cokemachineglow.com -- track review "Lake Fever" - Printable Version
+- PunBB (https://punbb.in)
+-- Forum: General Discussion - Hipbase.com (https://punbb.in/forumdisplay.php?fid=4)
+--- Forum: Tragically Hip Discussion (https://punbb.in/forumdisplay.php?fid=7)
+--- Thread: cokemachineglow.com -- track review "Lake Fever" (/showthread.php?tid=7344)
+- PunBB (https://punbb.in)
+-- Forum: General Discussion - Hipbase.com (https://punbb.in/forumdisplay.php?fid=4)
+--- Forum: Tragically Hip Discussion (https://punbb.in/forumdisplay.php?fid=7)
+--- Thread: cokemachineglow.com -- track review "Lake Fever" (/showthread.php?tid=7344)
cokemachineglow.com -- track review "Lake Fever" - tomsett - 11-24-2005
Thought this review might be interesting to post.
The Tragically Hip: "Lake Fever"
> from Music @ Work (Universal; 2000) & Yer Favorites (Universal; 2005)
On a pretty regular basis I’m made aware by one or another of my colleagues here at CMG of all the great bands I know almost nothing about. It’s the best part of the job, to tell the truth. Whether it is the dB’s, dEUS, or Bowery Electric (this year’s more memorable groups), there’s something great about just throwing yourself into a new band’s catalogue via the people who already know and love them. This brings us to my great confession about the Tragically Hip.
Despite being raised no more than 500 miles from the Canadian border, despite having an unhealthy inclination toward indie rock, and despite working for a website named after a Gordon Downie album, I had, prior to last week, never heard a Tragically Hip song. I’m really wondering why nobody saw fit to do anything about this earlier, ‘cause I’ve clearly been missing out. Here’s a band that sounds like a smarter Built to Spill playing Guided by Voices covers, except with a better front man, and somehow I’ve managed to make it this far without catching on. Luckily, with the release of Yer Favourites, a two-disc best of and part of the Hipeponymous box, other poorly informed members of my generation can avoid this sad fate.
I just sort of picked out the conflicted love song “Lake Fever,” a cut off 2000’s Music @ Work, as I was listening through the comp for probably the sixth time in the last three days. It’s pretty hard to narrow it down really—almost every single track has some fantastic turn of phrase, catchy little hook, or genius lyric—but “Lake Fever” stands out nicely toward the beginning of the second disc. The production is a bit too polished (in a top-40 backbeat sort of way), but once the band swings into gear there’s nothing holding this track back. Downie just drives it home with the fantastic lyrics: “Not trying to make you a believer / don't wanna a lil' piece of your heart / Just telling you a story about the lake fever / or we can skip to a neutral fury / You didn't say yes or no neither / You whispered, hurry.” Now I gotta get Scott to give me the full albums for Christmas.
-Peter Hepburn
- LoftyPines - 11-24-2005
Thanks for the posting that Cam, very cool article. Always cool to see a new fan get hooked on the Hip. It is a bit surprising that Lake Fever is the song that really has him hooked, but I guess the songs people really take to are unpredictable.
Cool review!
- Shane Kroeker - 11-24-2005
Someone should inform the writer about Hipbase.com. He may enjoy it around here.
Re: cokemachineglow.com -- track review "Lake Fever& - Spycouple - 11-24-2005
Quote: Here’s a band that sounds like a smarter Built to Spill playing Guided by Voices covers, except with a better front man, and somehow I’ve managed to make it this far without catching on.
-Peter Hepburn
That's great! Even though I question both the arguments here...
1) BTS is a pretty smart band; the song "structures" (if you can call them that) and Doug Martsch's lead guitar work are so good sometimes, you don't realize how brilliant the lyrics are until well after the fact. He's sneaky that way, making complex and compelling lyrics seem like an afterthought. Not to mention that anyone who looks like your everyday high school shop class teacher while rattling off Hendrix-level leads has got to be given a ton of credit. SLIGHT EDGE: Built to Spill, barely, as they can sometimes jam out a bit too long, leaving no brilliant lyrics at all.
