Todd is God

It's November which must mean it is the Weakerthans, who I believe I have only ever seen in November on each of the three occasions I have managed to catch them, but I digress. Touring with a new album (at last) to promote - 'Reunion Tour' - it was great to see that John K Samson and the boys still rock live. Licking off with a duo of ' Our Retired Explorer '/'Civil Twilight', I knew from the off this was going to be a good one. I was not disappointed. JKS is not the most chatty front man, but we did learn that a trip to a London gallery had inspired 'Night Windows'; and that 'Tournament of Hearts' was about that great sport curling (never played but it was prime time on sunday afternoons in Scotland when i was growing up). Also any man who can write lyrics such as "yes a penguin taught me French back in Antartica" (Our Retired Explorer) has my respect. Set list was base heavily around the new album and the previous record ' Re...

Whilst it is not officially out until 25 September, the new Weakerthans album is out there and yes I did go get it (although I do also have it on pre-order in hard-copy CD from Amazon). Four years since the band's third - and best album - Reconstruction Site , so the new album has been a long time coming. Thankfully, I can tell you, it is worth the wait. True, it is not as good a RS, but it is still pretty damn good, and John Samson's lyrics continue to amuse and challenge - not many albums where Curling (one of the few sports us Scots are any good at) and Ice Hockey both get songs ( Tournament of Hearts , and Elegy for Gump Worsley ); that you get songs from the perspective of a Bus Driver ( Civil Twilight ) and a Cat ( Virtute the Cat Explains Her Departure ). The latter a fine companion piece to Plea From A Cat Named Virtute from the RS album. What's more Civil Twilight, Sun in an Empty Room and (current single) Night Windows could all be hits [ok, so not likely in t...

The Weakerthans new album,'Reunion Tour', is finished and will be released on September 25th. Ian Blurton acted as producer. Full North American and European Tours to back up the release too - excellent news.