Broken Social Scene

A Canadian collective formed in Toronto in 1999, Broken Social Scene centers around Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning and brings together a core of musicians from the local independent scene, expanded over time by numerous collaborators. They began with “Feel Good Lost” (2001), an album that is largely instrumental with ambient and post‑rock leanings, before taking a turn toward more overt indie rock and pop with “You Forgot It in People” (2002), which established Broken Social Scene in a more structured song format. The band operates as a loose, variable ensemble that includes members of Do Make Say Think, Metric, and Stars, and regularly features contributions from Feist, Emily Haines, and Amy Millan, among other recurring voices. The self‑titled record “Broken Social Scene” (2005) accentuates this dense collective dimension, blending distorted guitars, brass, strings, and layered choirs. The compilation “Bee Hives” (2004) gathers rarities and B‑sides from the same period. After an initial hiatus, the group returned with “Forgiveness Rock Record” (2010), recorded with producer John McEntire, and then “Hug of Thunder” (2017), which continued their prolific songwriting between indie rock, orchestral pop, and atmospheric textures. EPs such as “Let’s Try the After Vol. 1” and “Vol. 2” (2019) confirm Broken Social Scene’s flexible mode of operation, active both in the studio and on stage, with a lineup that changes according to projects and tours.