World Container

After more than 20 years together (and a year after being inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame), Canada’s most popular and influential band continues to give their many fans what they want. The sound is mostly dense and punchy here, with big choruses, bigger guitars, and anthems like “Yer Not the Ocean,” “The Drop- Off,” and the catchy “Family Band” clearly signaling that the Hip are in a mood to rock on their 10th studio release. Though these veterans aren’t making radical changes to their sound now, there are a few things that make this release different, most notably some light reggae guitar touches (“The Lonely End of the Rink,” “The Kids Don’t Get It”) and the addition of keyboards on several songs, such as the tender and straight-forward (for them, at least) piano ballad “Pretend.” Singer and lyricist Gordon Downie is up to his usual inspired wordplay on World Container, and his voice is clear and booming thanks in part to some shiny production. Overall another solid offering by the Hip.