Broken Social Scene - Where do I start?

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Somehow I've managed to avoid hearing any BSS. I've heard great things about the new album.

― Nigel (Nigel), Tuesday, 1 November 2005 16:40 (twenty years ago)

Listen to "Ibi Dreams of Pavement (A Better Half)", or "Hotel", from the new record. if you dig, you'll dig. if you don't, you probably won't.

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Tuesday, 1 November 2005 16:47 (twenty years ago)

...With A Sonic Youth album...why bother with the karaoke when you can have the real deal !

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 1 November 2005 17:01 (twenty years ago)

i don't know if the song that sounds like Pavement or the song that sounds like the Junior Boys are really the best place to start.

x-post

― brontosaur, Tuesday, 1 November 2005 17:06 (twenty years ago)

Sonic Youth?

I haven't liked any BSS I've heard so far, except in the "it's alright - meh" sense. But I hadn't seen, or expected that to be a reference point here.

― login name (fandango), Tuesday, 1 November 2005 17:07 (twenty years ago)

Start with side 1 of You Forgot It In People. Then look for the live performance of New Country.

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Tuesday, 1 November 2005 17:08 (twenty years ago)

Sonic Youth sounds absolutely nothing like BSS, not even a spare detuned guitar or wrenched vocal...the new album is DENSE (100+ tracks per song dense) so the best starting point is You Fogot It In People, specifically - KC Accidental, Anthem For a 17 Yr Old Girl, and Lover's Spit..if you like that, take the S/T one slowly...it's a lot to digest, but increasingly rewarding with each listen

― Space Is the Place (Space Is the Place), Tuesday, 1 November 2005 17:15 (twenty years ago)

This basically explains the most essential bits:

Helping your Child Fit into the New Social Scene

― Confounded (Confounded), Tuesday, 1 November 2005 17:20 (twenty years ago)

start with buying one of the early-'00s KC Accidental albums and you'll pretty much have every BSS song (or at least its style) covered

― ken taylrr never her (ken taylrr), Tuesday, 1 November 2005 17:32 (twenty years ago)

just get Daydream Nation and call it a day.

― sexyDancer (sexyDancer), Tuesday, 1 November 2005 17:38 (twenty years ago)

get YFIIP please.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 1 November 2005 17:41 (twenty years ago)

the new album is DENSE

This is one thing that is preventing me from really sinking my teeth into this. It sounds too busy in the mix, or too flat or something. Normally I like that headphone wall-of-sound thing but there aren't enough specifics to latch onto. I liked YFIIP, (to my surprise, maybe) I suppose I shouldn't have hoped for too much.

Anyway, where to start? You Forgot It In People. Then get Beehive and the new one and then you're practically a completist.

― mcd (mcd), Tuesday, 1 November 2005 17:51 (twenty years ago)

Don't bother.

― adam (adam), Tuesday, 1 November 2005 17:57 (twenty years ago)

I'd second (or perhaps third or fourth at this point) YFIIP -- yes to "Lover's Spit" and "Anthems for a 17 Year-old-Girl", and I'm most partial to "Stars and Sons" off that album. Someday I shall have sex to that song, as God is my witness.
I like BSS but mcd OTM (goodness, that was a lot of acronyms) -- BSS is less immediately snaggy than YFIIP.

― Surfer_Stone_Rosalita (Surfer_Stone_Rosalita), Tuesday, 1 November 2005 19:23 (twenty years ago)

Also, this band sounds nothing like Sonic Youth. "Cause=Time" sounds exactly like Dinosaur Jr, though.

― mcd (mcd), Wednesday, 2 November 2005 00:48 (twenty years ago)

YFIIP is Ok, with Lover's Spit and 17-year-old girl as the best tracks. Everything else? Well, if you liked the Arcade Fire and don't have any really high expectations, go ahead and buy the album. If not, spend your money on just about any early-to-mid '90s alternapop to get the same thing.

― js (honestengine), Wednesday, 2 November 2005 01:02 (twenty years ago)

Start with You Forgot it in People, specifically "Stars and Sons", "Almost Crimes", "Anthems for a Seventeen-Year-Old Girl", and "Lover's Spit".

― Ross G. (scatter), Wednesday, 2 November 2005 01:40 (twenty years ago)

Don't start with their new album, thus start with their first, and work your way up.

― Tokyo Ghost Stories (Tokyo Ghost Stories), Wednesday, 2 November 2005 02:48 (twenty years ago)

what's with people comparing BSS to Sonic Youth and Arcade Fire?

― aaron d.g. (aaron d.g.), Wednesday, 2 November 2005 03:29 (twenty years ago)

Arcade Fire because they're "canadian" and Sonic Youth because they are "alternative" and occasionally use a "distortion pedal", I guess....incredibly lazy comparisons

― Space Is the Place (Space Is the Place), Wednesday, 2 November 2005 12:31 (twenty years ago)

I think "7/4 Shoreline" and "Superconnected" off the new album are indicative of where BSS is now. Propulsive, thick as mollasses, yet they've got that "could have been a hit single in another universe" quality.

As for YFIIP, it's more mainstream sounding (how strange is that?). Check out tracks 1-8 and you'll get a feel of the band's chops and diversified sound.

This is a fine band.

― white dolemite (White Dolemite), Wednesday, 2 November 2005 19:13 (twenty years ago)

am i the only one that thinks the new BSS is dense to the point of being overproduced? i think its a great album, but some tracks sound SO cluttered and muddy.

― bubo, Thursday, 3 November 2005 13:38 (twenty years ago)

you're not the only one, bubo - in fact that seems the majority opinion. but a) better stereo equipment (or better fidelity mp3s!) make the awesomeness of the sound shine through; b) it's the production, more than anything, that makes it a great record [for me] - the lyrics are th pretty shit, for instance! and c) if they were just playing Arcade Fire-style indie sock songs, sure it'd be too much, but that's not their schtick: this is (imho) wild and churning, confused and psychedelic, atmosphere over pop-hooks. and really really glad.

was listening again this morning and man it's good.

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Thursday, 3 November 2005 14:11 (twenty years ago)

I don't hear Sonic Youth in the BSS. Lots of Boo Radleys and early Mercury Rev perhaps.

― Brooker Buckingham (Brooker B), Thursday, 3 November 2005 15:47 (twenty years ago)

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