Band To Watch: Arcade Fire
This gem appeared on my desk last week and instantly blew me away.
Arcade Fire is a new Montreal six-piece you should be hearing a lot about. Their debut Funeral packs heartfelt, punchy pop anthems in the vein of Modest Mouse and the Walkmen. The band's penchant for eclectic instrumentation and intense, sweeping choruses have also earned them comparisons to Broken Social Scene and Polyphonic Spree.
Here's the track I've been listening to constantly. If you like Modest Mouse's latest album, I think you'll love this. Or you're crazy.
Arcade Fire - "Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)" (MP3 link expired)
The band's influences are really all over the map. Each track is a revelation. Highly recommended.
Pre-order at Merge Records before the end of this month and it's only $11 including shipping!
Posted at 9:07 AM in Band To Watch
Tags: Arcade Fire
right on. thanks for this track.
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Track's good, but I'm more anxious to hear about that new Elvis that you have listed on your Rockin' the Ipod sidebar. It snotty, acerbic, rock n' roll Elvis or another "I've been castrated by my wife" record?
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More Arcade Fire at
Said the Gramophone:
http://www.tangmonkey.com/blogs/music/archives/000309.php
and
Teaching the Indie Kids to Dance Again
http://teachingtheindiekidstodanceagain.blogspot.com/2004/09/debut-of-year-hands-down.html
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No, no...what about The Radio Dept.'s "Lesser Matters" record? Record of the year, already.
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OK I don't know you but this is the second time I've heard about an amazing band from your site. So I have to say hello, thanks, and keep it coming.
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Acerbic, rock n' roll Elvis ... best album of his in a decade (not counting the Burt Bacharach one).
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Isn't the Radio Dept. album from last year anyway, James?
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Radio Dept. 'Lesser Matters' is totally great.. but it came out a coupe of years ago... I think X-L records jsut re-released it this year or something
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There's a good article on Arcade Fire here:
http://exclaim.ca/index.asp?layid=22&csid1=2816
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they are AMAZING live. i had never heard of them, but when i saw them open for the unicorns they blew everyone away.
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Hmmm, saw them open for the Wrens a while back and they were uh...not so hot. If you like a bunch of eager 17 year old canucks tunelessly screaming into mics and over-enthusiastic "harmonizing", then they're your band. To paraphrase my friend who witnessed their live debacle, the highlight was undoubtedly when the jag-off napoleon dynamite look-alike precussionist hit himself in the face with his own drum stick and was bleeding around his eye and hipster-nerd glasses for the rest of set. Kudos, arcade fire!
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Arcade Fire are pretty sweet, their other record is good too.
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ooh, I saw The Arcade Fire open for The Unicorns last spring and instantly proclaimed them my new favorite band. good stuff there, and an accordion!
also keep your eye out for the new Pinback, comes out soon and it is H-O-T!
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Hey! Word to Arcade Fire! I saw them open for...... umm, someone, now I don't remember at the Black Cat (in DC) this summer and am actually WEARING their shirt right now! What a coincidence!
If my memory isn't totally crapping out on me again, I think I just remembered that it was the Unicorns they opened for. In June. Great show.
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disagree on the comparison of the arcade fire to modest mouse, not that I'd know where to begin with comparing them to anyone. agree with the comparison to AWESOME. am pushing to make them the album of the week on www.stylusmagazine.com for the week upcoming. hopefully they'll do it. -jd
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i too think they sound like the walkmen... with the french kicks thrown in. i heart arcade fire.
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Best album of 2004 hands down
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Man, I heard this today in the local record shop and for the first time in about 15 years said "whoa! what is that you are playing!?" I think most current bands are crap and I've felt that way for over a decade now. But what's in the water in Montreal? Aren't Godspeed You Black Emperor from there too? Anyway, can't wait for the release. This is a real timeless album I think. Band to watch indeed.
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Was lucky enough to have seen The Arcade Fire open for the Unicorns in Houston this June. Actually, went to see The Fiery Furnaces who followed them (amazing). Made sure to leave before the Unicorns! Had never heard of The Arcade Fire, but believe they stole the show. Incredible stage presence with truly infectious energy that took hold and wouldn't let me go.
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arcade fire is the best signing that merge records has done in years, montreal is exploding, arcade fire, unicorns, wolf parade and look out for a band named bell orchestre or check out their website at www.bellorchestre.com, theyre damn good
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arcade fire is the best signing that merge records has done in years, montreal is exploding, arcade fire, unicorns, wolf parade and look out for a band named bell orchestre or check out their website at www.bellorchestre.com, theyre damn good
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They suck if yo ask me!
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this band will never be popular
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I just came across this and saw the latest comment by guy. I lol'd.
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