Arcade Fire

[Homer]

It's crap.

[FloorFiller]

Forgot I was even listening to Arcade Fire until halfway through during my first listen. Not terrible, but definitely best left off the album. Sadly an early indication that they've chosen to go further down the Reflektor/synthy route than delving back in to their old sound, although I guess that was expected

[Gucci Piggy]

7 hours ago, justanothername said:

Yeah I noticed this at the very start of the new year. I noticed on the 2nd of Jan so I presume it was taken down on New Years day and with it being released 10 years ago this year I presumed it has something to do with the rights of the album. Still hopeful that it'll come back but if it doesn't its not really a huge problem as I'll just put the files on my phone anyway. Better than paying for Tidal

It was released 12 years ago?

[justanothername]

27 minutes ago, Will-2609 said:

It was released 12 years ago?

Oh shit it was lol. Don't know why I said that it was 10 years ago

[Amy Lawn]

Had a bit of an Arcade Fire youtube jaunt, noticed the top comment on We Exist is by Pandora Boxx <3<3<3
 

 

[WS_Jack_III]

Just heard it, i like it but knew it'd get a mixed reception on here.

[Hutchmaster]

Rejoice! Funeral is now back on Spotify. 

[reflekting]

21 hours ago, Johnkhutch said:

Rejoice! Funeral is now back on Spotify. 

The easiest upvote you'll ever get.

[mungo57]

seeing this thread bumped made me want to stick Funeral on in the office. Bastards. Today was supposed to be The Pineapple Thief day

[brettredmayne]

Nice bus journey home listening to this , thanks for letting me know 

[SwedgeAntilles]

I know I'm preaching to the converted on this thread but Funeral really is a masterpiece. Has aged brilliantly too.

[FloorFiller]

7 minutes ago, SwedgeAntilles said:

I know I'm preaching to the converted on this thread but Funeral really is a masterpiece. Has aged brilliantly too.

Yep a true modern classic. Only time will tell if it will be remembered in years and years to come, but it's definitely one of the few from the last decade or so that should be

[siweltrebor]

This new track didn't do much for me really, it's missing a lot of what made Arcade Fire so special in the first place that seems to have all but gone by the time you get to Reflektor.

I don't really want some basic electro outfit Arcade Fire, i'd prefer boombastic depth, lots of instruments and some great passion and connection in their songs again.

I liked Reflektor as an album but it wasn't close to as good as Funeral and the Suburbs.

Live it was also the lowest i've seen them even though they bring the party these days, Earls Court, Glastonbury, not a touch on Reading, Alexandra Palace and other occasions in the past.

Funeral is simply brilliant, I have to give credit to a school mate of mine called Ed who recommended seeing them back in 2005, I trusted his advice and was treated to something truly brilliant at Reading.

Edited January 23, 2017 by siweltrebor

[st dan]

Since their newly found and somewhat unexpected success and fame from Suburbs, I feel that they've purposely tried to sound edgy and 'cool' to appeal to the modern sounds of popular music and their new 'fans'.

I feel they're now out of their comfort zone, and would prefer to be making an old school Funeral style album, but deep down they know it won't appeal to the masses, and gain them festival headline slots etc.

Instead they're forcing some synth and overly weird concepts into their music, which I don't feel really suits them and what made them so unique. 

Although saying that, I did enjoy Reflecktor - although hopefully that's the boundaries of 'concept' they will go. Although I doubt it. 

[Rubber Soldier]

I absolutely loved it when it came out, and still do to this day. It's their magnum opus as far as I'm concerned. I really don't like anything they've done since. 

[FloorFiller]

2 minutes ago, st dan said:

Since their newly found and somewhat unexpected success and fame from Suburbs, I feel that they've purposely tried to sound edgy and 'cool' to appeal to the modern sounds of popular music and their new 'fans'.

I feel they're now out of their comfort zone, and would prefer to be making an old school Funeral style album, but deep down they know it won't appeal to the masses, and gain them festival headline slots etc.

Instead they're forcing some synth and overly weird concepts into their music, which I don't feel really suits them and what made them so unique. 

Although saying that, I did enjoy Reflecktor - although hopefully that's the boundaries of 'concept' they will go. Although I doubt it. 

Nah, I think they've just moved on from the kind of music they made on the first album. They've probably got another Funeral in them, but I doubt they're too bothered about making one

[st dan]

1 minute ago, FloorFiller said:

Nah, I think they've just moved on from the kind of music they made on the first album. They've probably got another Funeral in them, but I doubt they're too bothered about making one

But look at the passion and how much they looked like they were enjoying themselves and their music in the video for Wake Up or Rebellion (Lies). To me, that's what they are most comfortable doing - but it's hardly 'cool' these days is it. 

To me, they just seem to have become a bit almost self righteous, and overly quirky/edgy, both themselves and their music. 

