John K. Samson Recent News

John K. Samson Premieres New Video For "Longitudinal Centre"

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:01:00 -0800

John K. Samson is the singer-songwriter for the acclaimed indie rock band The Weakerthans and he just released his highly anticipated full length solo album, Provincial, this January 24th via Epitaph-Anti Records.

Samson has also released an intensely evocative cinematic clip for the song “Longitudinal Centre” from Provincial. The footage provides a perfect visual companion to the poignant up-tempo track. To watch the video please go to IFC.com.

Provincial contains newly recorded versions of songs from Samson’s previous two EPs, City Route 85 and Provincial Road 222, alongside a collection of beautifully evocative new tracks. The songs traverse four routes woven into the prairie landscape of Manitoba, the Canadian province where Samson lives. They are hymns for the departed and rockers for the living, songs about dying villages, Icelandic longing, snowplows, broken glass, satellites, hockey skates, and staff room romances.

The Weakerthans were born out of the Winnipeg-punk-scene. The group’s breakthrough album Reconstruction Site and its celebrated follow up Reunion Tour deftly merged a melodic punk with Bob Dylan-Ray Davies lyrical insights, earning a wider fan base and establishing Samson as a songwriter of immense talent. Paste Magazine wrote of Reunion Tour, “If such a prize existed, it would be the leading candidate for this year’s Punk Pulitzer.”

John K. Samson & The Provincial Band Tour Dates

3/7 Kingston, ON at The Grad Club
3/8 Ottawa, ON at Mavericks Bar
3/9 Montreal, QC at La Sala Rossa
3/10 Boston, MA at Brighton Music Hall
3/11 Philadelphia, PA at Union Transfer
3/13 Washington DC at Black Cat
3/15 New York, NY at Bowery Ballroom
3/14 Hoboken, NJ at Maxwell’s
3/16 Pittsburgh, PA at Club Cafe
3/17 Buffalo, NY at Mohawk
3/18 Hamilton, ON at The Casbah
3/20 London, ON at The Aeolian Hall
3/21 Guelph, ON at E-Bar
3/22 Toronto, ON at Great Hall
3/27 Winnipeg, MB at West End Cultural Centre
3/28 Regina, SK at The Exchange
3/29 Edmonton, AB at The Royal Alberta Museum Theater
3/31 Vancouver, BC at The Biltmore
4/1 Seattle,WA at Tractor Tavern
4/2 Portland, OR at Doug Fir
4/5 San Diego, CA at The Casbah
4/6 Los Angeles, CA at The Troubadour
4/7 San Francisco, CA at Bottom of the Hill
4/8 Santa Cruz, CA at The Atrium
4/11 Bellingham, WA at The Shakedown
4/13 Calgary, AB at The Palomino
4/12 Kamloops, BC at Hero’s Pub
4/14 Saskatoon, SK at Amigos Cantina

John K. Samson 'Provincial' Available Today

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:01:00 -0800

John K. Samson's full length solo album Provincial is available everywhere today! Click over to iTunes to download, visit the Anti Store to order on CD and vinyl or head out to your local record store to pick up a copy.

John K. Samson Premieres New Album At Paste

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:01:00 -0800

John K. Samson is the singer and songwriter for the highly acclaimed indie rock band, The Weakerthans. On January 24th, Samson will release a full length solo album, Provincial via Epitaph/Anti Records. In anticipation, PasteMagazine.com is streaming the new record in it’s entirety.

To listen to Provincial, please go here.

Provincial contains 12 musical vignettes united by a deep sense of place. They are hymns for the departed and rockers for the living, songs about dying villages, Icelandic longing, snowplows, broken glass, satellites, hockey skates, and staff room romances. In creating these sonic portraits, Samson talked to relatives, friends and strangers; he visited archives, a tuberculosis sanatorium turned RV Park and a forgotten cemetery.

