Guitars duel with each other buzzing away, vocals fade in and out, brass instruments flare up and that ever-present bass continues to keep things ticking over.Īfter a dreamy opening Hug of Thunder explodes immediately into life with early release “Halfway Home” and “Protest Song.” Both drive forward rapidly, finding space for gloriously catchy choruses in amongst the madness. Listen to any song and controlled chaos is still present. At least that appears to be the case from the outside. There are only two tracks longer than five minutes and none more than six, Hug of Thunder is working within contained limits. The change displayed on Forgiveness Rock Record, one that saw them tighten the sound, reining in the sprawl, is further developed here. Now they’ve returned with a record that shows they continue to understand what makes them tick even as they evolve. Seven years have passed since the loose and ever-changing line-up built around Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning last put something out, unless you count the multiple records from the day jobs of regular contributors (when it comes to Broken Social Scene, it’s almost worth asking who in Canadian indie music hasn’t contributed at some stage). ![]() ![]() It’s a trick they’ve been pulling off for the better part of two decades, and while it’s grown more refined, the impact is every bit as powerful. The Canadian collective can switch seamlessly between a rolling crash of noise and sparse intimacy, often within the same breath. Rarely do album names manage to sum up a sound as aptly as Hug of Thunderdoes for Broken Social Scene.
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