[Killer Whale Tank]

The "are you going through something" part of Depression Suite is really good. It really evokes that experience of listening to the world outside as you're lying in bed at night, a fundamental part of my own life, since I insist on sleeping with the window open (much to my wife's aggravation). Of course GD positions the sounds more as a hostile thing - something to be shut out - but then again they are framed as speaking directly to him:

I hear the not-wow-wow
Of a siren faraway and closing steadily
Saying Are you going through something?
Cause I am too

And then all of this is brought down to the intimate level of a dialogue between the narrator and his partner's gentle whisper.

Very well done.

I never got a thing other than annoyance out of the rest of the song, though, and generally clock out once this part ends.

[SRK]

we are the same is a funny one for me. I always bristle when someone says something bad about it, since it has 4-5 songs I absolutely adore (love is a first, morning moon, last recluse, coffee girl, and ESPECIALLY country day, which I will argue forever is the great lost hip single and the only song post-2004 that would make my personal top 10), but then I think about the rest of the album and just shrug. Everything else is just kind of blah, even the depression suite, which I never really loved and always felt was over-rated, simply on account of it being a) a suite and b) long. So I'm torn. It's good, but....nothing special.

The tour on the other hand...I saw all 3 shows at the NAC, and was blown away. especially the second night, which played out like a setlist written in my dreams (aside from the bizarre lack of literally any song from phantom power.) That was the Hip as a live act I will go back to.

[sean.bonner]

When it comes to the two bonus tracks, it seems there's lots of love for Skeleton Park, however, I prefer Hush.

Reminds me of a Tom Waits number.

[mark]

i have to admit that there is more love for WaTS than i expected. my hatred for this album knows no bounds :lol:

[fingernailsonhull]

The "are you going through something" part of Depression Suite is really good. It really evokes that experience of listening to the world outside as you're lying in bed at night, a fundamental part of my own life, since I insist on sleeping with the window open (much to my wife's aggravation). Of course GD positions the sounds more as a hostile thing - something to be shut out - but then again they are framed as speaking directly to him:

I hear the not-wow-wow
Of a siren faraway and closing steadily
Saying Are you going through something?
Cause I am too

And then all of this is brought down to the intimate level of a dialogue between the narrator and his partner's gentle whisper.

Very well done.

I never got a thing other than annoyance out of the rest of the song, though, and generally clock out once this part ends.

Yes. The empathy and self-sacrifice of the narrator. And turning "not now" into onomatopoeia. That first movement is sublime.

[sean.bonner]

i have to admit that there is more love for WaTS than i expected. my hatred for this album knows no bounds :lol:

A shame you didn't get to a 2009 show. When they announced the tour with no maritime dates, and advertised the shows as two sets, I couldn't resist trucking up to Montreal.

As mentioned before, great shows that gave me a different appreciation for the songs.

Those acoustic sets! Wow! My jaw was on the floor when the boys acoustically played Greasy Jungle. I also prefer the stripped down Coffee Girl that appeared in the acoustic sets, rather then the other version that was in rotation during the tour.

It's impossible for me to give true criticisms of this band, because I love them so fucking much. Lots of people are mentioning 'duds' that I love (Queen of the Furrows, Frozen In My Tracks, Love Is A First, Honey, Please)... but I'm finally ready to talk shit about one song that I have never enjoyed.

Can't fucking stand Speed River. (Sorry Paul please don't kick my ass)

[Moof_Milker]

My older brother got me into The Hip. My first memories of hearing about them was from my brother -- like the time he came back a changed man after seeing them at Queens in the early 90s. He was a super-fan...and by the time Day for Night came out our fandom was equal. After PP, he started to slip away...despite my attempts to convince him that the boys still had it. I pushed hard to keep him with me...but by IBE he pretty much had given up. I thought WC would draw him back in -- but not really. Then WATS came out...and boom...he was back. For whatever reason, WATS connected with him in a big way. Seems like a few others had a similar experience. Like all albums, Hip or otherwise, the impact of an album often a combo of song quality and time & place in your life. 2009 was a transitional year for me -- it was my last year living in Asia and I found out my dad was dying from cancer (he died in the fall). This album was like a warm, comforting blanket at that time.

Putting aside subjective reasons for liking it, I do think WATS is a very worthy entry to The Hip's catalog. Bob Rock's production generally serves the songs very well. I'm looking at you Morning Moon, Last Recluse, Coffee Girl, Depression Suite, etc. (Speaking on Depression Suite, I don't think it's been mentioned yet - apologies if it has, but it was Bob's idea to stitch the 3 songs together as one "suite" -- and I recall Gord D saying that even the name of the song was Bob's idea).

Potsie, I think it was you who pointed out the lack of Paul's distinctive background vocals on WC. A similar treatment here on WATS. There's lot of double-tracked Gord vocals, and double-tracked/harmony background vocals that have been pitched up/modulated - sometimes making the singer unidentifiable. Country Day is a clear example. Listen to the background singer singing, "Country dayyyy." I'm pretty sure that's Gord S. -- who does seem to be a bigger presence on the album than Paul in the background singing department.

[b]The Last Recluse - Under-rated and haunting. Feels like the same background "woah-oh" vocal is used on this one as on Frozen, where it is slightly more pitched. Not sure who is doing the background singing, but it sure doesn't sound like Paul.

I hear Gord D doing the spooky woah-ohhhhhs on Last Recluse (to great effect)...but as I said, I think I hear way more Sinclair than Langlois throughout this album.

[direwolf74]

When it comes to the two bonus tracks, it seems there's lots of love for Skeleton Park, however, I prefer Hush.

Reminds me of a Tom Waits number.

I agree, Hush is pretty great. Definite Waits vibe for sure.

[cochise]

After reading so many varying opinions, I decided to spin the CD a few times over the past couple days.

One thing popped out to me I never really paid attention to before. I would have to say "Morning Moon" must be the closest the boys have ever been to recording what could be considered a country song?

[sean.bonner]

After reading so many varying opinions, I decided to spin the CD a few times over the past couple days.

One thing popped out to me I never really paid attention to before. I would have to say "Morning Moon" must be the closest the boys have ever been to recording what could be considered a country song?

Wheat Kings and Bobcaygeon come pretty damn close.

[potsie]

After reading so many varying opinions, I decided to spin the CD a few times over the past couple days.

One thing popped out to me I never really paid attention to before. I would have to say "Morning Moon" must be the closest the boys have ever been to recording what could be considered a country song?

Wheat Kings and Bobcaygeon come pretty damn close.

I've always felt Boots or Hearts has country leanings, both sound wise and lyrical content - it's a bitter break-up song and who does that better than the country music genre?

[direwolf74]

After reading so many varying opinions, I decided to spin the CD a few times over the past couple days.

One thing popped out to me I never really paid attention to before. I would have to say "Morning Moon" must be the closest the boys have ever been to recording what could be considered a country song?

Wheat Kings and Bobcaygeon come pretty damn close.

I've always thought Long Time Running had a bit of a country twang to it.

[Killer Whale Tank]

It's a sound I always wanted hear much more of from the Hip.

[NegPhil]

I realize that I may be the only Hip fans to say this but here I go...
We are the same is my favorite Tragically Hip album.
I know. It’s crazy.

[sean.bonner]

I realize that I’m may be the only Hip fans to say this but here I go...

We are the same is my favorite Tragically Hip album.

I know. It’s crazy.

According to last.fm, its my most scrobbled Hip album. And I do love it. I play it more than some of the proclaimed 'heavy hitters'.