The live dates will feature songs from the new album backed by The Provincial Band, comprised of Shotgun Jimmie on guitar (Jimmie will also open the shows), Doug Friesen (Pete Elkas, Bidiniband) on electric and upright bass and Doug MacGregor (Constantines) on drums. Samson will also perform a selection of solo renditions of material spanning his 20 years as a songwriter.

To watch an evocative cinematic glimpse of Provincial’s prairie roadmap, go here.

John K. Samson & The Provincial Band Tour Dates:

3/7 Kingston, ON at The Grad Club
3/8 Ottawa, ON at Mavericks Bar
3/9 Montreal, QC at La Sala Rossa
3/10 Boston, MA at Brighton Music Hall
3/11 Philadelphia, PA at Union Transfer
3/13 Washington DC at Black Cat
3/15 New York, NY at Bowery Ballroom
3/14 Hoboken, NJ at Maxwell’s
3/16 Pittsburgh, PA at Club Cafe
3/17 Buffalo, NY at Mohawk
3/18 Hamilton, ON at The Casbah
3/20 London, ON at The Aeolian Hall
3/21 Guelph, ON at E-Bar
3/22 Toronto, ON at Great Hall
3/27 Winnipeg, MB at West End Cultural Centre
3/28 Regina, SK at The Exchange
3/29 Edmonton, AB at The Royal Alberta Museum Theater
3/31 Vancouver, BC at The Biltmore
4/1 Seattle,WA at Tractor Tavern
4/2 Portland, OR at Doug Fir
4/5 San Diego, CA at The Casbah
4/6 Los Angeles, CA at The Troubadour
4/7 San Francisco, CA at Bottom of the Hill
4/8 Santa Cruz, CA at The Atrium
4/11 Bellingham, WA at The Shakedown
4/13 Calgary, AB at The Palomino
4/12 Kamloops, BC at Hero’s Pub
4/14 Saskatoon, SK at Amigos Cantina

John K. Samson Premieres New Song At Brooklyn Vegan

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 00:01:00 -0800

John K. Samson, singer-songwriter for critically lauded indie rock band The Weakerthans will premiere a powerful new song from his upcoming full length solo album, Provincial this January 4th care of Brooklyn Vegan.

The evocative and beautifully mournful song, a companion to the recently premiered “When I Write my Master’s Thesis,” is titled “Letter in Icelandic from the Ninette San.” It is set in a tuberculosis sanatorium which existed in the small town of Ninette, Manitoba from 1915 to 1973. The lilting and moving lyrics are sung as a letter written by a fictional Icelandic immigrant patient residing in the San, to his brother back home in Riverton, Manitoba, sometime in the 1940s.

To hear the incredible new song “Letter in Icelandic from the Ninette San,” go to Brooklyn Vegan.

Provincial will be released this January 24th via Epitaph-Anti Records. The record contains newly recorded versions of songs from Samson’s previous two acclaimed EPs, “City Route 85” and “Provincial Road 222,” alongside a collection of beautifully evocative new tracks. They are hymns for the departed and rockers for the living, songs about dying villages, Icelandic longing, snowplows, broken glass, satellites, hockey skates, and staff room romances. In creating these sonic portraits, Samson talked to relatives, friends and strangers. The resulting album contains 12 fierce, tuneful, vivid stories united by a deep sense of place.

John K. Samson & The Provincial Band Tour Dates:

