The Tragically Hip
albums
Get Happy or form the Michael Nesmith Comedy Show (the band is quoted in saying the latter option). Wherever it
is from, it is a great name for a great band. When people ask what this band sounds like, I can only say one thing:
rock 'n roll. Really, just pure rock music done in a very original way that never gets old or stale, and is consistenly
great. There is a question of why the band is not all over the USA, but all over their native Canada. Who knows
man. You can't really answer that question you know? All I can tell you is most great bands are not popular or "on
the radio". It is bewildering though, because this band is the perfect candidate for the radio: accessible rock music
that is intelligent and challenging in its own way. Did I mention that Gordon Downie, the frontman/lyricist is my
favorite of all time? Well he is, I love the way he writes songs. Abstract like Lightfoot or Coen, but easy to like as
Dylan and Jagger are. He just seems like a nice, genuine person too, one you know would not be an asshole.
That's an odd thing to get across in rock music, but he's great at it. The band also likes to solo a lot at the end of
songs, but it is hardly ever boring, and that is kind of their calling card; thank guitarists Langlois and Baker. Hey
something is right, they have stayed together with no member changes in almost twenty years. Nice stuff all
around, but the reviews can speak for the rest of it.
Band Members: Gordon Downie - Vocals
Paul Langlois - Rhythm Guitar
Bobby Baker - Lead Guitar
Gord Sincliar - Bass
Johnny Fay - Drums
Best Albums: Fully Completely and Day for Night
Biggest Influences: R.E.M., The Rolling Stones, Creedence Clearwater Revival
1989
Up to Here - 8/8
The Hip had a self titled EP before this but this is their first full length. I know the lines are blurry between EP
and LP, but hey, I read it somewhere ok? On this record, the Tragically Hip are the apex of country tinged rock
and roll. A little bit o' blues, little bit o' acoustic guitar, and a lot of straight up hard rock grooves and solos! If this
doesn't sound like your kinda music, I urge you to give it a chance anyways, especially if you are a fan of Flying
Burrito Brothers or Gordon Lightfoot (who I'm sure The Hip loved). The album starts of almost too forceful with
"Blow at High Dough", which is a good song I guess, but nowhere near this band's best as it is often hyped.
Luckily through the journey of the word playin' "I'll Beleive in You", the foreshadowing "New Orleans is Sinking",
the emotional hard rock of "She Didn't Know" and "Every Time You Go", and the swampy "Trickle Down", the
listener is transported to the band's personal world of learning lessons through pain. That is what I get out of it
anyways.
I must stress the importance of two of my favorite songs of all time now. "Another Midnight" is a genius,
jangley tune, that defines the flowing pop song. Gordon Downie's story of a small town romance is also story
telling at it's best, and for a man who usually hates songs that tell stories, I wanna say Downie's are the only ones
I ever really care to listen to. "Boots or Hearts" is my all time favorite TH song though, and it is an acoustic glory of
wonderment, and the lyrics are dang smart as hell. "Fingers and toes/ forty things we share/ forty one if you
include the fact that we don't care." The emotion these men bring to a song that is only 3 chours, G-C-D, is damn
amazing! Well, quite a record yes, and "Opiated" is the perfect closer to a near-perfect album, a one that begins
the history of one of rock n' roll's truly great bands. - Trevor e.y.
1.blow at high dough- 3
2.i'll believe in you- 4
3.new orleans is sinking- 4
4.38 years old- 3
5.she didn't know- 4
6.boots or hearts- 4*
7.everytime you go- 4
8.when the weight comes down- 4
9.trickle down- 4
10.another midnight- 4
11.opiated- 4
1991
Road Apples - 6/8
Road Apples continues is the same style as Up to Here, but it is not as good. Even the good songs sound
senile compared to Up to Here's bombast of country rock, but that is in comparison to a masterwork. It is hardly a
failure, a good album that compared to most bands would fair much better, but such a high standard was set with
the last album that this makes the future look bleak. The good songs are enough to rave about though, "Twist My
Arm" is one of their best rockers, "Cordelia" makes the overly hard rock vocal Downie tries actually work for one
song, and "The Last of the Unplucked Gems" is a neat little ditty that stays in your head after the album is over,
making it a great album closer if little else more than that. The other songs are nothing to rave about like Up to
Here was, where the album tracks matched the hits, but nothing to complain about either. What should be said
about Road Apples, is that the band has obtained a harder edge that while not quite working most of the time
here, shows the album as more likely a transition instead of a failure. That makes it an oddity, and something we
can all live with. - Trevor e.y.
