Record Review: Broken Social Scene – Forgiveness Rock Record

After being occupied by aboriginal people for thousands of years, the country of Canada was settled by both the British and the French in the 15th century. With a population of around 34 million people, it is made up of 10 provinces and three territories. The most populated of these provinces is Ontario, the capital of which is Toronto. Toronto is Canada's most populated city, with an estimated population of over 2.5 million people - all of whom are members Broken Social Scene.

And some how the masters of BSS, Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning, have managed to coordinate all of these lovely, talented Torontonites (?) to produce yet another record, their forth in nine years.

Now in a country like Canada, where the main exports include genius music, maple syrup, double denim and marijuana, you need to make sure you have a consistently high quality of product leaving your borders in order to maintain your country's good name. And obviously the Canadian FAMCS (Fucking Awesome Music Control Service - kinda like the Mounties) have been cracking down on BSS and its CEOs, 'cos there isn't much wrong on their new album, Forgiveness Rock Record.

Opener World Sick is aptly epic and fires the LP off like I'd expect your bowel movements would explode after a long night of eating the Canadian national dish, poutine (hot chips slathered with gravy and cheese curds).

This is then backed up by the surf rock guitars, Kraftwerk beats and syrupy sweet strings of Chase Scene. Meanwhile Texico Bitches sounds like an off cut from BSS's classic 2002 album, You Forgot It In People, with it's quirky production and disco beats.

Other stand outs include the lead single, Forced To Love, which stars all of Tontonto cutting sick; the beautifully lady-voiced, All To All, which mix masters a tremolo guitar and electronica tickle fight to perfection; and Sweetest Kill, a song that cuts through heart strings like a Saskatchewan lumber jack. I won't go as far to say that Forgiveness Rock Record is a classic in the same vain as You Forgot It In People, but it does have classic moments, and maintains BSS's Wayne Gretzky-like high level of consistency and performance.

Originally published in Polaroids of Androids