With the professed influences of the Moody Blues, „middle period post-Gabriel Genesis,“ and „the vocal inflections on [10cc’s] ‚Dreadlock Holiday‘,“ is Carl „A.C.“ Newman taking the New Pornographers into art-rock territory? Well, probably not, but Newman does brandish those avatars in a statement on Matador’s website about the band’s in-progress new album, which he guesses will be finished by mid-March and in stores by September, which is all rather impressive considering that Newman spent much of last year either recording or touring for his solo release, The Slow Wonder, which is a whole other kind of awesome. Newman’s „fascination“ with combining an ebow and a baritone guitar to sound like a cello or a bowed guitar is also consonant with a possible art-rock orientation. But don’t expect an ELP-style caravan of semis next time the Pornos come to town: Newman promises no actual cello player („they take up too much room“), nor will they actually bow a guitar and end up „looking like a guitar-bowing idiot.“
The other good news, in addition to the general lack of waiting, is that Neko Case and Nora O’Connor will both sing on the new record, and that Dan „Destroyer“ Bejar is reportedly contributing much more to this record than on 2003’s Electric Version. And Newman may be planning a dreadlock holiday of his own: „We’re still trying to find a way to insert some dub/white reggae in the mix, just as an intellectual exercise, to see if we can do it without being dropped from the label.“ He telepathically hastened to add, „I know it sounds awful but it will all work out.“
Quelle: Pitchfork
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