Metric

The Profile

Metric is a Canadian indie rock/new wave band formed in Toronto in 1998 by Emily Haines and James Shaw, later joined by Joshua Winstead and Joules Scott‑Key. They broke through with Old World Underground, Where Are You Now? and achieved wide acclaim with Fantasies.

Members: Emily Haines (vocals, keyboards), James Shaw (guitar), Joshua Winstead (bass), Joules Scott‑Key (drums). Associated with Broken Social Scene; Haines also records solo as Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton. The band’s sound spans indie rock, new wave and synth‑pop, with notable releases including Live It Out, Fantasies, Synthetica and Art Of Doubt.

Reviews chart Metric’s arc from the eclectic indie/new wave rush of their 2003 debut to the polished synth-forward pop of Fantasies. Live It Out earns mixed notes—front‑loaded with killers like Monster Hospital, then uneven. Fantasies is praised for cohesion and radio‑ready hooks. A live set (Live at Metropolis) underscores the band’s technical poise and Haines’s steady voice. References to Broken Social Scene and Garbage frame the comparisons.