The Tragically Hip's Now For Plan A, 2012
As far as longevity, consistency and quality music, it is hard to top Canada's Hip. As time goes by, I admire them more and more. 2010's We Are the Same was a bit too slick for many Hip fans, although I rather enjoyed some of it (I still think "Morning Moon" is one of the greatest songs in their entire discography). But they definitely return to their rawer sound on some of their 13th album (15th if you include their Canadian debut EP and live outing), opening with the savage "At Transformation," one of those great Hip grinders as Gordon Downie snarls his way through.
ABOVE: "At Transformation." This is not the wussy sound of We Are the Same
This is a very good latter day Hip record, as there is much here to savor for the loyal fan or newbie alike. Tunes like "The Lookahead," "Streets Ahead" and soaring closer "Goodnight Attawapiskat" are generous with melodic hooks that in a more just world would be all over modern rock radio. There's really not a stinker in the whole batch (which, to be honest, is rare for a recent Hip record), but the centerpiece is "We Want To Be It," a song they've been featuring in their live sets for well over a year (known to fans up to this point as "Drip, Drip"). It is in the vein of "Grace, Too" or "Nautical Disaster" (both from their moody underrated 4th record, Day For Night) in that it builds with an almost creepy intensity in a fashion unique to oddball poet/singer Downie, who remains one of the most interesting vocalists and lyricists in the business.
ABOVE: "We Want To Be It"
A key feature of this record is balance. For every snarling rocker like "At Transformation" and "Streets Ahead," there are also moody pieces like the pretty title track and "Done and Done." The Hip have recovered from the alleged misstep of We Are the Same with a solid, near great record 25 years into their career. Quite impressive.
ABOVE: The lovely closer "Goodnight Attawapiskat"
*** out of *****
Los Lobos's Kiko Live, 2006/2012
NOTE: the show was recorded in 2006, but the disc was released this year to coincide with Kiko's 20th anniversary.
These type of releases are obviously not for the casual fan. It's not a new thing, but it is a practice that is getting more popular, where an artist will play one of their classic records live in its entirety. (Springsteen has done this in recent years, pulling out full length performances of Born To Run, Darkness on the Edge of Town and Born in the USA on the road).
Clearly the more the artist explores and changes things up, the more interesting it is. (That is why, for instance, Van Morrison's live release of Astral Weeks from a couple of years back is so great, he turns the record inside out, changing the order, slowing down the fast songs and speeding up the slow ones. Great listen.) I would expect Los Lobos to do interesting things with their masterpiece, Kiko (a record that is in my Top 10 favorites of all time). Los Lobos are a versatile band that loves to adventurously explore their material onstage. And, overall, they do not disappoint.
Opening with an extended "Dream in Blue" that really emphasizes the driving percussive pulse, they are respectful but also playful with the Kiko material. Kiko is a record of fascinating and intricate textures that cannot be reproduced live, so that, in a sense, opens the songs for shaking things up.
They don't best Kiko overall, of course, but some of the individual songs are actually made better. "Angels With Dirty Faces" and "Wicked Rain" have deeper grooves, and songs that were lesser songs on Kiko are actually made the showstoppers. Traditional-sounding Mexican folk song "Saint Behind the Glass" has more kick and features impressive playing on acoustic Mexican folk instruments, the title track is creepier, and "That Train Don't Stop Here" (which frankly on Kiko is a somewhat generic rocker) has a deep boogie and is turned into an eight minute guitar duel tour de force between David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas.
It's almost not fair giving this a rating, because they have the headstart of working with the best material of their impressive career. But they do right by it. It is familiar enough to where it is definitely Kiko, but they do enough with the material to make it interesting and fresh even if you know Kiko intimately.
**** out of *****
9 comments:
Surprised to see three stars out of five after reading the Hip review. Figured you'd give it more than that based on what you wrote. Two of those clips sound good. Not really feeling the "drip" song at all -- one of those cases where his vocal affectation annoys. I like that last track.
Funny, I can't get enough of the Drip song. Love it. *** is still a good rating in my system. It is a base line "good." * = terrible, ** = bad, but there may be at least a couple of redeeming tunes, *** is good, **** is excellent with only a few flaws, and ***** is classic. As with many Hip records, there are some keepers here that I absolutely love, and then there is some filler, although none of it bad filler. So, averages out to ***.
Let me know if you decide to go see that show. I highly encourage it. Their shows are really something to see. If you think Downie is a weird dude on record...
Yeah, I've seen enough clips online to know how odd he is live. To be honest, that's as much of a deterrent for me as it is a draw. But we'll see.
I saw The Hip many years ago in a small club in Houston. I know Kyle and John G. were there, I can't remember if ANCIANT or Gary were there as well. Anyway, it is one of my more memorable concert experiences. Downie was nuts, but he was so engaging too.
Sadly I missed that concert. I never saw the Hip live.
I did, however, see Los Lobos live on their "Kiko" tour in..1997? Thereabouts. At the Warfield, or the Fillmore, in San Francisco. Wasn't that knowledgeable about either the band or the record, and couldn't believe how good both were. That was a great, great show.
On the same topic, Bowie played all of "Low", start to finish, as the first half of a two act concert in NYC in, I think, 2002. At...Roseland? That was pretty cool.
Speaking of live Van Morrison, when am I getting my long-promised CDs?
Soon, soon. Actually, I am waiting to get the new Hip so I can add a few of those songs on a disc. That is the hold up. Blame The Hip.
I await your treatise:
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/04/rush-and-public-enemy-among-nominees-to-rock-hall-of-fame/
It's coming...
I would expect Los Lobos to do interesting things with their masterpiece, Kiko . Los Lobos are a versatile band that loves to adventurously explore their material onstage. And, overall, they do not disappoint.Great stuff!
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