October 2004
 When The Tragically Hip made their first full recording in 1989, Up to
Here, they sounded as fresh as REM or Pearl Jam, but they played with the rhythmic
toughness of the early-‘70s Stones. After ten discs and an EP (their first release),
their songwriting still sounds edgy and they continue to play with intensity, in contrast
to some of their contemporaries. The Hip have experimented with new directions on
occasion, especially on 2000’s Music @ Work, but they’ve never strayed
far from the backbeat. It’s a shame this ferocious live band’s popularity in
Canada, its homeland, hasn’t traveled to the US.
Producer Adam Kasper (Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Foo Fighters) has given the Hip’s new disc, In Between Evolution, a dense, close-up sound, and he’s mixed Johnny Fay’s kickdrum (the heartbeat of this band) too low. Yet the disc comes closer to capturing the live energy of the band than any of their discs since Trouble in the Henhouse (my favorite). The arrangements for the short, tight songs focus on the telepathic interplay of guitarists Rob Baker and Paul Langlois, and Kasper’s production highlights their complex precision. Gordon Downie’s obscure lyrics are more topical than usual, but he doesn’t preach. He seems more bemused than angry. Canadian reviewers seem to be applauding In Between Evolution as a return to Hip’s earlier, harder-rocking style, but there are plenty of surprises here, such as the tender sadness of "Are We Family" and strange, almost happy wordless vocal in "Goodnight Josephine." The band’s last disc, In Violet Light, had some good moments, but producer Hugh Padham didn’t seem to know how to give the band the punch they needed. Kasper gives the Tragically Hip a strong return to form. The Hip are in the midst of a US tour, and I will have seen them for the fourth time when this review appears. If they come to a town near you, don’t miss them. GO BACK TO: |
The Tragically
Hip - In Between Evolution
