GornikDaze
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- 9 Jul 2012
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You mean another Beatles theme? I think we’ve had enough!!
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The Album Review Club - End of Round #9 Break (page 1904)
- Thread starter RobMCFC
- Start date
It would be great though for the Beatles seethe.You mean another Beatles theme? I think we’ve had enough!!
FogBlueInSanFran
Well-Known Member
I am in NYC all week for a conference but have listened to this record twice.
Let me say that @Southampton Blue has given me the find of the thread over two years with his Bad // Dreems selection, which I rated a 10/10, have played countless times since (especially whilst on the Stairmaster) and is comfortably in my favo(u)rite 50 records, only the third record made since 2000 to enter such hallowed halls.
I bring this up as a preamble hoping to soften the blow of what I think about this Tragically Hip record.
On my first listen I hated this. Meandering melodies fit for bog standard local hippie jam show in a community park, poetry worthy of a C+ student at a second rate college, vocal intonations stolen from Michael Stipe.
On my second listen, I liked it a little more, but concluded that only “Grace Too” and “Emergency” were songs I’d play again.
As such, I think the band itself wrote my review for me in this latter tune.
“When everything seems either funny or lousy
Funny or lousy, that's where it usually ends.”
Truly sorry — please don’t take it personally.
4/10.
Let me say that @Southampton Blue has given me the find of the thread over two years with his Bad // Dreems selection, which I rated a 10/10, have played countless times since (especially whilst on the Stairmaster) and is comfortably in my favo(u)rite 50 records, only the third record made since 2000 to enter such hallowed halls.
I bring this up as a preamble hoping to soften the blow of what I think about this Tragically Hip record.
On my first listen I hated this. Meandering melodies fit for bog standard local hippie jam show in a community park, poetry worthy of a C+ student at a second rate college, vocal intonations stolen from Michael Stipe.
On my second listen, I liked it a little more, but concluded that only “Grace Too” and “Emergency” were songs I’d play again.
As such, I think the band itself wrote my review for me in this latter tune.
“When everything seems either funny or lousy
Funny or lousy, that's where it usually ends.”
Truly sorry — please don’t take it personally.
4/10.
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FogBlueInSanFran
Well-Known Member
I’d cause a riot with my selection. Even though there are a multitude of contenders, I’d probably pick Rod Stewart’s “Maggie May”.At one of the breakpoints we should do a Room 101 playlist where everyone picks a track that is lauded and popular but that they find a despicable waste of 2,3,4, or, in the case of Marillion, 17 minutes.
[Awaits brickbats — or Britbats as it were].
threespires
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I’d cause a riot with my selection. Even though there are a multitude of contenders, I’d probably pick Rod Stewart’s “Maggie May”.
[Awaits brickbats — or Britbats as it were].
Now you mention it that mandolin is really annoying!
Yesterday the Beatles for me.I’d cause a riot with my selection. Even though there are a multitude of contenders, I’d probably pick Rod Stewart’s “Maggie May”.
[Awaits brickbats — or Britbats as it were].
Sailing the start of Rods downfall for me but I can understand the Maggie May pick.
GornikDaze
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 9 Jul 2012
- Messages
- 9,455
Anyway… back to the album thread ;)
Decent enough pick for me. Nice ‘grungy’ vibe - not really getting the PJ analogy but still enjoyable.
Solid 6/10 for me. Dipped into some of their other stuff and found this album a more pleasurable experience.
Decent enough pick for me. Nice ‘grungy’ vibe - not really getting the PJ analogy but still enjoyable.
Solid 6/10 for me. Dipped into some of their other stuff and found this album a more pleasurable experience.
OB1
Well-Known Member
....but doesn't everyone hate Nickelback?? Lol
No. Taking my daughter to see them in concert this month.
southamptonblue
Well-Known Member
Road Apples, Fully Completely, and Trouble at the Hen House, and this one obviously....I really like, rest not so much, particularly the later stuff ;)Anyway… back to the album thread ;)
Decent enough pick for me. Nice ‘grungy’ vibe - not really getting the PJ analogy but still enjoyable.
Solid 6/10 for me. Dipped into some of their other stuff and found this album a more pleasurable experience.
Black&White&BlueMoon Town
Well-Known Member
Day For Night - The Tragically Hip
Musically, I did like this album. 1994 was probably the height of grunge, and musically I found a lot of similarities with later Pearl Jam, not the early "Ten" version we listened to here last fall.
My issue is mainly in lead singer Gord Downie's vocals, and even at times the backing harmonies on some of the tracks. After re-reading @RobMCFC s review, I realized that Gord sounds the most to me like Peter Garrett from Midnight Oil, but I just think Garrett has a more pronounced sound and presence in that band's songs. Maybe I'm wrong, but I just get that feeling in listening to this album.
