Broken Social Scene - Remember The Humans (2026)
Remember The Humans is pleasant, carefully arranged and unmistakably Broken Social Scene, but I keep waiting for it to become more than that.
The band still knows how to create a full, organic sound. “Not Around Anymore” opens with enough detail to suggest that the album might slowly expand into something large, and the horns, guitars and layered vocals are handled with real care. But the songwriting underneath is quite modest. The arrangement keeps developing while the central idea stays fairly static.
“Only The Good I Keep” and “Mission Accomplished (Kingfisher)” are good examples of the problem. Both are perfectly listenable, both have little instrumental details I enjoy, but neither leaves much behind once it ends. I hear the collective texture more clearly than I hear a memorable song.
“The Call” has more energy, and “Relief” comes closer to the old Broken Social Scene feeling of everything suddenly lifting together. Those are moments where the density feels justified rather than decorative. Even then, though, I do not get the same sense of emotional release that the band could create at its best.
“And I Think of You” works better for me because it slows down and gives the repetition time to become meaningful. The horns and percussion add colour without overloading the track, and the longer structure gives it a little more depth. This is one of the few places where the album’s restraint becomes a real strength.
“This Briefest Kiss” is the best track for similar reasons. It has patience, groove and enough space for the arrangement to breathe. It feels less like the band adding layers to a conventional indie song and more like a piece that actually grows as it goes. I would replay this one.
“Life Within The Ground” is attractive but very slight. The mood is there, but the song itself almost disappears inside it. “Hey Amanda” and “Paying for Your Love” add some needed movement later on, but again I find myself thinking more about how nicely everything is arranged than about the actual melodies.
“What Happens Now” with Feist should probably be one of the emotional high points, and it is certainly tasteful, but that word is also part of the problem. The album rarely risks sounding awkward, excessive or unstable. Broken Social Scene used to be good at making songs feel as if they might fall apart and then suddenly become beautiful. Here everything feels more controlled.
“Parking Lot Dreams” ends the record quietly, which suits the mood, but by that point I am left with the same impression as the rest of the album: a lot of warmth, craft and familiarity, but not enough urgency.
The collective sound is still there, and there are a few genuinely good moments, especially “This Briefest Kiss” and “And I Think of You”. But too often I remember the arrangements more than the songs. Comfortable, coherent and pleasant, but not especially memorable.
Genre: Indie Rock
Country: Canada
Final Verdict: 64% (Good Album)
Yearly Ranking: 334th / 712
Highlight: This Briefest Kiss
Made me think of:
Stars
The New Pornographers
Arcade Fire
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