Weakerthans, The

[auto-da-fey]

I'd nominate Left & Leaving for Jim, with Fallow next in line. Your scrote will probably be safe, but they will grab your heart, and not in a teenage-drama bathos-ridden emo manner. Both are truly stellar albums, IMO.

As for the new one, I'd rank it about equal to Reconstruction Site so far, which is to say really really good but still not on par with those first two albums.

Also, I don't really have anything against teenage-drama bathos-ridden emo. But the Weakerthans certainly don't partake of it. And I've never heard Akron/Family. I probably should.

[Swimmy]

I used to have a Weakerthans album, Reconstruction Site I think? and I mildly enjoyed it but it never really grabbed me by the scrote and demanded my attention.  If there were an album of theirs that was going to do that, which one would it be?

Left and Leaving is my favorite album ever.

This new album scares me. I will pick it up when I'm not desperately poor.

[jebreject]

Jim, if these songs don't do it for you, then I'm not sure anything will:

Confessions of a Futon Revolutionist

This is a Fire Door Never Leave Open

Also these videos rule:

Our Retired Explorer

The Reasons

[jebreject]

I think the unfortunate thing about this band is that because of a) their penchant for power chords and b) thier on-going relationship with the free-falling Epitaph records, they get stuck with more immaturity than they actually deserve.  When they are on their game, they can craft some solid, if overly simple, stuff.

That being said, I'm not sure they're always on their game on the new album.  The spoken-word "Gump Worsley" seems like a ham-handed attempt to be taken seriously -- and push against the immaturity claims -- and while the title track could be the best song on the album, it bails out way too early and sounds rushed.  Same thing goes for "Big Foot!".  "On the other hand, "Tournament of Hearts" is a great song, and while I'd usually categorically condemn any song in which the narrator is a cat, the attempt here (their second with the cat Virtue) is at least partially successful when it gets to that big, distant sounding end.

It's too bad a band like this has to sit in limbo -- not arch or reflexive enough for the tight-jeaned indie kids, not "edgy" (whatever that means) enough for the painted-into-a-corner pop-punks -- because when they put their best foot forward, it is a pretty sweet stomp.

For some reason I missed this post the first time around. I wished I'd missed it this time around too. A lot of the tone of this post really bugs me. "If overly simple," "I'd usually categorically condemn any song in which the narrator is a cat," the talk about immaturity, etc. I mean, I don't know what it's like where you're at, but I don't know many people who dismiss Weakerthans for being juvenile. Maybe for being power-pop, sure, or not as aggressive as Propagandhi, who they like better, or whatever, but I know more people who like than dislike the Weakerthans, and it seems critical response to the band is pretty uniformally positive. Are you sure it isn't YOU that is struggling with their (perceived) immaturity?

[Greg Nog]

I hate the video for Our Retired Explorer and beg all of you, please, do not watch this.

[das kranke Tier]

I'm still trying to figure out how these dudes completely flew under my radar...
I'm utterly puzzled.

[Black Amnesia of Heaven]

Lyrically brilliant, but a little too bland musically for me to ever really love them.

Also I kinda hate JKS's voice.

Regardless of all this, I'm still gonna be checking out the new record.

[Trousers and Pat]

EDIT: Have you heard the other Akron/Family records, Pat?

This is the first one!

I found out that if I skip "I've got some friends" I like the album a lot more. It kind of exaggerates the negative parts and draws them to the surface in the other songs. I like the driving-into-the-sun momentum of the second track, and the way they drag out the melody in the one after that. and now I can get to "Phenomena" with a mind unclouded by anger... it hasn't "clicked" yet, but it's growing on me.

[Black Amnesia of Heaven]

Lyrically brilliant, but a little too bland musically for me to ever really love them.

Also I kinda hate JKS's voice.

Regardless of all this, I'm still gonna be checking out the new record.

But y'know, this thread has caused me to revisit their discography for perhaps the fifth time this year, and I find myself liking it more and more despite the fact that about half of Left and Leaving's songs sound like everything I hate about boring indie.  Fallow kicks way more ass than I remember.

[justinh]

JKS's songs with Propagandhi > Weakerthans

I just can't appreciate the disparate halves like the fully formed crucial lineup of PGH. 

