How did we escape so long without a Weakerthans thread?

They're one of my favourite obscure bands, ever since Penny Arcade, of all sites, linked to an mp3 of Aside. I heard that and Watermark, then was disappointed when I got Left and Leaving that there weren't any other songs as straightahead on the album. In time I've come to love the rest of it.

A common view, I'm sure, but the steal from Temptation on Wellington's Wednesdays is pure beauty.

Sean C to thread?

The new one isn't quite as melancholy as that one, to me anyhow. I think I really identified with Left or Leaving because of that album's overarcing theme of simultaneously hating and loving a place, wanting to get away but feeling the need to go back; since I'm also from Manitoba and recognize a lot of the landmarks they sing about (specifically on L&L but also on Reconstruction Site) it makes it all the more profound to me.

I actually chatted with someone else about a section of the lyrics from "One Great City" the other day...that's the song with the refrain at the end of every section that claims "I hate Winnipeg". There are a lot of specific references to Winnipeg places and things in that song, but the band has cleverly made the lyrics meaningful even for those who don't know the city. Specifically:

"And up above us all, reaching into sky
A golden business boy will watch the North End die"

To people in Winnipeg this has very very specific meaning, namely the golden goy statue on top of the legislature, which has a birds-eye view of the decaying north end of the city; on the other hand, it also could easily refer to any corporate fatcat sitting on top of a skyscraper looking out at the rest of the city, watching it fall apart from his golden tower. Maybe this ability to write specific lyrics that actually mean something to the rest of the people who don't get them as intended is a small thing, but it's one of the things about John K Samson that I really admire: even when he's getting very specific about his targets, he's poetic enough about it for it to be meaningful to anyone who looks, regardless of their experience or perspective.

It's definitely an amazing album, though it has a much more upbeat feel this time out (how could it not when the key song is about an Antarctic explorer meeting with Michel Foucault, and another song is told from the perspective of a cat...even if that cat is watching its owner fuck their life up?). Definitely in the running for #1 this year.

I love "One Great City" possibly the best song about the Prairies since the Minor Thirds!

Really now? Later on it seems the reviewer took some very literal readings of the lyrics.

Still, Propagandhi > the Weakerthans in my experience so far, though I haven't listened to Reconstruction Site yet...it's over there by the stereo right now, actually

i've only listened to the album like 3 times, but i don't really plan on listening to it again.

For that to happen, though, Propagandhi would have had to envision some pretty radical change, which isn't something they're really equipped to do, as much as I love them.

"Our Retired Explorer" stuck v. heavily in my head. good stuff that

Goddamm next you'll wonder about their color coded riddims as John pointed out above.

It was actually four bands altogether, including one band with a slightly Buckley-esque lead singer, but whose name I never caught because their sound mix was so bad that you couldn't ever understand a word he said when he was talking. The second band was called Black Knights, and it's hard to say whether the band was a joke or whether they were serious...anyhow, bullet belts and heavy metal t-shirts = stupid revved up fun, and songs about eating shit. Yum.

Constantines were very good. Was a bit blah on their last album, but the show was pretty good. Of course, the Weakerthans smoked, even after a slightly shaky vocal start. Once warmed up it was fantastic, and it even included the steel guitar bits! (Not enough rock bands use steel guitar.) At the end the Weakerthans and Constantines played a song together for the encore...I know the song, but can't put my finger on who did it originally. It'll come to me soon.

Going back to the car after the show, an asshole backed right into my front bumper right in front of us, while parallel parking on a block that was pretty much vacant behind our car...motherfucker! But even that wasn't enough to spoil the evening. Good show.

I had a friend who played the Weakerthans non-stop in his car about 4 years ago, specifically Left and Leaving, and I usually veered toward this thought.

Seems like there is barely any Weakerthans love on ILM, which is a shame. The new album Reunion Tour is out on 25 September and a few new tracks are scattered around music blogs. Virtute The Cat Explains Her Departure (below) is probably the loveliest song I've heard this year.

http://bethepower.com/archives/2007/08/btp_song_of_the_13.html

First listen in, "Relative Surplus Value" followed by "Tournament of Hearts", and I'm a grinning, happy monkey.

i hear it is good

i love teh weakerthans

I've been listening to them a ton lately.

