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Underground > Radio & Music >

Broken Social Scene

foot long subbacultcha

20:50 / 08.08.03

Since there are quite a few 'lithers from Toronto I was wondering what people on the board thought of Broken Social Scene. I managed to see them last November in Toronto supporting Jason Collet at the Rivoli. The set was quite entertaining, but I wasn't blown away at the time. I did grab a CD, though, and since then I've become obsessed with the band's music. Any other fans? They're actually playing in London at the Barfly on Tuesday, if anyone's interested.

foot long subbacultcha

09:19 / 13.08.03

The place was packed! Another great gig at the Barfly. Was I really the only 'lither (bearing in mind I haven't been one for long) there?

17:42 / 27.05.05

You're way ahead of me here. I just downloaded the entire back catalogue out of curiosity, and it's fucking fab. More on it as I get into it...

19:08 / 16.07.05

Is it true that you canadian boys by law must listen to a canadian band on the radio like 1 song out each 4 they play?

I bet you get a lot of BSC and the arcade fire.

Foust is SO authentic

23:57 / 17.07.05

Yeah, it's true. You damn cultural imperialists are always trying to drown out our homegrown voices.

That being said... if the radio wants to play BSC a whole lot, that's fine by me.

05:34 / 20.07.05

The real question is how often you want to hear "Takin' Care of Business/Christmas" or "New Orleans is Sinking" before you go berserk.

Actually, excepting Yuletide versions, I sometimes like both. And BSC. And Arcade Fire. And The Constantines. I could go on.

foot long subbacultcha

14:57 / 20.10.05

New album's a corker. There's a fuzziness to the production that gives it a consistency missing from the last one. Thankfully, they're including a couple of dates in London for their tour! Anyone else had a listen?

07:09 / 21.10.05

I didn't even know BSS had a new one. I'll have to check this out. Oh and they're finally returning to London? Excellent!

Fuzziness you say?

Have you heard Apostle of Hustle's, Folkloric Feel? Thought that had quite a bit of fuzziness, in the same way? Interesting to think that "Feel" could have influenced the new album.

foot long subbacultcha

08:37 / 21.10.05

Nope not heard of that. I'm talking about a My Bloody Valentine kind of fuzziness - big on bass and guitar, low on vocals

08:59 / 21.10.05

Ah ok, AOH, have a three BSS members in there, and a few others cameo on a few tracks. So that's why I was wondering if this had influenced the new one.

Folkloric Feel does have a latin type sound to it, I suppose this is not the case on the new BSS one. Still there was a definite fuzz on Folkloric Feel that was absent in most BSS tracks.

I'll track it down, comment once I've heard it.

foot long subbacultcha

13:08 / 21.10.05

I'll have to take a listen to AOH, then, cheers. BSS brought me to Metric and Stars and I'm happy with what I've heard from those two bands.

16:32 / 22.11.05

so... as I talked about BSS in the 'what are you listening to' thread i thought i'd give a heads up to their UK tour in February- given that their Barfly and Cargo gigs sold out in superfast time i thought you all may like to know that tickets are now available now... 8th February 2006 Mean fiddler - just booked mine and i'm looking forward to it.

As an update to my thoughts in the what are you listening to thread i just got the new album- and i thought i'd share a couple of thoughts while its still fresh.

I'm feeling a little swamped with new music at the moment cos there seems to have been a burst of essential purchases (i only got 'You forgot it in people' a couple of weeks ago along with Clap your hands album, Wolf Parade etc) but that is hardly a hardship- more a pleasure if truth be told.

Anyway first impressions are that its almost as marvelous as the last- a little more polish on the production and a lot more horns (which is good)- 7/4 (shoreline) is jumping out as a standout track with a bouncing girl/ guy vocal thing reminiscent of 'almost crimes' but mellower- in fact the whole album has a more mellow vibe almost shoe gazery to it (remember these are still early impressions- i only got it on saturday) It seems like they're making more of their own sound- as opposed to another band on a wayne coyne tip (don't get me wrong i love that sound) its a bit more confident in what was being hinted at in YFIIP- Ibi Dreams Of Pavement (A Better Day) is epic and makes your heart stop for a second in a My Bloody Valentine playing The Shins way - good stuff.

