Bands You Should Know II: The Arcade Fire (814 hits)
Category: Sound & MusicRating: -0.06 on 52 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Malkavian (View user info) at 2006-06-13 15:36:43 EDT
Same premise as the last post, in fact. But I'll try and make it more clear, because some of you make an art out of missing the point.
You see, I'm a huge fan of Pink Floyd. And the Doors. Listening to « Paint it Black » makes the very core of my soul tremble (wow, that was Emo....but still, it's true.). And I nearly cry everytime I hear « Elenor Rigby ».
The point is not to show you how much of a a crying pansy I am, but to tell you that I do love and respect old bands.
They were the voice of a generation. They experimented with sounds, tonalities, moods, etc. They made Art. And as an Art Student, I do recognise the huge step they took in music History.
I took the problem by the wrong end in my last post, hence everyone going beserk after me and missing the point.
Truth is, music industry nowadays doesn't deal with music the way it used to. Originality and experimentation isn't much encouraged with new bands. Everything is marketized to be radio-friendly and sellable to the most people possible.
I maybe wasn't born in these days, but it has always been, and always will be. I know. But you have to admit what a huge impact the baby-boomer's were ont the demographic charts. Marketing geniuses all came to the same obvious conclusion : targeting that generation is the easiest way to make money. And since the after-WW2, the economic sphere took over all the others including the political and cultural one.
Those are all facts. So, in the 60's and early 70's, the music industry was filled with new and original bands, while nowadays, the market is full with those's anthologies and « best of ».
No wonder why my generation has pratically no musical icon to turn to. I mean, living, contemporary muscial icons, that would actually speak for *our* generation, not our parent's.
Those who are at the top of the musical food-chain now, are baby-boomers. They want smooth, easy-to-listen-to rock, or carefully studied hip-hop « gangster » attitude.
Reviewers of my last post all concluded to the fact that « music nowadays is crap » and that's why my generation is devoided of it's own voice.
But I think it's too easy to say that, I agree, partly, though. Blink182, My Chemical Romance, Britney Spears, 50 cents, Beyoncé, they're all crap. But it's not because there was a particular vibe that made people music geniuses in the 60's and there isn't today. It's because of the industry and the demographic unbalance babyboomer's generate.
It is also a little bit of our fault. We should search more, be more curious about music.
Hence this « series » about bands you should know. <-- See, it's « know », not « love ». Stop calling me a music nazi already.
So, second of my series, the band that Time Magazine called : « Canada's Most Intriguing Rock Band ».
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BANDS YOU SHOULD KNOW II :
THE ARCADE FIRE
Founded in Montreal, Quebec, around 2003, by Win Butler and his wife Régine Chassagne, Arcade Fire does what we call indie rock. The name of the band comes from a story a kid told to Win Butler, Arcade Fire's frontman, about a fire in an arcade.
They're known for gimmikly (is that even a word?) wearing waistcoat and playing a large spectrum of instrument during their performance : guitar, drums, bass guitar, piano, violin, viola, cello, xylophone, keyboard, French horn, accordion, and harp.
Due to several deaths in band member's families during the recording, they named their first album « Funerals » (2004), wich critics called an instant classic.
From then on, Arcade Fire has been praised all around the world, winning numerous prizes. Gaining the admiration of musicians such as David Bowie and Talking Heads David Byrne.
I could go on and on about their tours and such, but I figured everyone has stopped already reading. So here's a song for you :
Rebellion (lies)
Sleeping is giving in,
no matter what the time is.
Sleeping is giving in,
so lift those heavy eyelids.
People say that you'll die
faster than without water.
But we know it's just a lie,
scare your son, scare your daughter.
People say that your dreams
are the only things that save ya.
Come on baby in our dreams,
we can live our misbehavior.
Every time you close your eyes
Lies, lies!
Every time you close your eyes
Lies, lies!
Every time you close your eyes
Lies, lies!
Every time you close your eyes
Lies, lies!
Every time you close your eyes
Every time you close your eyes
Every time you close your eyes
Every time you close your eyes
People try and hide the night
underneath the covers.
