The Weakerthans: Reunion Tour

Some bands defy categorization, but The Weakerthans sometimes defy identification: The Canadian group plays such faceless indie-rock, it's easy to forget who the hell it is on the stereo. In the case of Reunion Tour, though, that's a good thing. With titular self-deprecation, The Weakerthans have crafted a fourth disc of under-the-radar, over-the-head anthems, all sewn up in John K. Samson's charming, deadpan whine. Samson often gets tagged as an indie poet laureate—a mantle that's easy to picture him wincing under—and it's mostly deserved; his adenoidal voice adds an underdog nobility to his clever, vivid lyrics. Musically, Reunion has flashes of Wilco-esque brilliance, but it's mostly a blank slate on which Samson is free to squiggle his wise, weary verse. Luckily, that's pretty much enough.