2) Most GBV songs, if covered by another band, would likely sound much improved, if only because the vocals might actually stay on key or by being spared of the tin can sound. But that's kind of the GBV thing after all, i.e. quantity+quantity+quantity will eventually produce an impressive amount of quality songs at some point. As a frontman, Bob Pollard's not everyone's cup of tea/malt liquor, and I can only handle him in doses, but he's every bit as good at what he does as Downie, i.e. deliver any one of 1300+ songs from his "bottomless catalog" on any given night while at the same time putting back a dozen+ Miller Lites (minimum). SLIGHT EDGE: Downie, on rantability factor.
... but that's why it's a great description. It just leads right into an endless discussion. I'm surprised the R.E.M. thing didn't pop up here as well, or "mini-Ditkas" for that matter.
- j-monster - 11-25-2005
Cool review. I remember someone linking to that site here previously, but it's been a while. I may have to dig through the past posts to find that thread.
- joshwayy - 11-29-2005
I just read the reviews Scott Reid did on IVL & IBE. He jump around a bit, but it is easy enough to follow. Both reviews were well written , in depth and amazingly acurate (at least for me)....both received "BUY IT" status.
MAv...how does one catalog them?
Re: cokemachineglow.com -- track review "Lake Fever& - the Doctorb - 11-30-2005
Spycouple Wrote:You've peaked my interest in Built to Spill (great post btw) can you recommend a few of their albums?Quote: Here’s a band that sounds like a smarter Built to Spill playing Guided by Voices covers, except with a better front man, and somehow I’ve managed to make it this far without catching on.
-Peter Hepburn
That's great! Even though I question both the arguments here...
1) BTS is a pretty smart band; the song "structures" (if you can call them that) and Doug Martsch's lead guitar work are so good sometimes, you don't realize how brilliant the lyrics are until well after the fact. He's sneaky that way, making complex and compelling lyrics seem like an afterthought. Not to mention that anyone who looks like your everyday high school shop class teacher while rattling off Hendrix-level leads has got to be given a ton of credit. SLIGHT EDGE: Built to Spill, barely, as they can sometimes jam out a bit too long, leaving no brilliant lyrics at all.
2) Most GBV songs, if covered by another band, would likely sound much improved, if only because the vocals might actually stay on key or by being spared of the tin can sound. But that's kind of the GBV thing after all, i.e. quantity+quantity+quantity will eventually produce an impressive amount of quality songs at some point. As a frontman, Bob Pollard's not everyone's cup of tea/malt liquor, and I can only handle him in doses, but he's every bit as good at what he does as Downie, i.e. deliver any one of 1300+ songs from his "bottomless catalog" on any given night while at the same time putting back a dozen+ Miller Lites (minimum). SLIGHT EDGE: Downie, on rantability factor.
... but that's why it's a great description. It just leads right into an endless discussion. I'm surprised the R.E.M. thing didn't pop up here as well, or "mini-Ditkas" for that matter.
Doc
Re: cokemachineglow.com -- track review "Lake Fever& - Spycouple - 11-30-2005
the Doctorb Wrote:You've peaked my interest in Built to Spill (great post btw) can you recommend a few of their albums?
Doc
Thanks. You'll enjoy them. From my experience, and I only got into BTS a little later on, so I'm sure the earlier fans would say the early stuff's better, I'd recommend picking up...
Perfect From Now On (1997) and Keep It Like A Secret (1999)
I like Perfect better as an album, but Secret has the songs.
There's a new album coming out next year that seems to be taking some time, but having heard some of it live, it could be good.
Re: cokemachineglow.com -- track review "Lake Fever& - Spycouple - 03-10-2006
the Doctorb Wrote:You've peaked my interest in Built to Spill (great post btw) can you recommend a few of their albums?
Doc
New Built to Spill is on its way (April I think). Heard this preview tune yesterday and haven't been able to put it down...
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://streamos.wbr.com/qtime/wbr/builttospill/audio/bts_conventional-wisdom_128.mov">http://streamos.wbr.com/qtime/wbr/built ... om_128.mov</a><!-- m -->
catchy and jammy. good stuff.