In Violet Light (studio album) by The Tragically Hip
The Tragically Hip bestography
In Violet Light is ranked 7th best out of 18 albums by The Tragically Hip on BestEverAlbums.com.
The best album by The Tragically Hip is Fully Completely which is ranked number 1689 in the list of all-time albums with a total rank score of 1,006.
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In Violet Light track list
The tracks on this album have an average rating of 80 out of 100 (all tracks have been rated).
In Violet Light rankings
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In Violet Light collection
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In Violet Light ratings

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Showing latest 5 ratings for this album. | Show all 24 ratings for this album.
Rating | Date updated | Member | Album ratings | Avg. album rating |
---|---|---|---|---|
70/100 ![]() | 08/12/2024 04:42 | ![]() | ![]() | 69/100 |
70/100 ![]() | 11/21/2023 03:44 | dhbarrett | ![]() | 65/100 |
50/100 ![]() | 03/10/2023 10:23 | ![]() | ![]() | 61/100 |
60/100 ![]() | 05/25/2022 04:10 | ![]() | ![]() | 64/100 |
95/100 ![]() | 10/24/2020 17:25 | Rayzer6 | ![]() | 86/100 |
Rating metrics:
Outliers can be removed when calculating a mean average to dampen the effects of ratings outside the normal distribution. This figure is provided as the trimmed mean. A high standard deviation can be legitimate, but can sometimes indicate 'gaming' is occurring. Consider a simplified example* of an item receiving ratings of 100, 50, & 0. The mean average rating would be 50. However, ratings of 55, 50 & 45 could also result in the same average. The second average might be more trusted because there is more consensus around a particular rating (a lower deviation).
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This album is rated in the top 15% of all albums on BestEverAlbums.com. This album has a Bayesian average rating of 74.4/100, a mean average of 75.2/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 75.2/100. The standard deviation for this album is 13.2.
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In Violet Light comments
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When going through the Hip discography again this year in advance of their tour, I realized that I'd almost entirely neglected to give In Violet Light a fair shot when I'd first heard it.
I'm glad I gave it another chance, because I now have it as one of their best albums.

This could be one of the most underrated albums of the decade. It's greatest shortcoming is the fact that it was released under the "Tragically Hip" moniker. Unfortunately, this meant that only those who had previously enjoyed the Hip really took any notice of the album, and their opinions of its anomalous sound were understandably sour. Instead, In Violet Light would have caught fire had it circulated amongst the indie scene at time. This record is thematically more similar to Wilco than 1990s Hip, which is at the source of the confusion and surrounding In Violet Light. With the exception of the opening track dud, every other song here is a gem, each with a strong soul, passionate melody, and exceptionally poetic lyrics. Tracks such as "It's a Good Life" and "The Dire Wolf" rank amongst my favourite songwriting accomplishments by any artist of all time. The nuanced approach taken to these songs was never properly appreciated by the masses who were hoping for the next Tragically Hip singalong a la "Poets". Due to poor reception amongst fans and even fellow bandmates, the Tragically attempted to veer back towards a more mainstream rock genre with their following albums, never being able to match the intensity or intelligence of their catalogue up until this point. Thus, In Violet Light's mood captures a band in transition and unsure of its future, remaining underappreciated save for by a precious few.

I don't finds this one weird at all... At this stage, I don't expect anything new from the Hip. They created amazing albums in the 90s, but since then, they've been reheating leftovers. It's still listenable, but nothing notable.

The Hip went away from their mainstream sound on this record they acknowledge as "weird." Throwing Off Glass and Leave are two tracks that are key to understanding what they're reaching for here, though. These songs are all about mixing strong poetry with slow minor-chord-laden progressions. This is Gord and company reaching deep for art... and certainly making some. Dire Wolf, Beautiful Thing and Good Life are all favourites. Silver Jet is an obligatory rocker that just spoils the mood, really.
Their weakest link, last Hip album I bought.
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