Before the synths and the stadium tours, they were just a gritty art-rock band in a basement.
A restless and intellectual exploration of urban boredom and social artifice.
Released in 1998, Mainstream is the debut EP from Metric, recorded well before the band moved toward the new wave and synth-rock sound of Old World Underground, Where Are You Now? At this stage, the lineup was primarily the core duo of Emily Haines and James Shaw, and the music reflects a starker, art-rock sensibility influenced by the 90s indie scene. The production is notably lo-fi and dry, emphasizing James Shaw's angular guitar work and Haines's more grounded, less stylized vocal delivery. Lyrically, the album explores themes of consumerism, social performance, and urban alienation, particularly in tracks like 'The Lifestyle' and 'Butcher'. While it lacks the 'indie sleaze' energy of their later work, it provides critical context for Haines's development as a lyricist. It remains a cult favorite among long-term fans for its raw, unvarnished look at the band's origins.
Put this on for
Last cigarette on a rain-slicked balconyDimly lit subway car heading nowhereStale coffee and a blank notebookWalking past closed storefronts at 2amFlipping through old polaroids of strangersHiding in the back of a crowded galleryTuning out a loud party in the kitchen
Moments worth waiting for
The jarring, angular guitar scratch that opens Butcher, signaling a departure from polished pop expectations.
Emily Haines's voice dropping to a near-whisper during the repetitive, hypnotic mantra of The Lifestyle.
The sudden, unrefined drum fill that kicks off The Battlecry after a brief moment of studio chatter.
Sounds like
1998s production with a 1990s soul
Sits beside
The Hot Rock - Sleater-Kinney, Static & Silence - The Sundays, The Curtain Hits the Cast - Low
Lyrical territory
social_commentary, self_examination, identity
03Deviation
Mainstream · vs · Metric
Artist
This Album
Medium Energy
Energy · ↓ −17% less than usual
On this album, medium energy sits about 17% less prominent than across the rest of the artist's catalogue.
