This bundle includes the limited edition shirt and the City Route 85 EP as a digital download
John K. Samson is the singer and songwriter for The Weakerthans, whose four albums have been universally praised by fans and critics alike, and whose extensive touring in Europe and North America over the last dozen years have won them a devoted following.
This three-song solo recording, City Route 85, is the first in a series of recordings that will explore streets, roads, and highways in his home province of Manitoba. City Route 85 is the formal name for Portage Avenue, one of Winnipeg’s main thoroughfares. Samson begins his 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 apprehend the losses and despair that haunt cities and citizens alike. “Grace General” travels west from there, a wintry drive on 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 sweet tradition of driving aimlessly up and down Portage Avenue, a social activity many Winnipeggers have participated in every Sunday night for as long as anyone can remember.
THIS IS A PRE ORDER. YOUR ORDER WILL SHIP THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 17th. ANY ITEMS YOU ORDER ALONG WITH THIS PACKAGE DEAL WILL BE HELD AND YOUR ENTIRE ORDER WILL BE SHIPPED TOGETHER! Upon payment clearing, you will be emailed a code for an immediate download of City Route 85. Download as hi res MP3, lossless FLAC, Apple Lossless or choose from any of the other formats.