MoJo Staffers Spar Over The Weakerthans’ Newest Album

Get your news from a source that’s not owned and controlled by oligarchs. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily.


weakerthans180.gif

Gary Moskowitz, Online Editorial Fellow: I know I’m supposed to think all indie rock from Canada is cool (Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene), but The Weakerthans‘ newest CD, Reunion Tour (Epitaph’s Anti-, 2007), is weak—no pun intended. The songs are soft and gentle and polite, and not that memorable. In fact the music puts me to sleep.

Anna Weggel, Editorial Intern: Listen, Debbie Downer. You obviously didn’t get past the fourth track. I dare you to listen to “Virtue The Cat Explains Her Departure” without looking upward with quivering lips and slowly reliving the happiest moment of your life. Tell me, when was the last time you listened to a song sung from the viewpoint of a loveable, housebroken kitty?

GM: Loveable, housebroken kitties are cute and all, but these songs just aren’t that fun. The fact that the band would even consider naming a song “Virtue The Cat Explains Her Departure” is, to me, further proof that this music is best for sleepy time, not party time. That said, “Elegy for Gump Worsely” (once again, with the terrible song titles) has some cool banjo parts. “Night Windows” is one of those cutesy-pie indie songs that has pretty melodies, Johnny Marr-inspired guitar licks, and a pulsing, repetitive kick-drum. I’m cool with some of that.

AW: One of the most infectious little ditties I find is “Sun in an Empty Room,” with its clear, repeated chorus that might make for a good prospective Kidz Bop tune someday (and we know once you’ve hit Kidz Bop, you’ve made it big). “Night Windows,” which originally made me take notice of the band, is getting some play on The Current, my hometown indie public radio station. The Weakerthans is Ben Kweller meets Snow Patrol meets Ben Lee meets the Polyphonic Spree, minus the child chorus and, you know, the weirdness. And might I remind you that sleepy time tunes have just as much a place in the cool-kid music world as party time jams. Everybody likes a good nap, man.

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

payment methods

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

payment methods

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

Support our journalism

Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation.

Donate