Fully & Completely: redux - Music @ Work

Fully & Completely: redux – Music @ Work Guest: Rob Johannes🎧 Episode OverviewIn Episode 9 of Fully & Completely: redux, we dive headfirst into Music @ Work, The Tragically Hip’s 2000 studio album — a record often misunderstood, occasionally maligned, but undeniably pivotal.Joined by musician and longtime Hip devotee Rob Johannes, we unpack why this album may represent the band’s second great unshackling — their “Kid A moment,” as Rob puts it.From John Cage references and Indigenous commentary to experimental production textures and some of the strongest background vocals in the band’s catalog, Music @ Work emerges as a bold, transitional, and deeply layered record.Is this the Hip’s most cohesive album of the 2000s?Is it their quiet revolution?Is it better than its reputation?Let’s get into it.🔍 What We Explore in This Episode🎙 The Context of 2000Radiohead’s Kid A and artistic reinventionOutkast’s StankoniaU2’s return to formCultural tension at the turn of the millenniumWhere The Tragically Hip fit in that landscape🎸 The Production ShiftSteve Berlin’s returnRecording at the BathhouseThe abandoned train-recording conceptElectronic textures meeting organic instrumentation🔥 Key Track Deep Dives“My Music @ Work” – deceptively upbeat with dark undercurrents“Tiger the Lion” – John Cage, experimental art, and Mission Statement 2.0“Lake Fever” – cholera, young love, and Algonquin mythmaking“Put It Down” – subtle political commentary and ricochet culture“Stay” – desperation, longing, and balance“The Bastard” – Billy Sunday, theology, swagger🎤 Gord Downie’s EvolutionPhraseology and rhythmic tensionConsonant holds and vocal elasticityServing the song vs. serving expectationThe politics that simmer beneath the poetry💬 Pull Quote“This is the Hip’s Kid A moment. The unshackling. The second time they tore it down to rebuild it.” – Rob Johannes🎶 Why Music @ Work MattersThis isn’t just the follow-up to Phantom Power.This is a pivot point.Where Fully Completely led to Day for Night,where Trouble at the Henhouse recalibrated,where Phantom Power reasserted control —Music @ Work quietly breaks the machinery open again.It’s experimental without announcing itself as experimental.It’s political without sermonizing.It’s cohesive in ways that only reveal themselves years later.This episode reframes the album not as a stumble —but as a deliberate recalibration of The Tragically Hip’s creative identity.👤 About Our Guest – Rob JohannesRob Johannes is a Toronto-based musician and longtime Hip champion whose deep appreciation for the band’s experimental and arts-driven eras makes him the perfect guide for this conversation. His perspective — shaped by both West Coast and Ontario Hip culture — brings fresh nuance to how Music @ Work was received and how it should be reconsidered.📢 Join the ConversationWhat’s your relationship with Music @ Work?Underrated gem? Transitional record? Personal favorite?Join the discussion inside the Tragically Hip Podcast Series Facebook Group and tell us where this album ranks for you.⭐ Love the Show? Leave a ReviewIf Fully & Completely adds something meaningful to your appreciation of The Tragically Hip, take 60 seconds to:Follow/Subscribe on your podcast platformLeave a 5-star ratingWrite a short reviewIt helps more Hip fans discover the show and keeps this project growing.☕ Support the ShowIf you’d like to support the work we’re doing across the Tragically Hip Podcast Series, you can fuel the conversations here:👉 buymeacoffee.com/tthtop40Every contribution helps keep the mics on and the deep dives coming.🔑 SEO Keywords (naturally embedded throughout)The Tragically Hip, Music @ Work, Fully & Completely podcast, Gord Downie lyrics analysis, Music @ Work album review, Steve Berlin producer, Rob Baker guitar, 2000 alternative rock albums, Phantom Power follow-up, Canadian rock history, Tragically Hip deep diveNext week: In Violet Light.And the evolution continues.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy