Broken Social Scene - You Forgot it People LP 2002

I listened to this a few years ago and didn't particularly like it, but felt that maybe I'd missed the point. With Metric's Emily Haines part of the Broken Social Scene collaboration there must be some substance to the group's particular brand of Canadian indie introspection.

After repeated listens, it appears to be better than I thought but nothing to write home about. It's heart is in the right place, but it's just too dirge ridden to be a positive experience, with nothing to drag it out of the dark waters of the cess-pit of averageness.

There are no standout tracks or even standout moments. I was hopeful for a bit of Emily Haines or a similar Canadian female vocalist to add a little warmth to proceedings, however the production seems to amalgamate everything into the same indie dirge wall of sound. Imagine Pavement stripped of the melodies, the lyrics and the touch of alt-country and you're left with 'You Forgot it People'.

They may be a super group of sorts but on this showing they need to lighten up a bit and remember they're in the entertainment industry. I'd personally replace the mumbling guy on lead vocals with Karl Denver, stick the two women out the B52's on backing vocals, get Bez to be the dancer and sprinkle the whole group with magic charisma dust. And that still may not be enough to make them interesting.