Ahead of making this podcast, I really had to think back to where I first discovered the band Metric.
Hailing from Toronto in Canada, the group came together back in 1998, initially forming as a duo between Emily Haines and Jimmy Shaw, before things expanded, evolved, and early releases started arriving.
There’s an interesting story about how their first records actually came about (stay tuned for that one), but personally, I think I would’ve come on board with Metric around the time of their fourth album, Fantasies, in 2009.
That’s where a lot of folks came on board, to be quite honest, and I’m not too ashamed to say I was definitely among the many who were drawn to the band’s immersive sound and their rising popularity.
Since then, they’ve been a constant figure in the ‘new releases’ list, with this past April resulting in the release of their tenth album, Romanticize The Dive. It’s an album you should definitely check out if you’re a fan of their earlier material, and it’s one that you’ll likely find yourself returning to quite a few times.
This week, I was lucky enough to have a chat with Emily and Jimmy about the band’s history, their new record, and how it’s all up to me whether they make it back to Australia or not.
Incidentally, as we spoke, they were gearing up to return to one of the most Canadian tour line-ups imaginable, with Broken Social Scene and Stars as their tourmates. (Sure, Emily is a former member, and Jimmy is listed as a current member of Broken Social Scene, so it’s not that out of the ordinary, but what a bill that is!).
Anyway, have a listen to Metric’s Romanticize The Dive, have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.
Emily Haines & Jimmy Shaw’s Trusty Chords
Emily’s One Influential Artist
- Carla Bley
Jimmy’s One Influential Artist
- Sonic Youth
Emily & Jimmy’s Three Impactful Albums
- Stars Of The Lid – And Their Refinement Of The Decline (2007)
- Talk Talk – Spirit Of Eden (1988)
- Steely Dan – Gaucho (1980)
Emily & Jimmy’s Five Trusty Songs
- Neil Young – ‘For The Turnstiles’ (1974)
- Purple Mountains – ‘Snow Is Falling In Manhattan’ (2019)
- Silver Jews – ‘Pet Politics’ (1996)
- Boards Of Canada – ‘Dayvan Cowboy’ (2005)
- Elliott Smith – ‘Between The Bars’ (1997)