The anthems (Keep the Car Running, Wake Up) are a great place to start. Black Mirror is good and brooding. The new album has a little brighter sound. The title track is as close as you'll probably ever hear them get to "peppy."
First disc was good anthems of dealing with loss that mixed sorrow and joy in equal measure, and made it worth sitting through Win Butler's anti-signing voice. They really built their reputation more on their (very, very good) live show than the discs itself. The two CDs since then are basically an aural travelog of Win climbing up his own ass.
They're not a bad band, by *any* means, and their good moments can be really good, but the insane amount of adulation is up there with Animal Collective and Kings of Leon in the "the music press has decided to pull a band, kicking and screaming, into main-event status whether they like it or not" category.
I came to Arcade Fire slightly backwards. My sister put Black Mirror on a mixed CD (noting that my niece Nora loved it). I ultimately got that CD, and then got Funeral later.
Arcade Fire does not make my very top echelon, but I really like their music, and was happy to see the new album come out. The sheer overstuffed nature of their music makes it different from a lot of the music in my collection, and in this case, different works, at least for me. And I would totally be going to see them tonight near DC if it were at all feasible. Sigh.
Many days later I'm finally listening to The Suburbs, and came to post something very similar to Nowhereman's comment. Arcade Fire's live show is spectacular, but while I listened to Funeral quite a bit, I've never truly warmed to their albums. (If this is a point of comparison for anyone, I feel exactly the same way about Fiery Furnaces.)
In a word, yes.
ReplyDeleteThe anthems (Keep the Car Running, Wake Up) are a great place to start. Black Mirror is good and brooding. The new album has a little brighter sound. The title track is as close as you'll probably ever hear them get to "peppy."
Yes. They're Canadian. Nuff said.
ReplyDeleteSo's Nickelback.
ReplyDeleteStep 1: Listen to Funeral.
ReplyDeleteThe rest should proceed naturally from there.
I don't know how long it's going to be archived, but Youtube streamed Arcade Fire's concert at MSG tonight
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/arcadefirevevo
NPR has a stream of The Suburbs:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128878239
At their best, they're anthemic and Canadian.
The Suburbs, the band.
ReplyDeleteAlso Celine Dion.
ReplyDeleteFirst disc was good anthems of dealing with loss that mixed sorrow and joy in equal measure, and made it worth sitting through Win Butler's anti-signing voice. They really built their reputation more on their (very, very good) live show than the discs itself. The two CDs since then are basically an aural travelog of Win climbing up his own ass.
ReplyDeleteThey're not a bad band, by *any* means, and their good moments can be really good, but the insane amount of adulation is up there with Animal Collective and Kings of Leon in the "the music press has decided to pull a band, kicking and screaming, into main-event status whether they like it or not" category.
I came to Arcade Fire slightly backwards. My sister put Black Mirror on a mixed CD (noting that my niece Nora loved it). I ultimately got that CD, and then got Funeral later.
ReplyDeleteArcade Fire does not make my very top echelon, but I really like their music, and was happy to see the new album come out. The sheer overstuffed nature of their music makes it different from a lot of the music in my collection, and in this case, different works, at least for me. And I would totally be going to see them tonight near DC if it were at all feasible. Sigh.
Adam, I think you might respond to this. Audio is a little rough, but you get the idea.
ReplyDeleteNever really cottoned to them, though I've tried.
ReplyDeleteDon't they sound exactly like Springsteen?
ReplyDeleteAnd BIEBER! Don't lose me here, D'Arcy. :)
ReplyDeleteIf you like bands with a variety of interesting instruments, then Arcade Fire is for you.
ReplyDeleteNot exactly, but similar enough that if you like one, you'd probably like the other (hence my link above).
ReplyDeleteMany days later I'm finally listening to The Suburbs, and came to post something very similar to Nowhereman's comment. Arcade Fire's live show is spectacular, but while I listened to Funeral quite a bit, I've never truly warmed to their albums. (If this is a point of comparison for anyone, I feel exactly the same way about Fiery Furnaces.)
ReplyDelete