Formed in 1999 by Brendan Canning and Kevin Drew, the band's beginnings were sparse in terms of personnel and sonics. To infuse the live show with more action and personality, they often invited other Toronto-area musicians and friends to contribute. This list now reads like a who's who of indie rockers: Metric's Emily Haines, Jason Collett, Apostle of Hustle's Andrew Whiteman, Leslie Feist, and Stars' Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan, among others. These live collaborations eventually became more permanent and collaborative, defining the music that BSS would make over the course of its next two albums, You Forgot It in People in 2003 and Broken Social Scene in 2005.
Broken Social Scene's music calls to mind a kind of idealized personal freedom — like the feeling of rushing down a deserted highway with the windows down — even as it harnesses the power of intense and focused collaboration. In fact, it's as though the collective nature of the band allows Drew and Canning to dig into another dimension of pop music that is from this planet but exists on a plane hidden from view. Ultimately, Broken Social Scene's music amalgamates pop sensibilities with raw emotions and a collaborative spirit that feels honest and inviting.
This team spirit continues on the collective's latest endeavor, the Broken Social Scene Presents series, which so far includes Kevin Drew's first solo album, 2007's Spirit If... , and Brendan Canning's effort, this year's Something for All of Us. Both albums feature contributions from such BSS regulars as Charles Spearin, Feist, and Millan.
Something also features a new voice, Land of Talk's Elizabeth Powell. On this current BSS tour, she's doing double duty: Land of Talk opens, and then Powell joins the band onstage, covering some of the vocal parts originated by Haines, Feist, and Millan.
Though fans might be eager for the next proper BSS record, it's clear that the group doesn't want to overthink where it's going. "We've never been that calculated as far as what's coming next," Canning says. "It might improve the longevity of the band if we keep ourselves guessing a little bit."
