>>PREVIEW
BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE
Tuesday, November 15
MacEwan Hall (U OF C)
If the Canadian music scene is in fact taking over the world, leading the revolution is Toronto’s Broken Social Scene. When some super groups come together, all they create is good hype, but in the case of Broken Social Scene (BSS), they’ve made sensational music as well.
An amalgamation of some of Toronto’s finest, Broken Social Scene couldn’t have been destined for anything less than being authors of some of the most dreamy escapist soundscapes ever recorded.
At the centre of the inspired collective are Brendan Canning, Kevin Drew, Justin Peroff, Charles Spearin and Andrew Whiteman (Apostle of Hustle). Those listed as members or guests on BSS’s self-titled third LP are a who’s who of artists revitalizing the Toronto music scene (along with some new friends from Winnipeg). Included in the friendship circle are Feist, Jason Collett and members of Metric, Stars, Do Make Say Think, Raising the Fawn, The Dears, K-os (on a stunner of a track), Jason Tait (Weakerthans) and Julie Penner (The Fembots).
Their new album (released nationally by their own successful imprint, Arts & Crafts, and internationally on labels under the V2 wing) is unlike many of the over-compressed discs at record stores. The music on Broken Social Scene and the companion EP to be you and me is more like a gentle wind – it’s airy and there’s plenty of room to breathe and drink in the scenery. Impeccably composed and mastered, the whole array of sounds cradle the listener from beginning to end. Even with endlessly interesting dips and detours, the songs remain in the same gorgeous thematic movement.
Their charismatic creativity seeps into every corner of the album as well – it’s all over the music, and the liner notes have specific listening instructions accompanying each song ("remind Jason to breathe," "save the hatred," "protect your sisters," "turn down the fucking tambourine" and "make out with your hand"). They’re some of many charming displays of the band’s personality that make unwavering fan affection incredibly well-aimed. So, what might quicken the pulse of an artist who keeps the blood coursing through the veins of so many fans?
"My new pedal I bought – that was excitement," says guitarist Brendan Canning gleefully.
"That was my birthday present to myself. A 16-second digital delay ’cause we went to work on a film score over in England, so we needed a new toy. New toys are the most exciting. I mean the opportunity to work on the soundtrack was exciting enough….
"Also, a few of us from the group are going to back up (Kenji) Damo Suzuki from Can on a couple gigs. So that’ll be exciting, too."
Upcoming dates with Damo Suzuki aside, the Broken Social Scene history, thus far, is truly impressive. There have been stints in other successful Canadian bands and part-time jobs writing jingles (Canning wrote one for Tetley Tea). These days BSS are opening for the likes of The Pixies, Dinosaur Jr. and Morrissey and turning down lucrative deals with Hummer. That’s right, Hummer. Though the band was offered a stunning amount of money to use one of their songs in a commercial, members remained loyal to their politics and passed on the cash – it didn’t sit well with a group of people more inclined to participate in International Car Free Day.
As for other future projects, Canning has his eye on something else. When asked with whom he’d like to collaborate next, the name Carl Newman, another Canadian pop-rock wizard comes up. Aside from being members of wildly successful super groups, they also share something else in common – they’re both redheaded. And if that weren’t enough to bring them together, Canning already laid the groundwork for a partnership when he met Newman at a music festival in Chicago.
"My girlfriend took some pretty hilarious photos of him and I topless in front of the public pool," says Canning.
Carl Newman took off his shirt?
"Yeah, I demanded it," he continues. "I think he’s made some funny comments about me to Stuart Berman (Eye Weekly). I think he said I was setting the redhead movement back 50 years. He called me the Uncle Tom of redheads. I think it’d be fun to mix it up a little bit, see what happens. It might be a total disaster." |
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