(Toronto) A couple of weeks ago, Brendan Canning issued a statement that a copy of his new CD, Something For All Of Us…, had been leaked (release date July 22nd). As I read this news flash, I was listening to what I believe was said leaked version. Uh oh.

The thing is that CD leaks happen all the time. But for Brendan, this time it is different because the leaked songs are unmastered, meaning they aren’t finished yet. As an artist, this is a big deal. As some of you may know, I make short films. If for some reason, an early cut of my latest flick got released or screened before it was finished, I would be pissed, mortified and heads would roll. When I went back and listened to my newly acquired Brendan Canning songs again, it all felt and sounded different knowing that the songs might not be as good as they could be. The last thing I want to do is piss off Brendan and his Broken Social Scene thugs. That night I went to bed and had a dream where Brendan showed up at my door with Kevin Drew and the two of them gave me beard-belly burns until I coughed up my entire MP3 collection.

To combat this leak problem, Brendan has made an early, digital mixed version of Something For All Of Us… available for download on the Arts & Craft site HERE.

Hmmm…I began to think about this situation. This unmastered story is either (a) a creative way that Brendan thought up to get sympathy from his fans to not download his music or (b) a legitimate creative problem that Brendan Canning faces. Either way, I don’t really care. I have since purchased the mastered version of his CD from the Arts & Craft site and compared the two versions. Can I hear a difference? Yes, however my testing method was by no means scientific. I picked out key parts in each song and compared them. On Chameleon, there is a huge difference. The version that I paid for was much clearer and just sounded better. As for the other songs, I couldn’t pick out any differences in the limited amount of time I spent comparing. Also, I am not 100% sure that my original version of the album was in fact, the leaked, unmasterd version to begin with. So take from this what you will.

So how is the entire album? Pretty fantastic. I hear a lot of early BSS influences on it. After my first listen, I felt the same way I did after I first listened to You Forgot It In People. A good mix of slow, fast, dancy, hooky songs with a strong female influence on a couple of choice tracks and solid instrumentals mixed in all over the place. It makes me want to get high and pretend that it’s 2002 all over again. Stand out tracks include Churches Under The Stairs, Antique Bull and Possible Grenade.

For anybody keeping track of the BSS solo projects, I would have to say that Brendan is coming out on top with this release. For me, I think a lot of it is nostalgia and the joy that I remember following the BSS raise to fame in Toronto. Whatever it is, Something For All Of Us… puts a smile on my face.

5/5

Truth be told, if Brendan and Kevin showed up my house and proceeded to give me beard-belly burns, I probably wouldn’t mind all too much.

 

 Broken Social Scene Presents Brendan Canning - Hit The Wall (2008): Play Now