Although Spirit If... is officially a Kevin Drew release, based on the number of Broken Social Scene members, associates, and friends who appear on it, the fact that the song "TBTF" appears on BSS's MySpace site, and that the actual album cover itself reads "Broken Social Scene Presents: Kevin Drew," it's pretty easy to believe the lead singer and co-founder is just acting as a front for the entire band. Not that anyone in the Toronto-based collective has ever shunned the idea of collaborations: even on more traditional "solo" work, there's always been the idea that guest artists, those who make up the group, can bring immeasurable advantages with their own personal expertise and ideas. So such is the attitude behind Spirit If..., an album that, while it certainly doesn't break from the subtly ornate, orchestral lushness that Broken Social Scene does so well, is able to play a little more with sparseness, with the meaning behind rests and pauses. "Broke Me Up" has a nice indie country feel, complete with slide guitar and a piano that does more than simply add depth and layers to the background, but actually takes something that resembles a solo, as Drew sings in a sad whisper. The vocals, too, are mixed at a level that allows comprehension, even if the words themselves aren't always understood. But Drew is more about overall effect and atmosphere than the significance found in individual songs and phrases -- which excuses the fact that a lot of things he says don't make a lot of sense -- and also means that Spirit If... is the kind of album that takes some time to set in, whose melodies and acoustic guitar backgrounds and occasional burst of anger need the luxury of distance and reflection to truly find their place. This doesn't mean that there aren't some great moments here -- the dark, pulsating Greg Dulli-inspired "Frightening Lives," the wonderful chamber pop of "Bodhi Sappy Weekend," which features the background vocal talents of Feist -- but the record is focused more on the future, on creating an impression, than on immediate satisfaction, giving it an appeal that only strengthens as time goes on, and making Spirit If... another impressive, affective release in the ever-growing Broken Social Scene catalog.
I'll admit that I have a history with Broken Social Scene that may be deeper than most people's. Finding them shortly after You Forgot It In People came out, the album essentially became the soundtrack to that part of my life. Ultimately listening to it will bring me back to those times for better or worse. Regardless, I was an avid fan from the get go and along the way became an avid fan of th...
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Kevin Drew is Broken Social Scene. The band will always be a revolving door of members. The current six member line-up (sans Feist, Apostle of the Hustle, Stars, and Jason Collett) rocked the Aladdin on October 27, 2007 playing an assortment of songs. While Kevin was a little "under the weather" the band played a truly amazing show. Highlights included the mellow version of "It's All Gonna Br...
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Kevin Drew “Spirit If...” Roxy S. 8.5 out of 10 Remember all those gawky mid to late nineties teen flicks where the class nerd won prom king or the underdog got the pretty girl in the end? Remember secretly rooting for them because you decided it was about time that the crown and the girl went to the unconventional hero no matter how bitter the irony would taste? I’ll admit that I have fall
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Kevin Drew, co-founder of the expansive Toronto baroque-pop collective Broken Social Scene will release ??Spirit If...??(Arts&Crafts), which is a solo venture, according to a statement from the artist's spokesperson.The album was recorded over the last two years at Ohad Benchetrit’s house in between social scene tours and day-to-day life. It was produced by Ohad Benchetrit, Kevin Drew, and Char.
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In case you were wondering or In case you are as much of a A&C nerd as I am. You might care what BSS Alum plays what on any given song on Kevin Drew's new record Spirit If...If you care, here you go:(scanned from my copy of the cd)Farewell to the Kids, may be my favorite song of the year. You have got to hear this. It is worth hanging around till about 3 min and 50 seconds. The descending bass ...
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If you've been looking forward to the new Kevin Drew solo album, Spirit If... aka Broken Social Scene presents: Kevin Drew, you can read a lovely report on it by nialler9 which includes 2 songs from the album. Fantastic insight plus "Gang Bang Suicide" and J Mascis on "Backed out on the".Kevin Drew on nialler9"Broken Social Scene Presents Kevin Drew Backed Out On The...":According to Arts and ...
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Kevin Drew “Spirit If...” Roxy S. 8.5 out of 10 Remember all those gawky mid to late nineties teen flicks where the class nerd won prom king or the underdog got the pretty girl in the end? Remember secretly rooting for them because you decided it was about time that the crown and the girl went to the unconventional hero no matter how bitter the irony would taste? I’ll admit that I have fall
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Check out this song off the new solo album, Spirit If..., from Broken Social Scene's Kevin Drew.
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Blame Canada!!!"Life is a Highway" and I need a shot!
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Kevin Drew is Broken Social Scene. The band will always be a revolving door of members. The current six member line-up (sans Feist, Apostle of the Hustle, Stars, and Jason Collett) rocked the Aladdin on October 27, 2007 playing an assortment of songs. While Kevin was a little "under the weather" the band played a truly amazing show. Highlights included the mellow version of "It's All Gonna Br...
More >
There's probably some rule against posting an entry about an artist on the same day that that artist secures the lead review on "Pitchfork":http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/45640-spirit-if. And if there isn't one, there should be. But I'm going to break it anyway, because I really love Broken Social Scene and, though I'm into that collective's female participants, especially ...
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As promised, this is part two...of twenty. If you're not sure what that means, read the mini-blog before this. Just as good as any of the BSS albums before this, Kevin Drew's solo album SPIRIT IF... is lively and tumbles around effortlessly into colorful layers of static sound where piano and guitar hooks merge into lo-fi/baroque pop symphonies.
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I'll admit that I have a history with Broken Social Scene that may be deeper than most people's. Finding them shortly after You Forgot It In People came out, the album essentially became the soundtrack to that part of my life. Ultimately listening to it will bring me back to those times for better or worse. Regardless, I was an avid fan from the get go and along the way became an avid fan of th...
More >
So it's been out for about a month now and like every BSS project it hooked me right away but took some time to get under my skin. It's now burrowing in and hatching eggs. It's interesting to have kevin drew take the lead (moreso than usual) and hear how his aesthetic shapes BSS. It was the same experience i had when I found Apostle of Hustle and heard Feist solo for the first time. they have s...
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A very quick post. I purchased a couple of albums the other day: Aerial by Kate Bush and Spirit If... from Kevin Drew (the BSS Presents... series).Both are good, with Aerial just shading it as my preferred album from the two.Spirit If... is pretty much more of the same music wise - very clearly Broken Social Scene. There are a few of crackers on it; F--ked Up Kid, Safety Bricks and Frightening ...
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| Title | Lyrics | Buy |
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| 1 Farewell to the Pressure Kids |
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| 2 TBTF |
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| 3 F--Ked Up Kid |
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| 4 Safety Bricks |
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| 5 Lucky Ones |
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| 6 Broke Me Up |
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| 7 Gang Bang Suicide |
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| 8 Frightening Lives |
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| 9 Underneath the Skin |
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| 10 Big Love |
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| 11 Backed out on the... |
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| 12 Agng Faces/Losing Places |
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| 13 Bodhi Sappy Weekend |
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| 14 When It Begins |
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Click to purchase…
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 "Spirit If...")
