The Weakerthans announce tour

The Weakerthans will launch a U.S. trek on September 25th in Minneapolis. That same day, Reunion Tour – its fourth studio album and strongest song-cycle yet – will be released via Anti-.
Closing the four-year gap between albums and crafted among “the finest slaughterhouses, industrial sites and sub-degree temperatures” its Winnipeg, Manitoba hometown has to offer, Reunion Tour has been worth the wait. Promising to be the indie rock record of 2007’s fourth quarter, it finds the band again partnering with producer Ian Blurton, who oversaw 2003’s Reconstruction Site.

Launched with the quirky, memorable rocker “Civil Twilight,” the charms of Reunion Tour quickly become evident on the rollicking “Relative Surplus Value,” the glistening, evocative indie pop of “Night Windows” and the endearing, lease-ending balladry of “Sun In An Empty Room.” And from the warm, pensive tone of “Virtute the Cat Explains Her Departure” to the reflective artful approach of the title track – replete with a steady pulse of flute and horns – Reunion Tour is The Weakerthans’ deepest and most heartfelt record yet.

The Weakerthans have long been championed for fusing the best elements of punk, rock, alt-country and folk with distinct vocals and poetic lyrics. Touted by The Toronto Sun as “rich in detailed craftsmanship, with plenty of unsettling textures, daring experiments and recurring lyrical and melodic imagery,” Playboy dubbed them, “Canada’s bona-fide rock and roll poet laureates.”

Formed in 1997 in Winnipeg, when former Propagandhi bassist John K. Sampson turned guitarist/frontman aligned with drummer Jason Tait and original bassist John P. Sutton, The Weakerthans released two discs, Fallow (1997) and Left and Leaving (2000), for G7 Welcoming Committee Records. Carroll came on board for the latter, with the band inking to Anti-/Epitaph for Reconstruction Site. When Sutton exited in August 2004, he was replaced by Greg Smith.

A 2005 Chart Magazine reader’s poll named Left and Leaving one of the ten best Canadian albums of all time. In 2006, the band – sans Samson – played on Cold As The Clay, the second solo album from Bad Religion’s Greg Graffin. In addition to his efforts with The Weakerthans, Tait has performed as part of Canadian indie rock supergroup Broken Social Scene and is featured on its 2005 self-titled third studio album.

Here are The Weakerthans’ Fall 2007 U.S. Tour Dates:

The Weakerthans 2007-09-25 Triple Rock Club Minneapolis MN
The Weakerthans 2007-09-26 The Bottleneck Lawrence KS
The Weakerthans 2007-09-27 Marquis Theater Denver CO
The Weakerthans 2007-09-28 Launch Pad Albuquerque NM
The Weakerthans 2007-09-29 The Clubhouse Tempe AZ
The Weakerthans 2007-09-30 Casbah San Diego CA
The Weakerthans 2007-10-02 El Rey Theater Los Angeles CA
The Weakerthans 2007-10-03 Slim's San Francisco CA
The Weakerthans 2007-10-04 Hawthorne Theater Portland OR
The Weakerthans 2007-10-05 Neumos Seattle WA
The Weakerthans 2007-10-24 Magic Stick Detroit MI
The Weakerthans 2007-10-25 Metro Chicago IL
The Weakerthans 2007-10-26 Grog Shop Cleveland Heights OH
The Weakerthans 2007-10-27 Mr. Smalls Theatre Pittsburgh PA
The Weakerthans 2007-10-28 9:30 Club Washington DC
The Weakerthans 2007-10-29 Trocadero Philadelphia PA
The Weakerthans 2007-10-30 Webster Hall New York NY
The Weakerthans 2007-11-01 The Roxy Boston MA