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August 6, 2009

Broken Social Scene Cover Joy Division

thubmnail icon: Broken Social Scene Cover Joy Division

Broken Social Scene's half-speed, richly atmospheric Kevin Drew-fronted and piano-sprinkled take on "Love Will Tear Us Apart" shows up in that saccharine-seeming tear-jerking adaptation of Audrey Niffenegger's The Time Traveler's Wife starring Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana. BSS make a cameo in the film as a wedding band offering up the couple their Ian Curtis impression. Bummer of a ceremony. Grab it at Sound Verite'. And here's the trailer if you haven't cried enough this morning.

Posted at 10:24 AM by brandon in
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32 Comments

Nice try at gaining some indie cred guys but we all know you are major label whores.

Posted by: nicetry at 08/06/09 10:51 AM  | Reply
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yeah uh...you're totally wrong. Arts & Crafts is an indie label Kevin Drew started.

Posted by: in dee cred  in reply to nicetry's comment at 08/06/09 5:09 PM  | Reply
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How does doing a song and cameo for The Time "Traveler's Wife" make them look like they're trying to gain indie cred...? Chill dude.

Posted by: Kyle profile link at 08/06/09 11:04 AM  | Reply
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Really awesome cover. It grows on you more and more with each second.

Posted by: Evan at 08/06/09 11:05 AM  | Reply
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I don't know how they can be considered major label whores when they are on a small independent label called Arts & Crafts that Kevin Drew helped build himself based in Toronto. And indie cred? How is this an attempt at indie cred? They are already an acclaimed band.

Posted by: Hailey at 08/06/09 11:13 AM  | Reply
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THAT IS WITHOUT A DOUBT THE WORST THING I HAVE EVER HEARD

Posted by: fv at 08/06/09 11:23 AM  | Reply
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You are the luckiest guy I know.

Posted by: oh. profile link  in reply to fv's comment at 08/06/09 11:42 AM  | Reply
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please. why do people bother to cover joy division? please don't. ian curtis and co. are just one of those things you leave be. you're not going to add anything. you're only going to make me just want to listen to the original over and over even more, not your cover. but alas, i still love you broken social scene.

Posted by: rob z profile link at 08/06/09 12:04 PM  | Reply
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i think this is the bajillionth time someone covered this song...
it really should just be left alone already.
its become down right corny to even do it now-
and its kinda pointless to even listen to this.
hot chip's cover of transmission was pretty cool tho...
at least they took a stab at a different song.
yeah,
BSS suck for doing this.
just sayin'

Posted by: eeeekkk at 08/06/09 12:58 PM  | Reply
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this has been covered a lot. i think i once heard it covered by a tuvan throat singer on npr a few years ago. i don't think that makes it a lame thing to do. i suppose i view it more as a jazz standard for modern musicians.

additionally, i do like the direction bss have taken here. while not completely destroying the original style, they added their own texture. nice.

Posted by: jo(seph) profile link  in reply to eeeekkk's comment at 08/07/09 9:57 PM  | Reply
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this is awful and shameful....ick ick ick..and woof

Posted by: jbean at 08/06/09 12:58 PM  | Reply
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I love BSS but this cover is pretty fuckin bad.

Posted by: omg at 08/06/09 1:44 PM  | Reply
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this is the worst gd love will tear us apart cover in the history of forever. bss should just pretend like they never even made this........

Posted by: em profile link at 08/06/09 1:54 PM  | Reply
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Hey, at least they didn't cover Ceremony!

That said, this cover sounds like slow death to me.

Posted by: d33r profile link at 08/06/09 2:33 PM  | Reply
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I'm always amused when I read the responses, and people are like, "Wow, this is terrible!" or "this is by far the worst thing Ive ever heard", but in this case I hate to say it but I kind of agree. This obviously isnt the worst thing Ive ever heard but its definitely not good either.

Posted by: Jared at 08/06/09 4:12 PM  | Reply
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I have to say this is much better than the original which I find horrible like the rest of Joy Division. Good job guys.

Posted by: yeahz at 08/06/09 5:24 PM  | Reply
Score = -3 Vote up Vote down

This was pretty brutal. Although i think it could have been passable if they just changed the vocalist. Sounds like a dude imitating Stephen Merritt on youtube or something.

Posted by: Elliot profile link at 08/06/09 5:44 PM  | Reply
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I believe the vocals ruined this song. Musically, it's not a bad interpretation but the vocals are just... ughh.

Posted by: d33r profile link  in reply to Elliot's comment at 08/07/09 11:09 AM  | Reply
Score = 1 Vote up Vote down

BSS are about as overated as a band can be. And just what exactly is indie cred? Sounds like some term some dumb writer came up with. And yeahz, JD are horrible but you like BSS? You are clueless!

Posted by: jjazznola at 08/06/09 8:00 PM  | Reply
Score = -2 Vote up Vote down

Go do a 100 yard dash in a 90 yard gym. Please.

Posted by: Indiana Cred and the Temple of Muff  in reply to jjazznola's comment at 08/06/09 8:17 PM  | Reply
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"Lover's Spit" is a great song, guys but Christ this is horrible.

Posted by: zik at 08/06/09 9:13 PM  | Reply
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wow nobody has ever covered this song before

Posted by: grover profile link at 08/06/09 11:08 PM  | Reply
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BSS...livin' the cliche!

Posted by: ummm at 08/06/09 11:15 PM  | Reply
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I don't like the vocal delivery in it, but otherwise I think it's a cool cover

Posted by: Eric at 08/07/09 1:31 AM  | Reply
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um, did you guys actually read brandon's comments on the song? this is from a movie the features broken social scene as a wedding band (read: not a good band) that plays the song for a pair of newlyweds. given that context it seems to me that it is supposed to be campy and a bit silly. kevin drew is obviously not being serious with that vocal style. i am continually surprised by how quickly smug indie fans turn on successful bands.

Posted by: c. at 08/07/09 1:36 PM  | Reply
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yeah. even with kevin drew's obvious attempt at wedding-band chic, i still kind of dig it. i really like the backing music, it works for the song. at first the vocals grated on me quite a bit, but now it works... who knows, maybe i'm crazy.

Posted by: I'll bring the beards. profile link at 08/08/09 7:32 PM  | Reply
Score = 1 Vote up Vote down

Nice try, but not even close.

Posted by: This Charming Man at 08/11/09 9:54 AM  | Reply
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I remember first hearing about Broken Social Scene from photocopied posters in Toronto where they were on the bill with a couple of other bands, so they did seem pretty indie back then.....

Posted by: Mark Bellis at 08/12/09 12:50 PM  | Reply
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would been a lot better if Kevin sang in his usual singing voice. Maybe it will grow on me.

Posted by: Bob at 08/12/09 12:53 PM  | Reply
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGQWnbfFB6o
gag. please! no more!
(but as it goes, the BSS cover isn't as bad/pretty okay.)

Posted by: teevee at 08/12/09 1:47 PM  | Reply
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The original is still better.

Posted by: SubSickAlien profile link at 08/12/09 9:16 PM  | Reply
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Rob Z is right about how Joy Division songs should just be left alone and not covered. I think the JD songs come from a certain perspective only Ian Curtis and co. can really understand. For others to try and cover songs they don't really get (not saying that i do just for sake of argument) takes the original intent or meaning out of the song, even if you do a straight cover. Only the band can know and have that aura about their song. But Broken Social Scene can cover the song all they want, I will stick to the originals though. It actually makes me listen to the originals more.

Posted by: Valuepacksof10 profile link at 09/20/09 11:54 PM  | Reply
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