The New Pornographers highly anticipated new album The Former Site Of is out today! Listen to it wherever you stream music and order your copy on CD, LP, or limited-edition “Mai Tai” Peak Vinyl from the Merge store! 

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 frontperson A.C. Newman in his home studio before being brought to the band, composed of Newman, Kathryn Calder, Neko Case, John Collins and Todd Fancey. The group 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 inspiration behind the album title, Newman notes, “The Former Site Of is a reference to various road signs that I’ve seen in upstate New York. There is a sign near the Ashokan Reservoir that reads “the former site of West Hurley”. That intrigued me. What happened to the town of West Hurley? Around 100 years ago, a number of small NY state towns were forced to leave, sell their land, so that their towns could be flooded and become reservoirs, a source of water for New York City. I was fascinated by the history, the towns that were almost wiped from history. It felt like a good starting place for an album. We all have parts of our lives that are gone.”

In celebration of the album, the band is adding a slew of new dates to their extensive U.S. tour this fall; newly confirmed dates include stops at Kansas City’s The Truman, Nashville’s Cannery Hall, San Diego’s Belly Up and more. The band kicks off their U.S. tour on April 22 at The Wilbur in Boston, with support on all Spring dates from Will Sheff of Okkervil River. Tickets are available now at thenewpornographers.com, see below for a complete list of dates.

The New Pornographers on tour:
Apr 22 Boston, MA – The Wilbur*
Apr 23 New York, NY – Webster Hall*
Apr 24 Glenside, PA – Keswick Theatre*
Apr 25 Rochester, NY – Water Street Music Hall*
Apr 27 Detroit, MI – El Club*
Apr 29 Milvale, PA – Mr. Smalls Theatre*
Apr 30 Cleveland, OH – House of Blues*
Mat 01 Milwaukee, WI – Turner Hall*
May 02 Minneapolis, MN – The Fitzgerald Theater*
May 03 Chicago, IL – The Metro*
May 05 Englewood, CO – Gothic Theatre*
May 06 Salt Lake City, UT – The Commonwealth Room*
May 08 Seattle, WA – The Showbox*
May 09 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, D.C. – 9:30 Club*
Sep 12 Tucson, AZ – La Rosa
Sep 13 San Diego, CA – Observatory Santa Ana
Sep 15 Monterey, CA – Golden State Theatre
Sep 21 Omaha, NE – The Waiting Room
Sep 22 Kansas City, MO – The Truman
Sep 23 St. Louis, MO – The Sheldon Concert Hall
Sep 25 Birmingham, AL – The Saturn
Sep 26 Nashville, TN – Cannery Hall
Sep 27 Louisville, KY – Headliners Music Hall
Sep 29 Charlottesville, VA – The Paramount
Sep 30 Towson, MD – The Recher
Oct 01 Tarrytown, NY – Tarrytown Music Hall
Oct 02 Albany, NY – Empire Live
Oct 03 – Portland, ME – State Theatre

* w/Will Sheff (of Okkervil River)