Sean: [00:00:00] Welcome to Earshifter. He's Rene Rouleau. 

Rene: And he's Sean Capstick. And Sean, why do we do this podcast? 

Sean: Well, because we like talking about music, and we hope people like listening to us talk about music. And the bands that we talk about, maybe they like the band and they'll learn a little bit more about the band, or dear listener, maybe you've never heard of this band that Rene's gonna talk about, and you'll love them as much as we do.

Rene: Yeah, let's hope so. And today's band is Broken Social Scene. So where do I begin with Broken Social Scene? I'll tell you, Sean, it's not at the beginning- Mm-hmm ... because their first album is called Feel Good [00:01:00] Lost, and I'm afraid that it is a entirely instrumental album, and I'm afraid that'll turn off our listeners-

but mostly I'm afraid it'll turn off you- And your host, yeah ... and my co-host, because he probably is not a fan of that album either, is my guess. But let's park that for now. I just wanna say that honestly, Sean, Feel Good Lost, no skips for me. So guys, this is the instrumental album. Mm-hmm. Uh, and in fact, it's definitely my most played album of Broken Social Scene.

Sean: Okay, that's so on point for you. 

Rene: It is so on point for me. Now, Sean, as you know, when I'm working you know, writing basically I can't have lyrics when I work so, and also because of my ADD and lack of focus. So I usually have, classical or- Mm-hmm ... jazz or ambient, which is my favorite, as you know.

Mm-hmm, or 

Sean: Harold Budd. 

Rene: Um, which is ambient- Yeah ... right? But when none of those would do, I would go to this album, Feel Good Lost. And I haven't listened to it in a long time. It just kind of fell out of [00:02:00] my rotation. Mm-hmm. But I re-listened to it for this podcast, and oh my God, dude, it gives me a warm hug-

is what this album does. Because it is all instrumental. The songs are short. They're three minutes, so it's not like an ambient piece, like a Harold Budd, where it's like 12 minutes. They're just short, snappy. They're all different, and, and they kinda have an uplifting vibe versus my usual ambient stuff, which is just kinda neutral or almost sad, right?

So this album was important to me, and it was fun re-listening to that instrumental album. But let's jump to their second album. 

Sean: Okay. 

Rene: Their most iconic album. The album is called You Forgot It In The People, and let's listen to one of the most played tracks on that album. 

Sean: Okay.[00:03:00] 

Rene: So Sean, no surprise, that song is on several of my running playlists. Mm-hmm. It's a great running song. It's, like, [00:04:00] so frenetic, so energetic. It's great. 

Sean: And I love that song, too. In fact one of the reasons I like Broken Social Scene is because they are so, like, there's so many different parts to all of their songs.

But I think, foreshadowing, we are gonna have a little bit of a discussion on what the best songs off these albums are, because I'll give you this one. This is one of the better songs- Yeah ... 

Rene: off this- Yeah ... 

Sean: record. Yeah. 

Rene: Yeah. Okay. Well, we'll get into that, but let's actually now let's go back to the very beginning, 'cause I think it's important.

So this all started with a band called KC Accidental. Are you familiar with KC Accidental? Mm-hmm. Oh, you are 

Sean: now. And I, and I even know what the K and the C stand 

Rene: for. Okay. Shit, I don't know what they stand for. 

Sean: Well, who is in, uh- Oh ... KC Accidental? 

Rene: Kevin Drew, and actually, this album was Charles Spearin.

Sean: Yes. So Kevin and 

Rene: Charles. Oh, duh. Right in front of me, for Christ's sake. Okay. Yeah. Good one. All right. So it all started with this band called KC Accidental. They have [00:05:00] 12,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. And like we said, two members only. And both Future Tense will be in BSS, uh, or Broken Social Scene.

We're gonna go BSS a lot probably- Mm-hmm ... listeners, so, and that first album by BSS in some ways feels like an extension of KC Accidental's instrumental exploration. But KC Accidental was another bl- band I actually listened to a lot when working- Hmm. Yeah ... because I introdu- I was introduced to Feel Good Lost, first album, and then I was like, "Well, what's, uh, what else can I do?"

