Bands I’ve Only Recently Heard About But Have Apparently Been Around For Quite A While – #4: The Weakerthans
Posted in bands i've only recently heard about but have apparently been around for quite a while on August 28th, 2009 by CARL – Be the first to commentThe Band: The Weakerthans
First formed: 1997
First release: 1997 (Fallow)
What I Might Have Been Doing In 1997 To Make Me Unaware Of Their First Album:
Drugs, probably. And college, work, blah blah. But yeah – mainly drugs.
How I Finally Ended Up Hearing Of Them:
Through Canada’s finest blog, Chromewaves.
How Would I Describe Them?
Some would call it a balancing act between punk aggression and the melodicism of folk-rock. I call it a gaping flaw in my otherwise-vast Canadian musical knowledge. Seriously – ever since I was introduced to The Tragically Hip, I’ve been keeping my ears well-tuned to the goings-on in Canadian music (it’s obviously not as hard as it used to be). I have no idea how these guys ended up slipping through the cracks.
And their from Winnipeg! Oh my God, their Winnipeg-ness is enough for me to love them (note: I really like Winnipeg – I have my reasons).
And – holy shit – this guy is good with words. A sampling, from the song “Civil Twilight”:
“Hey, every other hour I pass that house where you told me that you had to go. I wonder if the landlord has fixed the crack that I stared at instead of staring back at you. My chance to say something seemed so brief, but it wasn’t. Now I know I had plenty of time. Between the sunset and certified darkness, dusk comes on and I follow the exhaust from memory out to the end of civil twilight.”
And that’s how it’s done, kids.
Musical Samplings:
The Weakerthans – Sun In An Empty Room
The Weakerthans – Plea From A Cat Named Virtue
Video:
Remember that “Civil Twilight” I mentioned earlier? Here’s the video for it.
Relevant Links:
Official Site
Myspace Page
Wikipedia Page
Maple Music (where you can buy their CD’s)
Previously In The Series:
#1 – Trespassers William
#2 – Oh No Ono
#3 – Wild Beasts
