Broken Social Scene has released its first studio album in a decade, Remember the Humans, following up on 2017's Hug of Thunder. The collective's sixth record features contributions from longtime affiliates including Leslie Feist, Ariel Engle, and Lisa Lobsinger, though frontman Kevin Drew is circumspect about who will appear on the accompanying tour.
Kevin Drew on the Band's Returning Vocalists
During a half-hour interview with Postmedia, Drew received calls from both Stars vocalist Amy Millan and Ariel Engle, the latter calling from Europe just as Drew was asked about her tour participation. 'Oh my God, do you know who's calling me now? Ariel,' Drew said. 'She's on tour in Europe, and you mention her name and ...'
Drew has grown weary of lineup questions after two decades. 'I don't do that question anymore,' he stated. 'There was someone else who said, 'Who's going on the road?' My answer is Broken Social Scene. ... Do you know who's going to be there? The music. The songs. What I've realized over time is that as long as the songs are playing, people are happy.'
Who Is and Isn't on the Upcoming Tour
Engle, who is in Europe, is unlikely to join the tour. Lobsinger, an ex-Calgarian absent from the lineup for years, contributed the song Relief to the new record but will not be touring. Feist, affectionately called 'Feisty' by Drew, also will not be part of the live shows. 'If Feist was coming out with us, she would be her own entity, her own castle amongst all of us,' Drew said.
However, Millan, Evan Cranley, Emily Haines, and Jimmy Shaw are expected to pull double duty, performing with both their respective bands—Stars and Metric—and Broken Social Scene. Haines co-wrote and sang Anthems For A Seventeen Year Old Girl, a classic from the 2002 breakthrough album You Forgot It In People. 'If we can do Anthems with Emily Haines, who wrote it, and Jimmy Shaw, that's an achievement in itself,' Drew said. 'One of the reasons we took this tour is so we could honour this song that became such a milestone in all our lives.'
Broken Social Scene's Legacy and the New Album
Drew rejects the notion that the band is relying on nostalgia, even though Broken Social Scene represents a specific era in Canadian indie rock. The collective rose to prominence alongside The New Pornographers as a sprawling, ever-rotating ensemble that began as a two-piece basement band with Drew and co-founder Brendan Canning. The cross-pollination of members—including Feist, Haines, and others—defined the communal vibe of the early-2000s Canadian indie scene.
Remember the Humans is now available, and the band is embarking on a tour that will feature a rotating lineup, though Drew insists the focus remains on the music itself.
