The Weakerthans have carved out a nice little name for themselves through the consistent creation of deceptively simple indie pop.
Reunion Tour continues that tradition, but is clearer, richer, and more assured. 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, minutes ticked by. It's in these understated details that the gifted
John Samson eternally dwells bathed in self-awareness, masterfully turning insecurities into poetry with charm and ease. He does so over soft guitars, brushed percussion, and light keyboards that delightfully swirl and embrace each silky syllable with heart and grace. Austere horns lament over a delicately plucked guitar in "Bigfoot!," while
Samson's heart sits "pumping pour mini bar" during the bright rush-hour hustle of "Relative Surplus Value." Every song sounds like the Weakerthans wrote it specifically for themselves and the listener just to enjoy together. Hooks are always present, but subtle, unassumingly driving the achingly tender "Sun in an Empty Room" -- whose repetition of the title conjures up ghosts and memories of homes left behind -- and the rhythmic stomp of "Tournament of Hearts." There's such a special intimacy surrounding the Weakerthans, such rich warmth, that you can feel the 11-song cycle of
Reunion Tour deep inside your stomach like the anxious butterflies of a new romance. But this isn't a new, fleeting love affair -- at album number four, it's just the Weakerthans doing what they do best. ~ Corey Apar