And KC Accidental kinda came up, so lots of instrumental tracks including a 12-minute track. They only have two albums, but for me, it was especially Anthems for the Could've Been Pills in 1998, so I listened to that quite a bit. So that brings us back into Broken Social Scene's first album, Feel Good Lost, 2001.

This one was primarily written by Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning. Now, Brendan [00:06:00] Canning was in my friend's boyfriend's band, by the way. 

Sean: Mm-hmm. A 

Rene: band called- By Divine 

Sean: Right. 

Rene: By... Oh, shit, you know. 

Sean: Yes. So listeners, in Toronto we're, we're a, a major city, but Broken Social Scene, I think the rule is you have to know somebody who knows somebody in the band.

Rene: And I do, yes. 

Sean: And, and I know somebody who knows Brendan Canning very well. Wow. Grew up with him yeah. Okay. And says he's a great guy. 

Rene: Okay, cool. Yeah, so and I know the lead singer of By Divine Right, who has actually had Feist at some point in his band early days. And I actually think By Divine Right is a great band on its own.

It's over 40 years, and I still remember their song called Fucked Up, which I still ... I can remember the chorus to this day, 30 years later, haven't listened to it since. That's pretty good. 

Sean: That is pretty good. 

Rene: Um- Good 

Sean: for By Divine Right. But hold on. Before you leave- Yeah ... Brendan Canning, are you gonna talk about his 

Rene: other bands?

Oh, we're gonna talk about it more. Okay. Because guess what, buddy? There is, like, this [00:07:00] famous ad industry summer party that takes place in Toronto in the, in the 2010s specifically, and it happened every year. It was a, a place called Steam Films, and it was a big deal. Like, everyone was real excited about this party.

There's about 300 people there. It's free beer. That's why everyone's excited. And guess who was the DJ? 

Sean: Kevin- 

Rene: No ... or Brendan Canning? Brendan Can- Okay ... Brendan Canning. Um, and, you know, there was free beer. I do recall vaguely walking up to him and saying something, but I don't know what it was. So Brendan, if you're listening, let us know what I said, 'cause I'm sure it was memorable.

Sean: And I'm sure, yes, he remembers one of the drunken, ... ad Ad guys ... guys talk to him. So is that, are you finished with Brendan? That, that's my 

Rene: biggest thing, yeah. 

Sean: Okay. So Brendan Canning was also in hhead. Yes. Remember hhead- Yes, yes, yes ... with the small H? 

Rene: Two H- two H's? 

Sean: Two, a small H and then a, a big H.

Yeah. Yeah. Again, somebody else had their, did come up with the name. Yeah. And, uh, a- and [00:08:00] they, like Change of Heart, also won the CFNY Direct Disc $100,000 gift- Yeah ... for up-and-coming artists. So- That makes a 

Rene: ton of sense ... 

Sean: and then he went on to play in Cookie Duster with Brendan- That one I don't know

with Brendan wait, not with Maza. What's Maza's first name? The keyboardist from Change of Heart. 

Rene: Oh, okay. 

Sean: So he's been in a lot of bands before he met Kevin Drew. 

Rene: No surprise. And, but sorry, what is your connection to Brendan Canning, then? Like, how do you know or- 

Sean: My friend says he's a good guy.

Rene: Okay. Fair enough. 

Sean: And I remember Head. I remember that being played on CFNY- Yeah ... in the '90s. Yeah. Like, yeah, that was, it was a popular song. $100,000, that was a... I'm sure I have the CD somewhere. 

Rene: Yeah. Yeah, and we're gonna get into this. Like, these guys were ubiquitous in Toronto music scene. Yeah. So do you know why they're called Broken Social Scene?

Sean: Um- 

Rene: I don't wanna put you on the spot ... because- 

Sean: Okay, go ... uh, so I have, let me [00:09:00] consult the tomb that I brought here. No, man. No, 

Rene: no, no. I'll just, I want, no. 

Sean: So- No ... no, Rene, I have been reading. I have been doing my research. 

Rene: Okay. 

Sean: Uh, I've mentioned this author in the past, Michael Barclay. He wrote The, uh, Have Not Been the Same about the independent scene.

I think that was from '85 to '95, and that was really important for Change of Heart, No Means No. 

Rene: So in Canada? 

