Album Review - Broken Social Scene Presents Brendan Canning

Broken Social Scene Presents Brendan Canning - Something For All Of Us...
[Arts & Crafts; 21/07/2008]

With their indie guitar-pop heroics, the Broken Social Scene – in the modern day - are one of the most innovative bands. Drafting in various musicians from album to album is one of the many pioneering facets the band has embarked upon during their existence, but when frontman Kevin Drew released the first album in the Broken Social Scene Presents series last year, the boundary of innovation expanded just that inch more.

Now it's take two; Something For All Of Us... is the second album in this current series and concept the Broken Social Scene have served up for its listeners, with co-founder of the band, Brendan Canning, taking the baton from his Canadian cohort, Drew.

Canning's vocals are a fresh outlook to the BBS arsenal. Although not as prominent as Drew's, the daze-laden vibe sprays off a flow of good pop music. The opening title track eases the listener into their lounge chair with nice melodic ease. 'Hit the Wall' gushes with neat chord progressions and noodling riffs that serge on the back of Canning's woozy vocal. 'Churches Under the Stairs' provides nice space where Canning can unleash his vocal foray, while the looping bass line pulls the song along nicely.

'Possible Grenade' is the strength at the foot of the album, with gliding undertones of guitar effect steaming above Canning's sleepy vocal. The final two tracks, 'Been at It So Long' and Take Care, Look Up' slow the pace down to an almost balladeering end, adding another string to the bow of Canning.

The BSS member that sports the finest growing beard out of the bunch plays to his strengths on SFAOU.... Even in the brief encounters when Brendan Canning's not at the forefront of the vocal duties, you soon come to realise the input he has in the writing process of a BSS record. Naturally, the song structures have the swirling aura a Broken Social Scene record possesses, but it's the voice of Canning that presents a slightly different landscape. Things are less bombastic and a little tighter, leaving this concept wide open for the next BSS artist to wield their Axe openly.

By Simon K