album of the week: 2.2

John K. Samson

Provincial

(2012)

why you'll love it: Amazing songwriting with unconventional topics

why you'll hate it: A couple bad songs, not as good as The Weakerthans

It's probably a bad idea to introduce someone to an album with "I think this is the best songwriter around today!" Nothing can really live up to that expectation; especially in the way John K. Samson writes songs. Old photos in a box, abandoned homes, housecats. Just as in his full time band, The Weakerthans, Samson writes songs about the overlooked, in a tone just as modest as the subjects. The subjects of these independent short stories are almost always unique. In Provincial, there are songs about trying to get a hometown hero into the hockey hall of fame, a short lived teacher-principal affair, and desolate Manitoba roads.

As expected from a solo album, these songs aren't as fleshed out as they are with the full band, and are mostly soft spoken. Some are also short, and may come off as unfinished. "Highway 1 East" and "Grace Central" seem to only set a brief tone, and go away. Although there are a few surprisingly dense songs. "Heart of The Continent" takes its time in a satisfying way. "Letter in Icelandic From The Ninette Sun" has a well used accompanying string section. A couple surprisingly turn on the distortion a bit. "Longitudinal Centre" is the loudest one one here. That one, and the upbeat "Cruise Night" could have easily been Weakerthans songs.

In his efforts to create details around the characters of his songs, Samson got a little bit corny here. I don't like the video game references in "Stop Error" or "When I Write My Master's Thesis". Citing things like that, (and websites, etc) always seem to date your song, and make it sound out of touch. I also don't like the lyrical hooks in "Master's Thesis". They're so cliche, they sound as if it was written in one afternoon. These are the only two songs on the album is outright do not like.

The standout track on here is "Highway 1 West". It floors me every time I hear it. It's a big, driving, but simple sound. It just gives you that feeling of overwhelming space and distance. The gaping cadences littered about the big booms paint a detailed mental picture just as well as the lyrics do.

I'd recommend this album to just about everyone who loves great songwriting, and enjoys a bit of humility in their music. I really don't see this album as a classic, or something that stacks up to The Weakerthans, though. It's only a collection. Half of this album are songs that were on EPs released over the past few years. There is some good stuff on here, but the package as a whole doesn't live up to the pedestal I tend to put this poor guy up on. This is a generous appetizer, but I just want another Weakerthans album already.