Somehow, I’ve never really gotten into Broken Social Scene. It’s just one of these things. Not that I think they’re bad or anything, it’s just that I’ve never spent any time with them. You know how it is. There’s just too much music out there. Perhaps perversely, I’m more familiar with their associates, like Metric/Emily Haines, Feist and Stars, than I am with the mothership.
But I’ve had an opportunity to acquaint myself with the Canadian supergroup, in the form of Spirit If… the new solo album by one of the main men, Kevin Drew. I say solo album, though it comes very much with the BSS stamp on it. It’s there on the cover – Broken Social Scene Presents Kevin Drew – and on the record itself, there are a good few of the ‘Scene’s sprawling membership helping Kevin out on various instrument duties.
And I’m pleased to say it’s a good introduction. It’s an album that rewards repeated listens, as that’s really the only way you’re going to appreciate it fully. It’s a dense, meaty affair, with plenty to get the teeth round, and clocking in at an hour, it’s also pretty long – too long maybe to digest properly in one go. There’s a lot to enjoy here – from the up-tempo rockers like the Boss-referencing Lucky Ones and the noisy opener Farewell to the Pressure Kids, to the more stripped down and downbeat likes of Where it Begins and Gang Bang Suicide. There’s nothing to complain about either, but there’s just something holding me back from proclaiming the true greatness of Spirit If… Maybe I need to just spend more time digesting it properly. I mean, it’s a good album, maybe even a very good album. But can you have too much of a good thing? Yeah, I think so.
Download: Kevin Drew – TBTF
Order your copy of Spirit If…
But I’ve had an opportunity to acquaint myself with the Canadian supergroup, in the form of Spirit If… the new solo album by one of the main men, Kevin Drew. I say solo album, though it comes very much with the BSS stamp on it. It’s there on the cover – Broken Social Scene Presents Kevin Drew – and on the record itself, there are a good few of the ‘Scene’s sprawling membership helping Kevin out on various instrument duties.
And I’m pleased to say it’s a good introduction. It’s an album that rewards repeated listens, as that’s really the only way you’re going to appreciate it fully. It’s a dense, meaty affair, with plenty to get the teeth round, and clocking in at an hour, it’s also pretty long – too long maybe to digest properly in one go. There’s a lot to enjoy here – from the up-tempo rockers like the Boss-referencing Lucky Ones and the noisy opener Farewell to the Pressure Kids, to the more stripped down and downbeat likes of Where it Begins and Gang Bang Suicide. There’s nothing to complain about either, but there’s just something holding me back from proclaiming the true greatness of Spirit If… Maybe I need to just spend more time digesting it properly. I mean, it’s a good album, maybe even a very good album. But can you have too much of a good thing? Yeah, I think so.Download: Kevin Drew – TBTF
Order your copy of Spirit If…
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2 comments:
if i may be so bold, i would suggest bss's you forgot it in people as a starting point for the group. after digesting that, then move on to broken social scene. they're both phenomenal albums, but yfiip is a bit more accessible.
Cheers for the tip. I'm certainly overdue exploring them further...
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