Sean: In Canada. Yeah. And now this one's called Hearts On Fire, and I'm sure you're gonna get into the hearts or heart, and Six Years That Changed Canadian Music: 2000 to 2005. 

Rene: Nice. 

Sean: So Head was a little bit before there.

Rene: Yeah. 

Sean: But yeah, they, they, there's a entire chapter, some 60 pages, 30 pages on Broken Social Scene, Stars, and Metric, and it says, "Your ex-lover is in the band." 

Rene: Nice. 

Sean: So I've done- I did my re- ... a little bit of research- Really cool ... in terms of that. 

Rene: And yeah, and we'll talk a little [00:10:00] bit more about that, too, 'cause you actually watched the doc, which I did not have a chance to do, but hopefully we'll, you'll chime in on that.

But let me just get into why they're called Broken Social Scene. So Kevin Drew was playing a local show- Under the full tongue-in-cheek moniker of, quote, "John Tesh Jr. and the Broken Social Scene," end quote. So Brendan Canning liked the second half of that name, and that's how they became Broken Social Scene.

But Sean, can you enlighten our young listeners on who John Tesh is? 

Sean: So I when I read that I was like, he was some, like, news anchor, some en- the, like, Entertainment Tonight guy who presented stuff and looked good on the television. 

Rene: But also became a singer, like kind of a cheesy singer. Sorry, John Tesh, but a little bit cheesy.

So I think that's why it's John Tesh Jr., 'cause they're full tongue in cheek, like- 

Sean: Oh, okay. I didn't realize that he had a singing career other than his- 

Rene: Oh, he did. It was- Okay ... it was, it was... I mean, some people probably like it, but I don't think any of our listeners would. [00:11:00] Also, fun fact, he fucking dated Oprah.

Hmm. Yeah. Yeah. I had to validate that one. I'm like, "Hmm, is this true?" And it's like, yeah. But 

Sean: why didn't Oprah sing in Broken Social Scene then? 

Rene: Well, that seems like a leap, but yeah, all right. And al- on a sad note, actually, he is battling a rare form of prostate cancer, so we do wish him the best 'cause- Okay.

Yes ... not a bad guy. 

Sean: Yeah. Okay. 

Rene: But that's how they got their name, so it was the second half of that tongue-in-cheek moniker. Okay. So this band Has anywhere between six members and as many as 19 members in the band, depending on the day, depending on the album, depending on the tour. It's got the three I just mentioned, so we talked about Brendan Canning, we talked about Kevin Drew, and we've talked about Charles Spearin.

But it's also got Leslie Feist, who would later become Feist. 

Sean: Mm-hmm. 

Rene: Feist has 6.7 million listeners. And in early days, fun fact, she was [00:12:00] actually in By Divine Right as well. Mm-hmm. Which is kinda cool. Broken Social Scene also has Emily Haines, who would later form the band Metric. Metric has 5.8 million monthly listeners.

And then there's Amy Mann, who would also play in another Canadian indie band called Stars, which has 240,000 monthly listeners. BSS, by the way, has about 850,000 monthly listeners. So some of those members have actually excelled and gone past what Broken Social Scene has in terms of monthly listeners.

Sean: And I think that's to be expected given the disarray and the uh, you know, Broken Social Scene, as you'll talk about, broke onto the scene and, you know, they were big and, and Metric and The Stars lived in Broken Social Scene's shadow for a lot of the early 2000s, and they were great players. They, you know, they, they added a lot to the [00:13:00] vocals and, and the, the, not just the women in those bands, but the, the men in the bands.

The- everybody was part of that scene. Yeah. So they were you know, that was part of that whole collective. 

Rene: Guys, it was a crazy Toronto scene, like honest to God. And it doesn't stop there, Sean. There's also members from Do Make Say Think. Mm-hmm. Another instrumental band. Uh- And do you 

Sean: like Do Make Say 

Rene: Think?

I, I, they have an amazing song called, I think it's called History, something about history with exclamation mark. Amazing song. Amazing. And I do like them overall. Uh, there's another side project band called Apostle of Hustle- Mm-hmm ... that had Andrew Whiteman as the main member and several other members of BSS as well.

