You know, I’d forgotten about the number of great rock bands in Canada. We hadn’t heard from Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene, Stars or Feist for a while, so it was easy to lose sight of the outstanding contribution to music the country has made over the past decade. But the conglomerate of Canadian indie stars that is Broken Social have returned with Forgiveness Rock Record, and it’s a pleasure to report that the band sound as great as ever.
Back in 2006, one track that was on constant rotation on my iPod was the sublime ‘Hotel’ from the Scene’s self-titled album. The gorgeous dream-pop feel of that tune is replicated in parts on Forgiveness, but this time around, it’s merely one colour on the band’s palette. In many ways, this is the most expansive BSS album to date, which is no doubt partially attributable to the presence of Tortoise main-man and US underground guru John McEntire in the producer’s seat.
It’s noticeable that the group have expanded upon the baroque pop strand that has always been part of their repertoire, and the presence of several orchestral string swells strongly recalls their compatriots, Arcade Fire (who must be the only Canadian guitar band not to have a member in Broken Social Scene).
Elsewhere, the group skilfully combine acoustic rhythms with electro beats, particularly on the wonderful ‘Art House Director’. A treasure trove of musical treats, Forgiveness Rock Record is an album to get lost in.