I forgot how much I really loved "Aside" until I re-heard it the other night when The Wedding Crashers was on cable. I still don't like any of their albums, or really any of their other songs even.

^^^ hope this dude got punched in the face in the last fifteen months

damn but every song on left & leaving is just a fucking -#- EXPERIENCE -#- had itunes on shuffle and "there is a fire door..." came on and i had to listen 2 the whole album after that and i could sing every single word~~~~~

Right here, chump. Take a swing.

http://bandcamp.com/files/14/02/1402546296-1.jpg

.: September 21, 2010 :.
The Falcon Lake Incident

The Falcon Lake Incident: October 19th, 2010.

We are all so very very pleased and relieved to finally announce the release date for the Jim Bryson and the Weakerthans The Falcon Lake Incident. Thanks to our good friends at Maple Music, Kelp Records and iTunes, we are happy to announce The Falcon Lake Incident will see it's Canadian release on Tuesday October 19th. Tour dates, pre-sale info and release day antics are also about to be announced. There will much more to tell you in the coming days so please check back in here . As well, wander on over to our Band Camp page people & have a sneak peek at what this all sounds like

Thanks so much to everyone for making this all happen and to Manitoba Film and Music for helping us all make this a reality. More to follow

so what exactly went down at Falcon Lake, anyway? is everyone OK? I can't wait til the 19th.

<3

but i cant remember the sound/that you found for me

John K. Samson solo record out January 17!

Paste has a song up, "When I Write My Master's Thesis" (heh):

http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/av/2011/12/song-premiere-john-k-samson---when-i-write-my-mast.html

pretty sweet to a great band like the weakerthans to back him up oh wait

Anyone heard John K's record yet? Basically a quieter Weakerthans record. I thought it was nice the first few times though til it finally clicked in a big way on the fourth or fifth spin.

Yeah I'm liking it quite a bit though it's a bit disappointing that a big chunk of it has already been released on some of his earlier singles...feels a bit less like a new album that way but it still holds together nicely I think. Need to listen to it a few more times before I truly feel the love for it in great waves, but pretty sure that's coming.

BTW Falcon Lake Incident is a-okay too, even though it's my least fave of the Weakerthans-related projects. And I like Jim Bryson too, fwiw. It's just maybe a bit too casual for it to hit the same level, but it's a nice enough listen from time to time.

True about so much of it being previously released, but it's cool to hear, for instance "cruise night" (my fave of the ep tracks) getting somewhat fuller arrangements.

True enough - it's more like it slightly diminishes the fun of hearing a full album of all new material for the first time. I hadn't noticed that the songs from the singles were on here at first and my gut reaction was "this sounds like he's repeating himself"! Then I looked closer at the tracklist.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjdyOQ_48b8

been listening to that john k samson album a lot. i guess i never followed closely enough to have heard too much of it before.

oh. i just wanted to put oka everywhere here too.

Ok so the year ain't over yet, and there's still lots of stuff that is already out that I haven't gotten around to yet, but I'm thinking that Provincial may be my AOTY.

<3 this guy + his wife + his band + his fellow nationals

but what does the k stand for

do not <3 reggie leach tho

annual reminder of <3

I wore my Weakerthans shirt to school the other day and got complimented on it.

Kind of figured this was the case already, but here's the official(ish?) word:

http://www.avclub.com/article/weakerthans-have-apparently-broken-222303

Would never be able to listen to Left and Leaving again but def a formative record, for me and many others I'm sure

now that i have cats i cannot listen to the virtute songs

anyway incredible band, saw them do all of reunion tour three (?) years ago and it was a v emotional show on its own

all of their records sound so good

now that i have cats i cannot listen to the virtute songs

haha so otm

I can't remember the sound that you found for me no I can't remember the sound that you found for meeeee.

i wish i could find the edit i made that combined the two virtue tracks

always loved the part in 'plea...' where the instruments fall away and he sings all you ever wanna do is drink and watch tv

New John K. solo record (that's really a new 3/4 of the Weakerthans record) out October 21

http://www.avclub.com/article/exclusive-weakerthans-john-k-samson-announces-new--240986

For the most part, I think about golfing
and constantly calculate
all the seconds left and the minutes and so on, etc.
...
Oh, Ontario. Oh, Jennifer Jason Leigh.
This part of the day bewilders me.

Hoping we see another album from him this year. Or even a reformation.