Probably my favorite offshoot of BSS is a band called 8½. They have one-- The drummer from BSS is in 8½, but more importantly, it's two members from a band that I also love called The Stills. And The Stills only have 52,000 monthly listeners, but the combination of The Stills and the [00:14:00] BSS drummer dude they created this album, Sean, that is no skips for me.

It does have vocals. And I love it so much, I'm just gonna squeeze one of their songs in here. I know it's, I know it's, like, breaking rules here, but honestly, man, we're gonna hear a song called Two Points, and we're gonna hear it right now. 

Sean: Okay. 

Clip: I'm done with the past, looking through the glass[00:15:00] 

Rene: Okay, folks. Honestly, if you liked anything about that song, please, for the love of God, give the album a listen. I, I- we've done about 30 episodes. I've never been more excited to introduce a band and an album to our listeners, because I have such strong affection and memories for this. I remember listening to this, Sean on repeat on a three-hour train ride- Mm-hmm

in Japan. Like, it is such a strong memory for me. It's, it's amazing. And but I listen to this album often. 

Sean: Oh, okay. Yeah. And, and I, I- [00:16:00] We'll get to the playlist. I was surprised at your suggested playlist, and I was like, "Okay, there's a Broken Social Scene song that I didn't know," so thanks for filling me in on the story.

It's good. But like an offshoot. Like an 

Rene: offshoot. But not Broken Social Scene, but- Yeah ... kind of Broken Social Scene, and kind of The Stills too, right? Honestly, I would do episodes on this band and The Stills, but who knows? I mean, who, who's to say? Okay, so let's go back to our super group collection of Canadian musicians, Broken Social Scene.

So besides Feel Good Lost, the instrumental album, You Forgot It In The People is my favorite album of theirs- 

Clip: Mm-hmm ... 

Rene: with lyrics. I think maybe there's, like, one skip for me, Sean maybe two, but honestly, the album is great, and essentially their magnum opus, right? Like- Yep ... it really is. And I'm not alone on this.

Pitchfork, 9.2 basically in top 25 albums of the 2000s. Metacritic, 86 out of 100. It wins a Juno, which is [00:17:00] the, a Canadian Grammy, essentially. It wins the Polaris Prize, which is a Canadian, basically Mercury Prize- Mm-hmm ... for you people in Britain listening. And now the record label that releases all BSS albums is no slouch.

Arts & Crafts record label is what it's called. Uh, it was launched by two former Virgin Records execs with Kevin Drew in collab. I would say it probably is one of the most iconic indie Canadian record labels. Agree? Disagree? 

Sean: I, I think o- o- of the 2000s, yes. Yeah, of the 2000s. You know? Yeah, I think, yeah, yeah, t- totally, and they, they did a, a, they did a really good job.

Arts & Crafts, Paper Bag Records that came before them, I would say, you know, um, had a bit of credibility in that they took their artists f- to a certain extent too. But I don't know. I think you gotta look back at, like, The Anthem was a pretty good uh, Canadian record label. 

Rene: Oh, yeah. [00:18:00] Okay. For this Arts & Crafts record label, you've got a lot of artists I just mentioned.

Not Metric, but you do have as well as the artists I just mentioned, you have Dan Mangan. 

Sean: Mm-hmm. 

Rene: Big fan of him. Andy Shauf. I don't know if you know Andy Shauf? Mm-hmm, 

Sean: yep. 

Rene: Oh, nice. Oh. And then Gord Downie of the Tragically Hip, folks. So again, Tragically Hip, iconic Canadian band. Most of you probably have never heard of them, but they are massive, and any Canadian, basically any Canadian loves them.

Sean: Yes. Yeah. And he liked Broken Social Scene. He knew all of them in Broken Social Scene. He's, he was a great supporter of independent music in Canada, for sure. Yeah, 

Rene: and no surprise there. Okay. So back to the, that second album, You Forgot It In The People, which officially has 11 band members on it at the time, tons of instruments And some bangers, including "Cause Equals Time" "Stars and Suns", "Lovers Bit", "Almost Crimes", which we played up front- [00:19:00] Yeah

And the most played song, which is called "Anthems for a 17-Year-Old Girl". I wanna hear that one. Let's hear that one. 

Sean: Okay. 

