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You Forgot It In People

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Broken Social Scene

 
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You Forgot It In People
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Avg: 4.5 (706 ratings)

Feist-y collective fusses over the details.

  • We Say...

    A big group doesn't always make a big sound. Sprawling Toronto-based indie rock collective Broken Social Scene, whose ranks usually hover around nine instrument-hopping members, fuss over the details on You Forgot It In People, their breakthrough full-length. Rarely dipping outside traditional rock band instrumentation, BSS somehow make a bunch of guitar/bass/keyboard/drum tunes sound uniquely sparkly and sweet. The group sounds self-assured as members trade vocal duties and scuttle between galloping, raucous indie anthems ("KC Accidental," "Almost Crimes"), strutting, faux-tropical workouts ("Looks Just Like the Sun," "Pacific Theme") and swooning melodrama (album highlight "Lover's Spit").

    Rather than making an indiscriminately large racket, BSS use their bulging roster to fill the nooks and crannies of You Forgot with small sonic treasures. Layered guitars twinkle a little more when sidled-up next to a high harmony piano vamp; acoustic guitar and brushed drums are teased and textured by a winsome, dulcimer-like lead line; a plodding midtempo number is made soaring with subtle strings and a flanged, layered vocal harmony. It took every shred of every idea from the freewheeling group, but they managed the neat trick of using more to make less — luckily, it's a distinctly thrilling treat.

  • They Say...

    Since the release of Feel Good Lost, Toronto music collective Broken Social Scene became a bit more collective, swelling from two members to ten (plus guests). As you'd expect with such a dramatic rise in membership, there's a lot more variety this time out -- the first two tracks are a case in point; in fact, the first track is a fairly airy instrumental number with a Mark Isham-like feel, but track two slams it off the rails with a driving beat and wailing guitars. Main members Brendan Canning and Kevin Drew even sing this time around (on "Cause=Time" Drew sounds almost like J Mascis); Leslie Feist and Emily Haines take their turns on other tracks. According to one of the members of this incarnation of the group, trying to determine "who did what" on this album would be almost an entire review in itself, as everyone took turns playing different instruments on different tracks and the whole thing was built from the ground up in a very collective fashion. Although listeners who found the first Broken Social Scene release a nice ambient pop treat may be put off by this one's all-over-the-map approach, it's certainly a much more accessible release overall and there's bound to be something in here that you'll enjoy. [You Forgot It in People was also released with a slightly different 'alternate' cover in 2003.]

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