The perfect soundtrack for feeling like the smartest, coolest person in a room full of people you don't like.
A restless and defiant energy masked by cool, detached urban sophistication.
Released in 2003, 'Old World Underground, Where Are You Now?' served as the definitive introduction to Metric and a cornerstone of the Canadian indie rock explosion. Recorded after the band's initial struggles in London and New York, the album distills their experiences into a sharp critique of consumerism and social apathy. Sonically, it is more grounded and guitar-centric than their later synth-heavy stadium anthems, leaning into a post-punk revival aesthetic characterized by jagged riffs and driving rhythm sections. The album was produced by Michael Andrews, who brought a cinematic yet raw quality to the tracks. It received significant critical praise for its intelligent lyricism and the chemistry between Haines and Shaw. Tracks like 'Combat Baby' and 'Dead Disco' became indie anthems, helping the album achieve Gold status in Canada and establishing Metric as a leading voice in the 'indie sleaze' era. It remains a fan favorite for its balance of danceable energy and intellectual depth.
Put this on for
Neon signs reflecting in puddles during a solitary midnight walkThat specific 2am kitchen floor conversation about failing systemsLast call at a dive bar where the music is better than the drinksDriving through a city tunnel with the windows down and the bass upMonday morning commute when you're already over the weekPacking a suitcase for a trip you're not sure you want to takeStaring at a flickering street lamp while waiting for a late cab
Moments worth waiting for
The explosive transition from the sparse, rhythmic verse to the soaring synth-driven chorus of Combat Baby
The way the bassline in Dead Disco relentlessly pulses while Emily Haines delivers a detached, rhythmic vocal performance
The sudden shift to a quiet, acoustic vulnerability in the closing minute of Love Is a Place
Sounds like
2003s production with a 2000s soul
Sits beside
Fever to Tell - Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Antics - Interpol, Silent Alarm - Bloc Party, The Teaches of Peaches - Peaches
Lyrical territory
social_commentary, self_examination, existential
03Deviation
Old World Underground, Where Are You Now? · vs · Metric
Artist
This Album
High Energy
Energy · ↑ +9% more than usual
On this album, high energy sits about 9% more prominent than across the rest of the artist's catalogue.