1.little bones- 4
2.twist my arm- 4
3.cordelia- 4
4.the luxury- 3
5.born in the water- 2
6.long time running- 2
7.bring it all back- 3
8.three pistols- 4
9.fight- 3
10.on the verge- 2
11.fiddler's green- 2
12.the last of the unplucked jems- 4
1993
Fully Completely - 9/8
Here we go now. If you value Trevor Evans-Young's opinion, take my word for it that Fully Completely is one
of the greatest records ever made. Combining the country tinge of the last two albums with an eighties style
production and a perfect batch of twelve songs, Fully Completely lives up to its title. Some of the darkness from
Road Apples appears on songs like "The Wherewithal" and "Locked in the Trunk of a Car", with its madman tale
of a hiding a dead body. Gordon Downie's lyrics have never been better: they are awkwardness of the greatest
kind, shown in "At the Hundredth Meridian" when he says "driving down a corduroy road/ wheat standing shoulder
high." So descriptive is Downie when talking about randomness, that I beleive his masterpeice of words is none
other than "Elderado" the album closer, which interweaves great analogies with life lessons. The topics of songs
are also something to note, because who else would sing about pigeon cameras, the hundredth meridian, hockey
heroes of lore, the meaning of life, and cold wind blowing over your private parts? No one so effectively in my
opinion, making Gordon Downie a contender for best lyricist ever.
The music is one thing that has evolved here. The Hip had the option of being forever labeled as country
rockers, even though they were great at it, or changing their sound like all great bands must. Their 3rd full album
shows them soloing at the end of songs longer than the usual middle, like on "Pigeon Camera", and changing up
structure very slightly on other songs. The guitarists Bobby Baker and Paul Langlois should be commended for
making each recording intricate and unique, so subsequent listenings are still entertaining even on songs that are
standard verse-chorus-verse three times over. I have no criticisms of this record, but if I had to pick a least
favorite song it would be "Fully Completely", though I still love that one! There is just something about it that
makes it less special to me. This record gave the band the ominous "sounds like R.E.M." tag, and on first listen it
does, but there are obvious things (two guitars and well, Downie) that set the two bands apart. But who really
cares if they sound like The Rolling Stones meets R.E.M.? Those are two great bands, and I'm sure the Hip love's
em, as all good music lovers would. Get over it and get into it I say. Everyone should own this really, there is a
song for all of us on here. Fully Completely is a watermark of how rock n' roll should be done. It is not
experimental or ambitious per sea, but you won't hear any records more amazingly consistent and heartfelt.
Sometimes that is all you need in a record, or better said, all that is needed. One doesn't hear this record and feel
something is missing, but rather something is complete. I cannot recommend a better experience in listening to
records. - Trevor e.y.
1.courage- 4
2.loking for a place to happen- 4
3.at the hundredth meridian- 4
4.pigeon camera- 4*
5.lionized- 4
6.locked in the trunk of a car- 4
7.we’ll go too- 4
8.fully completely- 3
9.fifty mission cap- 4
10.wheat kings- 4
11.the wherewithal- 4
12.eldorado- 4*
1994
Day for Night - 9/8
....and out of the muck, comes an album so dark and absorbing, you'll have to hold on to not get sucked in to
its void. The Tragically Hip have reinvented themselves and removed any trace of bad production (thank Mark
Borwn for that, sculptor of moods that helmed this as well as Automatic for the People). The album is named for
Francois Truffaut's movie, about making movies. That might intend that there was some kind of backstage drama
going on for the band at the time, or maybe it just means that it is hard to make so many great albums, which I'm
sure it is, and this band would know (this marvelous record is just their 4th album, and two other greats preceded
it, Up to Here and Fully Completely). Kudos to T.H. for not making this technically a double album, at only 59
minutes, yippie. Any more music would have been just wrong, it shows good sense. Kudos to the drummer,
Johnny Fay, for rocking the hell out of this album, especially on "Daredevil", you know what I mean if you've heard
it, yeah.
