I often wonder how a band comes up with titles for songs without lyrics - and then remembers which title goes with which song.

“All the songs have secret names. Sometimes they have more than one name. I couldn’t tell you half of them,” Eul says, laughing.

“Once it’s been named, we never use the full name ever again, and sometimes we move certain song titles to different songs,” Holt says, and the four of them laugh.

“So then we have to say, ‘Pillow Talk’ that used to be ‘Piano Song’ or ‘August Ends’/’Ghost War.’ ”

Speaking of secret names, Coan reveals another dimension of the new record.

“Just between the five of us, [the new record] was a concept album, it was going to be our sex album. It was kind of in response to people saying our albums are good to have sex to; this was going to be the sex album, so the secret name of this album is Continental Does You, and the subtitle of that was ‘Anything That Moves,’” he says with a laugh.

“All the song titles had some sort of sexual innuendo to them, but I think the only one that really made it was ‘Pillow Talk.’ ”

Each intricate songscape on What Was Gained is different from the last, yet they all flow together effortlessly until you realize it’s time to press play again. But playing it again may be a problem, at least for the band.

“What’s hard is trying to figure out how to do those [songs] again, how to make up for what’s missing, and if we can pull it off and make it sound as good,” Eul says. “If it’s not even close to being as good, it’s not worth it.”

Though the death of their friend and bandmate has brought them closer in many ways, Continental are still finding their new rhythm.

“I feel it would be conquering something, if we could pull it off as a foursome,” Eul goes on. “I’m learning how to play with two hands now … I’ve got rhythm, and I’ve got melody!”

“It helped when he put down the newspaper,” Escalante says, laughing.

Continental played their first show as a four piece on July 17 at Bottom of the Hill (1233 17th Street).

What Was Gained From What Was Lost