20:13 / 22.11.05

Copey shouldn't you be at the CYHSY gig?

I've had the new BSS for a few weeks now. I do like it a lot. Listened to it non stop for about a week. Now I'm trying to wean myself off a bit. I'd say it is at least as good as their previous ones. I think there is some influence from Apostle of Hustle on there, but then, I suppose that is to be expected.

Have you read their interview on Pitchfork here.

I've also got tickets to the February gig. Pity they moved it from the Friday, but I'm still excited about the prospect of seeing them live. I expect it to be pretty good.

10:15 / 15.12.05

The Broken social Scene Febuary gig has now been moved from the Mean Fiddler to the Astoria- the album gets an official UK release on January 30th... which is a bit weird as i didn't realise i'd bought an import?

So can we mention the Stars album "Set Yourself On Fire" in this thread- Maybe a mod could amend the thread summary to include Stars & Apostle of Hustle as they are offshoot projects that probably don't all yet warrent their own threads?

Its rapidly growing into one of my favourite records of the year- and as they have Broken Social Scene members/ collaborators in there ranks i thought this was a more relevant area to discuss?

They are definitely worth checking out- they remind me of The Postal Service more than BSS- they are certainly a little more structured and almost a little fey in a Belle & Sebastian kind of way. The nearest BSS point of reference would be the epic strings stuff like 'Lovers Spit'

'Your ex lover is dead' is a heartbreaker that launches the record and is glorious- kind of reminds me of Fairy Tale in New York if it were sung by Belle & Sebastian or a 'District Sleeps Alone Tonight' for this year. The album is a corker from the indie pop of 'Reunion' to the epic 'One more Night'. They use synths and programmed bleeps and noises that is very reminiscent of The Postal Service big indie guitars and lovely strings, they swap vocals between girl and guy and its just very good- i can't stop listening to this record.

This is definitely one for the christmas list if you haven't got it yet - or just download a couple of tracks now and share your thoughts...

foot long subbacultcha

12:15 / 15.12.05

I'll be at the February gig as well as the one at Cargo on Monday. Anyone else going to that?

12:29 / 15.12.05

No wonder I haven't received my tickets yet, they keep on changing dates. Astoria now? Haven't been there in ages, quite a step up from the Mean Fiddler.

Stars, have to check this out. I know they played here either October or November, and meant to check them out then. Forgot to do so. That's on my Christmas list now.

Alas, the BSS, Cargo show sold out before I could get a ticket. Was thinking of going to buy one from a tout, but Monday is my rest day from all the Xmas/birthday/housewarming do's that are happening around me. Still may go along if Sunday is not too harsh. Will post here if I do Footlong.

foot long subbacultcha

10:08 / 16.12.05

Yeah - and if I somehow happen to end up with a spare ticket I'll let you know

10:57 / 21.12.05

Didn't go in the end. How was it?

foot long subbacultcha

12:39 / 22.12.05

Great! Good mix of tunes from both albums, finishing with It's All Gonna Break, and including both versions of Major Label Debut. I'm a little confused with who the female vocalist was, not recognising her from shows in previous years. Alan Rickman was in the audience, and so was Kele Bloc Party.

16:08 / 22.12.05

That was Lisa Lobsinger who used to be in Reverie Sound Revue

06:53 / 09.02.06

Hey, anybody else go last night?

I rather enjoyed the gig, I was quite surprised with the early start, thank goodness we arrived early-ish. This was my first time seeing BSS and the first time in years that I've been to The Astoria.

I suppose The Astoria is a nice enough venue, but it was way too packed, crazy man! I would have preferred a more intimate venue, and of course being further up front, as it happened I was way, way back. Decent enough view I suppose and the sound was good. So I can't really complain. For some reason reminded me of the last Flaming Lips gig I went to. Less shiny stuff of course.

Dug the AoH interlude towards the end.

