It wasn't until Toronto's
Arts & Crafts
label released
Broken Social Scene
's
You Forgot It in People
in early summer 2003 that the band's
experimental
indie pop
caught on in America. A Juno Award for best
alternative
album and a successful North American tour later,
issue a delightful collection of B-sides,
Bee Hives
. Recorded for their friends, the nine-song selection is essentially an album of instrumentals; however, it captures different shades and moods of the band's thus-far five-year career quite nicely. The twangy banjo licks of
"Backyards"
were specially recorded as a project for one of
's friends in art school.
Brendan Canning
,
Charles Spearin
Kevin Drew
, and the wispy vocals of
Emily Haines
had to have helped their friend earn a top grade, for the dreamy soundscape that is
is surely a standout in the band's catalog. Dressed in a hushing mix of guitars, organs, and synth beats,
"hHallmark"
and
"Ambulance for the Ambience"
are two charming tracks recorded in between
Feel Good Lost
. The listener should sense
's earnest approach in experimenting with their
lo-fi
-induced style of sound throughout
; therefore, the distinctive arrangement of each song will be as interesting as each one unfolds.
"Time = Cause,"
which coincided with the U.K. single for
"Stars and Sons,"
is a song like that. It explores more of a dark-colored side to the band's typically glossy
pop
. Backing vocals are ghostly while strings and
electronic
rhythms are nearly colorless. That's not to say
is mostly unspirited; there's a calmer spirit lingering around
. The lush version of
"Lover's Spit"
that's included on
You Forgot It In People
is stripped down to just a piano. It hurts so much more, mostly due to the beautifully aching lead vocals from
Leslie Feist
, but in the way that's positively affecting. If you want to single out one stunning moment, that's the one. It cushions
for the wonder that it is. ~ MacKenzie Wilson