Man Machine Poem is the thirteenth and final studio album by Canadian rock band the Tragically Hip, released on June 17, 2016 on Universal Music Canada."The Tragically Hip drop first tune from 'Man Machine Poem'". The Buffalo News, April 9, 2016. It is their last album to be released before the death of lead singer Gord Downie, as well as their last to be composed of new material. Produced by Kevin Drew and Dave Hamelin, the album is named after a track which appeared on the band's previous album Now for Plan A.
The album's first single, "In a World Possessed by the Human Mind", was released in April.
Prior to the album's release, the band announced that Gord Downie was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor in December 2015 and that the band would tour Canada in summer 2016 to support the album. The band and critics have cautioned, however, against interpreting the album in light of Downie's health, as it was written and recorded before his diagnosis."The Tragically Hip's 'Man Machine Poem' a final piece of dependable rock". Toronto Sun, June 12, 2016. Although some media coverage has referred to it as the band's final album, the band reportedly worked on some new studio material after its release, and also have more than one album's worth of previously unreleased material that could be issued in the future as rarities compilations.
Background
The album had been slated for release in March 2016 under the title Dougie Stardust, as a play on David Bowie's classic album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars; it had even begun appearing on music retail sites as a pre-order under that title.Michael Barclay, The Never-Ending Present: The Story of Gord Downie and the Tragically Hip. ECW Press, 2018. . p. 321-324. The band delayed the album's release after Downie suffered his second cancer-related seizure in February, and opted to retitle it in light of Bowie's death in January.
Critical reception
Writing in Exclaim!, Stuart Henderson described the album as "a darkly illuminated, late-career curveball likely to please and confound in equal measure. Rarely since their mid-1990s heyday has the multi-platinum-selling band sounded so intent on crafting something different." In the Edmonton Journal, Fish Griwkowsky described the album as "a deep-felt, summer highway album that briefly escapes the weight of the doom we all share — not alone, but together in the dark"."Twilight Tragically Hip album Man Machine Poem innovative, beautiful". Edmonton Journal, June 13, 2016.
The album garnered a longlist nomination for the 2017 Polaris Music Prize,"Gord Downie, Tragically Hip both make cut as Polaris Prize long list revealed". Toronto Star, June 13, 2017. and won the Juno Award for Rock Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2017.
Track listing
Personnel Personnel taken from Man Machine Poem liner notes.
The Tragically Hip Gord Downie – vocals Johnny Fay – drums, percussion Gord Sinclair – bass, vocals Rob Baker – guitar Paul Langlois – guitar, vocals
Additional musicians Dave Hamelin – keyboards, percussion Kevin Drew – keyboards, percussion
Technical personnel Kevin Drew – production Dave Hamelin – production, mixing Nyler Spencer – recording Eric Boulanger – mastering
Charts
Weekly charts Chart (2016) Peak position
Year-end charts Chart (2016) Position Canadian Albums (Billboard) 48
References