Metric

Country of origin:

Canada, U.S.

Type of music generally:

Alternative rock, punk, electronica

Status:

Most recent release, Pagans in Vegas (2015)

See also:

Metric's site

Metric's Facebook page

Wikipedia entry on Metric

Lead singer Emily Haines' site, Emily Haines' Facebook page, Wikipedia's entry on Emily Haines

Comparisons:

Not sure, but I've seen Stars and The Yeah Yeah Yeahs mentioned more than once. (JoAnn Whetsell)

Covers/own material:

Own

General comments:

Metric is one of my favorite bands ever. And they put on a *phenomenal* live show. (meth@smoe.org)

Comments about live performance:

Metric were fun and loud with Emily Haines running around like mad, like one of those energetic teenagers who lives on sugar and caffeine. Standard set-list with Fantasies stuff and great noisy versions of 'Dead disco' and 'Monster hospital' and acoustic 'Combat baby' etc. No Twilight song! (2010, k_hester_k@yahoo.co.nz)

Recommended first album:

Fantasies or Synthetica

Recordings:

As Mainstream

• Mainstream (1998)

As Metric

• Static Anonymity (EP, 2001)
• Old World Underground, Where Are You Now? (2003)
• Live It Out (2005)
• Grow Up and Blow Away (2007)
• Fantasies (2009)
• Plug In Plug Out EP (re-recordings, 2009)
• Fantasies (Spotify Acoustic EP) (re-recordings, 2010)
• Fantasies (Spotify Covers EP) (2010)
• iTunes Session (EP, 2011)
• Synthetica (2012)
• Synthetica Reflections (2012)
• Pagans in Vegas (2015)

Grow Up and Blow Away

Release info:

2007

Availability:

Wide

Ecto priority:

Highly recommended

Comments:

technically the band's turn-of-the-century debut that never really saw the light of day... great stuff for all Metric/Emily Haines fans (meth@smoe.org)

Fantasies

Release info:

2009—Metric Productions—MET80019

Availability:

Wide

Ecto priority:

Highly recommended

Group members:

Emily Haines
Jimmy Shaw
Joshua Winstead
Joules Scott Key

Produced by:

Gavin Brown; co-produced by Jimmy Shaw; additional production by John O'Mahony

Comments:

Pop, punk, rock... I don't really know how to describe this, but I love listening to it. Try "Gimme Sympathy;" if you like that song you should enjoy the whole album. (JoAnn Whetsell)

One of the best albums of the year. (collectedsounds@gmail.com, gordodo@optonline.net, meth@smoe.org)

Synthetica

Release info:

2012—Mom + Pop Music—MP064

Availability:

Wide

Ecto priority:

Highly recommended

Group members:

Emily Haines
Jimmy Shaw
Joshua Winstead
Joules Scott Key

Guest artists:

Lou Reed (10)
Evan Cranley and Chris Seligman—additional horns (3, 8)

Produced by:

Jimmy Shaw

Comments:

More electronica and glam rock than Fantasies. I love it, especially the Goldfrapp-esque "Youth Without Youth". (JoAnn Whetsell)

Synthetica Reflections

Release info:

2012

Availability:

Wide

Ecto priority:

Recommended for fans

Comments:

Instrumental electronic versions of the songs on Synthetica. Kind of interesting, but not something I'll listen to often. (JoAnn Whetsell)

Pagans in Vegas

Release info:

2015—MMI—MET-80143CD

Availability:

Wide

Ecto priority:

Highly recommended

Group members:

Joules Scott-Key
Jimmy Shaw
Emily Haines
Joshua Winstead

Comments:

Another great pop/rock/electronica album. For some reason it took me a little longer to get into than their last two albums, but not that long and now I love it. Fans should not be disappointed. (JoAnn Whetsell)

It's hard for any other band or performer to make number 1 in a year that Metric release a new album. But they haven't let me down yet. Pagans is such a complete and alive album. It seems like maybe it's not every Metric fan's cup of tea, but I think it's a great sound, combining more electronics with their usual sound and even (especially on the final track) experimenting more with the techniques they used in their fascinating Reflections EP. Beyond just the sound, the lyrics and Emily Haine's voice are as laser-focused as ever. My favorite track is "Fortunes." (jonwesleyhuff@gmail.com)

Further info:

Compilation work includes:

• "Black Sheep" on the Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World soundtrack (2010)
• "Help I'm Alive" on Acoustic Live & Rare 2010: X103.9 (2010)
• Everybody Has a Talent" on Yo Gabba Gabba! Music Is Awesome, Vol. 4 (2012)
• "Give It to You" on The DMV Diamonds in the Rough (2012)

Thanks to JoAnn Whetsell for work on this entry.