Speaking with Carl Newman

THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS

Okkervil River

- 8 p.m. Sunday

- Riviera Theatre, 4746 N. Racine

- Tickets, $28.50

- (312) 559-1212

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With touring winding down for the New Pornographers' latest effort, ''Challengers,'' principal member Carl Newman says he's already looking ahead.

''I think the next Pornographers record will be fairly rock,'' Newman says. ''I think with 'Challengers,' we moved as far in this [more reserved] direction as we can go, unless we turn into M. Ward or something. The songs I find myself writing these days are a little bit more rock, but that's as far as I can say.''

Newman, who says he hopes to have …