#BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE SWIMMERS FULL#

Like any album, the true test will lie in its shelf life.

Of course, that can't ruin an album full of noticeable indie hits and diamonds in the rough - just hinder it. I find myself skipping parts of the album when I'm not in the mood, whereas the previous studio albums put me in the mood for every track just by pressing play. It isn't anything to write home about, but it feels as if it's hinting toward new things to come from the band - we're getting a sneak peak at a new Broken Social Scene that is already moving forward and ready to leave much of the past four years in the dust.īut no matter how much I sit here listening to Broken Social Scene, and no matter how special most of these tracks are, they lack the cohesiveness that made You Forgot it in People, and even Feel Good Lost, something to get ecstatic about. Perhaps the most unusual BSS experiment, 'Tremoloa Debut' is a quick, but hard-hitting instrumental built around misplaced guitar slides. Not even a drill powerful enough to dig to the song's molten core would discover what truly makes 'Handjobs for the Holidays' a keeper. Besides the attention-grabbing song title, the track holds a quality hard to put a finger on - it's another danceable song, full of understated beats and overstated production but there's an intangible nature that's layers deep. Meanwhile, the subtle horns and jazz rhythms of 'Handjobs for the Holidays' create yet another classic BSS track. And maybe K-os' cameo puts the track over the top. The beats are crisp and expressive, if down-to-earth the vocal rounds in the chorus are catchy and the riffs move all over the place, forcefully holding your eardrums for ransom. It's a clever (and danceable) mix of hip-hop, post-punk, and indie ethos. 'Windsurfing Nation' has a fresh vibe all its own. However, Broken Social Scene isn't reusing all the same tricks that made You Forgot it in People a surprise hit. 'Major Label Debut' recycles the dreamy atmosphere of 'Looks Just Like the Sun,' with quiet aggressions. The album's first single '7/4 (Shoreline)' mimics the heartbeat of its cousin 'Stars and Sons,' before exploding into a fury of horns, walls of guitar, and an impassioned choral plea. The opener, 'Our Faces Split the Coast in Half,' is an instrumentally-driven ditty and while some faint vocals waft in and out of the track, it's the same up and at them spirit of 'Capture the Flag,' bottled in a jar and slowly unleashed to an ever-growing crowd of rabid indie kids hungry for something bigger, louder, and in your face. This is a classic example of the adage 'the more things change, the more they stay the same.' This self-titled gem mirrors the highs and lows of You Forgot it in People almost to a tee. They're just carrying on their tradition, and doing so with tight craftsmanship even Bob Villa would be proud to sponsor.īut none of this even remotely describes Broken Social Scene. But I pose this question: Isn't this what Broken Social Scene has been hanging their hat on since they burst onto the American music landscape late in 2002? This is a band that makes the same noise whether 6, 7, or 15 people are gracing a stage or a studio booth. The band's stretching themselves a little thin, if you measure thin as sleeker production, more lush sounds, and overextended musical interludes. Why are these people still straddling the fence?Īll the above comments I've made about Broken Social Scene's latest effort are true: It is a masterpiece, if you measure masterpieces by reputation and assumption. Of course, I'm going to be difficult and be the margin of error - that damned 1% that throws the curve out of balance and leaves pollsters scratching their heads. Half the reviews you read are going to praise the Canadian collective's third proper, self-titled album as another masterpiece the other half are going to trash it, citing the band stretching themselves too thin, that too much is happening in the midst of the album's 14 tracks to catch all of it, even after repeated listens. It's a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation. This may be one of the most difficult reviews of the year.

#BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE SWIMMERS FULL#

Broken social scene swimmers