10-11-2017, 11:51 AM
this tour was crazy good. i'm still kicking myself for not seeing it. :mad:
Thoughts and Insights -- Day For Night
10-11-2017, 01:26 PM
andrew sharpe Wrote:Anyone have any ideas on "baby bar bereft"?I believe "Baby Bar" is capitalized in the liner notes, although my DFN CD is boxed up in my basement so I can't say that with 100% certainty. Therefore I took it to be an actual place. There is a "Baby Bar" in Spokane, Washington. Here's a description:
The Baby Bar is possibly the best dingy, dark, windowless dive bar in town. They reel in a delightful crowd of youngish punks/hipsters/art-types and serve cheap-yet-hard drinks, so consider a cocktail with fresh fruit squeezed right in front of you. They regularly have a live band for cheap, if not free (<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="https://www.inlander.com/spokane/baby-bar/Location?oid=2155097">https://www.inlander.com/spokane/baby-b ... id=2155097</a><!-- m -->)
That description fits the feel of Emergency very nicely. The bar is dark, dingy, and because it is "bereft" of any windows, there is no semblance of whether it is day or night. The bar pre-dates DFN so I would imagine the Hip spent a night there sometime in their travels in the early 1990's.
10-11-2017, 11:22 PM
This is easily The Hip's strongest album. In my opinion, anyway. Grace Too, Nautical Disaster, Daredevil, Thugs. Wow, what an album. Dark and brooding all the way through. The DFN-TATH-PP is the strongest period for the band, songwriting-wise, I think. They hit their stride here and there's nothing uglier than that.
Jeff
June 21, 2003 Toronto, ON: SkyDome
July 1, 2004 Toronto, ON: Molson Amphitheatre
November 26, 2004 Toronto, ON: Air Canada Centre
June 24, 2006 Toronto, ON: Historic Fort York
May 10, 2007 Indianapolis, IN: The Vogue
July 14, 2011 Edmonton, AB: Northlands Festival Site
June 30, 2012 Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON: The Commons at Butler's Barracks
January 23, 2013 Edmonton, AB: Rexall Place
July 28, 2016 Edmonton, AB: Rexall Place
10-12-2017, 06:28 AM
fingernailsonhull Wrote:They hit their stride here and there's nothing uglier than that.:thumb:
10-12-2017, 09:38 AM
Killer Whale Tank Wrote:The other thing with this record is the way it's recorded. It has a tinny quality that is probably NOT what the band would have wanted, in retrospect. It does give the album a certain tonal unity but probably isn't optimal.
I've always considered it my favorite Hip album, and maybe the worst sounding. Sounds like I'm hearing it through a layer of gauze at times. That said, I think the remastered for vinyl version improves it a bit (also the benefit of playing it on a better system) and is an improvement over the original vinyl pressing. The original CD version also sounds 100 times better over good headphones.
10-12-2017, 10:08 AM
DFN was the first album that really turned me on to the hip, and I'm pretty confident I can attribute it directly to muchmusic.
I was 11 when the album came out, and through some older relatives I was vaguely familiar with a couple of their singles. It wasn't until the Thugs video was released, and with it the warning due to graphic content they really grabbed my attention. In hindsight, the video was far from graphic, but it did enough to make me want to learn more about them. I recall a spotlight on the band MuchMusic did (which was essentially a 30min episode with their videos and a few interview clips) and for me the rest is history. TATH was the first album I owned of theirs, but this was the gateway in to discovering my favourite band.
When I finally got a copy of this record a few years later I surprised by the depth of it, the length and number of tracks stood out to me and really dug into the back end of the album, that has a number of songs that don't get a ton of recognition.
I was 11 when the album came out, and through some older relatives I was vaguely familiar with a couple of their singles. It wasn't until the Thugs video was released, and with it the warning due to graphic content they really grabbed my attention. In hindsight, the video was far from graphic, but it did enough to make me want to learn more about them. I recall a spotlight on the band MuchMusic did (which was essentially a 30min episode with their videos and a few interview clips) and for me the rest is history. TATH was the first album I owned of theirs, but this was the gateway in to discovering my favourite band.
