Arcade Fire

[CaledonianGonzo]

Love too play Flashbulb Eyes as second song when headlining the Pyramid.

[lighthouse]

43 minutes ago, Chawk said:

Flashbulb Eyes is the worst track they've ever made. 

Let me introduce you to Peter Pan.

But Afterlife though. That song is somewhere in the top 1 Arcade Fire songs for me. 

[dentalplan]

If you dismiss the rewinding at the end of Supersymmetry that nobody actually listens to, it's about as long as The Suburbs. Now, The Suburbs is the album I listen to least of all Arcade Fire albums because it's so damn meaty with its sixteen tracks.

Bit tinfoil hat but I think the perception is weighted with these two because Arcade Fire were still underdogs when The Suburbs came out so the songs that don't set yr world alight get a pass, but when they released Reflektor whilst standing on top of the world it's easier to throw shit init.

Anyway, for me it's a thrill ride of joy and defiance that crosses a disc-change into wonder and despair. I suppose it's kinda like getting fucked up. The album is a grand theatrical statement when the band was going along doing kinda just normal albums (with all due respect to the concept of The Suburbs, I don't think anyone really listens for the plot) and a huge, brave change of style when they had all sorts of bands trying to do what they had done. Viva Reflektor, Flashbulb Eyes is good and so on and so forth.

Edited January 5, 2021 by dentalplan

[lessthanwill1]

Her (the film) made me appreciate Supersymmetry so much more. If you remove the last five minutes it’s definitely one of their best.

Reflektor is way more hit and miss than the previous 3 but I still enjoy it. It’s also probably my prettiest vinyl. The shimmery front cover is lovely. 

[kingcrawler]

23 minutes ago, dentalplan said:

Bit tinfoil hat but I think the perception is weighted with these two because Arcade Fire were still underdogs when The Suburbs came out so the songs that don't set yr world alight get a pass, but when they released Reflektor whilst standing on top of the world it's easier to throw shit init.

Somewhat linked to this but as big as they were before it The Suburbs was also a breakthrough in taking them to the next level. I might be biased as I got into them around the time The Suburbs was released (I even remember buying the CD in HMV on release day, remember when that was a thing?) but I feel like being their two big breakthrough albums and presumably the ones which attracted the most new fans, people look back on Funeral and The Suburbs much more fondly than the other albums. There were quite a few articles and discussions for the recent 15 and 10 year anniversaries for those albums, I don't expect to see the same for Reflektor in a couple of years, even if it wasn't a huge drop in quality. 

Reflektor is a great album and other than Flashbulb Eyes and Joan of Arc I do like every song on it. I don't even particularly dislike those two, they're just poor by Arcade Fire's high standards. I do think it's a bit weaker than The Suburbs but I'm glad they tried something different rather than release The Suburbs part two. Reflektor and Afterlife are all time great Arcade Fire songs which will hopefully be setlist staples for the foreseeable future. 

My favourite thing about Reflektor was the tour. The first of those Barrowlands gigs is still probably my favourite gig ever. So much fun. 

[lessthanwill1]

Agreed regarding the Reflektor era tour being great. I saw them as “The Reflektors” at the Roundhouse with the paper mâché heads and all that. Was a lot of fun. They played My Body is a Cage (!) and a great cover of Devo’s uncontrollable urge.

It also said on the ticket that you had to wear fancy address or a suit. I travelled down on my own from Birmingham where I was at Uni at the time. No fancy dress so went with suit. No one else I saw at the gig was wearing a suit - felt like a BIG loser (and very sweaty!).

Their Reading 2010 headline set is still my favourite gig of all time, though. 

Edited January 5, 2021 by lessthanwill1

[Ashl]

10 minutes ago, lessthanwill1 said:

Agreed regarding the Reflektor era tour being great. I saw them as “The Reflektors” at the Roundhouse with the paper mâché heads and all that. Was a lot of fun. They played My Body is a Cage (!) and a great cover of Devo’s uncontrollable urge.

It also said on the ticket that you had to wear fancy address or a suit. I travelled down on my own from Birmingham where I was at Uni at the time. No fancy dress so went with suit. No one else I saw at the gig was wearing a suit - felt like a BIG loser (and very sweaty!).

Their Reading 2010 headline set is still my favourite gig of all time, though. 

Loved Reading 2010 as well, seen them twice since and long for the days when I can do so again. I think I need to revist Reflektor again I never connected with disc 2 when it came out.

[Hugh Jass]

17 hours ago, lessthanwill1 said:

Agreed regarding the Reflektor era tour being great. I saw them as “The Reflektors” at the Roundhouse with the paper mâché heads and all that. Was a lot of fun. They played My Body is a Cage (!) and a great cover of Devo’s uncontrollable urge.

It also said on the ticket that you had to wear fancy address or a suit. I travelled down on my own from Birmingham where I was at Uni at the time. No fancy dress so went with suit. No one else I saw at the gig was wearing a suit - felt like a BIG loser (and very sweaty!).

Their Reading 2010 headline set is still my favourite gig of all time, though. 

I was at that Roundhouse gig in a suit!

Admittedly it was because I had come straight from the office.