Clip: Used

to be one of the routine ones and you liked it for that. Used to be one of the routine ones and you liked it for that. Used to be one of the routine ones and I liked you for that. Now you're all gone, got your-

To be one of the rotten[00:20:00] 

Rene: Okay, so that song is kind of, I kind of recommend listening to that whole song, 'cause it's, it, it's a vibe. Mm-hmm. It's got 66 million listens. It's the most listened to Broken Social Scene song, period. And you know, the clip that you heard, listeners, uh, it just builds on that, but it just keeps repeating, but it just keeps getting richer and richer.

And now you contrast that with the first loud, frenetic Almost Crimes that we just played up front, and you can already feel this album is diverse. 

Clip: Mm-hmm. 

Rene: Okay, so we're gonna play one more. We are gonna play the song clip Cause Equals [00:21:00] Time, which is frenetic like the first one, or we're gonna play Lover's Spit, which is soft like the one we just heard.

Two very, very different songs, both great. Sean, what's it gonna be? 

Sean: Okay, so now I remember the clapping. The clapping is in Cause Equals Time- Oh, okay ... so I definitely wanna hear that. All right. So listeners know what I'm talking about- ... with the clap. 

Rene: And I love both songs, so we can't lose here. Excellent.

Let's hear it. 

Clip: You come in the chair[00:22:00] 

Sean: Okay, so now I remember This has the clapping. It also has the fornication [00:23:00] crimes, or fornication, so I was confused with the crimes title. Because of course, listeners, this is when we had CDs. I know none of the titles, and the titles, we could just list the titles of their songs that are nonsensical and, you know, I guess in some ways rememberable.

But yes, I like the, the fornication crimes- ... uh, uh, as- that he's accusing someone of. 

Rene: Yeah. Yeah, yeah. And I do remember that part of the lyric too. But goddamn, Sean, I mean, I think you'll concur, like I love this album. It's catchy. This album- It's 

Sean: totally catchy ... 

Rene: the whole album is amazing. 

Sean: And so listeners, you know, you'll see the list of songs from this album on our playlist.

You can't put every song on there from this- We have 

Rene: a rule for each other. 

Sean: Yeah. 

Rene: Yeah. 

Sean: And then you don't put Looks Just Like The Sun on the- I love that 

Rene: song too, dude- Okay ... but I can only pick so many. 

Sean: Okay, so we're gonna have a, a, [00:24:00] a, a tough decision to off- Oh, I 

Rene: like that song, 

Sean: dude ... off, uh- 100% ... uh, line on this.

Okay- Yeah ... listeners. No- Stay tuned. It's g- it's a good playlist. 

Rene: Yeah. I don't- I think we're aligned, but it was just like I could only pick so many. But let's proceed to the next album, the 2002 self-titled album. So this also wins a Juno. It's shortlisted for a Polaris Prize. And this is the very last physical CD I bought of Broken Social Scene, and frankly, this album kinda lost me.

I don't know if you have anything to say, but I re-listened to it again for this pod but nothing stood out for me. It just didn't, just didn't work. 

Sean: Okay, so this is where the movie of the name of the album, it's, It's All Gonna Break, so, there's another movie about a, a concert, a comeback concert in the later aughts where it's also everything's gonna break or something.

That's a, that's a dramatic slash rock [00:25:00] film by the guy who did Roadkill. 

Rene: Oh, yeah. 

Sean: But this, this movie that I watched again in preparation is a documentary. It's a heartfelt documentary by a guy named Kevin Heaney. He took so much footage of them playing You Forgot It In People and this, you know, It's, It's All Gonna Break record, just so lovingly restored, and he interviews the band now, right, in 2024.

He says, "What did... What were you thinking back then?" And it comes out through the documentary that he had this ready to go in uh, you know, in the early aughts to coincide with their fame, and the band said, "Not right now." I don't think we're ready for you to release this movie." So it was in the can- Hmm

for, like 15 years. Hmm. And, you know, they were friends with the guy. He, they, there was some footage of him, being in the scene. And again, like, so Kevin Drew, uh, had a house [00:26:00] with a trombonist in the band, his wife, and they would have these massive jam sessions, and they were just showing all these jam sessions and, you know, all the people you mentioned would float in, float out, and they showed the recording session of this album the, The Broken Social Scene s- self-titled, and You Forgot It and people.

