A commemorative boxset of Canadian rockers The Tragically Hip’s seminal debut Up To Here is out now.
The expanded reissue, which marks 40 years since the band’s formation, arrives as a four-LP vinyl set and includes a 2024 remastering of the original album, as well as a book revisiting their breakthrough. Four remastered, previously unreleased tracks from the original Up To Here recording sessions appear on the set: “She’s Got What It Takes,” “Get Back Again,” “Rain, Hearts And Fire,” and “Wait So Long.”
Listen to The Tragically Hip’s Up To Here now.
Released in 1989, Up To Here marked a major breakthrough for the band, spawning two No. 1 radio singles: “Blow At High Dough” and “New Orleans Is Sinking.” The record earned the group—comprised of Rob Baker (guitar), Gord Downie (vocals), Johnny Fay (drums), Paul Langlois (guitar) and Gord Sinclair (bass)— a nomination for “Most Promising Artist” at the 1990 JUNO Awards. Although Gord Downie’s tragic death in 2017 closed the curtain on the band, in recent years they’ve worked to reissue and restore highlights from their early career, like the debut they recorded in Memphis’ legendary Ardent Studios.
“Up To Here, on some level is the big enchilada for us,” Baker shared in 2024. “It’s the one that really brought us to the dance.” Since its release, the album has sold over a million copies in Canada alone, making it one of the Top 40 selling records of all time in The Tragically Hip’s home country.
In August, a new documentary on the band directed by Mike Downie shed further light on the group’s journey from Kingston, Ontario to to a world stage. The film premiered at Toronto International Film Festival in August.
Looking back on Up to Here today, Baker says he can hear the thrill of a young band finding their footing on the road to a common goal.
“At that time, we were all in one boat, and we’re all pulling on the oars together, with one common vision,” he shared in August 2024. “And I think it comes through in the music – I think you can hear that.”
Listen to The Tragically Hip’s Up To Here now.
