IN REVIEW: John K. Samson - "Winter Wheat"

It's been almost a decade since the world was graced with a new Weakerthans record, so John K. Samson's second solo record (third if you count a 1993 cassette) carries a certain stigma; the one that makes me think, "well, I guess this will have to do". Of course, this is completely unfair, as this record doesn't aspire to compare to those records in any way, despite two of Samson's Weakerthans band mates appearing here; it's a much more subdued affair, even more so than Samson's previous solo platter (2012's Provincial). The sparse arrangements allow for Samson's lyrics to shine, though, and this has always been his primary strength; his stories, fictional or otherwise, brim with intelligence and imagination. So, even though I'll keep patiently waiting for the fifth Weakerthans album that may never arrive, Winter Wheat serves as a reminder that Samson is right up there with Gord Downie as one of our nation's most formidable poets.

October 21, 2016 • Anti-
Highlights Select All Delete • 17th Street Treatment Centre • Vampire Alberta Blues

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