Lets Try The Latest Vol. 1 EP - Broken Social Scene: Review
Broken Social Scene
are a Toronto based indie collective featuring a rotating cast of musicians and notable indie names who have been dropping indie staples since their conception in the early 2000's. We last heard from the band in 2017 when they dropped their first record in 7 years Hug Of Thunder to moderate critical acclaim. The singles All I Want and Boyfriend were released in the lead up to this EP.
Review By Lavender:
I have always been a moderate fan of Broken Social Scene. Their 2002 record You Forgot It In People is a piece of indie royalty that I enjoy a lot still to this day and in 2017 I gave a positive review to their first record released in my time doing these reviews, Hug Of Thunder. I also awarded a spot on my singles list to the fantastic indie pop tune Skyline. My expectations were still pretty tempered for this new EP having already heard two of the five songs going into it and coming away just alright from the tracks. Ultimately what the band presents here is decent material but far from essential.
The EP is essentially just 4 tracks as the opening song The Sweet Sea is a brief less than a minute instrumental intro. Even on an album where instrumentals are to be appreciated it seems like more of an afterthought. The next track up is also instrumental but a much longer and more developed one. Remember Me Young is a bold and fun instrumental when all the way fleshed out that shows flashes of the band in their heyday but is ultimately just a solid piece of the puzzle. After this we jump into Boyfriends a very solid track with highlights on the keys and percussion performances. It dropped just before the EP did with a sweet little music video and it works even better within the tight context of the EP.
1972 is a song I flip flopped on a little bit, upon first listen I considered it a high point but that luster has been wearing off with each repeat listen. The vocals are cool and pretty crisp at first but the more the song draws on I get less and less enamored and impressed with the pretty stagnant performances across the board. The song just didn't need to be close to five minutes long as it takes its very solid idea and drives it into the ground making for what I think may be the weakest full track on the project by the time all is said and done.
All I Want is the EPs closer and the track that originally sold me on its necessity when I first heard it as a lead single for the project. It's a bold, fun and energetic indie tune that is icing out a spot on my singles of the year list and brings this project to a spectacular close. I wouldn't consider it to be a candidate for anything like my favorite BSS song to date but it is a great 2019 level indie tune that shouldn't be missed if you like this band or feel they are operating withing genres you enjoy.
Ultimately the material Broken Social Scene have dropped here is solid and I'm happy to see them increase the volume of releases and maintain their consistency. That being said this is far less essential than the bands 2017 album Hug Of Thunder and is more of a fans release than anything that will turn heads or grab lots of new followers for the group. A quality release, but one I don't expect many people to be talking about or listening to by the end of this year, much less a decade from now. 7/10
The EP is essentially just 4 tracks as the opening song The Sweet Sea is a brief less than a minute instrumental intro. Even on an album where instrumentals are to be appreciated it seems like more of an afterthought. The next track up is also instrumental but a much longer and more developed one. Remember Me Young is a bold and fun instrumental when all the way fleshed out that shows flashes of the band in their heyday but is ultimately just a solid piece of the puzzle. After this we jump into Boyfriends a very solid track with highlights on the keys and percussion performances. It dropped just before the EP did with a sweet little music video and it works even better within the tight context of the EP.
1972 is a song I flip flopped on a little bit, upon first listen I considered it a high point but that luster has been wearing off with each repeat listen. The vocals are cool and pretty crisp at first but the more the song draws on I get less and less enamored and impressed with the pretty stagnant performances across the board. The song just didn't need to be close to five minutes long as it takes its very solid idea and drives it into the ground making for what I think may be the weakest full track on the project by the time all is said and done.
All I Want is the EPs closer and the track that originally sold me on its necessity when I first heard it as a lead single for the project. It's a bold, fun and energetic indie tune that is icing out a spot on my singles of the year list and brings this project to a spectacular close. I wouldn't consider it to be a candidate for anything like my favorite BSS song to date but it is a great 2019 level indie tune that shouldn't be missed if you like this band or feel they are operating withing genres you enjoy.
Ultimately the material Broken Social Scene have dropped here is solid and I'm happy to see them increase the volume of releases and maintain their consistency. That being said this is far less essential than the bands 2017 album Hug Of Thunder and is more of a fans release than anything that will turn heads or grab lots of new followers for the group. A quality release, but one I don't expect many people to be talking about or listening to by the end of this year, much less a decade from now. 7/10
