Phantom Power
Day for Night
Road Apples
Up to Here
Fully Completely
Now for Plan A
Man Machine Poem
In Between Evolutions
In Violet Light
World Container
Trouble at the Henhouse
Music @ Work
We Are the Same
EP
I will stand up for IVL as an upper-echelon album in the catalog - easily their most underrated work.
1) Fully Completely
2) Phantom Power
3) In Violet Light
4) Day For Night
5) Road Apples
6) Up To Here
7) We Are The Same
8) Trouble At The Henhouse
9) World Container
10) In Between Evolution
11) Man Machine Poem
12) Now For Plan A
13) Music @Work
14) EP
It really depends on the day on who owns number one spot
1-Henhouse
1-PP
2-DFN
3-Music
4-IBE
5-RA
6-FC
7-IVL
8- MMP
9-Up to Here
10-Plan A
11-WC
12-WATS (even though it has Morning Moon on it which is a perfect song)
I don't think there's a bad album in their discography, some I enjoy more than others. Really #1 is a constant, and likely WATS/EP at the bottom, but everything else rotates around based on the season, mood, what else is going on in life.
Day for Night: Dark, brooding album. This is a Gord Sinclair record, the bass dominates. Place and time for me as well, saw the band so many times in this era and heard a lot of these songs get road tested in jams. I was living in Kingston at the time of release, bought it at midnight on Princess Street and drove around listening to it.
Fully Completely: Really hitting their stride.
Road Apples: Great mix of the first album and what was to come. A huge leap from Up To Here, especially lyrically. Last of the Unplucked Gems is in my top 10 tunes.
World Container: This is where I seem veer away from many Hip fans. I like the Bob Rock production, I think he tightened them up after IBE. Would be curious to hear some of the recording sessions or demos from these songs.
Up To Here: Still sounds fresh coming up on 30 years. A very solid first album that captured what the band sounded like live at the time, minus Gord's ramblings captured in some great bootlegs from the era.
Trouble at the Henhouse: Maybe they treaded water a bit here after Day for Night, but Don't Wake Daddy and Put it Off are in my top 10 tracks. Gets dropped a bit in my ranking because of Butts Wigglin and Coconut Cream.
Phantom Power: Poets had worked its way into jams in the previous tour, and if I recall was a lead single by a month or two. Skipped a morning of work to buy this. Continues the tradition of a killer track to close.
In Violet Light: Gets a big boost up on my list because of the two closing tracks, The Dire Wolf and The Dark Canuck. Leave is a really cool song that never got its due.
MMP: An early slot. If this is the final album, it’s a pretty strong one to go out on. The production was my first focus, but after more than a few listens it really suits for what is many their most cohesive album in terms of theme and feeling. Looking forward to seeing Rob play that Machine solo in concert, hopefully lots of these tunes make it onto set lists this summer.
Music@Work: Can't believe this is so far down, again a great album. The second half sounds a bit more like a Gord solo album, which is not a bad thing. The first five tracks, from the title track to Stay, alone make it worth the purchase.
Now for Plan A: At Transformation is a great opener, Goodnight Attawapiskat a fantastic closer. A few misses in-between, in my opinion, but a solid album.
In-between Evolution: Struggle with this one. Was not a huge fan of Heaven or Summer, but the last two tracks again make my top 10. Maybe a case of a track or two too long, and where I think Rock helped them on the next album.
We Are The Same: After praising Rock, now I criticize. I find this a bit too sterile and studio sounding. Morning Moon and Last Recluse are great, Depression Suite is a really cool stretch musically, but it runs out of steam for me on the second half.
EP: Was actually my introduction to the band, and I still have the original vinyl (and the CD to get Surf Club). Moments of insight into what’s to come, flashes of them being kids and playing bars.
1. Fully completely
2. Road apples
3. Day for night
4. Phantom power
5. Up to here
6. World container
7. Music@work
8. We are the same
9. In violet light
10. Trouble at the henhouse
11. In between evolution
12. Now for plan A
13. EP
I have absolutely no idea where to slot Man Machine Poem yet.
My ranking is tiered, with albums sometimes moving rank within their particular tier. I have always looked at it this way- Those top six albums can be played front to back without me ever thinking meh I will skip a track (ok, maybe Coconut Cream). The next seven albums have some of the band's best work, but it is more scattered among less noteworthy songs. I could pick 11 songs from among those last seven albums to make a completely unrealistic super album that would most certainly be in my top tier.
Fully Completely
Day for Night
Road Apples
Up to Here
Phantom Power
Trouble at the Henhouse
In Violet Light
Now For Plan A
Man Machine Poem
In Between Evolution
World Container
Music at Work
We Are The Same
EP
1. Phantom Power
2. World Container
3. Day for Night
4. In Violet Light
5. Fully Completely
6. Trouble at the Henhouse
7. Man Machine Poem
8.In between Evolution
9.Now For Plan A
10. Music at Work
11. Road Apples
12.We are the Same
13. Up to Here
14.EP
edgoffin Wrote:I don't think there's a bad album in their discography, some I enjoy more than others.
Edgoffin, I have almost EXACTLY same opinions as you on the albums. The only difference is that I dig WATS quite a bit. I understand the criticism, but Morning Moon, Last Recluse, Now The Struggle, Depression Suite, Queen of the Furrows, Speed River, Frozen in My Tracks and Country Day are all great tracks IMHO.
