[direwolf74]

However, your stance on this probably depends on what KIND of music you dig: spontaneous and urgent, over manicured and super-produced.

I too am a huge fan of IBE's live-off-the-floor production, and I'd say the majority of the music I listen to is of the spontaneous and urgent variety. Much like you I'm not usually a fan of glossy production, but I was pleasantly surprised by the results on World Container, and it's since become one of my all-time favorite Hip records. When I first heard that Bob Rock was producing, I was just as worried as everybody else. But for the most part I think the production suits the material beautifully. True, he went a little overboard on "In View" and "World Container", but everything else sounds perfectly fine to me. In the end it's the songs that really matter, not the production, and in my opinion this is the best collection of songs the Hip have put together since Phantom Power. IBE is terrific, and it's easily one of my top 5 favorite Hip albums, but overall I'd say World Container is a slightly better record. Not because of the production, but because the songs are just so goddamn brilliant. I like the fact that they try different producers everytime they make a record, and as much as I love World Container, I hope they change it up again for the next album. It keeps things fresh and interesting. I'd love to see them work with somebody like Daniel Lanois or Brendan O'Brien on the next one.