Man Machine Poem

Last updated
Man Machine Poem
Man Machine Poem.jpg
Studio album by
the Tragically Hip
ReleasedJune 17, 2016
Studio The Bathouse, Bath, Loyalist, Ontario
Genre Alternative rock
Length41:25
Label Universal
Producer
The Tragically Hip chronology
Now for Plan A
(2012)		Man Machine Poem
(2016)		 Saskadelphia
(2021)
Singles from Man Machine Poem
  1. "In a World Possessed by the Human Mind"
    Released: 2016
  2. "Tired as Fuck"
    Released: 2016
  3. "What Blue"
    Released: 2016

Man Machine Poem is the thirteenth and final studio album by Canadian rock band the Tragically Hip, released on June 17, 2016 on Universal Music Canada. [1] . It is their last album to be released before the death of lead singer Gord Downie, as well as their last to be composed of new material. Produced by Kevin Drew and Dave Hamelin, [1] the album is named after a track which appeared on the band's previous album Now for Plan A .

Contents

The album's first single, "In a World Possessed by the Human Mind", was released in April. [1]

Prior to the album's release, the band announced that Gord Downie was diagnosed with brain cancer in December 2015 [2] and that the band would tour Canada in summer 2016 to support the album. [2] The band and critics have cautioned, however, against interpreting the album in light of Downie's health, as it was written and recorded before his diagnosis. [3] Although some media coverage has referred to it as the band's final album, the band reportedly worked on some new studio material after its release, and also have more than one album's worth of previously unreleased material that could be issued in the future as rarities compilations. [4]

Background

The album had been slated for release in March 2016 under the title Dougie Stardust, as a play on David Bowie's classic album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars ; it had even begun appearing on music retail sites as a pre-order under that title. [5] The band delayed the album's release after Downie suffered his second cancer-related seizure in February, and opted to retitle it in light of Bowie's death in January. [5]

Critical reception

Writing in Exclaim! , Stuart Henderson described the album as "a darkly illuminated, late-career curveball likely to please and confound in equal measure. Rarely since their mid-1990s heyday has the multi-platinum-selling band sounded so intent on crafting something different." [6] In the Edmonton Journal , Fish Griwkowsky described the album as "a deep-felt, summer highway album that briefly escapes the weight of the doom we all share — not alone, but together in the dark". [7]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Exclaim! 8/10 [6]

The album garnered a longlist nomination for the 2017 Polaris Music Prize, [8] and won the Juno Award for Rock Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2017.

Track listing

All tracks written by Gord Downie and the Tragically Hip.

No.TitleLength
1."Man"5:17
2."In a World Possessed by the Human Mind"3:56
3."What Blue"2:46
4."In Sarnia"4:38
5."Here, in the Dark"4:03
6."Great Soul"3:44
7."Tired as Fuck"3:45
8."Hot Mic"3:55
9."Ocean Next"3:56
10."Machine"5:29
Total length:41:25

Charts

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Tragically Hip</span> Canadian rock band

The Tragically Hip, often referred to simply as the Hip, were a Canadian rock band formed in Kingston, Ontario in 1984, consisting of vocalist Gord Downie, guitarist Paul Langlois, guitarist Rob Baker, bassist Gord Sinclair, and drummer Johnny Fay. They released 13 studio albums, one live album, one EP, and over 50 singles over a 33-year career. Nine of their albums have reached No. 1 on the Canadian charts. They have received numerous Canadian music awards, including 17 Juno Awards. Between 1996 and 2016, the Tragically Hip were the best-selling Canadian band in Canada and the fourth best-selling Canadian artist overall in Canada.

<i>Fully Completely</i> 1992 studio album by The Tragically Hip

Fully Completely is the third studio album by Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip. The album was released in October 1992 and produced by Chris Tsangarides. The album produced six singles: "Locked in the Trunk of a Car", "Fifty Mission Cap", "Courage ", "At the Hundredth Meridian", "Looking for a Place to Happen", and "Fully Completely".

<i>Trouble at the Henhouse</i> 1996 studio album by The Tragically Hip

Trouble at the Henhouse is the fifth studio album by Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip, released in 1996. It was the band's first album to be released simultaneously in Canada and the United States.

<i>Live Between Us</i> 1997 live album by The Tragically Hip

Live Between Us is the first full-length live album by Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarah Harmer</span> Canadian musical artist (born 1970)

Sarah Lois Harmer is a Canadian singer, songwriter and environmental activist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gord Downie</span> Canadian musician and writer (1964–2017)

Gordon Edgar Downie was a Canadian rock singer-songwriter, musician, writer, and activist. He was the singer and lyricist for the Canadian rock band the Tragically Hip, which he fronted from its formation in 1984 until his death in 2017. He is revered by many as an inspiring and influential artist in Canada's music history.

<i>Phantom Power</i> (The Tragically Hip album) 1998 studio album by the Tragically Hip

Phantom Power is the sixth studio album by the Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip. The album was released in 1998. It won the 1999 Juno Awards for Best Rock Album and Best Album Design.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Sadies</span> Canadian rock and roll / country band

The Sadies are a Canadian rock and roll / country and western band from Toronto, Ontario. The band consists of Travis Good, Sean Dean and Mike Belitsky. Dallas Good, a founding member, died in 2022. Dallas and Travis are the sons of Margaret and Bruce Good, and nephews of Brian and Larry Good, who are members of the Canadian country group The Good Brothers.

