TG Wrote:3)The Last Recluse- beautiful, beautiful song up until the Rickard's beer commercial style background vocals near the end, they don't belong on this song.
That's what those vocals are! I thought it was an attempt at a Gregorian chant or something, but I think you nailed it. I love the song, but that part does detract from it a bit.
The vinyl on Amazon is not only apparently sold out (lousy having to wait till payday!) but doesn't even exist anymore! Also, the fan pack on Amazon has a pic of a Hip milk crate! Wah!?!
Hairbird Wrote:TG Wrote:3)The Last Recluse- beautiful, beautiful song up until the Rickard's beer commercial style background vocals near the end, they don't belong on this song.
That's what those vocals are! I thought it was an attempt at a Gregorian chant or something, but I think you nailed it. I love the song, but that part does detract from it a bit.
I flippin love it when they kick in. Got to be my favourite song on the album and I love Gord's sound on those vocals.
Here's my half-assed take on the meanings of all the songs on this album:
1) Morning Moon: pro-environmental natural cosmic philosophy yada yada, ala Yer Not the Ocean.
2) About trying to write a song that doesn't requiring looking up the lyrics or investing any intelligence - unlike most hip songs which require revisitation and rumination. Hence why Honey Please is pleasant and yet so hard to remember as someone here mentioned - a song like most of what's on the radio. Maybe Gord deep in his indie soul fears we will recognize Bob Rock as the 'honey' who's begging him please to cut out the dark abrasive edge.
3) The Last Recluse: urban/western paranoia ('who are you?') juxtaposed against eternal aboriginal images ('the last canoe'; 'last of the immune [to white man's smallpox?]'). I felt like I was going insane listening to this the first time on a crowded Spadina streetcar, surrounded by commuting strangers ('Who are you?' echoing in my head). This is also about being the only person you know who refuses to join Facebook.
4) Coffee Girl: Gord lives in Toronto, hangs out in coffee shops, has crush on cute barista. Hey, he's only human; he doesn't have a day job.
5) Now the Struggle Has A Name. Truth and Reconciliation commissions, residential schools guilt and aboriginal awareness, yada yada, a minute and a half too long. It's part depressing, part uplifting. The 'Hon -Nee - Wat - Son' delivery is killer and makes up for any flaws.
6) Depression Suite: Is this about one person's depression, or the global depression we're all in, brought about by the economy and social networking sites?
i) Suite 1: I like the line about 'another world of sound' - like how depressed people can't fathom how the rest of the world's full of people who aren't necessarily f***ed up inside. This is the true 'We are the same' moment - getting over your self-centredness being key to overcoming self-paralysis and grief.
ii) Suite 2: About being needy, the promises/lies we make to ourselves. 'What if this song does nothing' - Gord wants this Suite to be the Hip's answer to REM's 'Everybody Hurts' - the cure-all tune that can stop teens from killing themselves. It's a good song but he fears it just might not be good enough.
iii) Suite 3: Suddenly, a mini drama in the Oil Sands, rootless temporary workers striking it rich in Athabasca. The 'how's it going to end' line conjures new World Order resulting from Obama's victory and imagining the possibilities of a world that isn't addicted to oil, and hey maybe economic crises (global Depression) are a good thing because they might steer us from the dangerous path of ultimate fiery global incineration via climate change, energy dependence wars and all that geopolitical terrorism innuendo covered by 2004's In Between Evolution.
7) The Exact Feeling: Echoes lines in 'Honey Please' - appropriate because both of these are the least memorable songs on WATS. Although the melody here annoys compared to Honey's matchless sweetness.
8 ) Queen of the Furrow: I bet Gord's relatives invited him to their farm north of Kingston or wherever and asked 'Hey Gord why don't you write a song about us for those big city folks'. (I don't think you can get a Toasted Western south of Eglinton Ave.) They are Leaf fans (reference first line of song: 'Win Toronto!), even in the sticks, which is ironic because people who live downtown Toronto don't even watch that much hockey. The 'conversation city' lines remind me of early 70s Lou Reed, the uber 'New York music' that is 100% rooted in the urbane. The juxtaposition of mandolin plucks after Robbie's big stupid 80s-hair guitar solo is hilarious.
9) Speed River:L More lyrics involving water? No, really, this is a song about avoiding reality by taking drugs. 'Speed' - yeah I know that refers to 'a dose of the hard stuff'!
10) Frozen in My Tracks: Another song about how 'you're not the only one' (to quote Axl Rose) Does "We Are The Same" also mean "Who Cares If You're You?" Yikes. Facebook and Twitter are the Borg.
11) Love is a First: Love songs? What is this - World Container?
12) Country Day: This song is embarrassed to be a Hip song. But I'm liking it.
