Customer Reviews

Music @ Work

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

There are few bands of the present day that will garner special recognition and remembrance twenty years from now: only a small but distinct list of bands readily come to mind when one talks of the 60's or 70's. The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin were bands of such distinction, and had such reverence amongst their fans, that one almost feels disdain to lump them into a generic genre, like "rock". There are three modern bands that also define this distinct brand of classification-distorting music. Radiohead and Pearl Jam take home two of the honors. The third, The Tragically Hip, may come as a surprise for some, but only seems natural to their dedicated following, who have watched while their idols carved for themselves a wholly unique niche of the music market. After fifteen years and eight albums, The Tragically Hip are as Canadian as they are talented masters of lyric and melody. Perennial under-achievers in terms of "the big-time", the Hip fail to lose focus or let the lack of US attention prevent them from making magical music. Their latest effort, the epic Music@Work, continues in the special Hip tradition of sounding warmly familiar but somehow unique. Many bands have trouble producing a new sound after only one or two albums. Not here: with eight Hip albums in the disk-changer and a comfortable chair one could have a eight-hour work day with a soundtrack that is as full of twists and turns as the drive home later that night. Even songs that follow the traditional Hip album formula of hard-but-catchy singles ("My Music At Work") or slow-poetic-campfire-sing-a-longs ("Toronto #4") still surprise. "Toronto #4", which sees the hauntingly beautiful harmonic accompaniment of Julie Doiron (formerly of Eric's Trip) is the "Bobcaygeon" of the album: beautiful, seductive, sweet. "As I Wind Down The Pines" gives off a folksy, Lightfoot air; "Tiger The Lion" makes you hit fast forward...and then press rewind to take another listen, and then one more. It is "the most audacious thing we've ever done" explains Hip frontman Gordon Downie, whose penmanship continues into the uncharted, and only feels more forward with each masterful attempt. Music@Work gives fans 14 more gems to ponder, each with its own story - its own spot in the sun. Still, the knockout punch of the album is "My Music At Work". As the writer who listens to music throughout each workday it can be solidly said that Music@Work will be his music at work for the foreseeable future.

I must admit I may be a bit biased in this review. I have every Hip record and attend their live shows when they are in town. I'd categorize the Hip as an adult oriented band which has a blues/rock sound but isn't boring as an Eric Clapton or a Dire Straits record is. The Hip do not cater to Phil Collins "easy listening" fans. If you like Pearl Jam, U2, and the Rolling Stones, you should like the Tragically Hip. Music @ Work shows that the Hip can write a terrific pop song with catchy hooks, eg. My Music At Work, but also put out rockers which are not necessarily radio friendly because they don't have a 'hook' within the first 20 seconds of the song, eg. Tiger the Lion (which sometimes sounds a bit like AC/DC meets Pearl Jam). Gord Downie continues to pen unique lyrics which are odd on their own but always seem to work within the music ("I had a bird's-eye view of a bird's-eye view when I saw you.") and his voice has definitely matured from previous efforts. Music @ Work IS more radio-friendly than previous Hip efforts but this is not a "sell out" type record. (Even if the Hip did attempt to "sell out" it probably wouldn't matter as fickle radio station program directors don't seem to play them much anyway. Great bands like the Hip are ignored while generic uninventive pop like MatchBox 20 gets on top 40 playlists. However, that is a different topic.) "Lake Fever" and "Stay" are catchy and when listening to this record it's difficult to continue past the 5th track because they are an easy listen. I often skip back and repeat the record's first five songs. The rest of the record is also impressive and worth a listen. There is not a "Bobcayeon" (from PHANTOM POWER) on this work but considering that is my favorite Hip song it is difficult to replace, but if you like songs like "Emperor Peguin" (also from PP) you'll enjoy "Freak Turbulence" and "Wild Mountain Honey". Bottom line...this is a solid album which does not dissappoint. Buy it. Listen to it. Tell your local radio station to play it.

It is tough to be a fan and articulate an objective view, but here goes: (Maybe it helps that I am at work and listening to Music @ Work.)

I am a huge fan of music, but being a twentysomething, have not seen music evolve and emerge anywhere near its zenith. No, I wasn't there to snatch up each new Beatles or Stones vinyl record with bated breath and crumpled ten dollar bill, but I am here to e-order each new Hip compact disc with exhausted credit card. And although Music @ Work does not blow me away initially, I believe these matured Hip-sters are evoking their subtle genius just the same. If you are not a fan, you're missing out on hearing the obscured mouthpiece for a smart & confused generation in band form.

Now, one would think that people outside of Canada would have a difficult time relating to a band consisting of two members named "Gord," but how can mesmorizing guitar licks and cryptic, intelligent, emotive lyrics not appeal to all? All their work means nothing, if you don't want to be intellectually and rhythmically stimulated by a band. But if "your finger wiggles and landscapes emerge," dive in.

