In elementary school, I never understood Canada. After all, it certainly wasn't America, so I wondered what exactly they did up there. The only time I saw a real Canadian was when I watched The Mountie taser his opponents in the WWF. Now, however, I have a better idea of what Canadians can do: make great pop music.
Broken Social Scene's You Forgot It in People is a diverse and brilliant collection of songs, an album that tops this year's releases. On their first album, Feel Good Lost, the band consisted of only Brendan Canning and Kevin Drew. This time, however, the group is eleven-strong, along with five guests.
These experimental performers came together to write pure pop, and the result is an album that sounds fresh. This is a cliche statement, for sure, but Broken Social Scene are using the same instruments as other pop musicians, they just do it better. Case and point: "Almost Crimes," the first single off of the album, is an intense, pounding rocker that puts acts like Audioslave and Linkin Park to shame.
The back-to-basics approach results in an album that truly has something for everyone. Whether it's the laid back and drifting atmosphere of "Looks Just Like the Sun," the beautiful strings and vocals of "Anthems for a Seventeen Year-Old Girl," or the sincere and demure vocals of "I'm Still Your Fag," Broken Social Scene provides a true pop album, a diverse effort that reflects the personalities and investment of everyone involved.
