The Weakerthans - Reconstruction Site
The Weakerthans - Reconstruction Site
Released: 2003
Label: Epitaph Records
Genre: Indie Rock
The Weakerthans formed in the late 1990's, after John K. Samson left the punk band Propagandhi to start a publishing company; he began writing songs and then formed the band. The three albums released by the band; Fallow (1997), Left And Leaving (2000) and Reconstruction Site (2003), have seen the band include many styles of music in their songs, making them hard to truly categorize. One thing is sure about The Weakerthans though, they have distinctive sound and some of the best lyrics in all of music.
Tracks
"(Manifest)" (1:45)
"The Reasons" (2:50)
"Reconstruction Site" (2:45)*
"Psalm for the Elks Lodge Last Call" (2:45)
"Plea from a Cat Named Virtute" (3:49)*
"Our Retired Explorer (Dines With Michel Foucault in Paris, 1961)" (2:23)
"Time's Arrow" (2:53)
"(Hospital Vespers)" (1:41)
"Uncorrected Proofs" (2:42)
"A New Name for Everything" (4:04)
"One Great City!" (2:55)*
"Benediction" (3:28)
"The Prescience of Dawn" (4:37)
"(Past-Due)" (2:10)
The theme of Reconstruction Site is supposedly set by three songs: "(Manifest)," "(Hospital Vespers)" and "(Past-Due)"; all written about a terminally-ill patient. The thematic songs are all written as sonnets. Reconstruction Site contains quite a few very interesting tracks. "Plea From A Cat Named Virtue" is a song sung from the perspective of a cat "talking" to its depressed owner; "One Great City!" describes John K. Samson's "love-hate" relationship with his hometown of Winnipeg, through examinations of different characters in a day in the city; "Our Retired Explorer" is about a dinner conversation between Michel Foucault and a former member of Ernest Shackelton's expedition to Antarctica, who reminisces about his experiences. While those are some of the highlights, there isn't a track on the entire album which leaves something to be desired.
*Recommended/Top 3 track
Rating: 10/10
