This is something I've thought about putting together for awhile now. Let's face it, if you love the Tragically Hip and are looking to fix, you're grabbing Up to Here, Road Apples or Fully Completely. I'm not immune either, I've got every single album the band has put out along with a very healthy collection of boots and I still grab for one of those three because they're goddamn solid rock and roll and are also woven into the fabric of probably a thousand collective memories. Particularly those latter two albums; my god, if you were at a Canadian university in the early 90s those albums were inescapable, never mind just a few singles. And yes it is superbly great rock and roll, but lyrically how fucking odd that may of these songs became anthems? 'Locked in the Trunk of a Car' sure, when Gord is screaming 'LET ME OUUTTTTTTT', you're there with him, but it has always struck me as bizarre that '50 Mission Cap' also became one of the most beloved (and anthemic) songs. I mean, sure it's about hockey and, more specifically, the Leafs but still, when Gord just matter of factly lays out the song for you 'Bill Barilko disappeared, that summer..' and let's you know he stole the information from a hockey card, it's just great and everything that makes the Hip such a uniquely wonderful Canadian institution. They've also continued to put out some really great albums over nearly a quarter century. Sure some are better than others (no one really says 'hey, time for Trouble in the Henhouse!', not even me), but goddamnit, they have been consistently interesting, lyrically and musically, but for one reason or another, their rabid fanbase dropped off, pretty precipitously after Day for Night. I kind of considered this mix to be the first part in an Hip re-discovery for anyone interested (I'm also putting together a greatest songs you've never heard of post-Day for Night songs). I put together a mix recently of some lesser-known Hip tracks that I think are worth checking out, covering all of their albums. I kind of cheated on throwing 'Pigeon Cameras' on here, being that it's on Fully Completely it's still pretty well known, but I wanted to represent everything. I guess it's not really that surprisingly when you hear this because it tends toward low and mid-tempo moody introspection. Keep it for late at night and enjoy.
Impossibilium Day for Night
Coconut Cream Trouble at the Henhouse
Opiated Up to Here
Freak Turbulence Music@Work
Gus: The Polar Bear From Central Park In Between Evolution
Chagrin Falls Phantom Power
Pigeon Camera Fully Completely
Rules Phantom Power
Pretend World Container
The Last Of The Unplucked Gems Road Apples
Scared Day for Night
Killing Time The Tragically Hip
Butts Wigglin Trouble at the Henhouse
Are We Family In Between Evolution
Toronto #4 Music@Work
Queen of the Furrows We Are The Same
The Dire Wolf In Violet Light
Stay Music@Work
Throwing Off Glass In Violet Light
World Container World Container
