Arcade Fire

[FloorFiller]

that is a lovely ol' setlist right there! SEVEN songs from Funeral! and Keep The Car Running and Headlights Look Like Diamonds to begin the encore. beautiful. could only dream of getting such a good setlist at Glastonbury (though at 22 songs probably far too long)

also, i've yet to announce my happiness, but yay 1 hour 45. at least three more songs in the bag i hope

[CaledonianGonzo]

Listening to some Arcade Fire this morning and - in amongst my ususal assessment that when they're good they're good and when they're bad they're really, really terrible - one thing struck me:

Why would you need to build a tunnel between two windows?

[Lubic]

Those extra 15 mins made my day! It's gonna be glorious. Jealous of the Earls Court goers, but hopefully holding out will make Glasto all the more sweeter. They better play up North by the end of the year, mind.

[Zoo Music Girl]

LondonTom - Month of May over Crowd of Love is an insane request! Month of May is one of their poorer songs in my opinion and Crown of Love was awesome in November.

Gonzo - I've often wondered that myself about the tunnels...

Bit disappointed about the different supports as I told my mate it was Lorde and she got all excited. Also not seen 2ManyDJs in years. Ah well, reckon Owen Pallett will be ace. Getting rather excited!

[danny12345]

Is anybody who is going to Earls Court this weekend doing the whole formal/fancy dress thing? By pure coincidence I've got a black tie party to go to after but don't want to turn up wearing a tux and look like a knob

[bocumaroy]

Listening to some Arcade Fire this morning and - in amongst my ususal assessment that when they're good they're good and when they're bad they're really, really terrible - one thing struck me:

Why would you need to build a tunnel between two windows?

When do you think they’re terrible?

LondonTom - Month of May over Crowd of Love is an insane request! Month of May is one of their poorer songs in my opinion and Crown of Love was awesome in November.

I love them both. Realistically, as it’s the Reflektor tour and they’re always going to play a lot of it, Month of May instead of one of Joan of Arc or We Exist and that would be pretty much the perfect setlist for me. It still might be my favourite ever, though.

[TomViolence]

Is anybody who is going to Earls Court this weekend doing the whole formal/fancy dress thing? By pure coincidence I've got a black tie party to go to after but don't want to turn up wearing a tux and look like a knob

I'm not but i'm sure lots of people will

[CaledonianGonzo]

When do you think theyre terrible?

Like U2, they have a tendency to lapse into hollow bombast and grand but empty gestures. The lack of subtlety works some of the time, but often it comes across as pompous - and coupled with lack of variety and a general predilection to be self-pitying, I find their albums tend to drag - particularly Neon Bible and Reflektor.

[FloorFiller]

Like U2, they have a tendency to lapse into hollow bombast and grand but empty gestures. The lack of subtlety works some of the time, but often it comes across as pompous - and coupled with lack of variety and a general predilection to be self-pitying, I find their albums tend to drag - particularly Neon Bible and Reflektor.

yeah those two albums especially have a fair few skippable tracks and tend to meander towards the end. Funeral is a delight to listen to from start to finish. the others all have their very apparent weak spots

[jack87]

I had to sell my ticket for tomorrow's Earls Court gig due to lack of funds with Glastonbury on the horizon. This thread is making me sad

[FloorFiller]

I had to sell my ticket for tomorrow's Earls Court gig due to lack of funds with Glastonbury on the horizon. This thread is making me sad

you do know they're playing Glastonbury... right?

[jack87]

you do know they're playing Glastonbury... right?

Hence me selling up- I couldn't justify it when I'm already seeing them this month.

But that setlist...

[Zoo Music Girl]

I think Neon Bible is awesome from start to finish, but that's just me. I actually think The Suburbs is the weakest. Great album but one I go to the least.

In answer to the fancy dress question, I'm contemplating a wig.

[evilduck]

HEADLIGHTS LOOK LIKE DIAMONDS!!!!!

If they play that at the second earls court night and not the first, I don't know what I'll do. I don't think its likely for Glasto somehow.

[Mr.Tease]

I think Neon Bible is awesome from start to finish, but that's just me. I actually think The Suburbs is the weakest. Great album but one I go to the least.

In answer to the fancy dress question, I'm contemplating a wig.

I really don't enjoy listening to Neon Bible- I usually like bleak and dark albums, but that one just sounds a bit phoney maloney! And so I feel a mixture of boredom and annoyance when I hear it (aside from one or two tracks).

I think that's the bit of Arcade Fire that annoys me- I like some of their music, but they do sometimes come across as a bunch of fakers and the fact they do it in such an overblown way makes it even more irritating!

[FloorFiller]

I really don't enjoy listening to Neon Bible- I usually like bleak and dark albums, but that one just sounds a bit phoney maloney! And so I feel a mixture of boredom and annoyance when I hear it (aside from one or two tracks).

I think that's the bit of Arcade Fire that annoys me- I like some of their music, but they do sometimes come across as a bunch of fakers and the fact they do it in such an overblown way makes it even more irritating!

i kind of get what you mean, and Neon Bible was the first major sign of that. there are a couple of songs on Neon Bible that i could do without. Reflektor is the main offender for this though - some of it reeks of a band who have hit the height of popularity so can do whatever the fuck they want and nobody will tell them otherwise

but enough of the negativity! their headline performance is too close to be speaking of them in a bad light. I CAN'T WAIT

[bocumaroy]

Like U2, they have a tendency to lapse into hollow bombast and grand but empty gestures. The lack of subtlety works some of the time, but often it comes across as pompous - and coupled with lack of variety and a general predilection to be self-pitying, I find their albums tend to drag - particularly Neon Bible and Reflektor.