It's a really good documentary. It gives you a really good insight into the characters and how they were a collective. 

Rene: Yeah, so guys, listeners, you've got homework. You, you should check that out too if you're into this band, and also that Eight & A Half album. If you liked just an inkling of that song clip we played, then you should check that album out too.

Sean: Yeah. So It's All Gonna Break bu- in 2004 by Kevin Hegge, H-E-G-G-E. Okay. Great show. But- You're gonna put what- You're, you, you're gonna skip right over this album? 

Rene: I'm afraid so, my friend, because I did re-listen to it. Maybe it's too funky or soul-y for me. [00:27:00] Like, even the 74 Shoreline, the most played song- 

Sean: A great song

Rene: is somewhat funky, soul-y, and a lot of it feels R&B moments for me, and- EB 

Sean: Dreams of Pavement, a guy in the band talking, dreaming about the band Pavement? 

Rene: I'm, I'm sorry, this is not your episode, my friend. 

Sean: Super connected. Great song. 

Rene: No. It just didn't... Look, and the thing is, you're not alone. There's lots of people that feel the same way, but this is my- 

Sean: But it's not their episode either.

Okay. 

Rene: And like, that's the beauty of music, right? 

Sean: Like, what are their song titles that I, that now reading it I've forgotten? Hand Jobs for the Holidays. Okay, great song title. 

Rene: You know what, I played that one. Come on, that is a great song title, 100%. Um- Okay ... but- Keep 

Sean: going ... 

Rene: I'm, we're gonna keep going. And they got, listen, they got other albums coming.

So, uh, that brings us to the fourth studio album in 2010 called Forgiveness Rock Record. Here we have John McEntire of Tortoise. Do you remember Tortoise? [00:28:00] 

Sean: That's how supposedly, apocryphally that Kevin Drew would walk around going to people, "Do you like Tortoise?" And if they said yes, then they, he would invite them to join the, uh- Whoa

Broken Social Scene. Okay. He'd say, "Yes, Tortoise?" Yeah. 

Rene: They would- And C- and the Scene Cake as well. 

Sean: Yeah. 

Rene: Yeah, so he was the producer of Forgiveness Rock Record. So wow, that makes a lot of sense now, Sean, for sure. He's also done stuff for Bright Eyes- Mm-hmm ... uh, Teenage Fanclub, Yo La Tengo, bunch of others.

And for this album we have some guest appearances as well, Sean. Scott Kannberg of Pavement. 

Sean: Yep, Spiral Stairs. A- 

Rene: and a few others. This is gonna get better, listeners, I promise you. But for me, not a lot of standouts. But the most played song is the most played song by a long mile, called 46 million listens.

The song is called Sweetest Kill. It's a fine song as well. I have no idea why it has so many listens. Do you like that song, Sean? 

Sean: I- it's a fine song, yes. 

Rene: Did you wanna hear it? 'Cause I was gonna skip it, but we can hear it if we want. It's 

Sean: your [00:29:00] episode. Keep going. 

Rene: Okay. All right. All right. 

Sean: It's not a democracy, listeners.

Rene: Okay. So in 2011, BSS announces a hiatus. They do a few shows and festivals, and by 2015 some of the key band members discuss a possibility of a new album. Charles Spearin said, "We would send out invitations for all the usual crew and say, quote, 'Hey, we're doing this again. Would you be interested in being a part of this?'"

In the end, 18 musicians were credited to the, this album that I'm talking about called Hug of Thunder, including Feist on the title track with her l- first lead vocal since 2006. 

Sean: And I believe also Jason Tate, who was the second drummer they'd picked up along the way, because having one drummer wasn't enough.

Rene: No. I mean, 

Sean: if you got it- 

Rene: And Jason- Yeah, go ahead. 

Sean: And Jason Tate, of course, is the drummer from The Weakerthans. 

Rene: Oh, that's pretty awesome. I did not know that. That's very [00:30:00] cool. Yeah. So quite a collection, right? Mm-hmm. Like 18 members, crazy. Kevin Drew said Hug of Thunder is, quote, "Exactly who we are. That is our show.

We're trying to create that hug of thunder, that sound, that embrace amongst the chaos." 

Sean: Well, okay. And are we gonna hear that one? 

