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PLAYBOY.COM MUSIC REVIEW
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June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 The Presidents of the United States of America February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 Broken Social Scene Presents: Kevin Drew August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead October 2006 Working for a Nuclear Free City September 2006 Bobby Bare Jr.'s Young Criminal Starvation League August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 General Patton vs.the X-ecutioners February 2005 January 2005
Broken Social Scene Presents: Kevin Drew   Audio Clip: "Tbtf" Click to play The Toronto indie-rock collective Broken Social Scene's tunes are full of pretty melodies and nifty sonic tricks -- frequently too full. Throwing stuff at the wall to see what sticks is part of BSS's messy charm. But BSS cofounder Kevin Drew takes a different tack on at least the first half of his debut solo album, carefully crafting songs with relatively tight parameters and killer hooks. The powerful, crashing opener, "Farewell To The Pressure Kids," is reminiscent of the bold orchestrations found on a Flaming Lips album. "Tbtf," the simple love song that follows, turns the line "You are too beautiful to fuck" into a surprisingly sweet declaration of devotion. Drew's voice ranges from a high-pitched keen to the husky ache he offers on a pair of soulful indie-folk stunners, "F-ked Up Kid" and "Safety Bricks." The album's finest moment comes on "Lucky Ones." Guitars build toward a majestic crest, come to a complete stop, and then dive into a wordless bridge that is no less powerful for having derived its melody from Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart." The record's second half is sloppier, with Drew returning to BSS's more free-form aesthetic. Jaunty riffs and inviting grooves keep things interesting, but it can't help feel like a minor letdown. -- David Peisner |
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