SOUND BITES

As I write this, it's been almost 24 hours since you played what most assume is your last show; and, what a show it was! Watching song after song unfold, witnessing it all alongside millions of heavy hearts, we had the privilege of feeling five hearts pounding out its unified pulse one more time. Your hearts and your songs have offered wisdom, solace and inspiration so profound, such cherished gifts to so many. We are in awe of Gord Downie's courage and determination. Watching him stand and deliver in the way which he did, defiant in the face of an unstoppable foe, has provided us with so much more than a remarkable memory; it gives us hope that we too may find the strength to fight through our own obstacles. That Gord chose to share this fight with us rather than suffer privately is an immense act of generosity, and one that we are most grateful for. To be given the opportunity to say goodbye in this way, if this is indeed goodbye, is perhaps the most precious gift we coul...

I haven't been to the United States since June 21, 2002. If that seems like an odd date to remember, don't worry; I had to look it up. That was the day that The Tragically Hip celebrated the recently released In Violet Light by playing a show on Lake Champlain, just off the coast of Burlington, Vermont. On a ferry; cool, right? I know this, because I had tickets to see it. Not that I expected I'd actually get the chance; a week or so earlier, I'd entered a contest on their website, in which they were giving away tickets to a series of shows, none quite as close to home as the Vermont show. So, on a whim, I entered my name into the draw for that show. Cut to Friday, June 21. I arrived for work at 10AM, and started to sort through my show prep (I was working at the local radio station at this time). I booted up the music room's computer, and decided to check my e-mail. Lo and behold, there's one from The Hip, telling me I'd been selected for the contest...

You'd be hard pressed to find a more galvanizing band to Canadians than The Tragically Hip. Come to think of it, though I'm no expert on the music of all countries worldwide, I'm not so sure there's another band on the face of the earth that instills more national pride. Show me a Canadian who doesn't exude at least a passing respect for this band, and I'll show you someone who should have their papers checked. Over the span of a career that has stretched more than thirty years, The Hip have achieved undisputed legendary status, amassed a glowing discography and proven themselves time and time again as not only one of Canada's most important artistic voices, but also one of our most dependable and consistent live acts. Of course, it doesn't hurt that they've managed all of this without ever subbing out a band member. With so much success, so many accolades and so few disappointments, it's easy to see why this weekend's (perceived) far...

1991 was a really big, and kind of weird, year for rock music. The world was ushering in change in the form of technological advancements and social reforms, and the music world would soon follow suit. As the year progressed and the wave of hair metal had begun to run its course, a new and powerful force was on the rise. By year's end, it was clear that we were on the cusp of a true rock revolution, the likes of which hasn't been experienced again since. I turned 15 years old in 1991. By this time, I was already what I'd consider a music lover, but I hadn't yet figured out my musical identity. As a devoted member of Columbia House, I was hoarding cheap cassettes and quickly becoming not just a music fan, but also a collector. My tape collection was kind of impressive in size, but was stylistically scattered beyond any real sense of logic or reason (case in point: alongside my thriving collection of hair metal were albums by such classic pop/rap superstars as Vanilla...

Though it likely wasn't intended as a farewell album, Gord Downie's recent brain tumor diagnosis inevitably hangs over The Hip's 13th album with a harrowing sense of finality. If this indeed is the last LP we ever get from the band, they're at least going out like only they can; exploratory until the end, Man Machine Poem isn't afraid to take chances or veer wildly from conventional trappings. As clouded by recent knowledge as its message is, Downie's lyrics are more poignant and carry greater impact as a result. Add it up, and Man Machine Poem is a challenging and emotional record that may not rival the band's best work but most definitely serves as a reminder of why they're such a cherished Canadian institution. June 17, 2016 • Universal Highlights In a World Possessed By the Human Mind • Here, In the Dark • Ocean Next

A couple of weeks back, I mentioned ten awesome and/or important albums that have the distinct privilege of being released during the months of July and August, a virtual musical dead zone where labels keep the good stuff locked in their cupboards for the fall shopping season and have stopped adequately promoting the marquee releases that came out in spring. We covered a good chunk of the 90's during Part 1. Today, let's have a look at 1997-2012, and ten more albums that beat the odds and captured that elusive Summer Greatness.

THE TRAGICALLY HIP At Transformation From: Now For Plan A Released: October 2 With over twenty-five years in the business under their belts and their legacy cemented, it would be all too easy for The Tragically Hip to ride off into the sunset or, worse, become the band that rehashes the past, resisting any urge to create and collecting cheques while doing a show at the local casino every couple of years and playing the same set every night for the rest of their lives. Thankfully, The Hip aren't about to stop contributing just yet. Now For Plan A is yet another evolution for the band, incorporating new elements to their sound and tweaking their art/bar band aesthetic for a new generation of fans. It is not the sound of a band growing weary, nor a band being comfortable. Now For Plan A may not go down as an overly essential Hip album but, by showcasing a band that continues to challenge themselves and refuses to sink into the creative quicksand that traps bands half th...

It feels like forever since there's been a new Tragically Hip record to look forward to. Part of that can be attributed to the fact that it's been about three and a half years since We Are The Same , an excruciatingly long wait for a band that had released an album every two years (give or take a few months) from 1989 to 2006. But then, part of it may be because We Are The Same was such an unremarkable album. A good album, yes, but unremarkable. It didn't try to break new ground or revisit past glories, content to mellow out and float on by, going largely unnoticed. Now, some twenty years removed from their commercial zenith and seemingly drifting out of the mass conscience, the question begs to be asked: do The Hip still matter? It's a hard question to answer, especially for a fan who's inclined to always give The Hip the benefit of the doubt. The only way to shed light on this is to check out their twelfth album Now For Plan A , which is streaming after the j...

I can't let you go too long without some new ear candy, but it's been a little slow over the past week and a half, so we'll both have to make do with some random stuff that's piqued my interest of late. First up is, I suppose, some big news: The Tragically Hip have a new single.  Honestly, I'd have posted this a week ago, but I've been waiting for album and release date info.  They're being tight lipped about that for the moment, but it stands to reason we'll see something rather soon (July is my guess).  Hopefully Murphy's Law takes it from here, wherein I make this post and they announce all the dirt in an hour. At Transformation feels like an exercise in compromise; the tune rocks harder than most of their recent output, but Gord Downie's lyrics and delivery refuse to take us all the way back to the early 90's.  This will likely be a problem for some, but I've always stood by the band despite their stubborn refusal to record Up ...