Weakerthans

Last night, on my way home, I was listening to the album "Left and Leaving" by the emo/indie band The Weakerthans. Many people I know will overlook any album connected to emo, despite how good it might be, and I can understand their reasoning. (For the uninitiated, "emo" is a genre of music that has sprung up in the last 8 years or so. It is short for "emotion" and is basically hard, screamy music, with enough emotional content that some bands in the genre cry on stage. It started out as something original, very quickly got copied, just as quickly got annoying, and it has turned off as many fans as it has generated.) I would not consider the Weakerthans emo, but they are on an emo label, and that's enough for most people to hate them.

I cannot stress enough, the lyrical quality on this album, and it is strongly supported by an incredibly talented musical base. The drums on the last 30 seconds of the song "This is a fire door, never leave open" are amazing. Easily some of the most engaging drums this side of the Mississippi.

Needless to say, I want to post a few lyrical excerpts from the album. If you have the chance, pick it up. With an open mind, and a few listens, I have the feeling that you'll love them too.

From the song "Left and Leaving"
- "My city's still breathing but barely, it's true. Through buildings gone missing like teeth."
- "Wait for the year to drown. Spring forward, fall back down. I'll try not to wonder where you are."
- "I wait in 4/4 time. Count yellow highway lines, that you're relying on to lead you home.

From the song "Pamphleteer"
- "How I don't know what I should do with my hands when I talk to you, and you don't know where you should look, so you look at my hands."

From the song "Exiles among you"
- "She shoplifts some christmas gifts, and a bracelet for herself, and considers phoning home. Has some quarters in her hand. But she sits down on the sidewalk, and bites her bottom lip, and spends the afternoon willing traffic lights to change."

From the song "My favourite chords"
- "They're tearing up streets again. They're building a new hotel. The mayor is out killing kids to keep taxes down. And me and my anger sit, folding a paper bird, letting the curtains turn to beating wings. Wish I had a socket set, to dismantle this morning. Just one pair of clean socks, and a photo of you. When you get off work tonight, meet me at the construction site, and we'll write some notes to tape to the heavy machines. Like 'We hope they treat you well', 'Hope you don't work too hard', ' We hope you get to be happy sometimes.'"

From the song "Aside"
- "And I'm leaning on this broken fence between past and present tense. And I'm losing all those stupid games that I swore I'd never play, but it almost feels ok."


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Other bands neglected for the same reasons that deserve a listen:
• Last Days of April
• The Helms
• Jimmy Eat World