Aug 26, 2003 our retired explorer dines with michel foucault in paris, 1961 lyrics. Founded in 1997 the band has deep roots in the thriving north american indie scene. Today, samson is making music under his own name john k. Samson of the weakerthans will be at aeolian performing arts center in london, on on thursday, september, 2012. I have all their cds and when i was searching for the new john k. The result is a somewhat inconsistent album whose strengths far outweigh its weaknesses, and whose sincere and charming. John samson is a couple records deep into his career as strongest of the weakerthans, a band who are punk politically, but emphatically pop aesthetically.
Indie rock heroes the weakerthans new dvdcd live at the burton cummings theatre, out now on epitaph records, offers a jubilant testament to the winnipeg bands considerable creative powers as both literary minded songwriters and charismatic live performers. Aug 07, 2003 known mostly as a gentler postpropagandhi project, the weakerthans are fronted by john k. Epitaph is proud to announce the signing of winnipeg toronto, canadas the weakerthans. Apr 24, 2009 the groups greatest strength is easily john k. Samson finds his own voice with a little help from neil young this weeks essential releases. John k samson plays weakerthans and solo favorites. Samson began hinting that the bands inactivity may become permanent. Splitting from winnipegs more punk propagandhi, john samson is following a more melodic and introspective path while retaining much of the politics. If i didnt have medical coverage covered by the government, i dont know that i would be doing what im doing today. Download the weakerthans reunion tour 2007 retail cd. It was also nominated for alternative album of the year at the 2001 juno awards. The list of admirable comparisons could go on matt berninger, bob pollard, etc. The weakerthans were a canadian folk punkindierock act from winnipeg, manitoba and were fronted by john k. I figured it would be interesting to see what samson wrote that didnt make it as a song.
Plea from a cat named virtue literally saved my life i shit you not. The weakerthans were a fourpiece canadian indie rock band. In the first post, i talked about my love for music, about how my life pretty music revolves. On the album was a song named plea from a cat named virtute.
All structured data from the file and property namespaces is available under the creative commons cc0 license. A few question into the interview, i could tell the last thing john samson wanted to talk about was his music. Samson and also comprising guitarist stephen carroll, bassist greg smith, and drummer jason tait. Ive been listening to the weakerthans over the last month but ive recently come to fall in love with john samson. Samson letter in icelandic from the ninette san duration. The weakerthans reconstruction site lyrics genius lyrics. Samson i loved the weakerthans from the moment i first heard civil twilight on a compilation and then. There are billions of sentences out there just waiting to be read, in many different languages, but right now, you are reading this one. Samson boot and saddle, philadelphia, pa, may 10, 2019. Samsons poet laureatelevel lyrics, which strike a perfect balance between playful cleverness and emotional connection. As ive seen the weakerthans live, and seen tons of clips of them playing live, i can guarantee its not the first. This didnt garner much news until, in 2015, drummer jason tait took to twitter, announcing that the weakerthans would be no more. Left and leaving is the second studio album by the weakerthans, released july 25, 2000, on g7 welcoming committee records.
When the sound check was over, i introduced myself and asked if he had a moment to talk about winnipeg and the weakerthans and he said, all right, let me just get a light. Samson takes a crack at saturday night on utopia parkway, a song by. The band last released an album, live at the burton cummings theatre, in 2010. Aeolian performing arts center is located at 795 dundas street east, london, on. Samson ranked ive been in my glory these past few days. Sutton and drummer jason tait of red fisher, another band from winnipegs punk scene, and created the weakerthans as a vehicle for a more melodic and introspective brand of songwriting than their previous projects. The weakerthans have carved out a nice little name for themselves through the consistent creation of deceptively simple indie pop. Theyre human, and thats why i bought this, to hear the humanity of john k. Alan chats with john about the new weakerthans album live at the burton cummings theatre, their recording process, why they decided to include a dvd with the album, and discuss canadas womens. Samson s newly unveiled forthcoming solo record will ironically be more like a weakerthans album than samson s first solo album. The personal remains the political whichever way you want to cut it. Each print comes with a paper bird folded by john k. Samson performs heart of the continent at pittmans fancy at the march hare 20.