People try and hide the light
underneath the covers.
Come on hide your lovers
underneath the covers,
come on hide your lovers
underneath the covers.
Hidin' from your brothers
underneath the covers,
come on hide your lovers
underneath the covers.
People say let's just die
faster than without water,
but we know it's just a lie,
scare your son, scare your daughter,
Scare your son, scare your daughter.
Scare your son, scare your daughter.
Now here's the sun, it's alright!
(Lies, lies!)
Now here's the moon, it's alright!
(Lies, lies!)
Now here's the sun, it's alright!
(Lies, lies!)
Now here's the moon it's alright
(Lies, lies!)
Every time you close your eyes
Lies, lies!
Every time you close your eyes
Lies, lies!
Every time you close your eyes
Lies, lies!
Every time you close your eyes
Lies, lies!
Every time you close your eyes
Every time you close your eyes
(Lies, lies!)
Rebellion (lies).mp3 (6 MB) [audio/mpeg]
User Reviews
Submitted by Caulaincourt (user info) at 2006-06-22 13:16:44 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by malkavian (user info) at 2006-06-15 14:21:59 (#)
Ranking: 0
Ouais. So what?
===
SO LET'S FUCK!
Je niaise. Je croyais juste que t'étais un gars, c'est tout.
Submitted by malkavian (user info) at 2006-06-15 14:21:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Ouais. So what?
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2006-06-14 17:37:10 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
Fuck this gay shit
Submitted by Caulaincourt (user info) at 2006-06-14 17:11:08 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by malkavian (user info) at 2006-06-14 16:01:27 (#)
Ranking: 0
Caul: I've gathered that...a long time ago. Je me demande même si y'en a qui ne lise pas le post et qui se base seulement sur le username... Anyway, don't call me "mec", please. Last time I checked I didn't have the proper organs to be considered as such.
===
T'es une fille?! wtf?!
Submitted by malkavian (user info) at 2006-06-14 16:01:27 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Caul: I've gathered that...a long time ago. Je me demande même si y'en a qui ne lise pas le post et qui se base seulement sur le username... Anyway, don't call me "mec", please. Last time I checked I didn't have the proper organs to be considered as such.
Teephah (sorry for the mispelling): Ha!ha!ha! That might be it, yes.
Submitted by Teephphah (user info) at 2006-06-14 09:39:14 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
You're punching and you're kicking and you're shouting at me,
But I'm relying on your common decency.
It's obvious you hate me though I've done nothing wrong
I've never even met you so what could I have done?
I think the words "art" and "student" when combined = "elitist" in the minds of some people. It's just science. Don't take it too hard.
Submitted by Caulaincourt (user info) at 2006-06-14 09:19:25 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Te fais pas de mauvais sang, mec. La plupart des users ici sont des gros obèses mal-baisés - comme la plupart des anglais d'ailleurs :-D
Submitted by HurtByTheSun (user info) at 2006-06-14 04:23:25 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
<< These arrows are gay >>
<< So are Arcade Fire >>
<< Write about Willy Mason, actually don't you'll fuck it up >>
Submitted by Jacobt26 (user info) at 2006-06-14 02:59:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Ok, I'm listening to this song and, it sucks.
I'll give you a 0 though, because it's not a "classic" getting a positive nostalgia rating, and it's not overly popular(Ok, maybe the style is in Canada, but who cares). The lyrics bother me, the instrumentals are simple, repetitive and predictable. If they use an abundance of instruments they certainly didn't in that song.
Submitted by malkavian (user info) at 2006-06-14 01:44:38 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Actually that was for Fungah.
Submitted by ampersand (user info) at 2006-06-13 22:52:00 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
Submitted by malkavian (user info) at 2006-06-13 21:22:12 (#)
Ranking: 0
I can't believe I'm being called elitist again.
I'm not forcing this band down anyone's throat, alright? I'm just making people know (Bands you should *know*) contemporary bands that don't suck major asses, like Simple Plan. To show that it's possible, because there's a lot of people who think that it isn't.
