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As I drove down the mountains towards Vancouver Airport, I was surrounded by the natural beauty of Canada. I had never seen so many waterfalls within a ten mile trip, it was breathtaking. I had just spent three days in Canada; a different breed of people who had coins instead of one dollar bills, and the drinking age is nineteen. The change was fresh and exhilarating. Ironically enough, this was my first experience with Broken Social Scene who also hail from Canada.

Broken Social Scene had once only had two members, much in the vein of Local H. On this album, they increased to ten total members, and that is not counting guest appearances. I have always been biased against Canada because of the terrible bands they’ve produced, Sum 41, Bryan Adams, ect. Regardless, five minutes into this album, I had a new found love for our neighbors in the north. The beauty of this album stretches and expands over each track, as the notes flicker in and out of your ears.

The album starts with a low-fi track that fires into KC Accidental. Instead of drawing upon the manufactured generic rock that has been floating through the airwaves, Broken Social Scene focuses on taking what they’ve enjoyed about pop songs and making them unique and as catchy as possible. KC Accidental even seems to draw on the melodic-pawning-for-affection singing style of Sigur Ros. Weird, right? No, brilliant. Broken Social Scene can take you from where your favorite Death Cab For Cutie song left off into an entire different plane of integrity and originality.

Each song on this album reaches out and massages your mind in a different way. From Almost Crimes to Cause=Time, their style seems to fluctuate greatly, yet find a niche to bury itself in. A nice break from American music and culture, Broken Social Scene offers you a complete trip to utopia for $9.99, I suggest you take it before the offer expires.



People who liked this also liked:
Refused - The Shape of Punk to ComeAgainst Me! - is Reinventing Axl RoseDescendents - Milo Goes To CollegeDeath From Above 1979 - You're A Woman, I'm A MachineNOFX - The DeclineBroken Social Scene - Broken Social SceneOperation Ivy - Operation IvyThe Clash - London CallingTexas Is The Reason - Do You Know Who You Are?The Weakerthans - Reconstruction Site



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    Posted by DarthNader on 2008-11-23 18:14:49

    dis aint da album art

    Posted by fatbrendan on 2004-06-14 15:26:20
    My Score:

    it's kinda late to comment on this one, seems I missed the boat, but this is one of the most amazing albums i've ever heard. it's not even my style and yet BSS have crafted ear-pleasing symphonic masterpieces on this album. Gold, pure gold.

    Posted by bigvandal on 2004-02-06 18:28:57
    My Score:

    canada produces its share of bad music, just like any other place on earth.
    yet america holds the trump card.

    michael bolton.

    fuck you america.

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, February 5, 2004 at 12:40 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    i've always been biased against the states for producing: backstreet boys, nsync, good charlotte, creed, mariah carey, LFO, new kids on the block, poison, anti-flag....etc

    Posted by jacobe on 2004-02-05 00:17:33
    My Score:

    2 words.

    Neil Young.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, February 4, 2004 at 11:47 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    lets not forget Godspeed! you black emperor. they are also our friends from the north.

    Posted by PetroBPettson on 2004-02-04 20:31:27
    My Score:

    Ha ha!......that kid a few posts down likes Moneen! Ha Ha!!!

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, February 4, 2004 at 5:50 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    i like some of these songs, but i think i'd rather see them live than own the record

    Posted by inagreendase on 2004-02-04 10:14:18
    My Score:

    "2) for those of you who said this was a good review: get better taste."

    So by better taste, you mean reviewers who bring more attention to themselves than the actual music?

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, February 4, 2004 at 1:10 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    moneen is actually pretty good...
    they're good songwriters and actually play with passion live

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, February 4, 2004 at 12:29 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    "other good bands to come from canada worth... choke, belvedere, moneen, daughters"

    daughters are from providence, rhode island bucko.
    and moneen are a sad, sad excuse for a band. are we really happy with who we are right now? boo-hoo-hoo.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 3, 2004 at 11:40 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    whoever said Rush sucks, you gotta at least give Neil Peart his props...one of the best drummers of all time

    oo and the BSS cd is kick ass, a fresh sounding cd next to all the very pertentious indie rock that comes out nowadays, has anybody else seen the Cause=Time video?? i think its pretty kick ass in its own simple way

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 3, 2004 at 9:06 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    Just amazing, amazing music. Almost jazz-like in certain spots and just interesting music. I'd recommend.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 3, 2004 at 8:56 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    pitchfork are bitches

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 3, 2004 at 8:31 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    canada worth? where the hell is that?

