I remember when I was a young, formative relevant indie music altkid, I found out about an indie band called Broken Social Scene. It was meaningful, back before 'meaningful' was a marketable aesthetic and still just an authentic feeling of hope and inspiration. It was back during the era when alternative people were looking for cozy authentic shows to attend, back when we were searching for something more than perpetuated late 90s alt rock. Back before music websites truly 'controlled' the flow of indie information, shaping the careers of particular artists. Back when 'good music' was still discovered via 'word of mouth' referrals (even before social media).
I remember hearing "Cause=Time" for the first time, watching the music video over and over in my Real Video player/Windows Media Player [via pre-youtube world], and 'wanting to be a part of that scene.' So conceptual. So post-rocknroll. Part of the new era of indie music that 'every1 should be listening 2.'
I googled/msn searched to learn everything about the band. Found out they were a group of Canadian friends who had a series of meaningful sound projects to listen to. There were an authentic artist collective--they instilled me with the dream that one day I would be surrounded with a group of creative individuals, doing more than just 'working desk jobs.'
I went to my local record store to try to find the album, but they didn't have it. I ended up buying the album directly from the record label website, receiving it in the mail. I opened up the package, and cherished the CD, the album art, the album experience. Back before the internet was unanimously high-speed, opening up the hypemachine + mp3 sampling era.
Can't believe 2003 was so long ago. Is 'You Forgot It In People' one of the most important indie albums of all time?
It's been so long. I think they have released a few albums that have been 'okay', mainly perpetuating iterations of the BSS aesthetic: tons of bros on guitars, whispery dude voice, and occasional cute indie singer voice.
Listened to some of the new songs that are on their upcoming album [via widget]
The music seems 'good.' It sounds interesting, like they put a lot of effort into it, but I feel like I would still rather listen to their first album. Listening to new BSS seems like some sort of old memory that I am trying to reconnect with. Maybe like hanging out with old high school friends and thinking you still have something in common. But then you realize you have gone in different directions, exposed to new people and ideas, and sometimes you have to leave the past behind in order to evolve into a better/more authentic person. (Sort of like when u put on AnCo for a group of people who don't have the ability to 'get' it.)
Not sure if I hold it against them for sort of being 'cool dad' rock. They were probably 'cool dads' back in 2003, but I just needed some sort of older role model who let me know it was okay to be alt. Older people who dedicated their lives' to becoming indie alt celebs.
Sort of wonder if Feist'set back' their band. Like they will always sort of just be in her shadow after her iPod blowup. They have been reduced to being part of her blurb that she 'used to be in a Canadian rock band before they blew up.'
I wonder if I 'hold it against'Broken Social Scene for not being the same as they were in 2003. Even though they might be better than they were back then, and creating music that is more fulfilling for them to create, I still just want them to be what they were. I want life to be what it was.
Sort of feel like in the post-2k10 era, I only want to accept bands that are bold enough to try to 'crossover' so that I can monitor their mainstream retention rate.
I am scared of growing up. Scared that one day, I will find the buzzbands of 2k9-2k11 to be 'dated.' One day I will turn my back on them, searching for something more authentic. Something more 'now.'
Making so many memories, riding chillwaves, visiting Pavilions, cherrypicking from the hypemachine. But one day, I will get a new computer, and I won't migrate these mp3s with me.
Feeling sadder, older. Everything moves so fast. Still feel like the same young, misguided alt searching for some sort of 'direction' from indie artists. Like I need them to tell me that as long as I keep listening to indie music, everything will be okay.
Feel bad for feeling 'over'Broken Social Scene. Sorta just want to go back to the days when seeing 10 bros with guitars on stage during Letterman seemed mad alt.
Did Broken Social Scene'peak' in 2003?
Is Feist the most important BSS export?
Did u ever wish u were in a Canadian indie rock band during the indie explosion of 2002-2005?
Does Broken Social Scene deserve alternative tenure for their contribution to 'the scene', automatically receiving p4k ratings of above over 7.5 for the rest of their career due to their previous service?
Does BSS's career mirror Interpol's career since they both creative definitive albums, then we kept 'wanting them to recapture the magic' that never returned?
Do u miss the formative indie era, or are things better now due to a robust infrastructure of blogs, mp3s aggregators, and indie meme content controllers?
Should BSS retire to preserve their image, and possibly 'pull a Pavement' in 10-15 years?
Do u wish we could go back to the era before social media, twitter, facebook, blogs, hypemachine, and pitchfork to see which bands really would 'build a tribe of authentic fans' and which bands would be mad irrelevant/just be unheard 'local bands'?
What's ur relationship with Broken Social Scene like?
At what age r u 'too old' to pursue buzzbands? Is there a point where we have accumulated all of the bands we need, and we can just listen to them over and over again? (sorta like how old people listen to The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Peter Cetera, Steve Perry, Ambrosia and the Rolling Stones/Beatles over and over again)
What bands did ur parents listen 2?
What bands will ur kids listen to when u r their parents?
