BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE - Remember The Humans

Nine years after “Hug Of Thunder” (Arts&Crafts/City Slang, 2017), the Canadian collective Broken Social Scene is back, one of the most beloved ensembles on the indie rock scene, featuring the likes of Kevin Drew, the band's founder, and Feist. “Remember The Humans” is the sixth album in fifteen years of activity, so expectations remain high given the quality the band has consistently shown both in the studio and on stage – the latter perfectly captured in Bruce McDonald's film “This Movie Is Broken” (2010). Co-producing the record once again is David Newfeld, already behind the desk for the acclaimed “You Forgot It In People” (Paper Bag/Arts&Crafts, 2002) and “Broken Social Scene” (Arts&Crafts, 2005).

“Remember The Humans” only partly lives up to these expectations, and it does so above all in the final three tracks. Born out of long jam sessions, the album is undoubtedly enjoyable and well-crafted, but it lacks any real spark or novelty, rehashing, in a smoother key, compositional and arrangement formulas the band has already tried and tested. “Mission Accomplished (Kingfisher)” and “Hey Amanda” could indeed be called classic Broken Social Scene tracks, with the typical driving off-beat rhythm and calm, almost whispered vocals underpinned by choral harmonies.

Among the standout tracks are the ballad “And I Think of You” – with touches of metallophone, brass counterpoints and effects-laden guitars à-la Durutti Column – the charming jazzy instrumental interlude “This Briefest Kiss” and the ballad with black-music shades “Life Within The Ground”.

Hoping the Toronto collective's next work will be more inspired, we're nonetheless looking forward to seeing them live again, for a show that's always worth catching.

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11/06/2026