They probably have just grown up/moved on, but it's a shame they didn't stick at what they do best. 

[dentalplan]

23 minutes ago, st dan said:

Since their newly found and somewhat unexpected success and fame from Suburbs, I feel that they've purposely tried to sound edgy and 'cool' to appeal to the modern sounds of popular music and their new 'fans'.

I feel they're now out of their comfort zone, and would prefer to be making an old school Funeral style album, but deep down they know it won't appeal to the masses, and gain them festival headline slots etc.

Instead they're forcing some synth and overly weird concepts into their music, which I don't feel really suits them and what made them so unique. 

Although saying that, I did enjoy Reflecktor - although hopefully that's the boundaries of 'concept' they will go. Although I doubt it. 

I think you've got it wrong entirely. They were on their way to the top from album one and The Suburbs was the culmination. Reflektor is danceable, sure, but doesn't seem like a mainstream grab at all, just more something they wanted to play after doing the rock thing for ten years and finally becoming as big as they probably could ever realistically be.

Plus, let's not forget how giddy they are about trying to get this Haitian disco thing going, and also Win's moonlighting as a DJ where he showcases a lot of the stuff he's interested in outside of stadium rock. So if anything it's the people that want the classic Arcade Fire joint, and the band that don't.

Edited January 23, 2017 by dentalplan

[bocumaroy]

8 hours ago, st dan said:

Since their newly found and somewhat unexpected success and fame from Suburbs, I feel that they've purposely tried to sound edgy and 'cool' to appeal to the modern sounds of popular music and their new 'fans'.

I feel they're now out of their comfort zone, and would prefer to be making an old school Funeral style album, but deep down they know it won't appeal to the masses, and gain them festival headline slots etc.

Instead they're forcing some synth and overly weird concepts into their music, which I don't feel really suits them and what made them so unique. 

Although saying that, I did enjoy Reflecktor - although hopefully that's the boundaries of 'concept' they will go. Although I doubt it. 

Reflektor is a sidestep in terms of popularity, if anything (it sold more, but not as much as they could have by really capitalising on The Suburbs, and they alienated previous fans whilst not really getting much bigger in the mainstream). They were headlining festivals before Reflektor, and the release of that album didn't really elevate them at all imo, so it makes no sense to say they're continuing with it for popularity. They know that people want another Funeral but I genuinely don't think they've got any interest in that right now.

The new stuff isn't weird or edgy at all. Neon Bible and to a larger extent The Suburbs are really different too, Reflektor just gets more attention as a departure to explain why people don't like it as much. Win has said for every album he likes to feel like they could kind of be launching a new band, and like, the people in the band have a diverse range of tastes - they didn't all grow with indie guitar music as their main love.

From an outsiders perspective I'd say they seemed happier and more comfortable on the Reflektor tour than they ever have before. They're just not as good at writing songs now as they were over a decade ago. 

Edit: Also, on that last point, I think the change in sound actually helps because it makes it easier to not compare new stuff at all with Funeral. I think trying to recapture that sound would just highlight the regression of songwriting even more.

The magic of that album was partly in its youthful fervour, and it's contextual, it can't just be brought back by whipping out the accordion. 

Edited January 24, 2017 by bocumaroy

[Hutchmaster]

This discussio

On 23/01/2017 at 10:03 PM, st dan said:

But look at the passion and how much they looked like they were enjoying themselves and their music in the video for Wake Up or Rebellion (Lies). To me, that's what they are most comfortable doing - but it's hardly 'cool' these days is it. 

 

That actually reminds me of how I discovered Arcade Fire. I was in a restaurant and on the projector, they were showing Arcade Fire performing Rebellion (Lies) on Jools Holland, but there was no audio. I couldn't take my eyes off the screen due to the sheer energy they were putting in and how they appeared to be having a lot of fun with it, especially at the end. As soon as I got home I checked out the song and I've been a fan of the band ever since!

 

Link to said performance.

 

Edited January 25, 2017 by Johnkhutch

[evilduck]

The new song reminds me of Love Games from the Mighty Boosh. Can't take it seriously now 

[SwedgeAntilles]

3 hours ago, evilduck said:

The new song reminds me of Love Games from the Mighty Boosh. Can't take it seriously now 

Love Games?

[dentalplan]

So that's who Win was dressed up as on the Reflektor tour.

Edited January 25, 2017 by dentalplan

[Brock Landers]

Why are so many people against a band evolving and changing their sound. I love Funeral as much as the next person but I don't want another 4 albums sounding exactly like it.

Bands move on and innovate. Surely this should be applauded?. Music should be about taking risks and attempting to break new ground (whether succesfull or not). I have much more respect for artists that try something different and fail as opposed to acts that just do the same thing over and over again, rinse repeat.

[Justiceforcedave]

They've done it in reverse right? Started with the stadium stuff and then switched to a more quirky sound as they've gotten bigger?