John K. Samson | Provincial

Epitaph/Anti- (2011)

By BARRY THOMPSON | March 6, 2012

3.0 Stars

Epitaph Records was once renowned for releasing loud, fast, angry music for loud, fast, angry people. These days, the label's more worthwhile wouldn't feel out of place on a rack of CDs at Starbucks next to Bon Iver and She & Him. But John K. Samson does a far, far superior job of not being boring. During the last 20 years or so, Samson played a role in the explosive politi-kill punk of Propagandhi, and whipped up the waggish indie of the Weakerthans. But his inaugural gathering of bona-fide solo work summons an aura of full-blown tranquility. That rule gets broken when the pep factor kicks up on "When I Write My Master's Thesis," and by the sneering Springsteen-style saxophone and piano on "Longitudinal Centre." Later on, Samson delivers "Stop Error," likely the prettiest folk meditation ever to reference Call of Duty 4, and lament a dearth of civilization within walking range over sweetly droning guitars on "Highway 1 West."

Topics: CD Reviews , shotgun, band, punk, More

| More

Most Popular

The Current Issue

Table of Contents

Cover Archive

Masthead | Authors | Contact us

Blogs

Christopher Shea's Berlin Diary, part two
Outside The Frame | February 15, 2013 at 5:11 PM

Free Fun Shit: Feb 15-21: Slumbrew social, Central Square roast, Chinese New Year celebration, Crabbie's ginger beer tasting + more
Phlog | February 15, 2013 at 3:38 PM

[audio] Peter Hook on WFNX: the legacy of Joy Division, feuding with New Order, and his new book, "Unknown Pleasures"
On The Download | February 15, 2013 at 1:08 PM

Q&A #7: GOP Senate Field
Talking Politics | February 15, 2013 at 12:40 PM

[from the gut] Demanding style over substance in indie music and culture
On The Download | February 15, 2013 at 12:38 PM

CURRENT CONTESTS

BOSTON'S FINEST -- Ticket Giveaway

SNITCH -- Ticket Giveaway

All Promotions . . .

ARTICLES BY BARRY THOMPSON

WHAT'S F'N NEXT? BUKE AND GASE | January 29, 2013
Almost every person I've told about Buke and Gase assumes that they'll hate this band, which isn't their fault.

BLEEDING RAINBOW | YEAH RIGHT | January 23, 2013
The only defect of the sort-of-but-not-really debut from Bleeding Rainbow (no longer called Reading Rainbow, possibly due to litigious ire festering under LeVar Burton's genial television persona) is that the Philly foursome merely hop off the launching point forged by Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine, and a handful of others from the oft-exalted grunge era.

10 THINGS I WISH I KNEW BEFORE I STARTED PLAYING IN BANDS IN BOSTON | January 25, 2013
We hear you just moved to "the Bean", and you're thinking about starting a real life rock-'n-roll band! Here's a bunch of bullshit you should know about.

BLURRING ELECTRONIC-POP REALITY WITH PROVIDENCE'S MATH THE BAND | January 14, 2013
Around the age of 10 or 11, Kevin Steinhauser started having recurring dreams about supermarket shelves stocked with vintage keyboards.

THE FAINT: FUTURISTS LOOK TO THE PAST | December 03, 2012
Although we are grateful for our lovely modern gizmos, the consequent deluge of culture and information has made it tricky to pinpoint precisely what makes a record "classic."