The weakerthans is a canadian indie rockfolk band headed by former propagandhi member, john k. John samson is the pastorteacher of kings church in peoria, arizona, as well as an author and conference speaker. He is a singersongwriter and best known as the frontman of the canadian indie folkrock band the weakerthans, who are selfdescribed as cryogenically frozen. This interview was originally published in punk planet in either 2001 or 2002. Click here to visit our frequently asked questions about html5 video. On feb 25, 2019, winnipegs millennium library installed airportstyle security screening. Samsons songwriting was the driving force behind four albums by canadian indierock band the weakerthans, so its no surprise that his prosaic lyrics sit front and center on his first solo fulllength, provincial. Buy everything from the weakerthans and top it off with john k. Im lost, im afraid a frayed rope tying down a leaky boat to the roof of a car on the road in the dark and its snowing if im more, then it means less last. Although much has been made of their punkrock pedigree john samson was bass player for the highly revered and influential politicopunk band propagandhi for five years, the weakerthans appeal to a diverse. Some bands just seem to unfairly slip under the radar, and winnipeg rock band the weakerthans embody that. Their epitaph fulllength debut album reconstruction site will be released this fall. In the first post, i talked about my love for music, about how my life pretty music revolves around listening to, reading about and writing about music. But theres a glimmer of hope for fans that have been waiting for new music since 2007s reunion tour, as anti records will release john.
His solo material was always a neat bonus to the weakerthans catalogue, but now his band has retired, a new album from samson is truly an event worth celebrating. Samson, singer and lyricist, was interviewed by larry livermore and michael silverberg in chicago and winnipeg on february 10 and march 12, 2001. Join napster and access fulllength songs on your phone, computer or home audio device. Samson can be seen, superficially, as having worked in reverse, with a minimalistwithmessage band before leaving school to fashion, with the weakerthans, a.
Your browser does not currently recognize any of the video formats available. Reading that, i wondered if my visit to wellingtons was a courtesy call, too, though the owner of this property is still alive. One of the reining purveyors of literate, indie pop, weakerthans frontman john samson takes the band back out for a spin, traveling through a familiar lovetorn landscape full of character studies and selfexamination. Debuting in the time when folkish punk and intelligent rock was burgeoning, i found the weakerthans when i needed this type of music. Top 5 songs by the weakerthans critically speaking. Samson discography, albums and singles on allmusic. Our retired explorer dines with michel foucault in paris, 1961 lyrics. Reunion tour by the weakerthans, released 25 september 2007 1.
Samson winter wheat full album stream anti records sean rowe newtons cradle duration. Its not just that the weakerthans leader is hyperaware of the shoulders on which he stands clever writers like elvis costello and nick lowe but also the people about whom he sometimes sings. He looked more like our fathers, not a goalie, player, athlete period, the great john k. But another thing i really appreciate about the weakerthans music is how overwhelmingly canadian it is. Virtute the cat explains her departure was on the 2007 weakerthans album reunion tour.
The album was produced by samsons weakerthans bandmate jason tait and christine fellows, recorded by the weakerthans sound tech cam loeppky, and also features contributions from his weakerthans bandmate greg smith. Staying abreast of contemporary music is an exhausting and nearly futile enterprise. In chart magazines 2005 poll of the top 50 canadian albums of all time, left and leaving ranked in sixth place. Worriers opening for the weakerthans john k samson.
Weaker than sorry, i couldnt resist his band work, this john k. The weakerthans is known for his work on wedding crashers 2005, being erica 2009 and less than kind 2008. John kristjan samson born 1973 is a canadian musician from winnipeg, manitoba. The weakerthans frontman john k samson returned last year with winter wheat, which he made with two of his three weakerthans bandmates and which we called one of the best emopunk albums of 2016. John dedomenici releases collaborative cover of times. Winnipegs weakerthans embody this ethic better than most on their second and longawaited followup to their 1998 debut, fallow. Did a hockey player look so utterly desolate and puckwearied on his hockey card. The band was formed in 1997 in winnipeg, manitoba by john k. The band is revered for both their powerfully melodic. Many no longer feel welcome in this free public space. Just one more drink and then i should be on my way home im not entirely sure what youre talking about ive had a. If this isnt correct let me know and if any live recordings from their final. Reunion tour continues that tradition, but is clearer, richer, and more assured. Jul 23, 2015 frank turner revisits the weakerthans reconstruction site.
Recorded at the royal canadian legion in corner brook, nl, canada. Many have noted leithausers words echo dylan, but they also have a wry wit to them like craig finn hold steady or john samson the weakerthans. Mar 11, 2015 the defiantly winnipegbased poet and songwriter john k. Samson, who during his five years with the leftwing jokesters contributed the bratty pop filler to the. Epitaph proudly announces the signing of the weakerthans. Following the critical success of the weakerthans, samsons side of the split was. Samson select all delete full album stream youtube the weakerthans the entire saga of virtute the cat with lyrics duration. Im afraid that the weakerthans are really just john samson and a band that doesnt screw up his songs, but doesnt really add much to them either. Samson, winter wheat the former weakerthans singer returns with an album full of gorgeous, vividly detailed songs about characters whose potential doesnt always lend them a. Samson is known best for his work as singer for the weakerthans. Samson cd and came across this, i was excited and purchased it immediately. He also played bass in the punk band propagandhi during the mid1990s.