The band uses "Locked in the Trunk of a Car" and "Opiated" as templates for their sound here, dark dark
dark. The darkness works on the slower songs, "Yawning or Snarling", "So Hard Done By", and "Thugs". It works
on the ballads, "Scared" and "Titanic Terrarium". It works on hard rockers like "Grace, Too" (what an opener),
"Inevitability of Death" (my favorite song, what wordplay!), and "An Inch An hour". Again, Downie covers topics no
other band would, like Canada's invasion attempts in world war two on the tear inducing "Nautical Disaster", and
the straight forward "Inevitability of Death". Clever also, the way the closer "Imossibilium" starts with the end of
"Emergency". And last but not least, I will say again how good the solos are at the end of some of these songs,
always entertaining, keep it up Langlois and Baker!
Most of these songs also build, a new thing for the band, but to say it works is an understatement of the
highest order. By adding these new things to their amazing batch of 14 songs, The Tragically Hip have made
three awesome five-star whatever you wanna call them albums in just five years. If they would have chose to stop
their career here, it would have been ok, that is more than 95% of bands do. But no, they pressed on after a two
year break, and kept going. Day for Night is, like Fully Completely, a true masterpiece, and which one is more
essential is personal preference. Maybe in time, people will view these albums as the works they are, I have seen
other people talk about them. But the fact is, in U.S.A., this band is little known and never critically praised. If you
are reading this, I implore you to enrich your life with this band.- Trevor e.y.
1.grace, too- 4
2.daredevil- 4
3.greasy jungle- 4
4.yawning or snarling- 4
5.fire in the hole- 3
6.so hard done by- 4
7.nautical disaster- 4
8.thugs- 4
9.inevitability of death- 4*
10.scared- 4
11.an inch an hour- 4
12.emergency- 4
13.titanic terrarium- 3
14.impossibilium- 4
1996
Trouble at the Henhouse - 6/8
The Hip are back, with their fifth studio record, and they start back as good as ever! The first four songs
show the band in a typical rocking form, with songs that build to anthemed choruses like "Springtime in Vienna"
with its "live to survive of paradoxes" line, one of my favorite Hip lines ever. Also a builder is "Ahead by a Century",
which is a acoustic ditty, but also very heartfelt and meaningful. The Tragically Hip are ahead honestly, and this
song sets the theme for the rest of this futuristic record. Listen to songs like "Butts Wigglin" and "700 ft. Ceiling"
which sound nothing like anything else any other band has done to date, I mean those songs are really pushing
the envelope in weird! "Flamenco" and "Put it Off" are pretty odd to, but not as successful, because of a lack of a
solid melody. The Hip trips every once in a while on here, with songs like "Sherpa" and "Apartment song", the
latter of which is their worst song yet. These songs don't deluge the experience too badly, and are often mildy
enjoyable or not to annoying, one or the other. "Coconut Cream", "Don't Wake Daddy" and the opener "Gift
Shop" are good, solid songs, but the Hip has done better elsewhere. Some reviews of this album say it is horrible
which is totally off base. It is more like the bands experimental record, where they try many new things with their
sound, but they can't seem to totally go experimental, just halfway, which gives this record an awkward feel.
Downie actually sums what I just said up in the last song when he says, "I had a passion to experiment but I was
torn". Awkward review for an akward album. Akward is a fun ward. - Trevor e.y.
