Broken Social Scene

Starting as an instrumental project by Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning, Broken Social Scene has grown into a psychedelic, progged-out beast of an orchestra featuring the cream of Toronto's music scene. Debut album Feel Good Lost (2001) was essentially an atmospheric studio creation by the two protagonists, but when it came to taking the album out on the road they started gathering local musicians to help them on their way. By second album You Forgot People (2003) the collective had swelled to 16 members, including Feist, Emily Haines (Metric) and Amy Millan (Stars), and the sound had become a big sprawling mass of graceful, baroque indie. Eponymous third album Broken Social Scene (2005) continued that theme winning a Juno Award for Alternative Album of the Year, before the band stripped back to a mere seven members for their US breakthrough Forgiveness Rock Record (2009). Shimmying between fragile melodies and grand, anthemic crescendos, Broken Social Scene stand proudly as one of Canada's most sonically ambitious indie kings.