3/7 Kingston, ON at The Grad Club
3/8 Ottawa, ON at Mavericks Bar
3/9 Montreal, QC at La Sala Rossa
3/10 Boston, MA at Brighton Music Hall
3/11 Philadelphia, PA at Union Transfer
3/13 Washington DC at Black Cat
3/15 New York, NY at Bowery Ballroom
3/16 Pittsburgh, PA at Club Cafe
3/17 Buffalo, NY at Mohawk
3/18 Hamilton, ON at The Casbah
3/20 London, ON at The Aeolian Hall
3/21 Guelph, ON at E-Bar
3/22 Toronto, ON at Great Hall
3/27 Winnipeg, MB at West End Cultural Centre
3/28 Regina, SK at The Exchange
3/29 Edmonton, AB at The Royal Alberta Museum Theater
3/31 Vancouver, BC at The Biltmore
4/1 Seattle,WA at Tractor Tavern
4/2 Portland, OR at Doug Fir
4/5 San Diego, CA at The Casbah
4/6 Los Angeles, CA at The Troubadour
4/7 San Francisco, CA at Bottom of the Hill
4/8 Santa Cruz, CA at The Atrium
4/11 Bellingham, WA at The Shakedown
4/13 Calgary, AB at The Palomino
4/14 Saskatoon, SK at Amigos Cantina

Anti Winter Digital Compilation Available Now

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 00:12:00 -0800

There’s really no better way to celebrate the holiday season than with some superb new music. In light of this age old truth, we here at Anti-Records would like to offer an ideal soundtrack to a joyful Christmas and New Years’ Eve festivities with our Winter Digital Compilation 2011. Nine great songs from some of our most thrilling artists, available December 20th exclusively at iTunes for the low price of $3.99.

You can download by going to iTunes.

Anti- Winter Sampler 2011 Track Listing:

1. “Dawned On Me” by Wilco - The revelry begins with the celebrated Chicago band performing a burst of supremely catchy melodic rock and roll with “Dawned On Me” from the their hit album The Whole Love.

2. “That Old Black Hole” by Dr. Dog - Next up is Philadelphia group Dr. Dog with an absolutely primal and energetic track entitled “That Old Black Hole” from their upcoming album Be The Void.

3. “When I Write My Master's Thesis” by John K. Samson - Weakerthans’ front-man John K. Samson offers the gift of sublime literary rock with “When I Write My Masters Thesis” from his evocative new solo record Provincial.

4. “This Is Not A Song” by Islands - Nick Thorburn and modernist pop masters Islands deliver some state of the art soul music with “This Is Not A Song” From their soon to be released deeply cathartic album A Sleep & A Forgetting.

5. “Sticks & Stones” by Joe Henry - Next it’s heralded producer and artist Joe Henry with the sublimely atmospheric blues of “Sticks & Stones” from his acclaimed album Reverie.

6. “Birds” (feat. Sean Rowe) by Marketa Irglova - Supremely talented songstress Irglova (The Swell Season) has just released a stunning solo album called Anar. Here she pairs with powerful singer Sean Rowe for an exclusive version of the Neil Young song “Birds.”

7. “We Are All Teenagers” by Tim Fite - A distinctly original talent, called “one of rock ‘n’ roll’s most subversive renaissance men” Fite is about to release the best record of his career with Ain’t Ain’t Ain’t. You can preview this masterful work with his epic and heartfelt “We Are All Teenagers.”

8. “Tenere Taqhim Tossam” by Tinariwen - On their recent Grammy nominated album Tassili, the North African band returns to the essence of their art with the plaintive and soulful “Tenere Taqhim Tossam” featuring Tunde Adebimpe and Kyp Malone of the band TV On The Radio.

9. “Hey Na Na” (feat. David Shaw from The Revivalists & Maggie Koerner) by Galactic - The festivities are rounded out in suitable fashion by Galactic with their appropriately celebratory and powerful carnival inspired “Hey Na Na” (feat. David Shaw from The Revivalists & Maggie Koerner) from the band’s upcoming album Carnivale Electricos.

John K. Samson Premieres New Song At Paste

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 00:12:00 -0800

John K. Samson is the singer and songwriter for the highly acclaimed indie rock band, The Weakerthans. On January 24th, Samson will release a full length solo album, Provincial via Epitaph/Anti Records. In anticipation, PasteMagazine.com is premiering a new track from the record; an insightful upbeat rocker titled,“When I Write My Master’s Thesis.”

To listen to the track, please go to Paste Magazine.

