Search - Tragically Hip :: Tragically Hip (Reis)

Not the best Hip CD, of course....

10/16/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Most likely, though, if you're a fan of the Tragically Hip, you've realized that they don't have any bad CDs.



Their debut EP may not be as good as their later works, but it's still worth getting. The music is good, and I might say that (some of) the songs are more instantly catching than their recent works (that is, CDs after Fully Completely). Highway Girl earned its place in Hipeponymous; several other tracks are almost as good (or better, depending on what you like). Last American Exit, Evelyn, and Cemetery Sideroad are particularly strong in my mind; and killing time, though a bit "ruined" (by the ?atmospherics?) contains one of Gord's best (or at least, most intense) vocal efforts ever.



The music is admittedly less complex than later albums; and some of the lyrics are much weaker (the Hip had not yet "found their groove", to my thinking) than in other Hip albums; and their are only 8 songs, a couple of which are (very) dodgy. If you haven't heard the Hip before, don't start here; but I definitely think it's worth buying, if you're trying to expand your catalogue.



All in all, a solid debut effort for Canada's best band.



And yes, "I'm a Werewolf Baby" is a terrible song."