Broken Social Scene – Forgiveness Rock Record

Broken Social Scene - Forgiveness Rock Record

Canada’s Broken Social Scene return with their fourth album after a five-year hiatus (founder members Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning’s solo albums not withstanding of course). Often an introduction to many for artists such as Feist, Stars and Metric, this Broken Social Scene line up (i.e. the core members for this album – there are still guest spots dotted around) is a much smaller affair than previously heard.

Drew, Canning, Charles Spearin, Andrew Whiteman, Justin Peroff, Lisa Lobsinger and Sam Goldberg make up the core band, with veteran producer John McEntire (best known for his work with Tortoise and The Sea And Cake) handling the duties his title would suggest.

Forgiveness Rock Record takes off in some style – opener ‘World Sick’ and ‘Texico Bitches’ are trademark Broken Social Scene whilst ‘Chase Scene’ is the soundtrack to a heist scene in an unmade 80’s movie. ‘Art House Director’ proclaims that the titular director’s “…Starlet is a harlet / She will not leave her trailer” – an ode to difficult young stars, garnished by some brilliantly punchy brass.

Things go dream-country on ‘Highway Slipper Jam’, replete with both finger-picking and whistling.  Other dreamy moments are provided by ‘Sweetest Kill’ – “I thought you were the sweetest kill / Did I even know? / And all the time we thought we did / Was it just for show?” – and closer ‘Me And My Hand’, which was written during downtime, when band members would head into the studio’s second, smaller room while John McEntire worked in the main room.

Instrumental ‘Meet Me In The Basement’ perhaps encapsulates what is so loved about Broken Social Scene – it sounds like a group of friends jamming together (yes, in a basement), having fun making music. Forgiveness Rock Record is a complete record.  It has the blissed out moments, it has the tunes to set crowds dancing at their live shows and, above all, the heart that so many fans, old and new, will fall in love with.

No related posts.