John K. Samson

Thanks to bands like Against Me!, the idea of punk kids waving their folk flag is hardly novel. But when John K. Samson left politi-punks Propagandhi to form The Weakerthans, it caused a sensation, and The Weakerthans’ debut, Fallow, ventured far from goofy, breakneck anarchism and into the territory of folk-inflected pop. Since then, The Weakerthans have edged closer to conventional indie rock, but Samson’s wordy, barbed, and sweetly plainspoken lyrics remain. The band hasn’t put anything out since 2007’s Reunion Tour—which was itself released after a four-year lull following 2003’s Reconstruction Site—but longtime fans can rest assured that Samson’s performances won’t seem redundant, as he also has a few solo EPs from which to pull for his solo shows.

Updated 03/22/2012