Provincial contains 12 musical vignettes united by a deep sense of place. They are hymns for the departed and rockers for the living, songs about dying villages, Icelandic longing, snowplows, broken glass, satellites, hockey skates, and staff room romances. In creating these sonic portraits, Samson talked to relatives, friends and strangers; he visited archives, a tuberculosis sanatorium turned RV Park and a forgotten cemetery.

The live dates will feature songs from the new album backed by The Provincial Band, comprised of Shotgun Jimmie on guitar (Jimmie will also open the shows), Doug Friesen (Pete Elkas, Bidiniband) on electric and upright bass and Doug MacGregor (Constantines) on drums. Samson will also perform a selection of solo renditions of material spanning his 20 years as a songwriter.

To watch an evocative cinematic glimpse of Provincial’s prairie roadmap, go here.

John K. Samson & The Provincial Band tour dates (more dates TBA)

3/10 - Boston, MA at Brighton Music Hall
3/11 - Philadelphia, PA at Union Transfer
3/13 - Washington DC at Black Cat
3/15 - New York, NY at Bowery Ballroom
3/16 - Pittsburgh, PA at Club Cafe
3/17 - Buffalo, NY at Mohawk
4/1 - Seattle,WA at Tractor Tavern
4/2 - Portland, OR at Doug Fir
4/5 - San Diego, CA at The Casbah
4/6 - Los Angeles, CA at The Troubadour
4/7 - San Francisco, CA at Bottom of the Hill

John K. Samson To Release New Solo Album 'Provincial'

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 00:11:00 -0800

John K. Samson, singer-songwriter for critically lauded indie rock band The Weakerthans, will release his first full length solo album, entitled Provincial, this January 24th via Epitaph-Anti Records. The record contains newly recorded versions of songs from Samson’s previous two acclaimed EPs, “City Route 85” and “Provincial Road 222,” alongside a collection of beautifully evocative new tracks, which are available for pre-order now at the Epitaph Store.

Provincial travels four routes woven into the prairie landscape of Manitoba, the Canadian province where Samson lives. It finds familiar landmarks and forgotten ones; it mines the precise and particular. For a video glimpse of Provincial’s prairie roadmap, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfqLrWMMPZ4

“Heart of the Continent,” describes the sense of loss and despair that haunts the former site of a Winnipeg landmark, set against a backdrop of lilting country folk. The melodic rocker “When I Write my Master’s Thesis,” details a young academic’s struggle to hold his life together as he tries complete his research of a forgotten institution in tiny Ninette, Manitoba, while "www.petitions.com/petition/riveronrifle/ " is a song in the form of an online petition to honor the valiant hockey player Reggie “The Riverton Rifle” Leach.

They are hymns for the departed and rockers for the living, songs about dying villages, Icelandic longing, snowplows, broken glass, satellites, hockey skates, and staff room romances. In creating these sonic portraits, Samson talked to relatives, friends and strangers; he visited archives, a tuberculosis sanatorium turned RV Park and a forgotten cemetery. The resulting album contains 12 fierce, tuneful, vivid stories united by a deep sense of place.

The Weakerthans were born out of the Winnipeg-punk-scene. The group’s breakthrough album Reconstruction Site and its celebrated follow up Reunion Tour deftly merged a melodic punk with Bob Dylan-Ray Davies lyrical insights, earning a wider fan base and establishing Samson as a songwriter of immense talent. Paste Magazine wrote of Reunion Tour, “If such a prize existed, it would be the leading candidate for this year’s Punk Pulitzer.”

John K. Samson & The Provincial Band tour dates (More US & Canadian dates TBA soon!)

