The Weakerthans

A little-known fact about Canada: Of the country's 31 million residents, all but five people are in ultra-literate indie-rock bands — and even those five have played with Broken Social Scene at least once. It's a staggering statistic that makes the Weakerthans' rise to celebrity that much more impressive. Formed in Winnipeg in 1997 by Propagandhi bassist John K. Samson, the group's stripped-down sound is a bit more bookish than its contemporaries, if such a feat is even possible. But that's what sets the foursome — especially on its upcoming, more ambient-influenced Reunion Tour — apart from the rest of the moose herd.