This is Canada's worst and most overrated band. They are a disgrace to the country. I am sad to know they are from here and wish they weren't. The singer's voice sounds exactly like the singer from REM which is another horrid band. It is such an annoying and bland voice. It never changes and sounds exactly the same on every song. I especially can't stand My Music At Work which got so sickening I wanted to literally shoot the song. I wanted to kill a song. I don't know how that's possible but after hearing that song I realized it was. What a completely horrible poopy band. And to think they're the band that is generally mentioned first when Canadian rock music is talked about. Pathetic.

Music @ Work was my first TTH album ever, and remains one of my favorites. The band has come a long way from this style of music with the recent release of 'In Between Evolution' and the difference is quite stark. The days of 'Music @ Work' seemed to have been simpler times, with simpler, more 'popular' tunes and solid, stick-with-you songs. "The Completists", "Tiger the Lion", and "Sharks" sit high on my favorite Hip songs list. A definite must-have for your Hip listening pleasure. There is just something about song lyrics that actually mean something...

As I mentioned praising "Violet Light" I always find "Tiger The Lion" a jarring, disruptive tune that I think puts a lot of people off playing this record through. I just don't get why it's there - and I take no real issue with the Hip's other 100 songs, just this beast on track #2 of this otherwise fine CD.

This record did not do very well. (Damn that track #2!) Yet it has as many good tunes as their best sellers. I generally skip tracks playing any CD (opinionated as I am) yet most of this CD has me glued to the speakers rather than the skip button.

There are essential tunes on this CD for any Hip music consumer. And they sound great which is a bonus.

The fact that this altogether excellent album suffered from relatively underwhelming sales confirms one of two theories: either listeners have begun to take the band's dependability for granted, or the multi-faceted system in place to promote quality rock music has faltered though sheer laziness and indifference. Music @ Work mirrors the structural strides made by the last release - producer Steve Berlin has been a godsend - while imparting significantly more aural interest. Variety is the key; a quick spin through the disk exposes straightforward rave-ups ("Freak Turbulence", the tilte track), moody devastation ("Sharks", "The Bear"), big-guitar bombast ("Tiger the Lion"), and acoustic tenderness ("Stay", "As I Wind Down the Pines"). To be blunt, everything impresses and nothing disappoints

Over three years after its release, I'm ready to go out on a limb and say that "Music @ Work" is The Tragically Hip's best record - certainly not a consensus view, given the comments here. But I believe in terms of musicianship, lyrics, variety, innovativeness, and sonic excellence, it's second to none in the Hip's discography.

Unfortunately, "Music @ Work" begins with its weakest song, the relatively inane title track - a fairly cynical attempt at a hit single. The next song, "Tiger the Lion," is unquestionably an acquired taste, with its sinister guitar chords and obscure John Cage references. But to me, this is the type of song that makes The Hip great - a gutsy, idiosyncratic reworking of the rock idiom. After that comes one of the Hip's best songs ever, "Lake Fever." It's simply a beautiful song, with lush acoustic instrumentation, spine-tingling chord changes, and one of vocalist Gordon Downie's strongest performances.

The rest of the record weaves through varied musical territory. There are straight-ahead rockers, like "Putting Down" and "The Bastard," as well as atmospheric ballads such as "Toronto #4" and "As I Wind Down the Pines." How many bands have written a song from a carnivorous bear's point of view? Not many - but on "The Bear," the Hip do it with tongue-in-cheek aplomb.

The Hip's charmingly peculiar style establishes a sense of continuity that helps guide the listener through their diverse musical landscape. Their Canadian milieu informs their music with a unique cultural and geographical sensibility that sets them apart from other current alternative artists.

As bold and varied as the colors on its cover, "Music @ Work" is a wonderfully diverse and grand accomplishment. For everyone? Maybe not. But for this Hip fan, it's their best.