15th October - Broken Social Scene's You Forgot It In People

Artist – Album: Broken Social Scene – You Forgot It In People

Released: 15^th October 2002

Sounds Like: Unforgettable

Over two years in absolute terms – just 11 days in the albumaday… universe – before they released their self-titled third album, You Forgot It In People was unleashed upon the world. To us fans that wait felt like a lifetime, but to the dozen (give or take) group members it must have been a whirlwind period of side projects (or real projects, Broken Social Scene was the side project for most), solo albums and unprecedented critical and commercial attention. Emily Haines’ Metric released their measured, acclaimed debut, Feist’s breakthrough album Let It Die was born, and Stars’ star rose, all thanks to the runaway success of their sophomore effort.

YFIIP was ground shaking, an experimental rock record that contains plenty of pure pop moments, an album built on 5 minute long songs that is both immediately satisfying and infinitely replayable. It sounds like the ultimate indie mixtape, with nods to Finlay Quaye (‘Looks Just Like the Sun’) and The Delgados (‘Anthems for a Seventeen Year-Old Girl’) alongside the more typical Dinosaur Jr. and Sonic Youth. ‘KC Accidental’, ‘Almost Crimes’ and ‘Cause=Time’ are blistering moments of guitar driven rock, ‘Pacific Theme’, ‘Capture the Flag’ and ‘Shampoo Suicide’ are atmospheric mood pieces, whilst ‘Lover’s Spit’ and ‘I’m Still Your Fag’ both contain gorgeous instrumentation that belie their slightly perverse lyrics.

For all the brilliant songs, there could still be the danger that YFIIP could still fall down one of the two major pitfalls for a promising album – it could be just a bit too clever, or its power could wane after repeated listens. The collective gaily bound over both traps with one nimble leap thanks to a simple fact: this is essentially a group of mates – immensely talented mates, but mates nonetheless – that are having a blast jamming together, and its remains great fun to listen to.

Albumaday... rating: 10/10

1.       Capture the Flag – 2:08

2.       KC Accidental – 3:50

3.       Stars and Sons – 5:08

4.       Almost Crimes (Radio Kills Remix) – 4:22

5.       Looks Just Like the Sun – 4:23

6.       Pacific Theme – 5:09

7.       Anthems for a Seventeen Year-Old Girl – 4:35

8.       Cause = Time – 5:30

9.       Late Nineties Bedroom Rock for the Missionaries – 3:46

10.   Shampoo Suicide – 4:05

11.   Lover’s Spit – 6:22

12.   I’m Still Your Fag – 4:23

13.   Pitter Patter Goes My Heart – 2:26

Listen to ‘Anthems for a Seventeen Year-Old Girl’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xl3PyTqsc5c