Seemingly nonexistent in the eyes of American pop culture -- yet continually boasting some of the nation's highest grossing concerts -- Canadian rockers
the Tragically Hip
have managed to secure themselves legendary status both above and underground while remaining almost complete anonymous. Like any good band of the people,
the Hip
know that their fans are their lifeblood, so in compiling their first ever "greatest hits" collection, they left it up to the listeners. Chosen online at their website, the 34 remastered tracks that make up
Yer Favorites
-- two of which, the ballsy
"No Threat"
and the wistful
"New Maybe,"
are brand new -- may not go deep enough for longtime followers, but for anyone who has spent the better part of their musical life wondering what all of the fuss was about, this is their chance to get schooled. Poetic yet accessible, raw yet grandiose,
have often been lumped unfairly into the
jam band
circuit, when in reality they have far more in common with an act like
Pearl Jam
than they do
Phish
. They're an arena bar band maintaining the rawness of a juke joint amid the thunderous applause of 150,000 pairs of hands, and while their brand of
heartland rock
may be steeped in the Great White North, it's appeal is universal. ~ James Christopher Monger