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Led by the seemingly bottomless songwriting passions of A.C. Newman, whose creations are brought to life by the voices of Kathryn Calder, Neko Case, and his own, The New Pornographers never fail to persuade. Here in yet another entry in the burgeoning genre of "pandemic records" Newman has assembled a slightly less bombastic collection of adroit, innovative indie rock fusions. Recorded in ten different locations and mixed by Newman and Peter Hanlon, the sound has the full, multi-dimensional sonic image that is typical of all New Pornographers recording projects. Newman's lyrics are typically disjointed and oblique, meaningful in flashes only. The opening words of first track "Really Really Light" may hint at his mindset, pondering this entry's place in the band's nine album history: "I am blurry on this here particular scene/ More like a radio static, it's a noise in between." Then again it may just be lines that rhyme. The same goes for snatches like "Most of us don't have the luxury of giving in/ If you're talking giving up, well that's another thing," or the much quoted "I'll find a place under the rain/ With some space to fall apart/ With a long fade out/ Continue as a guest, yeah continue as a guest," that could be interpreted as the band planning its exit. Musically, Newman is a power popper, who like all songwriters who put their energies into that high risk/rare reward pursuit, has an instinct for the grand gliding gesture, as in the deep drums and soaring female duet of "Marie and the Undersea" or this album's could-be single with ringing harmonies, "Bottle Episodes." The imagistically titled "Firework in the Falling Snow, " co-written with Sadie Dupuis of Speedy Ortiz, delves deeper than is usual for this group into gentle synth rock. One of the collective's greatest strengths is Newman's command of details. He's a master of weaving a variety of sounds and textures into tracks that tantalizingly reveal themselves only after repeated listens. Here the saxophone of Zach Djanikian in "Pontius Pilate's Home Movies," among other songs, is a prominent new flavor. And subtleties like the "whoop, whoop, whoop" by a female voice that accents "Last and Beautiful" or the swirling keyboard and guitar pings behind "Really Really Light" are plush, effective touches as Newman's evocative indie rock forged through meticulous curation continues. © Robert Baird/Qobuz