Arcade Fire

Chip

Chip

Member
So I just got back from seeing Arcade Fire in concert (it was incredible) and I was curious what my fellow Moz-soloers thought about them.

Anyone else besides me here like them? Anyone seen them on the current tour? Anyone actively despise them and want to post something banal and juvenile expressing this sentiment?
 
I love them. I don't think they've done a bad record yet. I know a lot of my friends that were on board from the beginning seemed to fall off after they got "popular" (people are funny) but I personally love Reflektor and The Suburbs, oftentimes more than the first LP.

I saw them in March and they put on a hell of a show, in an arena, no less. I can't say enough good things about them.
 
fredkocherpepsi said:
I love them. I don't think they've done a bad record yet. I know a lot of my friends that were on board from the beginning seemed to fall off after they got "popular" (people are funny) but I personally love Reflektor and The Suburbs, oftentimes more than the first LP.

I saw them in March and they put on a hell of a show, in an arena, no less. I can't say enough good things about them.
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Agreed.

I will confess to not being cool enough to have been into Arcade Fire before they were popular. The first Arcade Fire album I heard was "The Suburbs" and it just blew me away on the first listen in a way that few albums do (some of the Smiths albums being that way). I am aware of the cool kids though who only own Funeral and can't be bothered with Arcade Fire anymore. I love Reflektor too and it was their first album I got right when it came out (I pre-ordered the vinyl).

Awesome album and I hear what you say--I know it makes me some kind of philistine or worse, but I love The Suburbs probably the most of any of their albums. It really resonates with my emotionally in a way that not a lot of music does.

I, also saw them, in an arena show and was skeptical going in, but it really was fantastic and blew me away. The band was incredible live and they also adapted to the medium of the spectacle of the big arena show with their fancy lighting and people with giant heads in a way that did not seem tacky or overdone. Obviously, they could have just come out and played in burlap bags and it would have been awesome--they're great live and don't need any gimmicks.

I've also always noticed a Smiths/Morrissey influence on their work--at least a little one. The first time I heard "We Exist" it reminded me lyrically and thematically of "Hand in Glove" a little bit.
 
Chip said:
So I just got back from seeing Arcade Fire in concert (it was incredible) and I was curious what my fellow Moz-soloers thought about them.

Anyone else besides me here like them? Anyone seen them on the current tour? Anyone actively despise them and want to post something banal and juvenile expressing this sentiment?
Click to expand...

I went to Hyde Park in London this July, they were f***ing euphoric. Amazing band.
 
Saw them a couple weeks ago. Tremendous show, best of the summer so far.
 
Chip said:
Agreed.

I will confess to not being cool enough to have been into Arcade Fire before they were popular. The first Arcade Fire album I heard was "The Suburbs" and it just blew me away on the first listen in a way that few albums do (some of the Smiths albums being that way). I am aware of the cool kids though who only own Funeral and can't be bothered with Arcade Fire anymore. I love Reflektor too and it was their first album I got right when it came out (I pre-ordered the vinyl).

Awesome album and I hear what you say--I know it makes me some kind of philistine or worse, but I love The Suburbs probably the most of any of their albums. It really resonates with my emotionally in a way that not a lot of music does.

I, also saw them, in an arena show and was skeptical going in, but it really was fantastic and blew me away. The band was incredible live and they also adapted to the medium of the spectacle of the big arena show with their fancy lighting and people with giant heads in a way that did not seem tacky or overdone. Obviously, they could have just come out and played in burlap bags and it would have been awesome--they're great live and don't need any gimmicks.

I've also always noticed a Smiths/Morrissey influence on their work--at least a little one. The first time I heard "We Exist" it reminded me lyrically and thematically of "Hand in Glove" a little bit.
Click to expand...

Did you catch that cover of London they did at their Hyde Park show Mozza22 was at? I'd say they're very familiar with Morrissey's work both thematically and musically, but not in a ripoff way some of these jangle pop bands that are just copycats.
 
Chip said:
Agreed.

I will confess to not being cool enough to have been into Arcade Fire before they were popular. The first Arcade Fire album I heard was "The Suburbs" and it just blew me away on the first listen in a way that few albums do (some of the Smiths albums being that way). I am aware of the cool kids though who only own Funeral and can't be bothered with Arcade Fire anymore. I love Reflektor too and it was their first album I got right when it came out (I pre-ordered the vinyl).

Awesome album and I hear what you say--I know it makes me some kind of philistine or worse, but I love The Suburbs probably the most of any of their albums. It really resonates with my emotionally in a way that not a lot of music does.

I, also saw them, in an arena show and was skeptical going in, but it really was fantastic and blew me away. The band was incredible live and they also adapted to the medium of the spectacle of the big arena show with their fancy lighting and people with giant heads in a way that did not seem tacky or overdone. Obviously, they could have just come out and played in burlap bags and it would have been awesome--they're great live and don't need any gimmicks.

I've also always noticed a Smiths/Morrissey influence on their work--at least a little one. The first time I heard "We Exist" it reminded me lyrically and thematically of "Hand in Glove" a little bit.
Click to expand...

