Glorious Canadian Indie
With more members than tracks on the album, you may wonder how Broken Social Scene have created a cohesive record, but the truth is that this variety allows them to produce a record that's got more on offer than cohesion; it's fresh and exciting.
Opening with the agitated but understated, 'Our Faces Split The Coast In Half' which soars along in the throes of some offbeat, hippy sounds. 'Ibi Dreams of Pavement (A Better Day)' has a more direct, jangly sound that sounds like an entire orchestra has been put into a blender and you're now standing laughing as you're covered in a delicious, but highly messy aural cocktail.
Another mellow, merry treat is '7/4 (Shoreline)' with its shimmering vocals, persistent percussion, quirky guitars and ounces of sassy gusto from a buoyant brass section. The dewy sounds of 'Finish Your Collapse and Stay For Breakfast' drift lazily out of your stereo with gleaming positivity before melting into the fresh and laidback style of 'Major Label Debut'. Riding high on waves of rippling guitar and the vocals themselves have a transcendent quality about them that soothes the weary mind; Broken Social Scene certainly don't do stressed!
'Fire Eye'd Boy' has a firm funky vibe and a delightful riff shared between instruments like a hilarious in-joke. 'Windsurfing Nation' samples everyday chitchat but turns it into a great tune with jazzy female vocals and plenty of ad hoc handclaps thrown in. Even R'n'B beats find themselves mixed up in this widely varied album on the track 'Hotel' which bristles with cute samples and whispered vocals, which snap out of your speaker.
'Superconnected' finds a pulsing pace and an upbeat tempo that make you tap your feet to the rolling drums. 'Bandwitch' is just as enchanting as the title suggests, as its hypnotic melody is sure to have you in a blissful trance. 'It's All Gonna Break' is the most close to a traditional pop song that you get with Broken Social Scene as the vocals firmly take the lead, of course with this being Broken Social Scene, it's a 9 minute indie pop song that rolls through a thousand different nuances.
The extra EP with this limited edition set is an interesting little titbit for fans beginning with the dreamy, 'Her Disappearing Theme', voyaging through some chaotic brass in 'Canada vs. America' and the wonderful downright sonic shambles that is 'Baroque Social' to the misty eyed lullaby sounds of 'All My Friends'.
Toronto certainly has a great scene going for it at the moment and Broken Social Scene are at the very fore with their relaxed experimental sound which ends up wherever the music wants to take you. This album takes you to a far out fantasy world full of brass breezes and synth streams; you'll never want to leave!