Arcade Fire

[stuartbert two hats]

1 hour ago, Brock Landers said:

Why are so many people against a band evolving and changing their sound. I love Funeral as much as the next person but I don't want another 4 albums sounding exactly like it.

Bands move on and innovate. Surely this should be applauded?. Music should be about taking risks and attempting to break new ground (whether succesfull or not). I have much more respect for artists that try something different and fail as opposed to acts that just do the same thing over and over again, rinse repeat.

Just what I was thinking.  Imagine if internet forums existed when Bowie was doing his stuff in the 70s:

"I reckon he could do another Ziggy album easily"

"I don't see why he doesn't do another record like Hunky Dory,  this electronic stuff is so boring. And don't get me started on that plastic soul period".

Edited January 26, 2017 by stuartbert two hats

[CaledonianGonzo]

No one's got an issue with it if they keep the quality up.

[stuartbert two hats]

21 minutes ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

No one's got an issue with it if they keep the quality up.

I think they have.  They just keep changing.

[CaledonianGonzo]

That's where things topple over into subjectivity.  Reflektor should have been a hell more of an evolution than it actually was, particularly given their pre-release chatter about writing for the dancefloor and incorprating Haitian rhythms.  As was, it only served to expose their limitations.

But this is old territory.  I'm never gonna be anything other than harsh on it.

[arcade fireman]

Reflektor was ultimately uneven. A few massive highlights but other moments that didn't really do it for me at all. That said, I'd much rather they did that than the sort of middling safe album you see most similarly successful acts knock out at a similar stage in their career. 

But one thing I love about Arcade Fire is that despite none of the subsequent albums quite matching Funeral IMO whenever you go see their gigs they keep it pretty Funeral heavy and pick their tunes impeccably from the other albums. 

[stuartbert two hats]

Whenever I go back to Funeral I'm surprised how patchy it is.   I expect it to be wall to wall bangers, but  Une Annee Sans Lumiere and Kettles are surprisingly weak.  And even Laika isn't very well recorded.  Ok, not that patchy then

It's been a while since a list:

1. Neon Bible
2. Reflektor
3. Funeral
4. The Suburbs

I've just realised going over that list, that they really are a very fine band indeed!

[arcade fireman]

I love Une Annee and 7 Kettles! They're not songs I'd necessarily listen to on their own, but they're absolutely vital in the context of the album, it's such an intense listen otherwise. 

[Purple aki squat]

5 minutes ago, stuartbert two hats said:

Whenever I go back to Funeral I'm surprised how patchy it is.   I expect it to be wall to wall bangers, but  Une Annee Sans Lumiere and Kettles are surprisingly weak.  And even Laika isn't very well recorded.  Ok, not that patchy then

It's been a while since a list:

1. Neon Bible
2. Reflektor
3. Funeral
4. The Suburbs

I've just realised going over that list, that they really are a very fine band indeed!

Yep, one of very few headline size acts that are worth listening to at the moment. There's a real lack of quality bands out there at present 

[Tuna]

Oi I'm not having that about Une Annee Sans Lumiere. The little 'woo' Win gives, the way it gets totally turned on its head in the last minute.. 

[stuartbert two hats]

And whilst I'm at it, I never enjoy Crown Of Love quite as much as I think I'm going to.

Ok @Tuna, I'll give it another listen.  I'll probably realise I'm wrong   I have to admit, as I tried to list the 'weak' songs, I found it increasingly hard to justify what I was typing.

But I do think Neon Bible is better recorded.  Funeral has some staggering songwriting on it, but the band sound fuller and more together on the 2nd record.  Plus, Win doesn't squawk half so much. Another reason why they're a treat to see live - all the recording flaws with Funeral are completely gone.

[nikkic]

For me Funeral will always be their best work, I adore it, on vinyl it just sounds incredible. 

 

Their albums get progressively weaker IMO, that said Reflektor is still fantastic. I'd love to see them in a festival setting again but never gonna happen this year at Glasto and there's no chance I'd go to IOW! 

[Tuna]

Aye I love Neon Bible, I think the second half of it is their best work. 

[Chawk]

2009, 2010, wish they'd make a record how they felt then.

[kingcrawler]

 

this will sell out very quickly.

[Avalon_Fields]

3 minutes ago, kingcrawler said:

 

this will sell out very quickly.

Just beat me to it! 100% want to be at this gig. 

[DDave]

That'll be a great gig. Biggest band to play there by far. 

[kingcrawler]

Considering going down for this but not sure I can justify the over £50 ticket plus travel and accomodation when I'm seeing them at Primavera anway, think i'll just hold out and hope they announce a gig up here for the summer but I'm not expecting it.

[Odessa]

Nearly £60. Fuck me. Not sure what I was expecting but not sure I can justify that. Might get tickets, hope for some good support to justify the cost to myself, then potentially sell them if it's only Arcade Fire I want to see. 

[liamium]

did an actual double take at that castlefield show. i saw bjork there in 2015 when it was literally 2 minutes from my front door. i reckon i could just about be bothered to walk the now 20 minutes from my front door. that should be a brilliant show.

[FloorFiller]

Decided the other day that I'd be giving them a miss when they toured this time 'round as I'll be seeing them at Primavera and have already seen them a fair few times over the years. Doesn't make missing this any easier though as I'm sure it'll be fantastic and that the support will be top notch as well.

[arcade fireman]

It's straight after the two nights of Radiohead at the arena too! 

[liamium]

as with the bjork show in 2015, it's an MIF event.

there's a pre-sale for members and newsletter subscribers

 

[Hugh Jass]

In!

[kingcrawler]

Looking at their tour dates they have Isle of Wight on 10/6, Belfast on 13/6 and Dublin on 14/6, hoping they add a Glasgow show in between Isle of Wight and Belfast.

[FuzzyDunlop]

Looks like I will be eating tins of beans to survive in a few months time.. I need to go to this