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 3, 2004 at 8:20 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    other good bands to come from canada worth... choke, belvedere, moneen, daughters

    Posted by radiokillsremix on 2004-02-03 19:40:00
    My Score:

    hahaha, i love you.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 3, 2004 at 7:09 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    1) get with the fucking times. this cd came out a year ago. thank god for pfm.
    2) for those of you who said this was a good review: get better taste.

    Posted by lieutenant on 2004-02-03 18:27:19
    My Score:

    One of my favourite albums of 2003. I am trying to get friends to pick this up. Where have you found it for $9.99?

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 3, 2004 at 6:01 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    The Canadian Government has apologized for Brian Adams on several occasions.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 3, 2004 at 5:46 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    i've always had a bias against music cause some of it sucks....

    hahah

    Posted by dignin on 2004-02-03 17:30:36
    My Score:

    "I have always been biased against Canada because of the terrible bands they?ve produced, Sum 41, Bryan Adams, ect."

    You are stupid.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 3, 2004 at 5:05 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    i fuckin hate rush.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 3, 2004 at 4:05 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    Not so great

    Posted by Katie4213 on 2004-02-03 15:44:05
    My Score:

    great band, great alubm, currently in my top 10 favorites. check them out you will not be let down.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 3, 2004 at 3:31 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    if you're gonna give examples of bad music from canada, try simple plan, avril lavigne, rush, and celine dion

    Posted by greg6711 on 2004-02-03 14:47:59
    My Score:

    the hype sucked me in a little, I listened to it at Borders, and I wasn't too fond.

    but on the flip side, it's probably one of those things where it takes a few listens.

    fair enough.

    All I ask is: Where is that Wilco review I wrote a month ago?

    Is it not up to your standards pitchpunkmedianews.org?!?!

    hehe, just teasing

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 3, 2004 at 2:44 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    amazing live, very good on cd

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 3, 2004 at 1:43 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    this record and band rock my face off

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 3, 2004 at 12:19 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    come on, now, Canada's got the Constantines, the Weakerthans, Hot Hot Heat...
    ...I mean, Sweden and Japan are better, but the Molston-chugging hordes haven't exactly let us down (sorry about the stereotype, guys, I know that Australians don't drink Foster's as much as everyone thinks, either)

    -notaclevername

    Posted by Ted_The_Bellhop on 2004-02-03 12:01:27
    My Score:

    and Canada also gave us great cartoon shows like The Undergrads and Clone High. So good on them

    Posted by Jesse on 2004-02-03 11:55:10
    My Score:

    This band fuckin' rips.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 3, 2004 at 11:55 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    I picked up this record due to Pitchfork hype--like everyone else. The first couple of listens were pretty pleasing: solid pop numbers wrapped in lo-fi sound. Fine. But upon further listening, I've realized that this album is simply good; it's not great, it's not classic. The band's good at what they do--but what they do is ape dusty old indie-rock model founded by your Pavements and Dino Jr.s. The record has some standout tracks; 'Anthems for a Seventeen Year Old Girl' comes to mind. But, in totality, its just a snowball effect by way of PF Media. Listen to Chuck D on this one, folks.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 3, 2004 at 11:12 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    USA is the birth place of Grunge and gravy mouth bands (pearl jam,creed,godsmack)

    Canada gave us Tom Green's hip hop group (they won a canadian grammy there)

    Canada wins!

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 3, 2004 at 11:05 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    doesn't the US also put out some really crappy music.

    Posted by chimericalburst on 2004-02-03 10:57:53
    My Score:

    hell yeah. good review.