Band of the Week: Broken Social Scene

[December 17-23]
Broken Social Scene
Sounds Like: Experimental/Indie
Drinking Buddies: Stars, Metric, Feist, Do Make Say Think, Kevin Drew, Jason Collet, Stars, (et. al.)
Synopsis: The super-group of the 21st Century.
Makes You Want To...: Turn up the speakers, Paint, Make love.
[Myspace]




One week, one band. You know the drill.
This week, the featured artist is Broken Social Scene.



How does one even begin to start to say anything about Broken Social Scene? Usually hailed as the kings and queens of indie rock, this Canadian super-group has garnered fans far and wide, while procuring a hefty notoriety along the way. It might help nearly all the members (which has topped out so far at FIFTEEN - yes, one, two, three... fifteen!) belong to some other sort of band. Kevin Drew, and his solo act (accompanied, of course, by the rest of BSS) also played with KC Accidental, along with Charles Spearin. Of course, Spearin has jams with Do Make Say Think, also performing with Valley of Giants with Brendan Canning (also of Junior Blue). Lest I mention Leslie Feist's solo act, Stars with Emily Haines and James Shaw, Stars with Amy Millan, Jason Collet's solo project...

Making a long story a tad bit shorter, Broken Social Scene is the only band with such an extensive family tree.

But BSS isn't a just group of gallivanting celebrities with pretty smiles. Broken Social Scene pushes music forward with esoteric, eccentric lyrical composition, crazy song structure, and huge 10-or-more-people-playing-at-once walls of sound. They've taken pop and made it indie; they've taken indie and made it pop. Singing about everything from getting screwed for money, pretty girls, and blow jobs, while using their indie credibility to make a one-of-a-kind super group that makes bloggers blush, Broken Social Scene forms what some consider to be the epitome of modern-indie rock.

Broken Social Scene has a wheelbarrow-full of old EPs, as well as several amazing LPs including You Forgot It In People, Bee Hives, and of course the self titled Broken Social Scene. Just recently, Broken Social Scene formally presented their protege (and co-ish-founder, with Canning), Kevin Drew, with his latest solo-ish album, Spirit If... If you couldn't guess, these guys probably have a Myspace. They also have a fansite - neat! There's one last site, over on the Arts & Crafts' label site. That might be interesting. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to sing along to "Superconnected" very loudly. Have a nice week!