Dave Hamelin is a Canadian musician, songwriter and producer known for his work with indie rock band the Stills. Originally the band's drummer, he moved to guitar and co-lead vocalist in 2005 when guitarist Greg Paquet left the band.

<i>Yer Favourites</i> 2005 greatest hits album by the Tragically Hip

Yer Favourites is a two-disc compilation album by the Tragically Hip. The tracks for Yer Favourites were selected by the band's fans on its website and were remastered. The compilation includes a total of seven songs from Fully Completely, six songs from Road Apples, five songs from Phantom Power, four songs from Up to Here, four songs from Day for Night, two songs from Trouble at the Henhouse, two songs from Music @ Work, two songs from In Violet Light, two songs from In Between Evolution and one song from the band's self-titled EP. It also included two new songs, "No Threat" and "The New Maybe". It was released both as a stand-alone two-disc set and as part of the Hipeponymous box set. The compilation debuted at number 8 on the Canadian Albums Chart in 2005. In 2016, the compilation re-entered the Canadian Albums Chart, contemporaneous with the release of Man Machine Poem and the announcement of lead singer Gord Downie's cancer diagnosis.

"Bobcaygeon" is a song by Canadian rock band the Tragically Hip. It was released in February 1999 as a single from their sixth album, Phantom Power, and has come to be recognized as one of the band's most enduring and beloved signature songs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ahead by a Century</span> 1996 single by the Tragically Hip

"Ahead by a Century" is a song by Canadian rock band the Tragically Hip. It was released as the lead single from the band's fifth studio album, Trouble at the Henhouse. The song reached number one on Canada's singles chart, and is the band's most successful single in their native Canada. It was one of the 10 most-played songs in Canada in 1996. The song was nominated for "Best Single" at the 1997 Juno Awards. The song was certified platinum in Canada in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grace, Too</span> 1994 single by The Tragically Hip

"Grace, Too" is a song by Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip. It was released in September 1994 as the lead single from their fourth studio album, Day for Night. The song peaked at number 11 on the RPM Canadian Singles chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 in Canadian music</span> Overview of the events of 2016 in Canadian music

The following is a list of notable events and releases that happened in 2016 in music in Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Man Machine Poem Tour</span> 2016 concert tour by the Tragically Hip

The Man Machine Poem Tour was a concert tour by The Tragically Hip in support of their thirteenth full-length studio album Man Machine Poem. The tour consisted of 15 shows, the first held on July 22, 2016, in Victoria, British Columbia, and the last held on August 20, 2016, at Rogers K-Rock Centre in Kingston, Ontario.

<i>We Are the Halluci Nation</i> 2016 studio album by The Halluci Nation

We Are the Halluci Nation is the third studio album by Canadian electronic music group The Halluci Nation, released on September 16, 2016 by Radicalized Records, an imprint of Pirates Blend Records.

The 2017 edition of the Canadian Polaris Music Prize was presented on September 18, 2017.

<i>Long Time Running</i> 2017 Canadian documentary

Long Time Running is a 2017 Canadian documentary film, directed by Jennifer Baichwal and Nicholas de Pencier. The film profiles the Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip during their Man Machine Poem Tour of 2016, which followed the band's announcement of lead singer Gord Downie's cancer diagnosis.

<i>Introduce Yerself</i> 2017 studio album by Gord Downie

Introduce Yerself is the sixth solo album by Canadian singer and songwriter Gord Downie, released posthumously on October 27, 2017, ten days after his death. A double album consisting of 23 songs which Downie has described as each being about specific people in his life, it was the last solo album Downie completed, although his brothers Patrick and Mike subsequently confirmed that additional unreleased material would be released in the future; the album Away Is Mine, which comprises the last songs Downie ever recorded and was completed by producer Nyles Spencer following Downie's death, was released in 2020.

<i>Saskadelphia</i> 2021 EP by The Tragically Hip

Saskadelphia is an EP by Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip, released on May 21, 2021.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "The Tragically Hip drop first tune from 'Man Machine Poem'". The Buffalo News , April 9, 2016.
  2. 1 2 "Courage, my word: Tragically Hip's Gord Downie reveals terminal brain cancer diagnosis". CBC Music. May 24, 2016. Archived from the original on March 1, 2016. Retrieved May 24, 2016.
  3. ↑ "The Tragically Hip's 'Man Machine Poem' a final piece of dependable rock". Toronto Sun , June 12, 2016.
  4. ↑ Cowie, Del (2016-10-14). "5 things we learned from Gord Downie's interview with Peter Mansbridge". CBC Music. Retrieved 2016-11-22.
  5. 1 2 Michael Barclay, The Never-Ending Present: The Story of Gord Downie and the Tragically Hip. ECW Press, 2018. ISBN   9781770414365. p. 321-324.
  6. 1 2 Henderson, Stuart (June 15, 2016). "The Tragically Hip - Man Machine Poem". Exclaim! . Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  7. ↑ "Twilight Tragically Hip album Man Machine Poem innovative, beautiful". Edmonton Journal , June 13, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Gord Downie, Tragically Hip both make cut as Polaris Prize long list revealed". Toronto Star , June 13, 2017.
  9. ↑ "The Tragically Hip Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  10. ↑ "The Tragically Hip Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  11. ↑ "The Tragically Hip Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
  12. ↑ "Top Canadian Albums – Year-End 2016". Billboard. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.