Broken Social Scene Break Out New Album And Tour In May

Broken Social Scene will return with a brand new, still-untitled album on May 4, the collective's first in five years, on Arts & Crafts.

Despite solo releases from Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning under the Broken Social Scene Presents ... umbrella over the last few years, the esoteric Canadian collective, with a 2010 lineup consisting of Drew, Canning, Justin Peroff, Charles Spearin, Andrew Whiteman, Sam Goldberg and Lisa Lobsinger, hasn't released a record since their self-titled 2005 oeuvre.

Of course, since Broken Social Scene is just Toronto's rock 'n' roll excuse for an old-fashioned, sweaty, sonic orgy, the extended family of BSS friends and former paramours will also make an appearance on the record, produced by Tortoise's John McEntire. Album cameos include contributions from BSS alumni Leslie Feist, Amy Millan and Evan Cranley of Stars, Emily Haines and Jimmy Shaw of Metric, Jason Collett, Ohad Benchetrit of Do Make Say Think and Years, John Crossingham, Marty Kinack, Leon Kingstone and Julie Penner.

Breaking into the BSS enclave to lend a hand will be The Sea and Cake’s Sam Prekop, Tortoise’s Doug McCombs, Pavement’s Spiral Stairs, Sebastian Grainger, Poi Dog Pondering’s Susan Bells, Helen Money’s Alison Chesley and The Weakerthans’ Jason Tait.

The new album also marks the first time that Broken Social Scene has recorded an album outside Canada, decamping to Chicago where McEntire is based, although additional recording did take place in Toronto.

And to warm winter-chilled BSS fans even more, Broken Social Scene is also plotting a May tour, marking the album's release, which will roll eastward from San Francisco to Paris, before landing in Toronto in mid-June.

Broken Social Scene's Spring 2010 Tour Dates

May 1 - San Francisco, CA, The Fillmore

May 3 - Los Angeles, CA, Henry Fonda Theatre

May 7 - New York, NY, Webster Hall

May 13- London, UK, Brixton Academy (w/ Pavement)

May 14- Minehead, UK, All Tomorrow’s Parties

May 17 - London, UK, Heaven

May 18 - Amsterdam, NE, Melkweg

May 19 - Cologne, GR, Burgerhaus Stollwerck

May 21- Paris, FR, La Maroquinerie

June 19 - Toronto, ON, Toronto Island (w/ Pavement, Band of Horses)