Thoughts?

08:52 / 09.02.06

I was there, rather good it was too- although I didn't get the 'apostles of hustle' thing it was a really good show.

They played for a long time- (nearly two and a half hours!) but it rarely dragged. From the moment they kicked into KC accidental they blew me away-starting with a wall of white noise culminating with the horn section arriving on stage - 5 guitarists sounds like you can imagine- a big big noise- if My Bloody Valentine ever decide to reform they really want to sound this big and noisy.

My other favourite tracks were Time=Cause- which sounds just like Green Mind era Dinosaur Jr to me, again both versions of 'Major Label debut' were played, 'Shoreline', 'Anthems for a 17 year Old Girl', 'Ibi Dreams of Pavement' they just kept coming.

As you said zf they played a long time- i honestly thought that they would be off at 10 or 10.30 and worried they were running out of tunes as they just kept coming, there was no encore - but they stopped briefly at 10 so that members of the band could use the bathroom! Then they come back and play a blinding version of Lovers spit and an epic version of Its all gonna break with the whole band, horns, violins exploding onto the stage.

Definitely one of the best shows i've seen in a while- it certainly helps that you could see that the band were getting off on it too- introducing the audience to their family- a mass of grey haired canadians on the balcony.

I was initially a bit pissed off about the venue upgrade- but i can't imagine seeing them in a smaller venue- how do they all fit on stage!

They reminded me of seeing Pavement- almost on the verge of shambles but a great noise that culminates in spine shuddering melodies, the same multiple instruments and almost leaderless band that really seem to be having a good time.

Anyway if you get a chance to see them go cos i thought they were great.

foot long subbacultcha

13:15 / 09.02.06

Yep. I was there. It was up there with the best of the BSS shows I've seen. They did a good job of stepping up to the large venue with the epic-scale gig. I was really surprised.

uncle retrospective

22:25 / 13.02.06

Saw them on Saturday and they were great, no, they were fucking great. 12 people playing on stage at once make a great noise and any band who never have less than 3 guitarists are good in my book. I know they would hate it, but it had the same effect on me as the Arcade Fire, I wasn’t mad on the album but after the live gig it all fits into place, I’ve been listening to the last 2 albums non stop the last few days. It may be the gig of the year already. Here’s hoping their pack for the festival season.

11:23 / 18.09.07

There's a new album that's worth checking out Broken Social Scene presents: Kevin Drew "Spirit If"...

I've been listening to it this morning and its pretty bloody great. The first impression is that it's pretty noisy in a lo-fi way- reminding me more of You Forgot it in People than the recent self titled album. Anybody else listening?

I'm not quite sure what the difference is with this and a normal BSS record? I know they're gonna tour this record so i assume it'll be a stripped down version of the normal band- kindof like apostles of hustle. I'm also hoping this doesn't mean the end of BSS as we know and love em

foot long subbacultcha

12:48 / 18.09.07

As far as I know there will be a Bernard Canning "Broken Social Scene presents effort" as well. Perhaps after that we'll get another BSS record - it's all up in the air.

I recently saw a Kevin Drew show in London that was billed as a BSS gig - as good as the album is, a lot of the audience were very disappointed and felt very mislead.

Not as great as the ensemble albums (it's more shoe-gazy), but still one of the best listens so far this year.

15:04 / 18.09.07

I recently saw a Kevin Drew show in London that was billed as a BSS gig

I totally missed that! Where? when? What band did he play with?

foot long subbacultcha

07:59 / 19.09.07

It was at the Scala in Kings Cross - I think it was the start of a small tour around the country. I forget how many people played in the band that night, but there were moments when band members rotated. I recognised some from previous BSS shows. As usual, Kevin and Brendan were the centre of it all, and they made a point of highlighting the unfortunate absence of the girls.

03:16 / 20.09.07

Been listening to BSS for a while, or at least one disc of theirs (You Forgot It In People). Working at GHS guitar strings actually does have its advantages from time to time... mainly, ganking cd submissions for sponsorship from the front office. ^_^