Moof_Milker Wrote:edgoffin Wrote:I don't think there's a bad album in their discography, some I enjoy more than others.
Edgoffin, I have almost EXACTLY same opinions as you on the albums. The only difference is that I dig WATS quite a bit. I understand the criticism, but Morning Moon, Last Recluse, Now The Struggle, Depression Suite, Queen of the Furrows, Speed River, Frozen in My Tracks and Country Day are all great tracks IMHO.
I'd add The Exact Feeling to that list.
And Love is a First.
Fuck it, I love the whole album.
edgoffin Wrote:I don't think there's a bad album in their discography, some I enjoy more than others.
It was great reading your thoughts on the albums.
Great username! Some may not get it, but I certainly do!
sean.bonner Wrote:Moof_Milker Wrote:edgoffin Wrote:I don't think there's a bad album in their discography, some I enjoy more than others.
Edgoffin, I have almost EXACTLY same opinions as you on the albums. The only difference is that I dig WATS quite a bit. I understand the criticism, but Morning Moon, Last Recluse, Now The Struggle, Depression Suite, Queen of the Furrows, Speed River, Frozen in My Tracks and Country Day are all great tracks IMHO.
I'd add The Exact Feeling to that list.
And Love is a First.
f**k it, I love the whole album.
THIS!
When I rank the albums I notice something; To me there are sort of 4 stages to their career and the albums in the middle of their career, to me are also all the albums that I would rank in the middle as far as being good as well. Their last few have been a refreshing new change.
1. THEIR YOUNG BEGINNING:
EP (ranked #14) An album with a few great songs, but some stupid ones. Evelyn, Werewolf & Surf Club are major duds but Tracks 1 & 2 are still super.
2. THEIR PRIME
Road Apples, Up To Here, Fully Completely, Day For Night
- I don't think there is much arguement here. These are the 4 albums that really made them big, and there's not really a bad song on any of them.
3. THE MIDDLE ALBUMS.
Trouble at The Henhouse, Phantom Power, Music At Work, In Violet Light, In Between Evolution, World Container
- Good, but not fantastic. Some are hit and miss. I rank all these albums in the middle of their career, also in the middle of my list.
4. THEIR COMEBACK (With a new twist)
We Are The Same, Now For Plan A, Man Machine Poem
- All 3 of their most recent albums I find are better than anything released since Day For Night. Sure the style has changed a lot, but it's a SOLID change. I see lots of discontent with We Are The Same. Sure it's probably their biggest departure from their main sound, but I don't think that it even comes close to their worst album. The whole thing is very well put together. The Depression Suite and Love Is A First are EPIC. Now For Plan A & Man Machine Poem are short and sweet, but are very well written and aren't all over the map like some of their "Middle Albums." My only major criticism is that they are too short. Man Machine Poem is truly bold and groundbreaking.
I am going to have to go back and revisit WATS. It's fun reading through the lists and comments. I don't think there's many bands with this longevity and such a strong discography. REM gets mentioned a few times alongside The Hip, and while I am a fan they have a few very obvious duds in their catalogue.
It's been a really cool musical journey.
edgoffin Wrote:I am going to have to go back and revisit WATS. It's fun reading through the lists and comments. I don't think there's many bands with this longevity and such a strong discography. REM gets mentioned a few times alongside The Hip, and while I am a fan they have a few very obvious duds in their catalogue.
It's been a really cool musical journey.
We are the Same seems to be their most polarizing album. With that album I'd say
we're at the point where we love or hate it
edgoffin Wrote:I am going to have to go back and revisit WATS.
I think it's one of the those albums where when you throw it on, some of the criticisms go away. Sure there are strings and that controversial Bob Rock sheen but there's a lot of meat there too.
edgoffin Wrote:It's fun reading through the lists and comments. I don't think there's many bands with this longevity and such a strong discography. .. It's been a really cool musical journey.
Agreed. Nice to come back to this forum too. I've signed up, commented, then forgotten my username a number of times of the years. It's great to hear the thoughts and opinions of fellow Hip fanatics...it's especially comforting in the wake of the news of Gord's health.
Like others, I had a tough time slotting each album into its own ranking. The groupings below are where my rankings would shift depending on my mood, the day, etc.
Fully Completely
Day For Night... both stellar examples of the band's genius.
Road Apples
Phantom Power... a lot of people slag Coconut Cream, which I love. The Rules is my Coconut Cream, and if it wasn't on PP, this ranking would probably be reversed.
Trouble at the Henhouse
Up to Here
Music @ Work... all great examples of the Hip at different stages of creativity and experimentation. Tiger the Lion is sheer brilliance.
Man Machine Poem... just leaving this here for now...
We Are the Same... count me among those who think WATS is a solid disc. Depression Suite, Queen of the Furrows and Speed River are spot on. I think Country Day, Morning Moon and Coffee Girl could have been great songs instead of just very good ones in the hands of someone other than Bob Rock.
In Violet Light
In Between Evolution... both kind of dull, but great albums to put on and enjoy in the background. No annoying tunes, nothing distractingly catchy.
World Container... Not the Ocean, In View and Family Band are solid tunes trapped in an album full of Gord yelling over loud guitars.
Now for Plan A... the closest thing to a musical turd in the Hip's discography. I was sure this was the soundtrack of a great band breaking up.
EP... endearing and fun, but last on my list because it's a bunch of tracks that sound like many bar bands.