K.C. Accidental

In the thick of a massive tour, a Bruce McDonald directed film and a spot on this year's Polaris Prize short list, it's nice to pause and remember where Broken Social Scene came from: Kevin Drew's childhood bedroom, alongside fellow BSS co-founder Charles Spearin, in the form of K.C. Accidental. The reissue of two lo-fi EPs (originally recorded in the late '90s using reel-to-reel tape) sound like vintage Broken Social Scene because that's essentially what they are. The opening track on Captured Anthems, "Nancy and the Girdle Boy," is elevated and triumphant. Immediately following is "Something For Chicago," which is jazzy and contemplative, with a mischievous undertone. Next is frantic percussion-fest "Anorexic He-Man" and with it, confirmation that neither Drew nor Spearin have ever been fans of making songs that sound similar to that which came previously. The absence of Drew's charmingly capricious lyrics is mitigated by the kind of bold, communicative instrumentation that makes Do Make Say Think so stunning, yet somehow the most endearing moment comes on "Kev's Message For Charlie," when Drew leaves Spearin the voicemail that would become their first recording together. On Anthems for the Could've Bin Pills, a pre-Metric Emily Haines duets with Drew on "Them (Pop Song #3333)," while Justin Peroff plays drums on two tracks and Jimmy Shaw contributes trumpet throughout, making both EPs an integral first verse in Broken Social Scene's Canadian indie rock folklore.