1.gift shop- 3
2.springtime in vienna- 4*
3.ahead by a century- 4
4.don't wake daddy- 3
5.flamenco- 2
6.700 ft. ceiling- 4
7.butts wigglin- 4
8.apartment song- 2
9.coconut cream- 4
10.let's stay engaged- 3
11.sherpa- 2
12.put it off- 2
1998
Phantom Power - 5/8
I'm pretty sure this is a lot of peolpe's favorite Hip album? Well, usually that means it is also their worst, and
whadaya know? It is! So far anyways, but its not "bad" just kinda dull. It starts off with "Poets" which is a great,
hypocrite dissing song, but it is almost Hip-by-numbers at this point. Follow up song "Something On" is obviously
weaker, though the next two pick up slack. "Save the Planet" and "Bobcaygeon" would be the reasons to get this
record, two great awe-inspiring songs, the former of which is never talked about for some reason. It rules! Now you
know. "Thompson Girl" and "Membership" ain't half bad, but by this point in the bands career, we expect better
songs. The last six songs are just mundane, bland, bullshit. Don't let the fact that people seem to love "Escape is
at Hand for the Travlin Man" and "Fireworks" fool you; hell the latter should just be called "another song with a line
about hockey in it." Really the last half is not that bad, maybe if you were traveling and had to listen to this record
all the way though 'cause your best friend thinks this is "the best record ever", you wouldn't say, kill them. Just Kick!
Maybe that is a lot of people's problem with the band: they have such a traditional rock sound that when it is
turned on its head, it can sound like a trip to generic city. On their first five records, this was never the case, but
here, they make an album before they have an albums worth of good songs. Or maybe they thought that last half
of the record should be all filler. Hey, what a great idea! People won't get that far into it anyways, people are busy.
Did you know that? People have "things to do"? Someone told me that the other day, that albums are tooooo long
to listen to all the way through. I had no idea people had no time to do things, like listen to whole albums. Shame
on the Hip for wasting our precious time with this mostly average album!
1.poets- 4
2.something on- 3
3.save the planet- 4
4.bobcaygeon- 4
5.thompson girl- 3
6.membership- 3
7.fireworks- 2
8.vapor trail- 2
9.the rules- 2
10.chargin falls- 2 (prenouced "chug-rin")
11.escape is at hand for the travlin' man- 2
12.emporer penguin- 2
2000
Music @ Work - 8/8
Music should be a pleasant experience. Whether it is "life changing" is all in the way you look at it. Music @
Work is a laid back record, and doesn't want to change the Tragically Hip's legacy except to add more great
songs. The album starts off in a very misleading way, the hard rock the title track and almost metal of "Tiger the
Lion"! But after that its more laid back stuff with "Lake Fever", "Stay", "The Completists", "The Bear", and so on.
The record is pleasant sounding all the way through, and the songs employ enough tricks that they are always
interesting (the exception being the lame "Wild Mountain Honey"). Could the album be a little shorter? Yeah, one
or two songs could have been cut. But who is complaining with songs this well written and executed? Downie has
some great advice in the opener: "avoid trends and cliches", and he says it in such a casual way, truly great. This
is T.H. as a hard rock band, a laid back folky band, a soft rock band, but all in all just a rock band. If you are
already a Hip fan, you'll love that the 7th studio record is this great. If your not a Hip fan, like I wasn't totally yet
when I bought this, you will it least like it I assure you, as long as you like pop music that is. Relax, rock out, enjoy,
'cause it's one of their best records. - Trevor e.y.
1.my music at work- 4
2.tiger the lion- 4
3.lake fever- 4
4.putting down- 4
5.stay- 4
6.the bastard- 4
7.the completists- 4
8.freak turbulence- 3
9.sharks- 4
10.toronto #4- 3
11.wild mountian honey- 2
12.train overnight- 4
13.the bear- 4
14.as i wind down the pines- 3
2002
In Violet Light - 3/8
Sometimes it is really fun to write about a bad album, it is almost like music critics wait for that chance a band
messes up and goes "Ha!". But really I get nothing out of it right now. I don't feel like making fun of In Violet Light,
the only Tragically Hip record I would dare call bad. It's just not good. Don't get it, you will be offended by it. Most
of the songs bite ass, "The Darkest One" was a single, but it also sucks. "It's a Good Life if you Don't Weaken" and
"The Dire Wolf" are great songs, and "Silver Jet" is good, but way better live. Don't you hate when people say
that? Too bad! No, what I mean is it is a good song all around but when done live, some songs just come alive live,
and this is one of those. Really, with songs like "The Dark Canuck" the band goes back in time and tries to get
some kind of Day for Night vibe going on again, but the magic is not there. This doesn't even sound like the band
that did that wonderful record. Bla, I don't feel like talking anymore, damn vampire record has sucked all interest
out of me. - Trevor e.something.