Couldn't agree more. My trajectory w/ Arcade Fire is similar, even though I bought "Funeral" when it was new(ish). I got the album, thought it was decent. Got "Neon Bible" when it came out. Thought it was decent. Then didn't bother with "The Suburbs". Then it won a Grammy. Then I still didn't bother with it for about a year. Then one day I randomly popped it on Spotify. Blown away is an understatement. I now own them all on vinyl but am in the minority too where I actually listen to the last two albums most. :)
 
fredkocherpepsi said:
Couldn't agree more. My trajectory w/ Arcade Fire is similar, even though I bought "Funeral" when it was new(ish). I got the album, thought it was decent. Got "Neon Bible" when it came out. Thought it was decent. Then didn't bother with "The Suburbs". Then it won a Grammy. Then I still didn't bother with it for about a year. Then one day I randomly popped it on Spotify. Blown away is an understatement. I now own them all on vinyl but am in the minority too where I actually listen to the last two albums most. :)
Click to expand...

I never pay attention to the Grammy's. At all. I can't tell you who won or was nominated for anything other than that Vauxhall and I was nominated for best Alternative album (and for awhile I thought had won), that Jethro Tull beat out Metallica for best hard rock album some random year (and we still can't get over the lulz), and when Arcade Fire won.

I have no idea how I became aware of it as I never follow the Grammy's, but I remember everything that happened after--from the "Who the f*** Is Arcade Fire" tumblr to people proclaiming that for once--just for once--someone who actually deserved a Grammy won one. Like I said I don't really care about the Grammy's, but I was curious enough to see who the f*** Arcade Fire was and when I first heard the song the Suburbs (I believe I watched the Spike Jonez video on youtube) I was pretty blown away. It was not just your run of the mill indie rock by the numbers which is kind of what I expected. And I later went and bought the CD (no idea why as I was buying vinyl at the time, but for some reason I convinced myself to buy the CD--it may be the last CD I ever bought) and was even further blown away.

Reflkector I actually pre-ordered ahead of time and waited for. I was a little nervous as I wondered if it could live up to my expectations--as The Suburbs had totally caught me by surprise.
 
this is the best thing ive seen them do. otherwise i just find them to be alright. theyre good but to me unmoving (tunnels aside, the song). personally i really like the first eps much much more but thats cool. this is them doing neon bible in an elevator. the guy doing the percussive by hitting the wall and tearing the magazine is a neat thing to watch.

arcade fire live in an elevator. there used to be this site that did strictly street performances of popular bands. dont know if it still exists.

neon bible
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjxef8AfVQg
 
I love them - I think they are in that handful of contemporary bands and artists that stand out as adding something of lasting value, either in terms of originality or just sheer quality (they would be more in the latter category). Complex and versatile pop music, and with a particular talent for well-structured songs that sort of rise above themselves because of inventive instrumentation, small variations, shifts in intensity and emphasis and similar devices. Just really, really well-constructed music.And their albums are all good. Their last one may be my favorite.

Since I'm on the subject, that small handful I was referring to would include also Vampire Weekend (for quite similar reasons, plus the lyrics), Conor Oberst (chiefly because he is the most talented lyricist of his generation, at least as far as my knowledge reaches) and Antony Hegarty (who'd stand out as something unique in any epoch). I'm naturally not counting those who made their name in the previous millennium, but is still making great music.
 
Qvist said:
I love them - I think they are in that handful of contemporary bands and artists that stand out as adding something of lasting value, either in terms of originality or just sheer quality (they would be more in the latter category). Complex and versatile pop music, and with a particular talent for well-structured songs that sort of rise above themselves because of inventive instrumentation, small variations, shifts in intensity and emphasis and similar devices. Just really, really well-constructed music.And their albums are all good. Their last one may be my favorite.

Since I'm on the subject, that small handful I was referring to would include also Vampire Weekend (for quite similar reasons, plus the lyrics), Conor Oberst (chiefly because he is the most talented lyricist of his generation, at least as far as my knowledge reaches) and Antony Hegarty (who'd stand out as something unique in any epoch). I'm naturally not counting those who made their name in the previous millennium, but is still making great music.
Click to expand...


i would say that colin from the decemberists is the best lyricist of recent past. as ive said above im not a giant fan but heres a stream of butlers new solo album since there seem to be fans here. enjoy

will butler - policy
http://pitchfork.com/news/58661-arcade-fires-will-butler-streams-new-album-policy/
 
Qvist said:
I love them - I think they are in that handful of contemporary bands and artists that stand out as adding something of lasting value, either in terms of originality or just sheer quality (they would be more in the latter category). Complex and versatile pop music, and with a particular talent for well-structured songs that sort of rise above themselves because of inventive instrumentation, small variations, shifts in intensity and emphasis and similar devices. Just really, really well-constructed music.And their albums are all good. Their last one may be my favorite.

Since I'm on the subject, that small handful I was referring to would include also Vampire Weekend (for quite similar reasons, plus the lyrics), Conor Oberst (chiefly because he is the most talented lyricist of his generation, at least as far as my knowledge reaches) and Antony Hegarty (who'd stand out as something unique in any epoch). I'm naturally not counting those who made their name in the previous millennium, but is still making great music.
Click to expand...

We're on the same page: I've been an Arcade Fire fan since "Funeral." The first time I heard that album I had to stop what I was doing, sit down and just drink it in. They are the best kind of pop, and they are the rare band that has (so far) managed massive, arena-level fame and still produced music that is urgent, smart, inventive, and incredibly well-written.

I also think that "Reflektor" is their greatest album: it's messy, but it's huge.

Conor Oberst: yes, the greatest lyricist of his generation. The fact that he continues to write songs like "Desert Island Questionnaire" after so many years of brilliance astounds me. Live he's also phenomenal (on a good night), summoning up an energy not dissimilar to Morrissey (i.e. unpredictable, raw, and completely in the moment).

As for Antony Hegarty: he is beyond description. His songs are hymns, he summons grace.
 
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