When I finally got a copy of this record a few years later I surprised by the depth of it, the length and number of tracks stood out to me and really dug into the back end of the album, that has a number of songs that don't get a ton of recognition.
10-12-2017, 01:52 PM
I live in Erie, Pennsylvania - across the lake from London, home of FM96. One day I was driving to see my girlfriend (now wife) and they played "Scared." I was really taken by the song, and decided to seek out the album. I went to Media Play, a now-defunct chain, and was pleasantly surprised they had a copy of Day For Night - I assumed they would have to order it (of course, this was pre-Internet). I was expecting more of a mellow sound, due to hearing "Scared" so I was blown away by "Grace, Too." I immediately listened to it another two times before moving on to "Daredevil" and the rest of the album. That album was the soundtrack to 1996 for me. Within a few weeks, I had the EP and the previous albums, and have been adding to my collection with each album released since then.
One curious thing - inside the Day For Night CD was a card saying something to the effect that I was one of the first buyers of the album in the U.S., and if I mailed the card back, I would receive a bonus CD. I mailed the card back, but never received the CD. I figured it was because the album had alreday been out for two years by that time.
I've also been lucky that they've played my hometown twice - once in 2000, and again in 2007.
One curious thing - inside the Day For Night CD was a card saying something to the effect that I was one of the first buyers of the album in the U.S., and if I mailed the card back, I would receive a bonus CD. I mailed the card back, but never received the CD. I figured it was because the album had alreday been out for two years by that time.
I've also been lucky that they've played my hometown twice - once in 2000, and again in 2007.
10-12-2017, 03:11 PM
stevschel Wrote:I live in Erie, Pennsylvania -
I've also been lucky that they've played my hometown twice - once in 2000, and again in 2007.
I was at the 2000 show as well. Warner Theater I believe it was. Beautiful venue! My friend and I had driven down from Ottawa (only a day's drive). That was a hell of a show.
10-12-2017, 09:03 PM
Some thoughts on DFN:
Release
The album was released on a Monday (September 19th) and I was consumed by thoughts of what it would contain in the days leading up to that date. I had never been more excited for an album release, nor have I been since. On that Monday the local radio station had a “Hip Day” where they played one new track off the album every hour. They weren’t aired in order so I managed to hear a couple of deep cuts before picking it up at Sam the Record Man. Getting it home the thing I remember the most is the smell of the CD booklet. The paper and ink had a different smell to it than any other CD booklet I owned up to that point. The mix of sweet and musty chemistry lingered in the air as I popped in the CD.
First Reaction
The album was a difficult first listen. It seemed like a long, dreary slog. I loved FC from the first listen, but this feeling wasn’t present for me during the initial spin of DFN. This album required some time to get its hooks into you. But boy, once it did, it never let go. It’s the band’s greatest artistic expression and most fully realized album and still my favourite Hip album to this day.
The Album Cover and Themes
When it comes to an album, sometimes you can judge the content by the cover. I feel that way about DFN. It’s the perfect marriage of audio and visual. The image of the dark, foreboding forest on the cover depicts a setting that raises fear in many. It’s very representative of the unrelenting, uncomfortable feeling that permeates DFN. A full moon may be present, but instead of allaying fears with the light it provides, it serves to cast long, dark shadows, where our minds can conjure up all kinds of disquieting thoughts. It is this general unease that is a through line for the album.
There are a number of interesting themes explored on DFN, such as conflict and disaster, along with the ever present Hip symbolism of water. Downie is fond of employing water as a metaphor, but instead of the typically used “cleansing”, he prefers the much darker symbolism of “catastrophe”.
Reception
In the first week of release DFN sold nearly 300,000 copies. Everyone and their neighbour bought this album that first week. However, widespread praise for this masterpiece was not to be found in my circles. There was a mixed reaction, and even indifference, to DFN among the casual music fans that had enjoyed FC, RA, and UTH. It was a tough listen and if you didn't give it time to percolate in your head, it could be easily dismissed. It had none of the “catchiness” of the previous three albums. "Everyone" liked all the Hip's output up to FC, but DFN marked a fork in the road of Hip fandom. If you were someone who gave the album the time it deserved, you likely became a Hip fan for life and have been along for the whole journey. If you quickly went back to listening to your Fully Completely CD in the fall of 1994, you may have bought another Hip album or two in subsequent years but you are probably not currently a card carrying member of the fan club.
