Toronto owes more than a thank-you to Broken Social Scene but BSS find it in their happy hearts to thank Toronto. All 17 of them plus a few special guests. This is a long awaited record here in town. One of them dropped the record off for me at the front desk of the Drake and I feel honoured. I have seen the army of men accompanied by women play many shows over the last three years but none of them prepare me for the opening of the new album “Windsurfing Nation” or is it just called “Broken Social Scene” I have not figured that out yet.

I just got home from the Drake - 12:56am and with headphones plugged into laptop I am listening and typing.

The last album “You Forgot It in People” and the subsequent live experiences have lasted, stood the test of time and created a massive shadow for the release of this one.

I like to say of BSS’ live shows that they are selling love to a post exctasy generation and I have been looking forward to see how three years of that would affect the next recording.

At this point I hit track 3 – “Shoreline” – I am sold. I was sold by the artwork too. Drawings by Christopher Mills – beautiful drawings – but with bits of sadness too. You can’t have these kind of highs without some lows. Reading the credits it seems that Brendan coloured the drawings in. I had no idea Brendan possessed such talent but I will be first in line at the Mills/Canning show so that I can buy every drawing offered.

It does occur to me that people will write reviews talking about this member or that member of this collective of distinct individuals but like a human can’t be reviewed without mentioning the heart as well as the lungs it seems silly to try and pinpoint why BSS or so f***ing great. “Fire Eye’d Boy” who the hell is that? - Another song that brings me closer to the same feeling I had when KISS released Love Gun and I bought it on the third day of release. I mean, I am not to the first to hear this record, I am not the first to review it and I will not be the last to love it. It is just that it is the first time I am listening to it. That is what makes my experience so fantastic. Clearly they are nothing like KISS but the special feeling is exactly the same. Holy Shit – wait until you get to track 7 “Windsurfing Nation” wow – what are these guys on. It seems stronger than love. Or maybe weaker than love, I am not sure. This album is going to turn Brian Eno on! This does not sound like anything else. When does that happen? It is usually The Sex Pistols meet the Spice Girls on mars or some sort of comparison thing with almost every record these days. I mean how many bands sound like Joy Division anyway. I have the Joy Division records and although it is cute to hear a new hit song that could have been recorded by them I really don’t need it. However, as I am discovering I need this record. I am not even finished listening to it and I already want to hear it again. Do you remember that feeling? Isn’t it the reason you love music?


Sorry I had to stop and just listen to the record for a while. It is clearly a record of depth not just a one time thing something that could last three years at least maybe a lifetime. The record comes to an end with a hit song “It’s All Gonna Break”. It is a hit but not by todays radio standards – you see it is 10 minutes long!

This record is brave and good and makes me happy. I will listen again and again and again. Somehow the fact that they thank Toronto makes me proud. Not only of Toronto but of the band too.

Buy this record do not delay, type your credit card number into your favorite on line retailers web site and start listening now. If you don’t like it don’t blame me, it has something to do with your environment or more likely genetic - but it is not my fault.

Finished at 1:50am

It is nice when the soundtrack to next year is delivered right to your door.

Ok – your not going to believe this but - I just found the second disc. I don’t want to listen now but, of course, I have started already. I am not going to write anymore about this. Wow!