Hug Of Thunder

Spin - "[A] warm and rewarding comeback album....It often sounds as though every member of the familial Toronto ensemble is playing at the same time." Alternative Press - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "HUG OF THUNDER feels like a sign of maturity to complement a more weathered and warm approach to songwriting that includes a lot of electronic pulses and skybound singalongs." Paste - "The band's sound tends to be orchestral, ornate, expansive and psychedelic, with synths, samples, brass and mash ups of guitars, keyboards, percussion and voices adding deep layers to the mix. It's a panoramic approach to say the least..." Rolling Stone - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "The standout is 'Halfway Home,' on which Bruce Springsteen and My Bloody Valentine meet up in the space between anxiety and uplift where this band does its best work." Clash - "From the expansive intro track 'Sol Luna' to the triumphant and jubilant 'Halfway Home', which explodes with a rapturous instrumentation, Broken Social Scene return with wonderfully arranged and layered indie rock." Magnet - "Haines shines on the breathless 'Protest Song,' and under Feist's guidance, the title track is one of the band's best." Uncut - "As the title suggested, a rousing communitarian spirit dominated..."

The Canadian alt-rock group Broken Social Scene released their fourth studio album, Hug of Thunder, in 2016. The group has reunited for their first album in seven years, and includes Leslie Feist, Emily Haines, and Kevin Drew. Hug of Thunder was released by Arts and Crafts. ~ Liam Martin|

活動を休止していたカナダの大所帯バンドが6年ぶりに帰還! アーケイド・ファイア以上にフリーフォームな演奏×清涼感溢れる歌声、といった持ち味は本作でも変わらない。ホーンやストリングスを含むさまざまな音色が渾然一体となり、お祭り騒ぎの様相だ。しかし、"Protest Song"を筆頭に歌詞はいつになく政治的で、〈トランプ後の世界〉への怒りがくっきりと刻まれている。いま彼らが復活することは必然だったのかも?
bounce (C)上野功平