3/10 - Boston, MA at Brighton Music Hall
3/11 - Philadelphia, PA at Union Transfer
3/13 - Washington DC at Black Cat
3/15 - New York, NY at Bowery Ballroom
3/16 - Pittsburgh, PA at Club Cafe
3/17 - Buffalo, NY at Mohawk
4/1 - Seattle,WA at Tractor Tavern
4/2 - Portland, OR at Doug Fir
4/5 - San Diego, CA at The Casbah
4/6 - Los Angeles, CA at The Troubadour
4/7 - San Francisco, CA at Bottom of the Hill

Pre-Order John K. Samson 'Provincial Road 222'

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:09:00 -0700

John K. Samson (of The Weakerthans) continues his series of solo EP's with Provincial Road 222. Dedicated to the lakeside roadway that runs along the western coast of Lake Winnipeg, Samson finds beauty and eloquence in unexpected ways. Right now you can pre-order Provincial Road 222 (in stores September 21st) on limited edition vinyl at the ANTI Store.

Provincial Road 222 2x 7" & T-Shirt Bundle

This Bundle Includes:

- Provincial Road 222 7" EP on Black Vinyl
- Provincial Road 222 7" EP on White Vinyl
- Provincial Road 222 Digital Download
- Provincial Road 222 T-Shirt

Head over to the ANTI Store to check out everything that's available!

John K. Samson To Release Solo EP 'Provincial Road 222'

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 00:08:00 -0700

John K. Samson is the acclaimed singer and songwriter for indie rock band The Weakerthans. The band's most recent studio release Reunion Tour garnered praise from an assortment of publications including Paste Magazine, who said of the album, "If such a prize existed, it would be the leading candidate for this year's Punk Pulitzer." This year's live album Live at the Burton Cummings Theatre was recently nominated for Western Canadian Music Award for Rock Recording of the Year.

John lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, where he's also the managing editor of a small publishing house. His three -song solo EP, Provincial Road 222, is the second in a series of recordings exploring streets and highways in his home province. While the first, City Route 85, was a sparse solo recording, Provincial Road 222 takes a more orchestral approach.

Provincial Road 222 runs up the side of Lake Winnipeg, north of the city, and leads to the town of Riverton, Manitoba. Samson begins the EP with "The Last And," set at Riverton Early Middle School, where a teacher ponders the disintegration of her affair with the principal. "Petition" takes the form of an online petition (www.ipetitions.com/petition/rivertonrifle/ ) by local citizens to induct native son Reggie "The Rifle" Leach, member of the legendary mid-70s Philadelphia Flyers, into the Hockey Hall of Fame. In the closing song, "Stop Error," set to a chorale by J. S. Bach, a young adult in an old house on Provincial Road 222 uses a computer to search for solace and a way to describe the world.

Provincial Road 222 by John K. Samson will be released on limited edition 7-inch vinyl and through digital download on September 21 by Epitaph/ANTI-Records in North America.

Weakerthans Singer/Songwriter John K. Samson To Release Solo EP November 3

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:11:00 -0800

John K. Samson, singer/songwriter for venerated literary minded indie rock outfit The Weakerthans, will be releasing a three song solo record this November 3rd on Anti Records. The Weakerthans latest, Reunion Tour, garnered praise in publications ranging from The New York Times to Spin to Paste Magazine, who said of the album, "If such a prize existed, it would be the leading candidate for this year's Punk Pulitzer." Samson's solo record entitled City Route 85 will be the first in a series of recordings exploring the atmospheric streets and highways surrounding the musician's home in Winnipeg Canada.

The City Route 85 of the record's title is the formal name for Portage Avenue, one of Winnipeg's main thoroughfares. Samson begins his musical study of this storied street with the song "Heart of the Continent," set at the corner of Portage Avenue and Memorial Boulevard, where a demolished building is resurrected by a narrator struggling to evoke the losses and despair that haunt the city and its people. "Grace General" travels west along Portage to Grace General Hospital, seen through eyes preparing to face the death of a loved one. The closing song, "Cruise Night" finds a young man desperate to join in the strange and innocent tradition of driving aimlessly up and down Portage Avenue, a social activity Winnipeggers have participated in on Sunday nights for as long as anyone can remember.

City Route 85 will be released on 7 Inch vinyl and through digital download on November 3rd by Epitaph/ANTI Records.