The Broken Speaker

On Tuesday night, Broken Social Scene played what could turn out to be their last show. At this point it is unclear what is going to happen to the band as they head into hiatus mode. Tuesday’s show in Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, featured the band throwing down covers of U2, Rage Against the Machine and the Beastie Boys along with their usual barrage of songs. That got us thinking, what are our top 10 Broken Social Scene songs? Here is our subjective top 10 list that isn’t in any real order despite the numbers before each song.

Broken Social Scene play at M Fest in Halifax August 2011.

1. Cause=Time - The best math involves logic and letter, not numbers and confusing stuff. With this song, the band found the equation for success and won over the hearts of indie lovers across the vast universe.
2. Fire Eye’d Boy - This song has such a fun vibe to it. It’s hard to not picture the whole band in sweats playing this song after watching the music video to the song.
3. Alive in 85 - Feel Good Lost has always been one of those albums I come back to when music without words is needed. This five minute instrumental has a mesmerizing and enchanting vibe that will leave you in a trance.
4. Lover’s Spit - Kind of a gross name for a song, but it’s oh so beautiful. By the end of the album you’re ready to cry. Pullin’ on the ol’ nostalgic heartstrings, throwing in some horns, cute piano. BSS knows how to dish out the best.
5. Hotel - Sometimes the band just go off into this world of their own with drums bouncing around in your head and vocals that don’t really make any sense. It doesn’t matter if it makes sense or not because it is a fun place to be in. One of the best uses of horns in any BSS song.
6. Sentimental X’s - We didn’t know if the holy trinity of the band (Emily Haines, Feist, Amy Millan) would be on their latest album. They do all pop up together on Sentimental X’s. Maybe not the most popular song off the album, but man do they sound great on this track.
7. Forced To Love - The snare that drills into your head, a fine vocal delivery from Kevin Drew, gang bang guitar, Andrew Whiteman’s backing vocals, all the elements of a BSS song wrapped up into one nice package. The song seems to carry the band’s whole love message in a wear-it-on-your-sleeve type of way.
8. Stars and Sons - Probably in a minority here, but I’ve always enjoyed Brenda Canning’s vocals to Kevin Drew’s. The best of foot tappable drum and bass lines happen in this song
9. Anthems For A Seventeen-Year-Old Girl - One of my biggest regrets in life is never getting to be a 17 year old girl. Well not really, but people love this song. Emily Haines voice is full of win.
10.  Deathcock - What type of top 10 list would this be without an obscure b-side on it? A seven minute song that has all those classic BSS sounds wrapped into one. The horns, the dreamy guitars, the Kevin Drew lyrics that don’t quite make sense but are so full of raw emotion that it doesn’t matter. Mourir, mourir BSS.