Comforting humor

Nobody expects a reunion of the indie band Weakerthans, which dissolved in 2015: Their former singer John K. Samson and his wife Christine Fellows launched the “Vivat Virtute” project – and are now selling self-knitted scarves.

It's all the greater that the Canadian singer-songwriter Jacob Brodovsky has released a new album that should make die-hard Weakerthans fans sit up and take notice: the sound, lyrical humor and songwriting bring back memories of the musical role model - but Brodovsky is able to go his own musical way. “Tell the Kids We Tried” consists of eleven melancholic indie-folk pieces whose minimalist arrangements are not at odds with gloss, pop and measured opulence: choirs are used in “Past Mistakes,” and Brodovsky breathes like Sufjan Stevens in “Older Too.” The influence of his role model on the sound remains unmistakable, from the jangly guitars in "Colorado Low" to the driving palm muting in the exceptional hit "Kids" to the percussive, casual drumming of former Weakerthans drummer Jason Tait in the remaining, mostly quiet songs.

In “Past Mistakes” choirs are used, in “Older Too” Brodovsky breathes like Sufjan Stevens.

Brodovsky, who was named "English Songwriter of the Year" at the 19th Canadian Folk Music Awards in 2024, had already asked Samson and Fellows for an assessment of his songs in 2016, with a corresponding influence on his EP "Sixteen Years", which was released in 2019. And like Samson, Brodovsky celebrates a laconic, ironic version of hope: the line “If I was an optimist I would’ve lied/Instead I tell the kids we tried” has some of Samson’s comforting humor.

What remains - here and there - is the refusal to sugarcoat the world, which is largely quite ugly, without, however, losing faith in it.

Jacob Brodovsky: Tell the Kids We Tried (Make My Day Records)