[Homer]

If anyone can find a better Arcade Fire live video, I'll give you the money myself
 

 

[ace56blaa]

On 1/5/2021 at 9:14 PM, kingcrawler said:

Somewhat linked to this but as big as they were before it The Suburbs was also a breakthrough in taking them to the next level. I might be biased as I got into them around the time The Suburbs was released (I even remember buying the CD in HMV on release day, remember when that was a thing?) but I feel like being their two big breakthrough albums and presumably the ones which attracted the most new fans, people look back on Funeral and The Suburbs much more fondly than the other albums. There were quite a few articles and discussions for the recent 15 and 10 year anniversaries for those albums, I don't expect to see the same for Reflektor in a couple of years, even if it wasn't a huge drop in quality. 

Reflektor is a great album and other than Flashbulb Eyes and Joan of Arc I do like every song on it. I don't even particularly dislike those two, they're just poor by Arcade Fire's high standards. I do think it's a bit weaker than The Suburbs but I'm glad they tried something different rather than release The Suburbs part two. Reflektor and Afterlife are all time great Arcade Fire songs which will hopefully be setlist staples for the foreseeable future. 

My favourite thing about Reflektor was the tour. The first of those Barrowlands gigs is still probably my favourite gig ever. So much fun. 

Was the first night of the earls court gig after reflektor. They pulled out all the stops for that. Fancy dress mandatory. which was widely observed at least in the front of the gig. Before we went in "the band with paper mache heads" pulled up in a limo and walked into the venue, with the mariachi band from the doritos album playing a reflektor over. 

Inside the whole venue was done up like a disco, disco balls everywhere, steve mackay on a literal dj island in the middle of the gig. Before the band came on win came out and had members of the audience attempt to smash an iphone shaped pinata, then they threw candy into the audience, they played a cover of the cutter with echo and the bunnymen, confetti on here comes the night time and intervention. 

They really pulled out every stop for that tour

[dentalplan]

Most excellent news. The most frustrating part about saying bye to my MP3 library was the disappearance of this lil beauty so glad it's finally coming to the streams.

 

[HeyPorter]

HER Original Score finally streaming today, been a long time coming. 

[dentalplan]

6 hours ago, HeyPorter said:

HER Original Score finally streaming today, been a long time coming. 

So much lost time to make up for.

[dentalplan]

New 45 minute meditative instrumental song available on Headspace app.

https://pitchfork.com/news/arcade-fire-share-new-45-minute-song-for-headspace-meditation-app/

[Hugh Jass]

28 minutes ago, dentalplan said:

New 45 minute meditative instrumental song available on Headspace app.

https://pitchfork.com/news/arcade-fire-share-new-45-minute-song-for-headspace-meditation-app/

It's just Peter Pan and Chemistry on a continuous loop...

[Mellotr0n]

Reflektor era tour was fantastic. Was lucky enough to watch them from side/backstage at NorthSide festival in Denmark around that time.

I could've nicked the big heads. Tempting. Obviously didn't.

Edited April 15, 2021 by Mellotr0n

[Homer]

https://www.nme.com/news/music/arcade-fire-share-new-45-minute-song-memories-of-the-age-of-anxiety-for-meditation-app-2920979

[Avalon_Fields]

14 minutes ago, Homer said:

https://www.nme.com/news/music/arcade-fire-share-new-45-minute-song-memories-of-the-age-of-anxiety-for-meditation-app-2920979

the brief clip didn't sound particularly meditative to me...

[stuartbert two hats]

On 1/5/2021 at 7:17 PM, Hugh Jass said:

Not listened to it for a while but I always thought there was a great album lurking somewhere in Reflektor. Unfortunately (for me) it’s too long and as FF says, has too many half-baked under realised songs on it.

Cut some of the crap out and we’d be in business.

There was a great album in Reflektor. It was to be found by listening to every song, even Flashbulb Eyes.

[lighthouse]

Reflektor is great, yeah. From start to finish.

[stuartbert two hats]

I even love listening to the unspooling, I find it really relaxing after an energetic double album.

[stuartbert two hats]

 

On 11/4/2020 at 7:56 AM, kingcrawler said:

New song!

 

On 11/4/2020 at 10:36 AM, DDave said:

Like that. 

 

On 11/4/2020 at 11:16 AM, dentalplan said:

Absolutely love that.

They’ve spoken of their Clash influence for ages but it’s shining thru the hardest here. And I am here for it.

 

On 11/4/2020 at 11:21 AM, st dan said:

What a return. What a band. 

 

On 11/4/2020 at 11:59 AM, FloorFiller said:

It’s okay, but I’m glad that it’s more than likely a stand-alone rather than something from the new album(s). Not really a direction I hope they go further towards though - bit standard/throwaways for my liking.

 

On 11/6/2020 at 12:24 AM, HeyPorter said:

That’s just fucking great. Love them. 

The video's gone.  What did the song turn out to be?  I can't see anything obvious on Spotiy.

[kingcrawler]

18 minutes ago, stuartbert two hats said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

The video's gone.  What did the song turn out to be?  I can't see anything obvious on Spotiy.

Good old vimeo, always reliable

[dentalplan]

7 hours ago, stuartbert two hats said:

I even love listening to the unspooling, I find it really relaxing after an energetic double album.

Wow and I thought I was passionate about the album.

[dentalplan]

It's May you fuckers.