[deadparrot]

Everything has their golden age. Whether it be years, albums, comics..what have you. Sometimes it's a personal preference. For instance, The Stones did some of their best stuff in the 70s, Blue Rodeo's best albums were Diamond Mine to Five Days in July. Radiohead is Bends to Kid A...etc, etc.

This doesn't mean that I only like those blocks of time related to those bands...but I do perfer them.

If I had the choice of only one time period for the Hip, it'd have to Road Apples to Phantom Power. To me this block is tops.

Anyone have a different thought?

[Corby]

I find it hard to look at the golden years of the Hip so soon. They are still very much in their prime, to me. Its easy to look back at an artist that has had a long career, and is probably close to their end(no names) and give a good examination of their music. For the Hip, its tough. I'm not sure that we can judge one peice of their career when its not finished yet. Basically, to define the best years of a group or artist, you have to take in their work as a whole.

[deadparrot]

granted Corby. But everyone has their favorite points. And to date, these 5 CDs are the cream of the crop to me.

[Corpse]

cock. cock always seems to be the best block to mess w/a bud.
what was the question?

[The Horrible Esthete]

I find it hard to look at the golden years of the Hip so soon. They are still very much in their prime, to me. Its easy to look back at an artist that has had a long career, and is probably close to their end(no names) and give a good examination of their music. For the Hip, its tough. I'm not sure that we can judge one peice of their career when its not finished yet. Basically, to define the best years of a group or artist, you have to take in their work as a whole.

I see your point, too, but my opinion mirrors parrot's -- for MY tastes, given what I've heard lately with IVL & IBE, The Hip cannot possibly turn out another block of records like RA / FC / DfN / TatHH / PP......

[robert goulet]

I find it hard to look at the golden years of the Hip so soon. They are still very much in their prime, to me. Its easy to look back at an artist that has had a long career, and is probably close to their end(no names) and give a good examination of their music. For the Hip, its tough. I'm not sure that we can judge one peice of their career when its not finished yet. Basically, to define the best years of a group or artist, you have to take in their work as a whole.

I see your point, too, but my opinion mirrors parrot's -- for MY tastes, given what I've heard lately with IVL & IBE, The Hip cannot possibly turn out another block of records like RA / FC / DfN / TatHH / PP......

In my opinion...as humble as that may be...I don't think TATH holds a candle to the other 4 titles mentioned. Although, RA holds a posthumous, nostalgic candle in my adolescent heart the other 3 albums really embody that intangible quality that TTH have become synonymous with...culminating with PP...one of the greatest Canadian collections of music of all time...yeah that's right...all time...fast forward over Music at Work and then there are 2 more gems with IVL and IBE, classics in their own rite...although you can't call that a block, I would have to say that is the Hip's greatest contributions yet.

[The Horrible Esthete]

In my opinion...as humble as that may be...I don't think TATH holds a candle to the other 4 titles mentioned. Although, RA holds a posthumous, nostalgic candle in my adolescent heart the other 3 albums really embody that intangible quality that TTH have become synonymous with...culminating with PP...one of the greatest Canadian collections of music of all time...yeah that's right...all time...fast forward over Music at Work and then there are 2 more gems with IVL and IBE, classics in their own rite...although you can't call that a block, I would have to say that is the Hip's greatest contributions yet.

This just speaks to how 'great' this band really must be.

We can come together to agree that at least FC, DFN, & PP are spectacular, yet after that, our opinions veer off in different directions.

I think Henhouse is eclectic, somehow managing to bring the cerebral and visceral together -- which would seem to be an impossibility -- all the while managing to maintain that incredibly powerful energy that we all seem to be drawn to in one way or another (Giftshop, Daddy, Springtime, etc.). I feel it was a logical and masterfully executed "next step" to follow what I, personally, think is the greatest collection of Canadian music of all time -- Day For Night.

Funnier still is that I hold Music @ Work, song for song, in higher regard than I do IVL, and in far higher regard than IBE, which apparently is opposite your perspective. Though several tracks on IVL are amongst my favorite (Glass, Leave, Darkest One), it doesn't "do" for me what M@W does. IBE, sad to say, is probably my least admired record; if it weren't for Nashville, Gus, SIKU, and Family, I might find myself ignoring that release wholesale. That's not to say I don't think it's up to their standard of quality, mind you -- it's just that I don't have much of a taste for the Makeshifts and Melts and Josephines and Vac Scars and Meanstreaks in their repertoire...

One thing is for sure -- the diversity in tastes and opinions amongst this band's most sincere fans only speaks to its magnificent musical prowess....

[Killer Whale Tank]

I see UTH to DFN as a single 'push' - the band emerging as a top act and then developing its sound to culminate in what's arguably their finest record. Those are and will likely remain the 'definitive' albums (as is often the case with the first three or four records of an artist's career).

Henhouse is a decisive break. That's the sound of the band letting the foot off the accelerator. They're relaxing, stretching out, even fooling around. The album is predictably less intense and more uneven, but also more varied and perhaps more fun..but clearly a step down from the heights. Probably a deliberate one.

PP stands kind of alone. The poppiest record, much tighter than Henhouse and not much like what went before that. You could make the case that it extends some of the new sounds of Henhouse, though, and so represents the 'culmination' of what was begun there. I don't really see it that way myself.

