Metric
The road to success can often be long and arduous. Singer Emily Haines linked with guitarist James Shaw in '95. The two bounced from Toronto to New York; then it was off to Montreal, London and Los Angeles. Along the way they picked up drummer Joules Scott-Key. Bassist Josh Winstead signed on in '02.
Finally, Metric earned a recording deal and the group hit the studio. "Grow Up And Blow Away" was finished but Metric's label couldn't work up the enthusiasm to release it. So Metric moved on and released "Old World Underground, Where Are You" with "Dead Disco" in '03. They then hit the road supporting another retro-oriented group, Hot Hot Heat.
Metric appeared as themselves in the '04 independent French film, Clean. The soundtrack featured songs by the group, Haines (solo) Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois and Tricky.
"Live It Out," Metric's sophomore album, arrived in '06. A handful of singles did particularly well in their native land - Canada - where the album went double platinum (200,000 copies sold). In the U..K., the songs "Monster Hospital", "Poster Of A Girl" and "Hand$hake$" were featured in the Hollyoaks T.V. series. Bolstered by this success, Last Gang Records issued the previous shelved "Grow Up And Blow Away" the following year.
Extensive touring, which included road testing new material, resulted in an '08 concert DVD, Live At Metropolis, which was filmed at a Montreal club. There was also an EP issued through iTunes containing the songs "The Police And The Private", "Too Little Too Late" and "Patriarch On A Vespa."
Written by the band in Seattle and Argentine (Haines went there) and recorded in Toronto, Metric's '09 album "Fantasies" earned the group MySpace Music's Triumph of the Year. The set, released on the group's label, Metric Music International, peaked at #1 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart and contained the hit "Help I'm Alive." "All over the industry we found people who actually listen to music and who, even at this time of doubt, are willing to take a risk on a song like 'Help I'm Alive'," said Haines in a MySpace interview.
Like several bands, Metric uses the '80s as a touchstone. Imagine Deborah Harry fronting the Cars. Or maybe just Blondie (Harry's band) - a great place to be.
"Gimme Sympathy" or "Stadium Love" on "Fantasies" could have been '80s Wave classics. Of course, for that to happen, Metric would have had to innovate rather than reinvent (much easier).
"Gimme Sympathy" ponders whether it's better to be The Beatles or the Rolling Stones - or maybe neither. Moot question. "Help I'm Alive," a dark propulsive pop-orient song, is countered by the Go-Go's flavored "Sick Muse."
"Live It Out" goes back to the well but there are also some inventive touches like adding Yoko Ono vocals to "Hand$ake$." The set closes with the electro-Punk title track - perfect.
One of the premier cuts on "Old World Underground, Where Are You" is "Dead Disco" which could pass for a Berlin track. "Wet Blanket" and melodic Rocker "Combat Baby" are the other highlights. The latter features lean verses and an irresistible drive.