Videos
The first two videos from the album, Grace, Too and Greasy Jungle, were dull and didn’t gain any traction on MuchMusic. I was a regular Much viewer back then and it was a long time before I even saw them for the first time. They quickly came and went while Courage, Hundredth, and Locked continued to get regular play. Once the third video, the beautifully shot Nautical Disaster, was released it shot up the countdown and reached number one the week after the Hip played on SNL. I can remember the proud feeling I had as it spent a couple of weeks at the top of the countdown, overtaking Offspring, Collective Soul, and Live. During those few weeks in March and April 1995 it felt like the band’s popularity had reached new heights, coming on the heels of the US TV appearance and the amazing Canadian winter tour (The best show I’ve ever seen, by any band, was on the winter DFN tour…. the band was electric and so was the atmosphere in the venue).
Release
The album was released on a Monday (September 19th) and I was consumed by thoughts of what it would contain in the days leading up to that date. I had never been more excited for an album release, nor have I been since. On that Monday the local radio station had a “Hip Day” where they played one new track off the album every hour. They weren’t aired in order so I managed to hear a couple of deep cuts before picking it up at Sam the Record Man. Getting it home the thing I remember the most is the smell of the CD booklet. The paper and ink had a different smell to it than any other CD booklet I owned up to that point. The mix of sweet and musty chemistry lingered in the air as I popped in the CD.
First Reaction
The album was a difficult first listen. It seemed like a long, dreary slog. I loved FC from the first listen, but this feeling wasn’t present for me during the initial spin of DFN. This album required some time to get its hooks into you. But boy, once it did, it never let go. It’s the band’s greatest artistic expression and most fully realized album and still my favourite Hip album to this day.
The Album Cover and Themes
When it comes to an album, sometimes you can judge the content by the cover. I feel that way about DFN. It’s the perfect marriage of audio and visual. The image of the dark, foreboding forest on the cover depicts a setting that raises fear in many. It’s very representative of the unrelenting, uncomfortable feeling that permeates DFN. A full moon may be present, but instead of allaying fears with the light it provides, it serves to cast long, dark shadows, where our minds can conjure up all kinds of disquieting thoughts. It is this general unease that is a through line for the album.
There are a number of interesting themes explored on DFN, such as conflict and disaster, along with the ever present Hip symbolism of water. Downie is fond of employing water as a metaphor, but instead of the typically used “cleansing”, he prefers the much darker symbolism of “catastrophe”.
Reception
In the first week of release DFN sold nearly 300,000 copies. Everyone and their neighbour bought this album that first week. However, widespread praise for this masterpiece was not to be found in my circles. There was a mixed reaction, and even indifference, to DFN among the casual music fans that had enjoyed FC, RA, and UTH. It was a tough listen and if you didn't give it time to percolate in your head, it could be easily dismissed. It had none of the “catchiness” of the previous three albums. "Everyone" liked all the Hip's output up to FC, but DFN marked a fork in the road of Hip fandom. If you were someone who gave the album the time it deserved, you likely became a Hip fan for life and have been along for the whole journey. If you quickly went back to listening to your Fully Completely CD in the fall of 1994, you may have bought another Hip album or two in subsequent years but you are probably not currently a card carrying member of the fan club.
Videos
The first two videos from the album, Grace, Too and Greasy Jungle, were dull and didn’t gain any traction on MuchMusic. I was a regular Much viewer back then and it was a long time before I even saw them for the first time. They quickly came and went while Courage, Hundredth, and Locked continued to get regular play. Once the third video, the beautifully shot Nautical Disaster, was released it shot up the countdown and reached number one the week after the Hip played on SNL. I can remember the proud feeling I had as it spent a couple of weeks at the top of the countdown, overtaking Offspring, Collective Soul, and Live. During those few weeks in March and April 1995 it felt like the band’s popularity had reached new heights, coming on the heels of the US TV appearance and the amazing Canadian winter tour (The best show I’ve ever seen, by any band, was on the winter DFN tour…. the band was electric and so was the atmosphere in the venue).
