Track Listing

1. Are You Ready
2. Use It Up
3. The Darkest One
4. It's A Good Life If You Don't Weaken
5. Silver Jet
6. Throwing Off Glass
7. All Tore Up
8. Leave
9. A Beautiful Thing
10. The Dire Wolf
11. The Dark Canuck

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #125923 in Music
• Released on: 2002-06-11
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .25 pounds

Amazon.com
Strange experience, the Hip. Since the release of their first EP in 1987, they've steadily become one of the best-loved and most successful rock bands Canada has witnessed (they do shows with Alanis, for Juno's sake!). If you are American, you're probably just discovering them now, without the context of their nine previous albums. So when first listening to In Violet Light you can feel disoriented--as if you happened to watch, say, your first episode of Twin Peaks midseason, having never known there was such a thing. This album exists in a slightly more stylized and dramatic world than the everyday--something like an indie-rock opera starring Bryan Ferry, but without the models. It might take a few listens to understand how Gordon Downie can sound like the Talking Heads ("Are You Ready") and then R.E.M. ("Silver Jet" and "Leave") and then the Smiths ("Throwing Off Glass") while still maintaining his own distinct and consistent voice. But given a few listens, this other world makes more and more sense, and you'll find yourself inhabiting it. --Laura Etling

Customer Reviews

now this is what I call music at work
After the past few albums I was beginning to think The Hip had past their prime. In Violet Light renews my faith with a collection of well chosen songs that make up the most cohesive album they have done in years. Producer Hugh Padgham brings out an energy, clarity and simplicity in the music that seemed to have been lost recently and Gord Downie has never sounded better. Don't expect the over produced, layered approach of Music@Work.

From the storming opener "Are You Ready", through the atmospheric beauty of current single "It's a Good Life ...", the riff heavy drive of "All Tore Up" recalling the energy they had on their earlier albums, to the soaring chorus of "Beautiful Thing" all the lyrical and musical elements you expect from The Hip are there. Including a song about birds.

The added bonus of The Hip Club membership reward card is just one more reason to buy this album. A remarkably simple way to reward the fan who actually purchases rather than copies the album.

"music that can help you feel great" - Use It Up

Finally Finally Finally.....
Now Im a hip fan, but Music at work was pretty forgettable.
Phantom power was an awesome album, but it was like a different band. Trouble at the hen house gave us some killer melodic tunes (gift shop, end of a century) but it died out 5 songs in...
But before that, day for night, fully completely, road apples..Those were hip albums, solid throughout, 100% pure hip, and thats exactly what In Violate light is. The hip's new album has this nostalgic feel to it, you can almost sense The Darkest one being on fully Completely, Silver Jet and All Tore up sound like they are straight from Day for Night.The dire wolfs guitar licks reflect the days of road apples..
All I have to say is, buy this album, Its great, If you liked old hip but not new you will be happy this album has come out, its been a long wait but its here. And If your more a fan of Phantom Power on, this album is not without its slow poetic songs that easily match Bob Caygeon and Lake Fever.
Go Buy this, Stop reading my grammitically incorrect review, go buy this Album.

Back in fine form
After a few decent but unspectacular albums (starting with the mediocre Trouble in the Henhouse and culminating in 2000's uneven Music@Work) the Tragically Hip are back in fine form with their latest release "In Violet Light". I've just listened to the album twice but immediately tracks like the first single "'It's A Good Life If You Don't Weaken'", "Throwing Off Glass" and the very aptly titled "A Beautiful Thing" rank among the best songs the Hip has ever recorded.

Perhaps lead singer Gord Downie's solo album "Coke Machine Glow", released last year unleashed a creative fury in he and the rest of the Hip that allowed them to craft such a fine album.

Sidenote: Coke Machine Glow is completely unlike anything the Hip have done, including this release (though it comes closer then any of the previous albums), but it is none the less a recording well worth picking up. If you don't trust me ask Rolling Stone, who called it the best album to come down from Canada since Neil Young's heyday all those years ago.

Fantastic album.