Rene: We are gonna hear some clips from this album. Listeners I like the title track. I like four more songs on this album. But let's hear Protest Song with Emily Haines from Metric on vocals.

Sean: Okay[00:31:00] 

Rene: Okay, so like that is a fun, playful song. I love the chorus. Gets a little unexpected 'cause it ke- just keeps going, which I love. And that brings us, Sean, to their most recent album, and the reason they came back on my radar to begin with. So in 2026, which is this year, they released Remembering the Humans.

It's produced by David [00:32:00] Newfield, who worked with the band on their magnum opus album, You've Forgotten the People. So it really is a return to form in, in, in many ways. Guest singer Hannah Georgas most famous for the TV show Girls. Did you ever watch Girls? 

Sean: Nope. 

Rene: Oh, it's really good. Uh, sh- they use her song as a theme song.

Hmm. It's pretty cool. And I, I'm a fan. But we're gonna hear the song Paying for Your Love. So let's hear that song off that album[00:33:00] 

Okay, so look, that

is a straight ahead rock and roll song, but somehow it works for me. Maybe it's the horns or the drums, I don't know. But I do, that's, I like that song. Maybe not as much as a lot of their other songs, but I do like that song. I also love What Happens Now, which is sung by Feist, which is a very pretty song.

I highly recommend it. It'll, will be on that playlist. Okay, so guess what? They're touring this album. It's 2026, they're touring right now. Mm-hmm. Surprise, surprise, they're touring with Stars and Metric. 

Sean: [00:34:00] Yep. 

Rene: Metric of course is the headliner, 'cause they have the most popularity. 

Sean: And they captured the imagination of all of those groups.

I would say Metric has, you know- They, they're a rock band. They, they became a rock band, and they are popular because they are rock, and it's great. Yeah- Yeah ... good for, good for Metric. 

Rene: And by the way, it's the reason our friend and sound engineer, Joe, went. So he actually missed the first two bands, but managed to catch But 

Sean: he loves, uh- I 

Rene: know

Sean: The Stars. 

Rene: I know, I know. But he saw Metric and he said they were awesome. So the tour is called All The Feelings Tour. And honestly, I'm sad I missed it. I, I had a g- prior commitment. Uh- Mm-hmm ... but if they come to a town near you, listeners, go see it 'cause basically you're getting a three for one.

You're getting three great bands for the price of one. Yeah. So, uh, I highly encourage you to go, go check 'em out if they come to your town. I've never seen them live. How about you, Sean? 

Sean: I've seen all of those bands live- Wow ... at one time or [00:35:00] another. That's crazy. I even saw The Stars play. 

Rene: I did see Stars once, but yeah, we don't need to get into them.

Sean: They're, they're start- I, I, I think that it's, it's not... We can't think of Broken Social Scene without mentioning, like, the the, some of The Stars songs. Like that I'll Give You My Heart that is, and Set Yourself on Fire, those were really good albums. Great, great albums. And were, you know, ki- totally came out of what Broken Social Scene was not doing.

We're making the quiet songs that had, you know, less jammy but- 

Rene: More ambiance ... 

Sean: more ambiance. Yeah. And, Yeah ... you know, so it's great that they were part of this scene. Yeah. Metric I've seen. I saw them a, a long time ago. I, I, you know, I, I think they're, they're great. My, my sons both really liked Metric.

My sons like Broken Social Scene. I've seen Broken Social Scene a number of times. I, I can't remember you know, back in the, the, seeing them back in the, the aughts, but I know I did. I saw... So what's also confusing, you didn't mention, like, Broken Social Scene [00:36:00] also released they were doing a, what's it called when you host different bands within your own record label and, you know?

So they were doing a Broken Social Scene Presents. But they only did two Broken Social Scene Presents, and one was a Canning record and one was a Drew record. 

Rene: Okay. 

Sean: So I saw that Drew record tour. And you mentioned that Pavement, but J Mascis was on that Drew's solo album, Spirit If.

So- Again, there, we, there's, there may be a reason why we like Broken Social Scene so much with their influences 

Rene: And for listeners that don't know, Jay Mascis is Dinosaur Jr. 

Sean: Yes. 

Rene: Most of you probably do know, but for those that don't. 