1.are you ready- 1
2.use it up- 2
3.the darkest one- 2
4.it's a good life if you don't weaken- 4
5.silver jet- 3
6.throwing off glass- 1
7.all tore up- 1
8.leave- 2
9.a beautiful thing- 1
10.the dire wolf- 4
11.the dark canuck- 2
2004
In Between Evolution - 6/8
This band is almost twenty years old, and they can still make music that can compete with anyone else as
far as singular songs go. As albums go, they are slacking off a bit in the consistency department. The record
starts off with another great, sweet tribute to a hockey player, similar to "Fifty Mission Cap" in that style. Then The
Hip gives you two all time classics with "Summer's Killing Us" and "Gus: The Polar Bear from Central Park", which
are as good and unique as anything they have ever done; both have great backing vocals by Langlois and
Sinclair and a shifting, meanicing groove. These are just the immediate songs, give the record time and more
great tunes sneak up on ya, like "Vaccination Scar" and "As Makeshift as We Are". I can't commened "It Can't be
Nashville Every Night" enough, in which the band completely bashes Toby Keith's fake modern country music
posturing in way that WILL NOT BE DATED because if it never mentions a person singing, but just the fake
Nashville style itself (and I note its not Nashville the city Dowine is dissing, just pop country music. I live in
Nashville, it is a great place!). Great artist bashing, and it is hardly ever done this well.
There is, of course, too much filler, in songs like "Mean Streak", "The Heart of the Melt", and "One Night in
Copenhagen" that go nowhere. "You're Everywhere" should also be noted as a horrible song, not to far off from
the mainstream crap The Hip makes fun of in "It Can't be Nashville". Maybe its satirical? Hmm, well whatever. "Are
We Family" and "Good Night Josephine" are the good closers, but the former is better, as the typical "ballad" The
Hip puts on every record, and it definitely should have been the closer. Oh well, like I said, it is amazing that this
band is almost twenty years old and still can put out a GOOD record. Would we rather have a masterpiece like
Day for Night or Music at Work? Ah, I am just grateful the Tragically Hip are still out there, no matter what they put
out. I love this band! - Trevor e.y.
1.heaven is a better place today- 4
2.summer's killing us- 4
3.gus: the polar bear from central park- 4
4.vaccination scar- 4
5.it can't be nashville every night- 4
6.if new orlean's is beat- 3
7.you're everywhere- 1
8.as makeshift as we are- 4
9.mean streak- 2
10.the heart of the melt- 2
11.one night in copenhagen- 2
12.are we family- 4
13.goodnight josephine- 3
2007
World Container - 2/8
It's too bad the Hip have gone arena rock on us, but perhaps it was only a matter of time. The melodies are
actually too cute on songs like "Drop Off", "Last Night I dreamed Somebody Loved Me", and "In View". The piano in
"Yer Not the Ocean" gives it a bad twist. The band has lost what ever edge it had regained on In Between
Evolution, and that is really too bad. There is no "Vaccination Scar" or "Gus" to be found by a long shot. When
they go "metal" on songs like "Family Brand" it actually work pretty well though. Ballads are corny and dumb. This
is moronic music, especially for a band that should know better. Better luck next time, I.....might be around to listen.
- Trevor e.y.
1.yer not the ocean- 2
2.lonely end of the rink- 1
3.in view- 3
4.fly- 2
5.luv- 1
6.the kids don't get it-1
7.pretend- 1
8.last night i dreamt somebody loved me- 2
9.the drop off- 3
10.family brand- 4
11.world container- 1
2005
Hipeponymus - 8/8
7/8 + 8/8 + 9/8 = 8/8. Get it?!?!?!?!
