclaim!. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  16. ^ a b Starkey, Arun (March 30, 2023). "The New Pornographers – 'Continue as a Guest' album review". Far Out Magazine. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  17. ^ a b Walshie, John (March 31, 2023). "Album Review: The New Pornographers, Continue As A Guest". Hot Press. ISSN 0332-0847. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  18. ^ a b Howieson, Craig (March 29, 2023). "The New Pornographers roll with the punches on Continue As A Guest". Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  19. ^ a b Murphy, John (March 31, 2023). "The New Pornographers – Continue As A Guest". Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  20. ^ a b Cohen, Ian (April 5, 2023). "The New Pornographers: Continue as a Guest". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  21. ^ a b Conaton, Chris (March 27, 2023). "The New Pornographers Tone Down the Hooks on 'Continue as a Guest'". PopMatters. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  22. ^ a b Winogard, Jeremy (March 27, 2023). "The New Pornographers Continue As a Guest Review: A Great Leap Inward". Slant. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  23. ^ a b Fechik, Mariel (March 31, 2023). "The New Pornographers: Continue as a Guest (Merge)". Under the Radar. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  24. ^ Dolan, Jon (March 29, 2023). "New Pornographers Are Very Online and Not Super Happy About It on 'Continue as a Guest'". Rolling Stone. ISSN 0035-791X. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  25. ^ Lukens, Jeremy (March 28, 2023). "The New Pornographers Weave Up Big Power Pop With Electronic Edge On 'Continue As A Guest'". Glide Magazine. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  26. ^ Thomas, Carlo (April 6, 2023). "Album Review: The New Pornographers – Continue As A Guest". Beats Per Minute. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  27. ^ Redfern, Mark (February 19, 2023). "10 Best Songs of the Week: Caroline Rose, Feist, Fenne Lily, The Lemon Twigs, and More". Under the Radar. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  28. ^ Redfern, Mark (March 17, 2023). "Plus ALL HANDS_MAKE LIGHT, Caroline Rose, Nation of Language, Indigo De Souza, and a Wrap-up of the Last Two Week's Other Notable New Tracks". Under the Radar. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  29. ^ Tittle, Jade (March 20, 2023). "Album of the Week: The New Pornographers, "Continue As A Guest"". KCMP. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  30. ^ "The Best Albums of 2023 So Far". News & Updates. Rolling Stone India. August 6, 2023. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
  31. ^ "The 40 Best Indie-Rock Albums of 2023". Music > Music Lists. Rolling Stone. December 21, 2023. ISSN 0035-791X. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  32. ^ "Under the Radar's Top 100 Albums of 2023 Part 2". Lists. Under the Radar. December 23, 2023. ISSN 1553-2305. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
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