SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE TRAGICALLY HIP – UP TO HERE (DELUXE)

THE TRAGICALLY HIP
UP TO HERE (DELUXE)
UNIVERSAL MUSIC

To describe The Tragically Hip’s newest release, Up To Here (Deluxe), nostalgic or reminiscent are words far too simple for this album. The music within each disc creates a feeling, one consisting of many emotions, musical talents, and stories. It’s impossible to dwindle down the entirety of multiple discs and many years of collaboration into a singular word. The only way to describe this collection is that it is purely The Tragically Hip, in all its glory.

Drawn in by Gord Downie’s vocals, and then welcomed into the album by the accompaniment of harmonizing drums and guitar, creates for an immersive experience. Once welcomed in, there’s no turning back, but that’s not even a concern for listeners. It’s as though the lyrics themselves, alongside electric beats and individual strums of the guitar, bring one back to a simpler time, where music was less diluted and when lyrics were something greater than themselves. While the remastered songs that begin this collection do not necessarily feel new, maybe that is the goal; maybe the whole purpose is to ensure they remain ‘tragically hip’ so they don’t lose their sparkle.

It is safe to say the second disc, consisting mostly of live recordings, is the shining star of Up To Here (Deluxe). The introductions, ad libs, and sound effects the band emulates in these performative pieces truly give life to the album. From humming noises that portray passing cars in “Highway Girl – Live At The Misty Moon”, to the rhythmic pops that resemble something being dropped in water in “New Orleans Is Sinking – Live At The Misty Moon”, this disc is experimental, fun, and the band at its best. Despite songs being repeated through various discs, each reimagining of a given track offers something new. It is also so much more than just music, because it is intertwined with life, taking dull everyday sounds and making art from them.

As you can see, it takes much more than one word or idea to sum up Up To Here (Deluxe). This album is a collection of The Tragically Hip’s story, and everything that they have gathered along the way. It is tragically hip. In all its glory.

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