On the opening track "Grace, Too", I could hear parts of PJ's "Who You Are" off of their 1996 album No Code, so not sure if they borrowed that musically from TTH, but it sounded quite familiar. A great opening tune.
The lyrics on "Daredevil" were well done. "And the real wonder of the world is that we don't jump too". The fast pace sound matched the feeling of going over the falls, so this one hit for me.
A nice bass opening to "Greasy Jungle", I just thought the vocals didn't measure up to the music.
I liked "Yawning Or Snarling" all around as the softer sounding tempo seemed to suit Gord's vocals more, another song driven by the bass.
"Fire in the Hole" had a very nice guitar sound that very much personified the grunge of that time period.
"So Hard Done By" is a nice slow paced gem that is one of my favourites. Channeling Alice In Chains on the guitars, it is a nice sounding song that I think better highlight's the band's sound here.
This historical significance of the German battleship Bismark's sinking of the British Battleship Hood during early 1941 WWII and what that meant nautically cannot be understated in "Nautical Disaster" a well done tribute song, that eerily conveys the chaos and confusion around such an event.
"Inevitability Of Death" had some good lyrics which I focused on given my upcoming album selection. "We don't go to hell, the memories of us do" was an interesting lyric.
"Scared" was a nice acoustic interlude, though again, the lyrics were focused and dark for such a calm song in selling fear door to door.
The most pressing thing I need to know about "An Inch An Hour" is which Neil is being referred to at the end. Neil Peart? Neil Young? Neil Diamond? Neil Patrick Harris? ;-)
"Emergency" is back to liking the music, and not as much on the vocals. The guitars were very well done here.
"Titanic Terrarium" was just strange with some down to earth lyrics, but just didn't do it for me musically.
"Impossibilium" ends the album with a moody and ambiguous song that really shines with the whole band's instruments, especially the guitars again.
This was overall a good listen, and maybe TTH will grow on me, but I'm just not there yet, and it is mostly due to the vocals. Genre-wise, this is a band I should like, so I'll give it some time. It's a 6/10 for me.
Musically, I did like this album. 1994 was probably the height of grunge, and musically I found a lot of similarities with later Pearl Jam, not the early "Ten" version we listened to here last fall.
My issue is mainly in lead singer Gord Downie's vocals, and even at times the backing harmonies on some of the tracks. After re-reading @RobMCFC s review, I realized that Gord sounds the most to me like Peter Garrett from Midnight Oil, but I just think Garrett has a more pronounced sound and presence in that band's songs. Maybe I'm wrong, but I just get that feeling in listening to this album.
On the opening track "Grace, Too", I could hear parts of PJ's "Who You Are" off of their 1996 album No Code, so not sure if they borrowed that musically from TTH, but it sounded quite familiar. A great opening tune.
The lyrics on "Daredevil" were well done. "And the real wonder of the world is that we don't jump too". The fast pace sound matched the feeling of going over the falls, so this one hit for me.
A nice bass opening to "Greasy Jungle", I just thought the vocals didn't measure up to the music.
I liked "Yawning Or Snarling" all around as the softer sounding tempo seemed to suit Gord's vocals more, another song driven by the bass.
"Fire in the Hole" had a very nice guitar sound that very much personified the grunge of that time period.
"So Hard Done By" is a nice slow paced gem that is one of my favourites. Channeling Alice In Chains on the guitars, it is a nice sounding song that I think better highlight's the band's sound here.
This historical significance of the German battleship Bismark's sinking of the British Battleship Hood during early 1941 WWII and what that meant nautically cannot be understated in "Nautical Disaster" a well done tribute song, that eerily conveys the chaos and confusion around such an event.
"Inevitability Of Death" had some good lyrics which I focused on given my upcoming album selection. "We don't go to hell, the memories of us do" was an interesting lyric.
"Scared" was a nice acoustic interlude, though again, the lyrics were focused and dark for such a calm song in selling fear door to door.
The most pressing thing I need to know about "An Inch An Hour" is which Neil is being referred to at the end. Neil Peart? Neil Young? Neil Diamond? Neil Patrick Harris? ;-)
"Emergency" is back to liking the music, and not as much on the vocals. The guitars were very well done here.
"Titanic Terrarium" was just strange with some down to earth lyrics, but just didn't do it for me musically.
"Impossibilium" ends the album with a moody and ambiguous song that really shines with the whole band's instruments, especially the guitars again.
This was overall a good listen, and maybe TTH will grow on me, but I'm just not there yet, and it is mostly due to the vocals. Genre-wise, this is a band I should like, so I'll give it some time. It's a 6/10 for me.
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