Welcome back to the CD Odyssey. Before we get to Disc 1967, here are a few records I heartily recommend from the year 1967:
- Jimi Hendrix, “Are You Experienced?” (Disc 1928)
- Leonard Cohen, “Songs” (Disc 522)
- Albert King, “Born Under a Bad Sign” (Disc 1862)
OK – on with the album review…
Disc 1967 is…We Are the Same
Artist: The Tragically Hip
Year of Release: 2009
What’s up with the Cover? Some fellas (presumably the band) stand around an outdoor fire. At least I hope it is outdoors, because the sparks coming out of that chimney will definitely damage the ceiling.
How I Came To Know It: I heard the song “Coffee Girl”. This was years after this album was released and I wasn’t really focused on the Tragically Hip at the time, but I liked the song and was intrigued by what the Hip had been up to all these years.
While not my favourite Hip record, it did return me to them and caused a second round of exploring their discography from the other end of their career, so that was cool.
How It Stacks Up: I have eight of the Tragically Hip’s thirteen studio albums, which is a goodly amount, but not at the level of super fan this band tends to attract. Of those eight, “We Are the Same” comes in at a #7, which sounds bad, but it isn’t – it is just a tough field.
Ratings: 3 stars
For the most part, I am an “early Hip” fan, and all my other records span from their eponymous EP debut in 1987 through to “Phantom Power” in 1998. “We Are the Same” is the exception to that rule, a full decade later returning me to a band and making me ashamed that I had left so soon.
“We Are the Same” is a slightly softer, gentler record overall in its arrangements, but the key ingredients to the Tragically Hip are all there. The superior musicianship - more orchestra of sound than individual showboating, and melodies that draw you inward to a beauty that emerges more fully only after repeated listens. Along with all of that, the thoughtful Gord Downie lyrics, masterfully phrased out into the song.
Downie’s vocals on “We Are the Same” are less aggressive on this record, but just as emotive. His voice has a natural hurt in it, and on “We Are the Same” it surprised me with just how soothing hurt can be, when done right.
This is most notable on the lilting beauty of “Coffee Girl” which paints the perfect picture of the neighbourhood barista, recasting that person you see for five minutes a day as a three-dimensional human. Downie’s artistry is showcasing the “why” of the character, with half-painted scenes that honour the character while reminding the listener that no, you don’t really know this person like you think you do.
I didn’t love all the lyrics on the record as much as “Coffee Girl” but that’s a feature of a Tragically Hip record, where often you’re not sure what Downie is singing about fully, catching his poetry like phrases of passing conversation, or gusts of wind blowing leaves. Evocative in the moment, but fleeting, and a bit mysterious.
Musically, my favourite is “The Last Recluse” which has Downie delivering a sublime set of high notes that lifts your spirits while simultaneously leaving you uncertain just where you are being lifted to. Best line:
“When the wind comes up and the surface of the water scuffs
“The Depression Suite” holds down the end of Side One with a deep exploration of depression. The theme is that even when we are down and feel alone, someone else is feeling just as depressed as you are: the Hip’s answer to R.E.M’s “Everybody Hurts”. Observant readers will note later that despite this praise it does not feature in the “best tracks” summary. That’s only because the song is over nine minutes long and could probably accomplish the same magic in five or six.
The record has a pastoral quality to it. The first song features the still imagery of an overly quiet early morning with “Morning Moon” and the final track bookends it nicely with “Country Day”. In both cases, the quietness around him has Downie thinking Deep Thoughts (this is a common state for him).
The songs still manage to rock out in places, but they feel rounded around the edges in the production, and you get the sense of a veteran band that has settled into their sound and are comfortable letting it unfurl without having to press. Still thoughtful, still creative, but all with a greater sense of calm. Is it better or worse than the groove-filled rock of their earlier work? It’s neither. It’s just the exploration of a different facet of the band’s sound, and while not my favourite, still a worthwhile entry into their impressive catalogue.
Best tracks: The Last Recluse, Coffee Girl, Queen of the Furrows, Country Day
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