An Apology to Jim Guthrie, Who Is Touring Canada
Fuck the rest of y'all pisspigs

To be honest, I didn't think Guthrie had it in him. Hobbling onto the "hey, I'm a solo-artist now" scene in 1999 as some guy from Royal City, his debut, A Thousand Songs, was a jarring combination of muddled eccentricity, experimentalism and, uh, pop-ism. The songs were alright, sure, but his caterwauling folk deconstructions just didn't do it for me. So, writing Guthrie off as one of those failed attempts at finding a stage, a stool and an audience for songs better left in the bedroom, I didn't bother with his 2002 follow-up, Morning Noon Night. But, last year, Jim re-entered my consciousness somethin' serious with Now, More Than Ever. Gone was the electronic parsley. Gone was the Playstation production. And in its place, Guthrie gloriously opted for STRING SECTIONSSSS! And remarkably improved songsmanship. So, I report the following tour dates as an apology to Jim-- manifest in the form of half-assed Pitchfork journalism, of course. But, Canada, you play a part in this apology, too. If you don't mind, on one of the dates below, could you do your old reporter-friend Rob a favor and stop in at your local club to see Jim's set? It'll be good. Maybe it'll have strings. Dates:

04-23 Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada - Pyramid Cabaret %
04-24 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada - Louis U Of Sask.%
04-26 Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada - The State %
04-27 Calgary, Alberta, Canada - Carpenters Union Hall %
04-29 Calgary, Alberta, Canada - Liberty Lounge %
04-30 Edmonton, Alberta, Canada - Sidetrack %
05-01 Edmonton, Alberta, Canada - Seedy’s %
05-03 Victoria, British Columbia, Canada - Logan’s %
05-04 Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada - Brickyards %'
05-05 Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada - Railway Club *
05-07 Calgary, Alberta, Canada - Weeds *
05-08 Edmonton, Alberta, Canada - The Black Dog *

* with Nathan Lawr
% with The Constantines

Three Gut: http://www.threegutrecords.com