The phenomenon we call the rock `n' roll "supergroup" is something of an oddity. It's hard to know what to expect when you combine a group of musicians, all from different backgrounds, into one whole, melding all of their individual tastes, ideas, opinions and influences into one big stew of music.

Sometimes it can be underwhelming. Like, for instance, the Traveling Wilburys. When you put that many well-known, respected, influential musicians in one band, somehow the greatness gets lost in the clutter and what results is, at best, mediocre. But then again, we can probably blame the `80s.

Sometimes it can be fun, but fleeting, as in the cases of the ad hoc "we-exist-only-to-be-on-soundtracks" bands such as The Venus in Furs, The Wylde Ratts, Ming Tea and the five-piece Beatles cover band in Back Beat. They may be novel at first, but an album's worth of superstars doing faithful covers of classic rock songs probably wouldn't have that long of a shelf life.

But sometimes, and this is the ironic part, a supergroup can turn out to be a fantastic collaboration between lesser-known, humbler musicians that succeed without being hindered by hype or egos. The two best examples of this type of band are The New Pornographers, who are probably more recognizable now than in their previous bands (save for Neko Case) and Broken Social Scene, coincidentally, both from Canada.

What sets Broken Social Scene apart even further is their chaotic nature. Not chaotic like the Boredoms, per se, but BSS has an element of unpredictability that's absent from bands like The New Pornographers. The eleven-piece collective (made up of members of KC Accidental, Stars, Do Make Say Think and Metric) breaks practically every rule in the book, and yet somehow, it results in greatness.

For starters, no member sticks to just one instrument. Everyone trades off, musical chairs-style, each person leaving his or her individually stylistic mark on no more than a handful of songs per instrument. There are even four or five different singers on the album, though trying to figure out who's who would only lead to more confusion.

The songs themselves don't stick to one identifiable style. Songs range from ambient drones ("Capture the Flag," "Pitter Patter Goes My Heart") to shoegazer noise rock ("KC Accidental, "Almost Crimes") to soulful folk rock ("Lovers' Spit," "Looks Just Like the Sun"). But the most compelling songs are the ones that are difficult to categorize on their own, let alone against 12 others that sound nothing like them.

"Shampoo Suicide" begins with a dub-like groove before building up into a densely layered psychedelic overload of the senses. And "Anthem for a Seventeen Year-Old Girl" has a sweet melody coupled with an oddly filtered vocal effect. Songs like these are the least immediately accessible, but the most rewarding after several listens.

While none of the members of Broken Social Scene's other bands have earned much attention, collectively they're making quite a stir. Several magazines and webzines have given You Forgot it In People outstanding reviews and one song even ended up on a n episode of Queer as Folk (though, curiously, not "I'm Still Your Fag").

For a band that boasts bigger numbers than the Wu-Tang Clan, Broken Social Scene pull off an impressive second album that defies genres, expectations and rules.

Similar Albums:
The Sea and Cake – One Bedroom
Dinosaur Jr. – Without a Sound
Yo La Tengo – I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One

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Jeff Terich
03.11.2004