Falling musically somewhere between they might be giants and later, radiofriendly replacements, the weakerthans prove here. Oct 19, 2016 since canadian band the weakerthans dissolution last year, the worlds been lacking the intoxicating narratives delivered in the unmistakable timbre of vocalist john k samson. The very first blog entry was posted on august 3, 2006. The latest, reconstruction site, was released in 2003, and the wait for new. I suppose thats how all top 10 lists go, but i wanted to throw that disclaimer out there in case the international authority on indie rock narrows in on me and wants to bring me to trial. Samson of the weakerthans has unveiled a video for longitudinal centre, a track from his new solo album provincial.
Left and leaving isnt a masterpiece, nor is it the height of the weakerthans catalogue, reflective of samsons progress as a songwriter, comfortable in his own shoes but still unsure telling the stories of others. The weakerthans bring all their albums to the live stage. Since leaving winnipeg punk band propagandhi, john samson s been getting ever more literate and melodic with the weakerthans. Samson is one of the greatest lyric writers to ever walk this earth. His band has released a grand total of three albums in 10 years. The weakerthans samson set to release series of solo eps. The weakerthans our retired explorer dines with michel. Samson s wellschooled power pop that can be a little daunting. The former weakerthans frontman covers a track by christine. He is a singersongwriter and best known as the frontman of the canadian indie folk rock band the weakerthans, who are selfdescribed as cryogenically frozen.
Ditching the weakerthans folkrock amalgam in favor of more delicate, orchestralrock arrangements, the album collects songs from a pair of eps and supplements them. Jan 18, 2017 the weakerthans frontman john k samson returned last year with winter wheat, which he made with two of his three weakerthans bandmates and which we called one of the best emopunk albums of 2016. In listening to your music i noticed, especially in your last album, provincial, you tend to name specific places. I was fresh out of the psychiatric ward at seventeen. He also serves as the managing editor for arbeiter ring press. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. Samson solo album still has its small delights and doesnt vary from the weakerthan template much other than dialing down the volume and aggression. He has a passion for the local church and for the free offer of the gospel to be proclaimed far and wide. He is joined by jeff rosenstock, steven sladkowski of pup, mike costa of bomb the music industry and binary heart, mike huguenor of hard girls, shinobu, and jeff rosenstock, and lauren denitzio of worriers. Frank turner revisits the weakerthans reconstruction site. Samson, after he left thepunk band propagandhi to start a publishing company. Too many bands exist, as do too many songs, too many shows, too. Touring for the better part of a year and half in support of their epitaph debut, reconstruction site, the weakerthans s singer was already looking ahead a few weeks the when he could spend the holidays with his family in winnipeg, canada. Samson fights for your right to libraries on new song millennium for all former weakerthans frontman john k.
Alan cross chats with john samson of the weakerthans youtube. Jan 28, 2012 first off, im a big fan of the weakerthans. This page was last edited on 1 october 2018, at 18. Class, today we will be singing a power ballad about the life and times of arctic. Weakerthans live at the burton cummings theatre cd and dvd. Where this album is quiet, its much like the more sedate, introspective weakerthans songs, and thats not really a bad thing. Samson wrote in the song that his weakerthans sang, elegy for gump worsley. Samson, singersongwriter for critically lauded indie rock band the weakerthans, will release his first full length solo album, entitled provincial, this january 24th via epitaphanti records. According to songkick, the weakerthans last official show was in edmonton, august 31, 20. Shop for vinyl, cds and more from the weakerthans at the discogs marketplace.
Samson has returned with a new solo song in support of winnipegs millennium. Winnipeg artist jonathan dyck is selling a weakerthans inspired limited edition print. The origin of the bands name was explained, in 2004 by samson, as having come from a few places. Winnipegbased singer, songwriter, poet, and frontman for the weakerthans.
Apr 06, 2010 alan chats with john about the new weakerthans album live at the burton cummings theatre, their recording process, why they decided to include a dvd with the album, and discuss canadas womens. Yes, believe it or not, the teenage dogs in trouble music blog is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Exthe weakerthans frontman gets set to release sophmore fulllength winter wheat which follows his solo debut provincial. I first became a fan of his when i heard his song when i write my masters thesis being a university student, every lyric of this song was completely realatable, from when he mentioned grand theft auto san andreas i knew that this was an artist prepared to be so down to earth that anybody would be able to relate to him. I finally saw him live just him and the provincial band, not the weakerthans. As usual, the songs revolve around the everyday to embrace the small parts that make moments matter the awkward goodbyes, hands held tight, backward glances, smudges on the wall. The weakerthans reconstruction site 2003, vinyl discogs.