I think I’m probably a big Metric fan even though I’ve never actually sent any money their way, because whenever a song comes on the radio I find myself humming and smiling. Especially Gimme Sympathy.
This is from Fantasies, released in 2009, which sure got a lot of radio play up here in Canada. Emily Haines has a fine, sweet, penetrating, voice, and major songwriting chops. Metric cuts right through the factory-produced schlock that mostly fills rock radio (and by the way always has, it’s just we forget the schlock of previous decades).
I haven’t seen them play, but during the 2010 Winter Olympics here in Vancouver, there was a weird but excellent concert in which a bunch of musicians not including Neil Young but including Lou Reed and Elvis Costello put on an evening of Neil Young songs. Emily Haines did A Man Needs A Maid and absolutely nailed it, one of the thrills of the evening.
[Tim, no Neil Young in this series yet, what’s up with that? -Ed.] [Yeah, where do I start? -T]
This song has beautiful chord changes, a haunting tune, and the words stick in your head too; would you rather be a Beatle or a Rolling Stone? It can hold its head high in Song Of The Day company.
This is part of the Song of the Day series (background).
Links · Spotify playlist. This tune on Spotify, Amazon, iTunes. Lovely live video.
