Originally published for the newspaper – The University of Toronto’s Independent Newspaper, October 29, 2016
Broken Social Scene’s “It’s All Gonna Break” is their self-appointed “anthem,” and for good reason. It has everything—the horns, the chaos, Kevin Drew’s dramatic vocals, Feist’s harmonies, and the ridiculous but beautiful lyrics. The song constantly shifts from pessimistic to confident to melancholic and back up to triumphant.
One of the theses of the band is right there in the song’s title, “It’s All Gonna Break.” The band is epitomized by a sense of fragility. The song also carries with it another thesis: “You all want the lovely music to save your lives,” which explores seeking redemption through music.