It's followed up by what are easily the two most problematic Hip albums: the turgid M@W and the uneven and limp-sounding IVL. So I see those two records as another 'block' of sorts...their worst block.

IBE is a terrific record but quite different in tone and attitue from IVL. Another break - like a snap back into focus after the blurriness of the previous two. The Hip reincarnate as kick-ass underground band. Time will tell if it's a 'stand alone' like PP or the start of a new run of stellar stuff. Based on the recent shows, I'm guessing the latter :thumb:

[Voilet Light]

My favourite Hip CD is In Voilet Light, followed by Phantom Power and In Between Evolution. Not to say I don't like all the Hip cds, it's just that these three are my favourites. So if I were to choose a golden age for the Hip (Lyrically and musically speaking) it would have to have 1996-Present.

But I may enjoy the Hip differently then others. I have noticed that their newer stuff is heavier in the lyrics then their earlier work where it was the bass and drums that were heavier. I also prefer post-Syd Floyd to Syd-Floyd for the simular reasons, which many disagree with.

[Problem Bear]

I see UTH to DFN as a single 'push' - the band emerging as a top act and then developing its sound to culminate in what's arguably their finest record. Those are and will likely remain the 'definitive' albums (as is often the case with the first three or four records of an artist's career).

Henhouse is a decisive break. That's the sound of the band letting the foot off the accelerator. They're relaxing, stretching out, even fooling around. The album is predictably less intense and more uneven, but also more varied and perhaps more fun..but clearly a step down from the heights. Probably a deliberate one.

PP stands kind of alone. The poppiest record, much tighter than Henhouse and not much like what went before that. You could make the case that it extends some of the new sounds of Henhouse, though, and so represents the 'culmination' of what was begun there. I don't really see it that way myself.

It's followed up by what are easily the two most problematic Hip albums: the turgid M@W and the uneven and limp-sounding IVL. So I see those two records as another 'block' of sorts...their worst block.

IBE is a terrific record but quite different in tone and attitue from IVL. Another break - like a snap back into focus after the blurriness of the previous two. The Hip reincarnate as kick-ass underground band. Time will tell if it's a 'stand alone' like PP or the start of a new run of stellar stuff. Based on the recent shows, I'm guessing the latter :thumb:

Ditto, though I like M@W quite a bit if you remove Sharks, Train Overnight, and Wild Mountain Honey.

Thanks for saving me the trouble. :thumb:

Cheers,
John

[screw_ball]

TATH to IVL. No matter what anyone says, this was their creative peak. It was more than their previous straightforward rock. A completely new direction when they were already firmly established as one of the geartest Candian bands, they finally got to a place where they could really experiment. Sure, they played around on FC and DFN but not nearly as much as THATH and M@W. Though not my favourite album, I think IVL was their greatest performance to date. And I'm not saying that IBE and what I have heard of the new record who are "going back to their roots" are necessarily a step in the wrong direction, but I just feel like it's a step back. IBE was great, but it was much less complex then IVL. And I guess I'm just kind of unimpressed with "Lonely End of the Rink" and "Try/Fly". They're great songs, just not as... textured? as a lot of their more recent stuff.

[IMissMyLungBob]

Well, i could wimp out on this topic and say 1987 (Self-titled) to Present (Album to come), which I would agree and disagree with at the same time, as Im sure many of you would.

However, I have to believe that ofcourse their self-titled does not belong, and M@W, though it has some of my fav Hip songs, is not one of their best. I like every song but only love a few.

IBE fell short on numerous tracks but others are amazing. So i would have to say no to IBE. IVL, Im on the fence with it. I could make arguments for and against it being among their tops.

Having said all of that, I believe their peak was TATH and PP. The start of this block has to be UTH. So my final answer, for now, is 1989 (UTH) to 1998 (PP)

[sgryzko]

I see UTH to DFN as a single 'push' - the band emerging as a top act and then developing its sound to culminate in what's arguably their finest record. Those are and will likely remain the 'definitive' albums (as is often the case with the first three or four records of an artist's career).

Henhouse is a decisive break. That's the sound of the band letting the foot off the accelerator. They're relaxing, stretching out, even fooling around. The album is predictably less intense and more uneven, but also more varied and perhaps more fun..but clearly a step down from the heights. Probably a deliberate one.

PP stands kind of alone. The poppiest record, much tighter than Henhouse and not much like what went before that. You could make the case that it extends some of the new sounds of Henhouse, though, and so represents the 'culmination' of what was begun there. I don't really see it that way myself.

It's followed up by what are easily the two most problematic Hip albums: the turgid M@W and the uneven and limp-sounding IVL. So I see those two records as another 'block' of sorts...their worst block.

IBE is a terrific record but quite different in tone and attitue from IVL. Another break - like a snap back into focus after the blurriness of the previous two. The Hip reincarnate as kick-ass underground band. Time will tell if it's a 'stand alone' like PP or the start of a new run of stellar stuff. Based on the recent shows, I'm guessing the latter :thumb:

Couldn't have said it better myself.

UTH through DFN were definitely their definitive albums. That is how they made a name for themselves. They are all timeless albums that will still be loved 50 years from now.