Being elitist would be to -2die people because they wrote about a band of whom they only like one song. Being elitist would be to turn down great music because it was popular two years ago.
Got it?
---
I wasn't saying you were an elitist I was saying you were a dumbass.
Submitted by Wiggles (user info) at 2006-06-13 22:03:16 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
SHITTY ALTER ALERT!!!!
SHITTY ALTER ALERT!!!!
SHITTY ALTER ALERT!!!!
SHITTY ALTER ALERT!!!!
SHITTY ALTER ALERT!!!!
SHITTY ALTER ALERT!!!!
SHITTY ALTER ALERT!!!!
SHITTY ALTER ALERT!!!!
SHITTY ALTER ALERT!!!!
SHITTY ALTER ALERT!!!!
SHITTY ALTER ALERT!!!!
SHITTY ALTER ALERT!!!!
SHITTY ALTER ALERT!!!!
SHITTY ALTER ALERT!!!!
Submitted by goferforhire (user info) at 2006-06-13 21:51:54 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
People are people, so why should it be that you and I get along so awefully?
Submitted by Whiplash (user info) at 2006-06-13 21:42:31 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
even more garbage
Submitted by malkavian (user info) at 2006-06-13 21:22:12 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
I can't believe I'm being called elitist again.
I'm not forcing this band down anyone's throat, alright? I'm just making people know (Bands you should *know*) contemporary bands that don't suck major asses, like Simple Plan. To show that it's possible, because there's a lot of people who think that it isn't.
Being elitist would be to -2die people because they wrote about a band of whom they only like one song. Being elitist would be to turn down great music because it was popular two years ago.
Got it?
Submitted by ampersand (user info) at 2006-06-13 20:36:23 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
Submitted by malkavian (user info) at 2006-06-13 17:47:43 (#)
Ranking: 0
Listen, ampersomething...
To me, a hit is not always synonym of "good song". I.e my exemple of the backstreet boys.
I don't read blogs, so I can't tell anything about everyone and their mothers blogging about them, except that I don't give a flying fuck.
It is still relevant to recognize talents from our generation for the reasons mentionned in the post. The Arcade Fire still do shows, and still write music. So what if the particular song was popular two years ago?
So you have no point. At all.
(P.S. Reading everyone and their mother's blog is a questionnable way of spending your time. Try to get a life)
---
P.S. theres a website called elbo.ws that tracks mp3 blogs so it usually takes me about 2 mintues every day.
P.P.S. By all accounts the arcade fire, and virtually every indie band ever, have no hits at all. such is the nature of indie music. however many indie bands do choose to write multiple good songs in their careers. arcade fire, so far, is not one of those bands.
P.P.P.S. die
Submitted by Sacrilicious (user info) at 2006-06-13 18:24:27 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by ghola (user info) at 2006-06-13 18:20:37 (#)
Ranking: 0
i really like godspeed you black emperor!, neutral milk hotel, and the decemberists.
=========
Me too. RAISE YOUR SKINNY FISTS, GHOLA.
Submitted by Fungah (user info) at 2006-06-13 18:21:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
God damn it
Submitted by Fungah (user info) at 2006-06-13 18:21:29 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
I love them too.
But that's completely beside the point.
I'm not a pretentious, elitist fuckwad because of it.
Submitted by ghola (user info) at 2006-06-13 18:20:37 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by Fungah (user info) at 2006-06-13 18:18:44 (#)
Ranking: 0
Next up: Godspeed you black emperor!, neutral milk hotel, the decemberists, and various other bands that college kids just eat up like speed before a rich pre-med's final exam.
------
sigh. sounds about right.
+
i really like godspeed you black emperor!, neutral milk hotel, and the decemberists.
Submitted by Fungah (user info) at 2006-06-13 18:19:53 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
Whoops
Submitted by Fungah (user info) at 2006-06-13 18:18:44 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
I enjoy many, many bands, but you're as pretensious as the bands you're inevitably planning on vomitting reviews of onto ubersite, to reign with some kind of iron crown pasted together with elitist dribble.
