Broken Social Scene - Bee Hives (9 tracks) +Album Reviews

Oh, "Bee Hives"!

E. A Solinas | MD USA | 03/30/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Pop music has a dirty name -- it usually means vapid lyrics and worn emotional appeals. Not so for Broken Social Scene, who experiment in catchy, sweeping indie pop. In "Bee Hives," they present a patchwork quilt of B-sides and experimental numbers. It starts slowly with the sound of water flowing, before moving to slow songs (steady acoustic "Weddings" and stately "Marketfresh") peppier pop (the chiming, fluting "Ambulance For the Ambience"), and a few that are hodgepodges ("Hallmark," with its mishmash of fluttering electro-country, or the wailing, eerie "Time=Cause")."Bee Hives" was made in bits and pieces between "Feel Good Lost" and "You Forgot It In People." Other people's studios, backyards, little snippets and experiments with sound. Some of the songs were never meant to be released at all. But it has a surprisingly polished sound for a collection of B-sides and pop songs that didn't fit elsewhere. There's nothing rough here.The experimental edge is evident in the intro, which is just water flowing and distant voices, and the gnashy, noisy start to "Weddings." But the melodious quality is still here. The music is a seamless little quilt of acoustic guitar, percussion, violins, flutes, keyboard, electronic blips and beeps and what sounds like a xylophone. The percussion can be little offputting, but the overall effect is stunning."Bee Hives" is a surprisingly smooth collection of things that didn't fit elsewhere. Smooth, melodious, deeply original indie pop."

ThreeImaginaryGirls.com review Broken Social Scene

*three imaginary girls* | Seattle, WA [USA] | 06/01/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"And the award for most tongue-in-cheek title for a collection of B-sides goes to... You remember Broken Social Scene, that wondrous indie-rock collective out of Canada whose 2003 release "You Forgot it in People" was the music-snob's name-drop of November and December? Naturally, when a small label gets a band that can sell records to their niche market like fairies can sell fairy dust to kids at a Peter Pan flight school, then the label gets a surge of happy thoughts and the re-issues and collections of b-sides come soaring in from Neverneverland, and so it is with the band at hand. Enter "Bee Hives," a lovely collection from the folks out at Arts and Crafts. Like its predecessor, it's most definitely a headphones album. However, while the ambience of YFIP is sort of there, and the enigmatic nature is still sort of there, for eight of the nine tracks, the record feels like, well, just a bunch of b-sides. The album opens with an intro dubiously entitled, "intro." It sounds exactly how you think it might - some distortion, a lot of reverb, and then it's over. That's followed by "Marketfresh," a very decent song in all aspects, and probably got the boot from YFIP's track list in favor of the slightly better "Looks just like the sun." They both have the cool and elaborate acoustic-ness with electronic beeps and blips in the background perfect for collapsing on a couch at four in the morning. The following instrumental, "Weddings," might have been more aptly titled "Escalator" or "Moving Sidewalk at the Airport When you're really Tired." If you're awake enough to pay attention to what's going on in all the Broken Social Layers, then you'll find it's as much an enjoyable track as the first half of "Da Da Dada," another cut on "Beehives" taken from the "Cause = Time" 7", but one which about two minutes into the unimpressive instrumental layers at the beginning, opens up with a center staged drum kit and some spacey star-gazer laser effects bouncing back and forth behind. It's a little like how you might remember the music waiting in line for Space Mountain. (...)"

Good, but the least appealing of the BSS releases

Manny Hernandez | Bay Area, CA | 03/24/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Consisting of B-Sides and alternate versions, "Bee Hives" is really the last album you should pick up by the Canadian music collective Broken Social Scene. While there are some unforgettable moments here, such as "Lover's Spit (Redux)", "Backyards" and "Market Fresh", the album as a whole feels less cohesive than their other works and may not find its way into your heart as easily."

Good Experimentation

Danny Champagne | Boston, MA | 05/17/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This album is just that good experimentation. there are less songs on here than their other albums and that's ok. instead of catchy pop songs, you get more of a post-rock feel with this album. (one of the main members is in do make say think) if you like the more expeirmental side of broken social scene, buy this."

Music That I Thrive On

Xtr@ BaSe HitZ | USA | 03/31/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When i first got into Broken Social Scene, a friend of mine let me borrow their self titled album, and i immediately was hooked. It's always very rewarding to listen to an album like that, and be interested and inspired enough to take the unconventional but inevitable route backwards through a bands catalogue, discovering what they had done previously, perhaps finding music not bogged down by unnecessary expectations, but instead music that sounds natural and beautiful, like a backyard view on a summers eve. Music that goes where it's meant to go, without worrying about how long it's going to take to get there.

Enter beehives, an album that knows no boundaries, and defies the conventional approach to making music. Broken Social Scene, though they may not care to admit, really had something special going on here. This is music in it's purest form, something you relate to, and carry with you like the atmosphere of past. I've never in my entire life heard music that was this thought provoking, yet had few words.

The opening of "Da Da Dada" is quite possibly the most nostalgic i've ever felt while listening to music. What a great way to start out a song, of which slowly builds into a triumphant climax after the 2/4 time drums kick in. It doesn't really demand your attention at first, but it does offer you in, and you have to be patient enough to reap the benefits.

"Market Fresh" is a really laid back, slow tempo feel good song, with a really loose bass line, and some jangly guitars. What i've always liked about BSS is their trademark style of play, with a lot of different things going on at once. Each of their songs is like an artist and his work, a methodical perfectionist, not just slapping paint on a canvas, but instead carefully placing things in the right area, making for an eargasm, since you can have one over and over if you're hearing something new in the mix each time.

"Backyards" is extremely melancholy yet joyous in a way, you don't get an overwhelming feeling of sadness when she says "they lost their lives in backyards", you instead feel courageous as she says just that "it's a hard parade just, be courageous" .. since everyone has to endure the same, if that's how you look at it. Leslie Feist sounds so delicate here, much like life.

"Ambulance for the Ambience" sounds almost other-worldly, opening with a wailing flute that beckons a crowd. After everyone's gathered, a composition of recurring bass line, some scattered electronic sounds fluttering in and out, and a song ultimately moving slowly towards it's destiny.

"Lover's Spit" is an emotional pop ballad worthy of more than a passing mention, as it calmly states it's case. A perfect song to close your eyes and relax to.

I absolutely love "hHallmark" with it's breezy day strawberry fields setting. The beat is unique and infectious, and the song really has you running through the fields, being young again, and enjoying the sunshine. The harmonica really stands out, and the song as a whole invites you in for a nice dream, though one that can't last forever.

If you're willing to sit down and soak up this album, it can be very rewarding. I think people that classify this as "B-Sides" aren't really listening to it thoroughly. Perhaps they look at the other reviews, listen to a few seconds of each song, and echo the same sentiments. The songs aren't just "experimentation", and i wouldn't call it that, primarily because there are a lot of things going on, and it doesn't all amount to a jumbled mess. I think parts of this album are experimental, but it's worthy something that actually fits, and also worthy of more than a passing "B-Side" mention. Experience forever with this record."

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	Broken Social Scene Bee Hives Genres: Alternative Rock, Special Interest, Pop, Rock Track Listings (9) - Disc #1 Untitled Market Fresh Weddings Hhallmark Backyards Da Da Da Da Ambulance For The Ambience Time = Cause Lover's Pit
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