The energy is the first thing you notice. A lot of reunions and records coming off a long hiatus can sound tentative, careful, or, worst of all, listless. Remember the Humans, the first Broken Social Scene album in nine years, brims with vitality from the outset. In fact, the opening track, “Not Around Anymore,” pulses with pent-up energy, and in it frontman Kevin Drew reassures the listener that passing time is okay, that “you don’t need to cry anymore,” even though, “it’s all gone away.” Loss doesn’t have to be a bad thing.
The song also reassures in its symphonic pleasures, showcasing Broken Social Scenes’s shifting palettes, from soft horns to sped-up fast-picked guitars. Throughout, the band overflows with ideas, excited but patient, letting the tunes…

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