[jebreject]

EDIT: Have you heard the other Akron/Family records, Pat?

This is the first one!

I found out that if I skip "I've got some friends" I like the album a lot more. It kind of exaggerates the negative parts and draws them to the surface in the other songs. I like the driving-into-the-sun momentum of the second track, and the way they drag out the melody in the one after that. and now I can get to "Phenomena" with a mind unclouded by anger... it hasn't "clicked" yet, but it's growing on me.

I kinda feel like Akron/Family's discography is a dialectic of sorts, and thus works best, when listened to for the first time, listened to in chronological order. I think familiarity with the older stuff helps in understanding the new, and the new sheds new light and understanding on the old. Or maybe I just take Akron/Family far too seriously.

[chester]

i pre-ordered the new weakerthans but it hasn't shown up yet, what the hell!
one would assume you'd get the record on the release date when you pre-order.
oh well, all good things to those who wait i guess. glad to hear you guys seem to like it though.

Just out of curiosity, where did you order it?

i ordered it off a place called cdon, which is like the major swedish webstore.

[Andrew_TSKS]

I do like the new Weakerthans, but I'm disappointed by the flat-sounding production- Reconstruction Site had a fair amount of sonic variety with all the horns and backwards parts, but this new one has more of a constant "band in a room" sound that makes me feel a bit tired after a while...

i find this amusing, because if i take you literally, you're saying you find the sound of a band in a room boring, which means if you'd been born 60 years ago, you'd find all music boring.

[jebreject]

"band in a good-sounding room" is the only kind of recordings i really care for!

[gboro]

I think the unfortunate thing about this band is that because of a) their penchant for power chords and b) thier on-going relationship with the free-falling Epitaph records, they get stuck with more immaturity than they actually deserve.  When they are on their game, they can craft some solid, if overly simple, stuff.

That being said, I'm not sure they're always on their game on the new album.  The spoken-word "Gump Worsley" seems like a ham-handed attempt to be taken seriously -- and push against the immaturity claims -- and while the title track could be the best song on the album, it bails out way too early and sounds rushed.  Same thing goes for "Big Foot!".  "On the other hand, "Tournament of Hearts" is a great song, and while I'd usually categorically condemn any song in which the narrator is a cat, the attempt here (their second with the cat Virtue) is at least partially successful when it gets to that big, distant sounding end.

It's too bad a band like this has to sit in limbo -- not arch or reflexive enough for the tight-jeaned indie kids, not "edgy" (whatever that means) enough for the painted-into-a-corner pop-punks -- because when they put their best foot forward, it is a pretty sweet stomp.

For some reason I missed this post the first time around. I wished I'd missed it this time around too. A lot of the tone of this post really bugs me. "If overly simple," "I'd usually categorically condemn any song in which the narrator is a cat," the talk about immaturity, etc. I mean, I don't know what it's like where you're at, but I don't know many people who dismiss Weakerthans for being juvenile. Maybe for being power-pop, sure, or not as aggressive as Propagandhi, who they like better, or whatever, but I know more people who like than dislike the Weakerthans, and it seems critical response to the band is pretty uniformally positive. Are you sure it isn't YOU that is struggling with their (perceived) immaturity?

I'll admit to mistyping my "overly simple" claim.  What I meant was, some of their weaker songs can fall into a basic formula, whereas their best stuff is deceivingly subtle.  And none of this affects my feeling about the band; I think the Weakerthans are great.  I'm saying that their critical acclaim -- and the size of their post-college fanbase -- suffers from being on a label full of juvenile shit and people who don't take the time to hear the difference lump them in with those bad bands.

And maybe that sort of response isn't in your experience, and frankly I'm happy about that.  But I can't say that has been mine.  I've seen and heard the band get slighted too much for things unrelated to their music, which sucks, and that's all i was talking about.

As for my distaste for songs, stories, or anything else narrated by, not just cats, but animals--Well, its an opinion, and I'm glad to say that the Weakerthans are a nice exception to it.

And I like the new album, but I think it misses too many opportunities to be great for me.  "Gump Worsley" seems both like a bad attempt to be taken more seriously, whatever that means, and it sounds out of place among the other stuff.  And "Big Foot!" and the title track don't take enough advantage of the space built into their sound, so they feel cut off. But the other stuff is fantastic, particularly the last track and "Tournament of Hearts".    Great band, nearly great album.

