John K Samson solo acoustic 7" single, City Route 85 - out in Europe on Oct 30th (GHVC) , rest of world Nov 3rd (Epitaph/Anti). City Route 85 is the formal name for Portage Avenue, one of Winnipeg’s main thoroughfares. Samson begins his study of this storied street with the song Heart of the Continent, set at the corner of Portage Avenue and Memorial Boulevard, where a demolished building is resurrected by a narrator struggling to apprehend the losses and despair that haunt cities and citizens alike. Grace General travels west from there, a wintry drive on Portage to Grace General Hospital, seen through eyes preparing to face the death of a loved one. The closing song, Cruise Night, finds a young man desperate to join in the strange and sweet tradition of driving aimlessly up and down Portage Avenue, a social activity many Winnipeggers have participated in every Sunday night for as long as anyone can remember. City Route 85 will be released on 7 Inch vinyl and through digital download on October 30th by Grand Hotel Van Cleef in Europe, and on November 3rd on Epitaph/ANTI Records in North America.

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