The Obligatory Self-Indulgent Indie Rock Solo Album
Is it really Something for All of Us?
It’s a well-known fact that in most hipster circles you aren’t cool unless you listen to Broken Social Scene. If liking Broken Social Scene can define whether or not you’re cool, what then is the only thing cooler than Broken Social Scene? Brendan Canning’s solo album, of course! Something for All of Us was Canning’s opportunity to break away from BSS and do something that is solely his own work, albeit with contributions here and there from members of the aforementioned band.
As the album title suggests, Something for All of Us really does have…well…something for all of us. If you’re into mellow tracks full of ethereal effects and subtle vocals, “Chameleon” is pretty damn great. On the other hand, those who are more interested in an upbeat number with a great bass line will lean more towards “Hit the Wall.” Really, whatever your personal preference, Brendan Canning has a song that you’ll probably like, as long as you’re ok with a heavy dose of, “I’m going to make music the way I want to, and screw you if you don’t like it.” With that in mind, there are times when Something for All of Us may get a little too weird for some people. If you’re one of those people, don’t admit it to any of your super-hip friends or you’ll be shunned from the group and required to wear a ridiculous hat or something.
It should be expected that the album would bear similarities to Broken Social Scene, since Canning is one of the founding members of the Canadian super group. For example, the previously mentioned bass line in “Hit the Wall” at times sounds very much like that of “7/4 (Shoreline).” Really though, it takes a bit of digging to really find something that sounds exactly like Broken Social Scene in Something for All of Us, as it should. There would be no point in releasing a solo album if it was going to sound exactly like the main band’s stuff.
There are lots of different occasions when you can throw on Something for All of Us, but really they all revolve around the same premise: being cooler than your friends. So here’s the recommendation: any time you want people to ask, “Who is this?” you’ll want this album playing. That way, you can nonchalantly say, “Oh, it’s just Brendan Canning,” and return to your other conversation.
Posted by Cory Roop on Nov 03, 2008 @ 8:34 am