[antipastapop]

I like their lyrics, but their music is pretty ummmmm I'd have to say generic. But I still really like some of their songs.

[jebreject]

Headline: Noobs Can't Get Off on Power Pop

[Swimmy]

Flashback to that piece John wrote about novelty and craft.

[das kranke Tier]

Headline: Noobs Can't Get Off on Power Pop

OH SNACK!  That shit had me laughing so hard!

[Salkin Red]

I'll admit to mistyping my "overly simple" claim.  What I meant was, some of their weaker songs can fall into a basic formula, whereas their best stuff is deceivingly subtle.  And none of this affects my feeling about the band; I think the Weakerthans are great.  I'm saying that their critical acclaim -- and the size of their post-college fanbase -- suffers from being on a label full of juvenile shit and people who don't take the time to hear the difference lump them in with those bad bands.

While I see your point about The Weakerthans I totally don't see what you're saying about their label. Because (or is that just in Europe? they are on Anti- which, despite being run by Epitaph, has released some of the greatest records I know. I mean, sharing a label with the likes of Jolie Holland, Nick Cave and Tom Waits can't be all bad for a band like the Weakerthans and if the fact that those records are maybe crossfinanced (or is that the other way round by now???) by some bland pop punk records then people who are put off by this have bigger things to worry about than a missed chane to appreciate The Weakerthans.

[gboro]

I'll admit to mistyping my "overly simple" claim.  What I meant was, some of their weaker songs can fall into a basic formula, whereas their best stuff is deceivingly subtle.  And none of this affects my feeling about the band; I think the Weakerthans are great.  I'm saying that their critical acclaim -- and the size of their post-college fanbase -- suffers from being on a label full of juvenile shit and people who don't take the time to hear the difference lump them in with those bad bands.

While I see your point about The Weakerthans I totally don't see what you're saying about their label. Because (or is that just in Europe? they are on Anti- which, despite being run by Epitaph, has released some of the greatest records I know. I mean, sharing a label with the likes of Jolie Holland, Nick Cave and Tom Waits can't be all bad for a band like the Weakerthans and if the fact that those records are maybe crossfinanced (or is that the other way round by now???) by some bland pop punk records then people who are put off by this have bigger things to worry about than a missed chane to appreciate The Weakerthans.

That's actually a really good point, though I think they've just been shifted over to Anti- as of this new album.  So maybe it is Epitaph/Anti's intention to give them a better/older/whatever market to put their music out with, and if so that seems like a good move.  Maybe even Epitaph realizes how bad thier line-up is at this point, and wants to spare a great band like the Weakerthans that sort of association.  But, either way, that is a good catch and I wish I had thought of it before I spouted off on all of this.

To change subjects only slightly, where's the best place to start with Jolie Holland.  I've heard great things, but haven't had a chance to check her out...

[maggiego]

I am not a huge fan of hers, but I did very much like the second one as a standalone. Escondida, I think?

She is very talented, but that is the only one that is a record I like. The others really suffer from bad recording decisions (and lazy songwriting?). She is excellent live.

[Salkin Red]

I haven't seen her play at all so I don't have the comparison but I think that Springtime Can Kill You is quite an excellent record and I think it has the strongest songwriting since her debut while not sounding as poorly recorded as that one. But then again I AM a fan and my oppinion is probably biased.

(I also love Bad Religion and even kinda like Rancid so anything I say about Epitaph is maybe affected by that too...)

[Andrew_TSKS]

i'll also recommend "escondida" as the place to start w/jolie holland. excellent album.

[gboro]

I haven't seen her play at all so I don't have the comparison but I think that Springtime Can Kill You is quite an excellent record and I think it has the strongest songwriting since her debut while not sounding as poorly recorded as that one. But then again I AM a fan and my oppinion is probably biased.

(I also love Bad Religion and even kinda like Rancid so anything I say about Epitaph is maybe affected by that too...)

I am totally down with Bad Religion (and was into Rancid until they managed to systematically ruin their career) and exclude them from any comments I make about Epitaph.  But what I can say is that Brett's taste in bands is suspect, or he's cashing in on the Fuse TV crowd.  Either way, his label ain't what it used to be.