10-12-2017, 10:31 PM
Another favorite memory from this album was watching them perform on SNL. It was a huge moment for Canadian rock at the time. I remember I was at a house party that night with about 30 other people. We knew the Hip were going to perform, so we turned on the TV when SNL started and kept it on in the background. John Goodman was the host that night. Nobody really paid attention to any of the skits, but as soon as Dan Aykroyd did his famous introduction: "It is my honor to introduce to America my friends, the Tragically Hip", Suddenly there was a hush in the room and every single person at that party turned their attention to the TV. We were absolutely riveted. And then when Downie sang a bit of the Skydiggers' "A Penny More" during the outro to Nautical, I got goosebumps. It was an epic performance by arguably the best rock band on the planet at the time, and an admirable attempt by the Hip to finally crack the elusive U.S. market. Unfortunately American mainstream success just wasn't in the cards for the boys, despite being a better band than 90% of the post-grunge crap that was popular during that time.
10-13-2017, 06:50 AM
direwolf74 Wrote:Another favorite memory from this album was watching them perform on SNL.
With regards to SNL, it's the source of a big "What if" for me. What if the Hip were promoting FC or TATH at the time of the SNL appearance instead of DFN? What if they could have played Courage, Hundredth, Locked, Fully or 50MC? ABAC and Giftshop? I don't think they could or should have gone with different song choices from DFN, but it was the wrong album to instantly grab attention, and a big missed opportunity to crack the US. It has to be one of the very few times that a band has played a song without a chorus on SNL. Regardless, I loved the performances and I had the same goosebumps that you did.
10-13-2017, 06:51 AM
edgoffin Wrote:Couldn't disagree with you guys more. I don't think the album would have the same haunting, foreboding feeling without the thin, tinny drum sound. It sounds like early morning before the sun comes up, after a night of terrible things. Putting some distance between Johnny and GS allows us to hear the latter more clearly, highlighting what a great player he is. I think the sound was a bold and original move on their part after the breakout FC, which had a more radio friendly recording. To me it shows their commitment to their art over sales...the fact that the album sold so well and the songs became so popular despite the arty production is proof of greatness.Killer Whale Tank Wrote:The other thing with this record is the way it's recorded. It has a tinny quality that is probably NOT what the band would have wanted, in retrospect. It does give the album a certain tonal unity but probably isn't optimal.I've always considered it my favorite Hip album, and maybe the worst sounding.
10-13-2017, 06:57 AM
andrew sharpe Wrote:edgoffin Wrote:Couldn't disagree with you guys more. I don't think the album would have the same haunting, foreboding feeling without the thin, tinny drum sound. It sounds like early morning before the sun comes up, after a night of terrible things. I think it was a bold move on their part after the breakout FC, which had a more radio friendly recording sound. To me it shows their commitment to their art over sales...the fact that the album sold so well and the songs became so popular despite the arty production is proof of greatness.Killer Whale Tank Wrote:The other thing with this record is the way it's recorded. It has a tinny quality that is probably NOT what the band would have wanted, in retrospect. It does give the album a certain tonal unity but probably isn't optimal.I've always considered it my favorite Hip album, and maybe the worst sounding.
I think the thinner drum sound on some songs shifts the spotlight more to Sinclair's bass, which is not a bad thing at all. Thugs is the best example of this. That opening drum sound doesn't carry much impact but when the bass kicks in, look out! Sinclair carries the whole bottom end of that song. I think this song (and Blow) are two cases where the bass not only revs the engine, it drives the whole song.
10-13-2017, 07:30 AM
Day For Night is where the boys catch up to Gord. Before they were a great bar band with a genius frontman, this is where the band became artists themselves. Day For Night contains more variation and subtlety and texture and mood, which we were only given glimpses of before (Gems, Pigeon, Fully Completely).
Its absolutely rock solid from start to finish.
In my mind, Impossibilium should be given the same reverence as, if not Escape, then at least Put It Off or Emperor Penguin.
And I couldn't agree more, the production is spot on for this record, the sound suits the vibe.
Its absolutely rock solid from start to finish.
In my mind, Impossibilium should be given the same reverence as, if not Escape, then at least Put It Off or Emperor Penguin.
And I couldn't agree more, the production is spot on for this record, the sound suits the vibe.
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