Next up: Godspeed you black emperor!, neutral milk hotel, the decemberists, and various other bands that college kids just eat up like speed before a rich pre-med's final exam.
Submitted by malkavian (user info) at 2006-06-13 17:47:43 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Listen, ampersomething...
To me, a hit is not always synonym of "good song". I.e my exemple of the backstreet boys.
I don't read blogs, so I can't tell anything about everyone and their mothers blogging about them, except that I don't give a flying fuck.
It is still relevant to recognize talents from our generation for the reasons mentionned in the post. The Arcade Fire still do shows, and still write music. So what if the particular song was popular two years ago?
So you have no point. At all.
(P.S. Reading everyone and their mother's blog is a questionnable way of spending your time. Try to get a life)
Submitted by ampersand (user info) at 2006-06-13 17:32:32 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
So what's your point?
---
I have two points:
*Arcade Fire has so far to their credit exactly 1 good song.
*This post would've been relevant two years ago except it still would've been annoying because everyone and their mom was blogging about the arcade fire back then.
Ok I have three:
*die.
Submitted by Death_Metal_Dude (user info) at 2006-06-13 17:24:17 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
they blow
Submitted by malkavian (user info) at 2006-06-13 16:50:43 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
"Pénible"
AAah... "Le mot juste"!
Submitted by Caulaincourt (user info) at 2006-06-13 16:48:12 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Caul: As-tu vu sa nouvelle coupe Emo? Suits him well."""
haha...on dirait des cheveux de bloc légo. Combiner avec sa tête d'acné puis son accent de la mer, c'est vraiment pénible.
Submitted by goferforhire (user info) at 2006-06-13 16:27:18 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Forgiven
Submitted by malkavian (user info) at 2006-06-13 16:25:44 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Sorry, goferforhire.
I'm kinda semi-dyslexic.
Submitted by mikethescottish (user info) at 2006-06-13 16:25:30 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
+2 Arcade Fire
Brilliant live, and is played pretty much constantly in clubs up here. 'Rebellion' is ace.
Submitted by goferforhire (user info) at 2006-06-13 16:21:04 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
and you spelled my name wrong
Submitted by goferforhire (user info) at 2006-06-13 16:20:19 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
They're based from New Orleans, yea... though I think they came from Chicago originally or something. Either way makes sense.
Submitted by marginwalker (user info) at 2006-06-13 16:18:20 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
viva la révolution
Submitted by malkavian (user info) at 2006-06-13 16:17:30 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
goforherhire: I like it! It has that sexy jazz feeling to it. No wonder, it comes from New Orlean, I think?
Caul: As-tu vu sa nouvelle coupe Emo? Suits him well.
As for whoever mentionned one-hit wonder, I'm sorry to break out the news for you, but you're an ass. The number of hits has nothing to do with wether or not a band is good.
Arcade Fire: real music, actual research for a new sound = 1 "hit"
Backstreet Boys: soulless, money-ridden crap = maaany hits
So what's your point?
Submitted by awesome_face (user info) at 2006-06-13 16:16:49 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Too many french peoples here.
I like mindless self indulgence better though. Never even heard of these dudes.
Submitted by goferforhire (user info) at 2006-06-13 16:01:54 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
http://www.myspace.com/aparticularlyviciousrumor
Try it, you'll like it
Try it, you'l liiiiikkkeee it
Pay particular attention to "Brave"
Submitted by Caulaincourt (user info) at 2006-06-13 16:01:49 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
MOI JE N'ÉCOUTE QUE DU WILFRED LE BOUTHILLIER!!!1
Submitted by ampersand (user info) at 2006-06-13 16:01:23 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
Hey, two years ago called, they want their overlauded, one hit wonder back.
Submitted by Caulaincourt (user info) at 2006-06-13 16:00:40 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by malkavian (user info) at 2006-06-13 15:54:31 (#)
Ranking: 0
Ça sent peut-être le réchauffé pour toi, Caul, mais pour la plupart des américains stupides sur ce site qui n'écoute que du Garth Brooks, c'est tout à fait nouveau.