Hmm. I guess there must be something in that because people say it a lot, but I don’t personally see it, with regards to ‘hollow bombast’. They’re melodramatic, but that’s the point, it’s one of the reasons I love them so much. I don’t think it ever comes across as insincere. Lack of subtlety, yes, that’s never something they’ve been particularly good at, but I don’t think the two criticisms correspond with each-other.

Probably not the best to respond to the self-pitying thing, as a lot of the music I like is shamelessly that, and I don’t really see it as a negative. But I’ve always found AF to be almost relentlessly positive and optimistic, for what it’s worth.

I think Neon Bible is awesome from start to finish, but that's just me. I actually think The Suburbs is the weakest. Great album but one I go to the least.

In answer to the fancy dress question, I'm contemplating a wig.

Yes and probably yes again. It’s majestic and there’s not a single track I’d skip. I think The Suburbs is a more consistent album and I’d probably rather listen to it in full, but Reflektor has the better high-points, for me.

[CHRLY]

Saw something the other day where apparently their show in Montreal at the end of August is listed as the last of the tour. I sure hope the do a proper arena tour.

[Lubic]

Saw something the other day where apparently their show in Montreal at the end of August is listed as the last of the tour. I sure hope the do a proper arena tour.

I'd be gutted. Would have made an extra effort to go to Earls or a Reflektors show if I'd known that.

Still expecting them to announce something straight after Glasto / Hyde Park

[AStormInHeaven]

Listening to some Arcade Fire this morning and - in amongst my ususal assessment that when they're good they're good and when they're bad they're really, really terrible - one thing struck me:

Why would you need to build a tunnel between two windows?

"and if the snow buries my neighbourhood.... then I'll dig a tunnel from my window to yours, from my window to yours".

if you missed the imagery in that lyric then you pretty missed the image of the whole song, i.e. escaping their old town and life that lies buried under the snow ("we climb out the chimneys"), starting a new life and escape above on their own. Pretty much encompasses many of the albums themes.

Perhaps if you missed then that explains why you even contemplated throwing the word 'terrible' around arcade fire who are truly on another planet to 99% of top-selling bands. Funeral and The Suburbs are testament to this - the latter being their best album due to the perfect realisation and metaphors of the themes they used in the first two albums. I'm confident if you asked win and co of their greatest achievement, they would tell you the suburbs. What a world they created with that album.

Edited June 5, 2014 by AStormInHeaven

[FloorFiller]

you were right on course until you said The Suburbs was their best album. it's Funeral. undoubtedly. hence why they still play up to 2/3rds of that album live (like last nights show) whereas The Suburbs tracks are whittled down to the bare minimum

i know it's all down to opinion etc, and who knows what the band think, but they're still clearly very fond of Funeral in a live environment (whether that's because they know the audience want it or it's a personal preference, who knows)

[bocumaroy]

Funeral and The Suburbs are testament to this - the latter being their best album due to the perfect realisation and metaphors of the themes they used in the first two albums. I'm confident if you asked win and co of their greatest achievement, they would tell you the suburbs. What a world they created with that album.

I’ve just been listening to The Suburbs again, and I think I’ll take back my previous statement about it being my least favourite. I mean, I still love some of the songs on Reflektor, but you’re right about them creating a ‘world’ with The Suburbs, the repetition of themes and imagery really makes it. As well as having a few really weak tracks, Reflektor also lacks that kind of thematic consistency.

[CaledonianGonzo]

"and if the snow buries my neighbourhood.... then I'll dig a tunnel from my window to yours, from my window to yours".

if you missed the imagery in that lyric then you pretty missed the image of the whole song, i.e. escaping their old town and life that lies buried under the snow ("we climb out the chimneys"), starting a new life and escape above on their own. Pretty much encompasses many of the albums themes.

Perhaps if you missed then that explains why you even contemplated throwing the word 'terrible' around arcade fire who are truly on another planet to 99% of top-selling bands. Funeral and The Suburbs are testament to this - the latter being their best album due to the perfect realisation and metaphors of the themes they used in the first two albums. I'm confident if you asked win and co of their greatest achievement, they would tell you the suburbs. What a world they created with that album.

Or perhaps it was a joke.

Edit: Though not about some of their music being not very good. That was serious.

Edited June 5, 2014 by CaledonianGonzo

[FloorFiller]

the amount of times they mention 'the kids' or 'children' in The Suburbs is hilarious. i know it's always been a bit of a theme with Arcade Fire talking about retaining youth, but on that album it was overkill

my second favourite album of theirs, though. the high points on Neon Bible are higher, but The Suburbs overall is a better album. Reflektor is bottom for me

[AStormInHeaven]

you were right on course until you said The Suburbs was their best album. it's Funeral. undoubtedly. hence why they still play up to 2/3rds of that album live (like last nights show) whereas The Suburbs tracks are whittled down to the bare minimum

i know it's all down to opinion etc, and who knows what the band think, but they're still clearly very fond of Funeral in a live environment (whether that's because they know the audience want it or it's a personal preference, who knows)

For me the individual tracks stand out more on funeral yes and if they ever released a 'best of' it would no doubt feature more tracks from that album than the suburbs. For me though, considering I was 18 when the suburbs came out, it can never be topped due to how relatable the content of the album is. The consistency of the themes and concept of the suburbs is rich and in depth on each song that it transcends being about the metaphor of the suburbs to become an album about that part of our mind where we comprehend time, change and how our lives move in different directions all the time without us quite knowing. The concept of The Suburbs hits home incredibly hard to me and the richness and depth of it throughout the album is what makes it their masterpiece for me.

The whole album feels like one song, best realised by the two start and end tracks. Funeral just doesn't have that quality for me.