The Tragically Hip is all that is good in music. A rabid following, yet no "sell-out" lavish success. In Music @ Work they continue their evolution process. Mr. Downie evens admits that he is "starting to choke on the things I say" after babbling about the Appian Way. You can spend years trying to figure out what he is saying, all the while the music and mood takes you to fabulous places on your journey.

All my babble aside, if you're a fan, this is more of a great thing. If you're not a fan, please become one and perhaps, like me, you'll be saying:

"you lured me with your diamond flower you lured me with talk of still more talk you lured me with carmelizing power you lured me a lot."

Oh yeah, and they rock.

Seems like there's some Hip snobbery going on here... 'think they're Canada's gift to music'... 'not as good as their old stuff'...etc., etc. The Hip are a fabulous band and have put out a long string of great albums. Since they're willing to experiment (a good thing), they sometimes come up with a miss or a near-miss (like 'Trouble at the Henhouse'). If that's the price to pay for their continuing creation of wonderful music, then good for them! Keep it up. Music @ Work has proven itself to be one of my favorite Hip albums (and I've been a fan since 'Road Apples' -- and I'm American, wonders never cease...), with exquisite lyrics and terrific production. When there's less and less good rock music being produced every year, I've been consistently grateful that the Hip keep getting better. By the way, they are incredible live -- I saw them in '99 at a little club in Santa Cruz, California. Just me and about 300 Canadians -- and they kept asking me how in the world I'd ever heard of the Hip. Good music has legs, friends...

Wasnt thrilled with this one when I picked it up on its release date 3 years ago. Kinda hard to top Phantom Power. But this album grows on you and will find its way in your cd player as often as other Hip recordings. The best all around ROCK band out there today.

I can't figure it out. Deconstructing it reveals a basic rock band, with interesting vocals and lyrics. The production quality is excellent. It sounds great at any volume, at home, in the car. The tunes get stuck in my head. I don't see why I don't hear this on American radio stations. I revisited "Trouble in the Henhouse" when I dusted off an old CD case, so that prompted me to buy this, their latest offering (at this time). These guys are cool, and this album shows their contiuous improvement. I bought their entire collection, to see how they did it. I still don't know.

If you are a fan of the Tragically Hip, this is a must-have album. Newcomers to the Hip's music, however, might be better advised to start with some of their older work, such as Up To Here or Road Apples; these albums are more representative of their general style.
Music @ Work is neither the Hip's best effort, nor their worst, but it is certainly the poppiest to date. A few of the tracks are experimental in their style (in my opinion, 'Tiger the Lion' was a *failed* experiment... but I digress), but the majority are like the title track, energetic and radio-friendly. In fact, the whole album is permeated with a real sense of fun, more so than is normal for the Hip. Although this disc lacks the rough edges of their early work, it is still filled to overflowing with Gord Downie's cryptic, surreal lyrics and the Hip's trademark Canadiana. And whatever you may have thought of the title track (I loved it, but a lot of Hip fans have disagreed with me over this), the album is solid, enjoyable, and worth owning.

I first became familiar with the Hip some five years ago from some friends.

A couple of years later, I saw them open for Bruce Horsnby. An unusual combination to say the least. You could look at the audience and tell in a minute who that person had come to see. The ones under the age of thirty with Roots hats and shirts had come for the opening act. A Canadian by birth, I wanted to know more about this band that is seemingly synonomous with Canada.

The Hip's music is darker than most music I listen to, but I still enjoy it very much. Although their music is different from the band Live, I would say they are similar in the manner that they both produce music that is darker than mainstream, but still very melodic. The Hip is not as loud as Live, but still produces some of the edgy rock that I like to listen to occasionally.

This is a hearty recommendation, even for the non-Canadians.

I like a lot of this album, but overall, I'd say it's not quite as memorable as much of their last few albums. The title track is one of my least favorite Hip tunes ever, with its annoying, repetetive refrain "my music at work, my music at work". "Lake Fever" is a classic Hip song, but the performance and sound seems a little stale on the recording, especially compared to some live versions I've heard, and Gordie's voice is very strained during the outro section. "Putting Down" is very catchy, and I like other songs like "Train Overnight" and "The Bear" quite a bit, but many others seem a bit meandering and ho-hum. If you're not a long-time Hip fan, you may want to start by listening to Fully Completely or Trouble at the Henhouse, or their last album, Phantom Power, all of which are better overall, IMO.

All the pieces here, to make another great 'Hip album.

Lyrically intelligent and adventurous, the kind of songs that make you feel smart for liking them.

Musically - band is top notch throughout.

Yet the cd, as a whole, didn't really resonate with me.

years later, this doesn't get nearly the ear time that some of their other works enjoy.

One huge, giant, exception is Lake Fever.

My god, this song's fantastic. musically, it starts out slow and intimate, then gradually builds to a crescendo, and then quiets back down until "we're talking in whispers, again".

This song, alone, elevates a mediocre offering to 3 stars.

Honestly, in this day and age of musical downloads, skip the rest, buy this song.