Pity, pity.
D'après moi, si le band n'existe que depuis 2003, il n'a pas ben ben eu le temps d'être gâté....
Mais ça, c'est mon opinion à moi.
====
garth brooks ahah!
C'est bien de parlé en francais. On peut parler dans leurs dos!
J'ai vraiment aucun respect pour le monde ici, mais ça, faut pas le dire trop fort :-)
T'as raison sur le fait que le band n'existe que depuis 2003.
Submitted by goferforhire (user info) at 2006-06-13 15:55:16 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I dig it.
Have you ever heard of A Particularly Vicious Rumor? Those guys make me smile
Submitted by MrSparkle847 (user info) at 2006-06-13 15:54:54 EDT (#)
Ranking: -1
I hate indie. Save for one or two songs by Cake, and I'm not sure they even count.
Submitted by malkavian (user info) at 2006-06-13 15:54:31 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Ça sent peut-être le réchauffé pour toi, Caul, mais pour la plupart des américains stupides sur ce site qui n'écoute que du Garth Brooks, c'est tout à fait nouveau.
Pity, pity.
D'après moi, si le band n'existe que depuis 2003, il n'a pas ben ben eu le temps d'être gâté....
Mais ça, c'est mon opinion à moi.
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2006-06-13 15:49:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
SORRY I ONLY LISTEN TO HOMMES SANS CHAPEAUX
Submitted by Caulaincourt (user info) at 2006-06-13 15:47:41 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
*SNIF SNIF*
Ça sent le réchauffé cette musique! :-P
On dirait un autre de ces bands locaux qui sont gâtés par la scène prétentieuse montréalaise.
Mais bon, ce n'est que mon opinion.
+1 parce que c'est pas mauvs :-)
Submitted by BobLobla (user info) at 2006-06-13 15:46:08 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
But I think it's too easy to say that, I agree, partly, though. Blink182, My Chemical Romance, Britney Spears, 50 cents, Beyoncé, they're all crap. But it's not because there was a particular vibe that made people music geniuses in the 60's and there isn't today. It's because of the industry and the demographic unbalance babyboomer's generate.
-----------------------
THere is alot of awesome music out there if you just dont listen to the radio to find it...
Tool, Muse, If you like Canadian bands listen to The Tragically Hip
Submitted by BobLobla (user info) at 2006-06-13 15:44:07 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Not my kind of music but good on ya for a music post.
Submitted by Orgasmatron (user info) at 2006-06-13 15:43:19 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Webered (user info) at 2006-06-13 15:41:24 (#)
Ranking: -2
Everything is marketized to be radio-friendly and sellable to the most people possible.
I couldn't continue stumbling through this shit storm after this sentence. I normally don't have any problems with typos or minor grammar problems, but two non-existent words in the same sentence? Come on.
I hate you.
---
Aw. Someone's trying to leave reviews like the cool kids...
Play dress-up somewhere else. You're not suited for this tea party.
Submitted by Sacrilicious (user info) at 2006-06-13 15:43:08 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Also, Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) has got to be one of the best love songs ever, and sadly, this will go unnoticed by many.
Submitted by Orgasmatron (user info) at 2006-06-13 15:42:02 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I just got a message in my Junk folder with the subject line: "Girls public pissing cadaver eunuch."
As you're the first new post since this arrived, I'll give you a +2.
Submitted by goferforhire (user info) at 2006-06-13 15:41:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I'm giving you a +2 on principle. If I like the band after I listen to it you'll have another.
Yay for music! Music for everyone!
Submitted by Webered (user info) at 2006-06-13 15:41:24 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
Everything is marketized to be radio-friendly and sellable to the most people possible.
I couldn't continue stumbling through this shit storm after this sentence. I normally don't have any problems with typos or minor grammar problems, but two non-existent words in the same sentence? Come on.
I hate you.
Submitted by Sacrilicious (user info) at 2006-06-13 15:38:39 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
AUTO +2 ARCADE FIRE.
Now, on to read it.