This is primarily for MAv. I downloaded the album with the little download card that came with the vinyl, and the last recluse is mislabeled as "The Next Recluse". No big deal but I'm assuming it's not too difficult to fix, and you might like to know.
I have to say. I don't like Frozen In My Tracks at all through the first few listens. It just doesn't sound right. And the "Waaa-oooohs" are really off-putting.
So I haven't read through the 46 pages here, but I just got the album tonight (finally!) and I'm sat here listening to it thinking...I'm not sure I actually like it. I can't be the only one out there, am I? I know it's cliché to bash the Bob Rock production, but there's something about the strings and lack of edge that bothers me about this album. Plus, after only listening to the album once, I'm not hearing the tunes. (Country day is playing behind me as I type this, and I quite like that one.) One thing about the Hip is that even on the rockin' tunes, there was always a tune there (aside from most of In between evolution, which is my least favourite hip album.) This one feels a bit tuneless, has a bit of the "gord trying to fit too many words into too small a space" thing going.
Not sure what all this means, but I've never not liked a Hip album from the first listen, and maybe it doesn't help that I've been listening to the new doves album all week, which is close to a masterpiece, so...maybe more listens are required. I sure hope it gets better.
So is there a place online that has the lyrics yet? I won't be getting a copy for another two weeks OR a few days, depending on whether or not any shops around here have one that I can grab while waiting for my Maple Music copy. I've memorized most of them by now, I think, but there are still some lines I can't make out... Man what a crazy week.
the lyrics to We Are The Same are here: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://lyricwiki.org/The_Tragically_Hip#We_Are_The_Same_.282009.29">http://lyricwiki.org/The_Tragically_Hip ... .282009.29</a><!-- m -->
Anyone know when the album will be available to listen on thehip.com? I haven't bought it yet (being in Wyoming doesn't help) but I want to hear it!
cygnus8595 Wrote:Anyone know when the album will be available to listen on thehip.com? I haven't bought it yet (being in Wyoming doesn't help) but I want to hear it!
If you're in the States, you can listen to it on rhapsody.com for free.
Thanks, didn't think of that. :oops:
SRK Wrote:So I haven't read through the 46 pages here, but I just got the album tonight (finally!) and I'm sat here listening to it thinking...I'm not sure I actually like it. I can't be the only one out there, am I? I know it's cliché to bash the Bob Rock production, but there's something about the strings and lack of edge that bothers me about this album. Plus, after only listening to the album once, I'm not hearing the tunes. (Country day is playing behind me as I type this, and I quite like that one.) One thing about the Hip is that even on the rockin' tunes, there was always a tune there (aside from most of In between evolution, which is my least favourite hip album.) This one feels a bit tuneless, has a bit of the "gord trying to fit too many words into too small a space" thing going.
Not sure what all this means, but I've never not liked a Hip album from the first listen, and maybe it doesn't help that I've been listening to the new doves album all week, which is close to a masterpiece, so...maybe more listens are required. I sure hope it gets better.
Many, including myself, felt the same way. I actually listened once and shelved it for a few days and then gave it another go. Country Day was the first tune that I 'recognized' initially as well.
I then put it on and had a few listens, over a couple runs and a couple flights...now it is amazing. It is a new direction for the hip and i am loving it...I really think that the Depression suite will go down as one of their all time greatest songs...and it is unreal live if the Cineplex is an indication
i can't/won't convince you, but find a quiet place and give it a listen with some good headphones or on a drive...i am interested to see if it will 'hit' you the same way as it has to many others here.
Salut, Edward
Really enjoying WATS so far, songs are starting to grow on me already, in particular Coffee Girl, The Depression Suite and Morning Moon. Real big improvement IMO over the dissapointing World Container which barely gets any listening time anymore.
I can live with the Bob Rock strings/piano sound which I'm getting used to, but the 2 things I really miss on the last 2 albums are the intertwined growling guitar sound and Paul's backing vocals sound. Not a fan of the backing vocals for the most part on this one.
At first I hadn't listened to Country Day or Queen Of The Furrows much. Now that I am, they are also amazing! Is it possible to have 6 songs tied for 1st place in my WATS Favourites?? That's what I'm loving about this album. So many great songs, all of similar calibre.
I still have to say, Honey Please is kind of my Last Night I Dreamed. It's not bad at all, just the least interesting, and there are so many great things waiting on the other side of it. Skip (for now).
The Exact Feeling. See All Tore Up, Apartment Song, Heart Of The Melt, Copenhagen....it may as well not exist. Kinda dull and boring. Total momentum killer after everything before it, and too much greatness on the other side of it. Skip (forever lol).
BTW those of you who aren't a fan of the woahhhs in Frozen in my Tracks, get over it. It's a killer tune and will be KILLER live! You'll end up liking it, and you'll be there yelling wooahhhh yourselves lol.