Broken Social Scene

By Their Powers Combined...

It’s been a long six years for the members of Broken Social Scene, the indie rock supergroup that’s been garnering attention since their inception by their two original members, Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning. In what can only be described as an off-beat, unique act, Broken Social Scene stands out as one of the few groups in recent years that takes a what seems as just a shtick and turns it into meaningful, wide-reaching music.

Who are these guys? Well, the answer to that question is as dynamic as the group itself. Broken Social Scene was founded by the previously mentioned Drew and Canning, who released the band’s first album, Feel Good Lost, in 2001. This album featured only the two, and was mostly an instrumental piece. A re-tooling of Broken Social Scene’s musical values and direction forced Drew and Canning into bringing several other fellow indie rockers into the band, such as Metric’s ever-bouncy Emily Gaines and Andrew Whiteman. As time passed, they grew into something much larger, and much more complex. Broken Social Scene now boasts sixteen members, whose musical expertise spans guitars, vocals, drums, trombones, and whatever the hell else they feel like playing. The result is an extremely multilayered wall of sometimes-incomprehensible sound that demands an eyes-closed listening session. This sound is especially evident on the album You Forgot It In People, which boasts such danceable tunes as “7/4 (Shoreline)” and “Fire Eye’d Boy”. It’s difficult to tell where all the instruments are, but that’s just part of the fun of listening to this band.

So what’s next for Broken Social Scene? September should see the release of a semi-solo album by Kevin Drew, released under the moniker of Broken Social Scene Presents Kevin Drew: Spirit If…. The album is set to feature guest artists, most of who are from Broken Social Scene. Spirit If… is the first in a series of solo albums, the next of which is going to feature Brendan Canning. According to the band’s blog, Broken Social Scene is attempting to shake things up a bit by creating solo albums that are backed up by other band members, and seeing where this might take them. The group will still tour and perform together.

However, all of this begs the obvious question: why? Is there a real reason for putting so many musicians and friends on stage and just letting it rip? The answer to this quandary doesn’t become readily apparent until one goes to a Broken Social Scene show. Members of the band float on and off the stage unnoticed, but they make their musical presence known when they are there. These people are having fun, laughing and dancing with their friends, and making music that they enjoy. “7/4 (Shoreline)” becomes a celebration of this communal joy, as Broken Social Scene's members join join together, gyrating with the music and then playing their hearts out at the climax of the song. And that’s just it. Music is one of the most widely shared forms of art, and Broken Social Scene is simply trying to share what they do with each other and with their listeners. A concert is almost like the band is throwing a party, and their buddies are coming over for a night of fun…and we get the pleasure of crashing the party, greeted with open arms.

by Colin Emch-Wei

Broken Social Scene on:
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7/4 (Shoreline) on YouTube