For Canadian veterans The Weakerthans, recording is no easy task, especially when it is being done on the top floor of a Manitoba factory in the early hours of the morning. Nevertheless, that's exactly how their latest album, Reunion Tour, was created. Now, touring in support of it, The Weakerthans will be in London on November 9, just before embarking on a European tour.

Reunion Tour has been widely acclaimed thus far, and Weakerthans fans have yet to show any sign of disappointment. Compared to their previous accomplishments, some may argue that it does not break new ground per se, but, on the other hand, it has also been described by Ian Blurton, the producer of both Reconstruction Site and Reunion Tour, as their most experimental to date.

“We really went into the studio with no preconceived ideas for a bunch of the songs; the direction just happened in the studio... and that just led to playing with all sorts of ideas that were not necessarily laid out in advance,” Weakerthans guitarist Stephen Carroll said about the production and instrumentation. “That was sort of new.”

Certainly the gamble seems to have paid off, and in fact, even with many of the song arrangements done in the studio, Reunion Tour came together quicker than any previous albums. In comparison, Carroll stated that their latest “actually took less time to [record]... we did most of it in 15 days.” This comes as a surprise, especially because the songs, which stemmed from the craftsmanship of The Weakerthans' lead singer, John K. Sampson, were four years in the making.

Through this time, the band lost a member, gained another, and spent a lot of time writing, relaxing, and curling — yes, the sport. Two of the band actually played on a team with Carroll's father, an experience which explains the inspiration of one of Reunion Tour's most prominent songs, “Tournament of Hearts.” “I slide right through the day/ I'm always throwing hack weight” may seem like bizarre lyrics to many, but Samson's words, at the heart of it all, are little pieces of Canadiana.

Curling, hockey legends and typically Canadian figures appear on the album, some based on real figures, some fictional. Nevertheless, it is interesting that such regional subject matter actually manages to appeal to audiences in the US and Overseas. And although they are grateful for all of their fans, the Weakerthans don't exactly seem worried about writing to impress a certain demographic.

“We simply write the songs that appeal to us and we feel need to be written,” Carroll said. “Our Canadian identity is just part of who we are, and it's just a natural offshoot... of how we see ourselves”

This Canadian perspective is also interestingly approached from two sides; half of The Weakerthans live in Winnipeg and half (including Jason Tate of Broken Social Scene fame) live in Toronto. Lucky for them, they have been gladly embraced by not only their homes in Winnipeg and Toronto, but by thousands of fans around the world, a number that has only been growing since The Weakerthans' first release a decade ago. Part of this growth in fans is also due to the wide variety of influences apparent in The Weakerthans' sound. As a result, they have also been presented with a wide variety of unique opportunities.

“People began to realize we played more than just punk rock songs,” Carroll explained. “We're now in a position where we can play folk festivals, or we can play blues festivals, and we can play punk rock clubs and rock clubs.”

And that's exactly what they'll be doing this Friday night at Call the Office.