Sean: Yeah. And so, and then they toured I, maybe in preparation to get ready for this, the, this new release, because I saw them in '24, '25 at the concert hall.

They did three nights sold out every night. We went to one of them and they were really fun. Again, if you see them [00:37:00] outside of Toronto, you may not get Feist, Haines, or, uh, Millen, right? Right. You know? Just 'cause of proximity- Because of proximity ... 

Rene: to Toronto, yeah 

Sean: But when they're in Toronto, you get all three, and it's pretty good, right?

That's 

Rene: pretty cool, 

Sean: man. Yeah, it's, uh- Yeah, I've 

Rene: seen, I've seen footage. That's what I've seen. 

Sean: Yeah. So I don't remember who played that night. I didn't get the, all of them, but it was pretty good to have this rotating cast of characters and just ... And they were in a good time and a good spot, right? Yeah.

It's, it's, it's nice when the band is uplifted, because the other movie they were not in a good spot, you know, uh, ba- at, at the, you know, at 2009. Hmm. And that's maybe why they called the hiatus, and- 

Rene: Yeah ... 

Sean: good for them that they're having fun doing that right now. Yeah. 

Rene: Yeah. All right, so let's ask the question.

Why are they your Near Shifter band? 

Sean: Well, I think it's because they kind of define a Toronto scene, that they came out of [00:38:00] Toronto in a way that I'm proud of, that the collective Canadian group, I think, is a thing. And they touch on that in, in this book, Hearts on Fire, that the Do Makes a Thing. Yeah.

They're, they're a, they are a big ensemble. Godspeed You Black Emperor is a big ensemble. Yep. And you didn't mention, I think one of the guys was in the Bourbon Tabernacle Choir too, before- Yeah, I mean, there are so many ... there's so many ensem- ensembles and- Yeah, it's insane ... and so th- they, they, he poses the question, "Why are there so many Canadian ensembles?"

And the guy says, "Healthcare." So they represent good things about a society that cares for the, each other. 

Rene: Yeah. 

Sean: Yeah. So what do you think? Why are they an ear shifter band? 

Rene: I mean, for me- 

Sean: Get off my soapbox. 

Rene: No, no, no. I love your soapbox, man. No, you're good. For me, it's just the sound. I mean, how do you actually say, like, in this particular instance, I can't go, "Oh, You Forgot About [00:39:00] the People."

It sounds like, it's kinda like a, I can't even, like, think of a band that I could compare them to, because they're so in their own little niche. Mm-hmm. And even within that album, they're in their own little niche. Um, and, and, you know, that first album, the instrumental one, it's, like, one of my faves. But, uh, so for me, i- it's more just they define a certain- sure, Toronto collective, Toronto indie music scene, but they also kind of are themselves in, in that you can't really compare them to anyone else.

They're not Stars. They're not Metric. They are their own thing, and I love that. 

Sean: Yeah, that is nice. 

Rene: All right, so Shawn, what are we gonna hear next? 

Sean: Well, this band I feel that I need to earshift you a little bit on it because you, in one of our social media posts, you sent a post saying that you and Joe don't get this band.

Rene: Oh. 

Sean: And well- I know who this is ... there's a lot to be gotten. [00:40:00] Sensitive, at the same time violent lyrics, quiet emotional songs combined with screaming, controversy around the hype machine accusations of being a musical plant and manufactured fame, but at the core, like the more I listen to this band, the more I realize they are a really interesting sound, and they've got a really unique voice.

And- 

Rene: That part I will not debate, but we will have more debates at the next episode for sure. I will not debate that. They are unique for sure. 

Sean: Okay. And that's cool. And maybe, let's see, listeners, stay tuned for next episode, and maybe Rene will get them. 

Rene: Maybe. 

Sean: Maybe not. All right. Okay, until next time. Until next time.

Rene: We hope you enjoyed this episode of EarShifter. Tune in next time where we'll cover another band that deserves more. You can find EarShifter on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Friend us or listen to our playlists on Spotify, and visit earshifter.com for more information. A special thanks go to our logo [00:41:00] designer, Stuart Thursby, and our intro/outro music by Joe Novak.

You can find him as byebyebadman, one word, on SoundCloud. And a big shout-out to Joe for being our awesome sound engineer/editor. Until next time.