Yer Favorites - 7/8
Song album breakdown: Up to Here (4), Road Apples (4), Fully Completely (7), Day for Night (4), Trouble in the
Henhouse (2), Phantom Power (5), Music at Work (2), In Violet Light (2), In Between Evolution (2), 2 new ones
(they're all right). My opinion, this could have been better, more from Trouble in the Henhouse and Music at
Work; less from Phantom Power and Fully Completely (the bands most popular records I guess). The thing is, the
fan's voted for these songs. The TH had a email-in choice for any fan who wanted to participate in picking I think it
was something like twenty favorite songs? I can't remember, obviously I partook in this venture, as you have now
guessed. Some pleasant surprises are "So Hard Done By", "Lake Fever", and "Gus the Polar Bear". Some Why
The Fuck is this song on heres: "Escape is at Hand for the Travlin' Man", "Fiddler's Green", and "Long Time
Running". Were those singles or something? I have no idea because no one knows who this band is where I live. I
voted yes, but obviously I was in the minority on "Inevitability of Death", "Tiger the Lion" and "Another Midnight".
Whatever people, come on! It's great that the fans got to pick, but most people don't know what the hell they want,
as you can see; hey, it could have been worse, so I'm not bitchin. Thing is though as far as greatest hits go, this is
a GOOD overview for novices, but not an ideal one (too long, too long). The reason people are going to buy this
box set is for the videos and the live concert, both of which are a better deal (though you can buy Yer Favorites
seperatly). It's a great listen if you are not already an obsessed fan and you want a feel of the band though, so in
all it's a success. Just keep in mind: its the majority's opinion of the best Hip songs, not the band's. - Trevor e.y.
1.no threat- 2
2.grace, too- 4
3.my music at work- 4
4.thirty eight years old- 3
5.gift shop- 3
6.ahead by a century- 4
7.vaccination scar- 4
8.three pistols- 4
9.so hard done by- 4
10.fiddler's green- 2
11.looking for a place to happen- 4
12.cordelia- 4
13.it's a good life if you don't weaken- 4
14.blow at high dough- 3
15.wheat kings- 4
16.fifty mission cap- 4
17.new orleans is sinking- 4
18.escape is at hand for the travlin man- 2
Disc2
1.fully completely- 3
2.twist my arm- 4
3.courage- 4
4.lake fever- 4
5.poets- 4
6.fireworks- 2
7.boots or hearts- 4
8.bobcaygeon- 4
9.nautical disaster- 4
10.highway girl- 1
11.gus: the polar bear from central park- 4
12.scared- 4
13.someting on- 3
14.at the hundredth meridian- 4
15.long time running- 2
16.the darkest one- 2
17.locked in the trunk of a car- 4
18.little bones- 4
19.the new maybe- 3
Videos - 8/8
Great stuff here. It took a while for the band to get going in the land of videos, and anything before Fully
Completely is pretty bad, but humorous, so it is cool. That said, "Locked in the Trunk of a Car", "At the Hundredth
Meridian", "Grace, Too", "Bobcaygeon", and "My Music at Work" are all outstanding. None of them are boring to
me if the song itself is not boring, and most include the topics of the songs when possible in the art. Fun stuff for
fans of the band. - Trevor e.y.
Live Show - 9/8
It may not be a farewell concert, but it could be. What a show! If you are not a fan of the band, you will be by the
end of this stuff, it'll blow you away like Stop Making Sense does! You need to set aside 2 1/2 hours for the whole
thing, because there are two encores! It's all worth it though: Baker's classic rock soloing, Fay's powerhouse
drumming, Sinclair's energetic bass playing, Langlois's guitar order and back up singing (which could have been
louder), and of course Downie's insane rants while singing and in between songs. Nothing else quite like this band
live. I waited years to see them live, and damn I was impressed. - Trevor e.y.
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