Spirit If Analysis

Simulated sounds of sex, song titles like Fucked Up Kid, I’m Still your Fag, and Gang Bang Suicide, and fronting a __teen member collective, Broken Social Scene ringleader turned “solo” artist Kevin Drew is no stranger to unfailing, unabashed, melo-dramatic character development and develop he does on his new record Spirit If. Mellow brushed drums, driving bass, clean guitars, horns, stirngs, fuzz, silence, explosions, swells, and friends tell the story of The fucked up Kid, the TBTF girl, and many other sad yet lovable characters.

To be fair this “solo record” isn’t exactly a ture go-it-alone effort. There’s a full band and plenty of guests, leaving the record feeling more like a Broken Social Scene record with a line-up change, which is not a bad thing at all. It is especially not bad when your guests are so esteemed, but the record is decidedly lacking in the charisma that the Stars, Metric, DMST, etc. crews bring to a proper BSS record.

When it comes down to it Broken Social Scene lovers will still love this record: Mellow and flowing grooves like Fucked Up Kid are the fingerprints you’ve been hearing for years on BSS records, while Kevin shows he listens to his friends records on tracks like Broke Me Up when he gets all Feist on you. There is the more tender-than-usual Gang bang Suicide, a sparse and sad effort set to mellotrons, detuned guitars, and barely-there key sections, and the decidedly 90’s fuzz-rock feel of Out On The. Once again taking a card from the much-loved collective he formed and has spearheaded for going on ten years, there is something for everyone on this record, and I doubt any fan of KD’s previous works would be dissapointed.

[mp3] Kevin Drew – TBTF
[mp3] Kevin Drew – Fucked Up Kid

Buy Spirit If at Insound now.
Broken Social Scene plays Kevin Drew’s Spirit If tour dates