Arcade Fire
Arcade Fire’s We Is a Sign of the Times
Arcade Fire’s We — a project of resolute, zeitgeisty grandeur — is not only an album built for 2022. It reflects this week, this day, this moment. Why? Because it’s deliberate in its thesis that America is fucked beyond repair. There is no space for misinterpretation. And at this deeply troubling juncture in our history — pick a reason why — nuance is no longer a luxury we can afford. If you have something to say, you better say it now — the scroll of horrifying headlines and Met Gala memes will resume momentarily to numb us anew. But even as subtlety is stampeded by the constant demands of our self-imposed digital captivity — such was the crux of Everything Now, Arcade Fire’s polarizing 2017 LP; remember the lyric “infinite content, infinitely content” — this new album’s soapbox approach ...
Hear Arcade Fire’s Joyful New Anthem ‘Unconditional I (Lookout Kid)’
Arcade Fire has released the latest single from their forthcoming album WE. “Unconditional I (Lookout Kid)” starts out soft but builds into a joyful anthem. It’s about the power of connection, which relates to the album’s overall theme of how we pick up with each other after an extended period of isolation. “There’s nothing saccharine about unconditional love in a world that is coming apart at the seams,” said Win Butler in a statement. “WE need each other, in all of our imperfection. ‘Lookout Kid’ is a reminder, a lullaby for the end times, sung to my son, but for everyone… Trust your heart, trust your mind, trust your body, trust your soul. Shit is going to get worse before it gets better, but it always gets better, and no one’s perfect. Let me say it again. No one’s perfect.” WE is set ...
Arcade Fire Dedicate Songs to Ukraine and Pearl Jam During Surprise Coachella Set
Arcade Fire took the stage at the Mojave Tent last night, just a day after announcing their addition to the Coachella lineup. After briefly halting their performance to direct medical attention to the crowd, the band dove into a 13-song set that included fan favorites as well as a few songs from their upcoming album WE. The group had to re-start “Unconditional I (Lookout Kid)” so frontman Win Butler could re-compose himself. “It’s been a hard couple fucking years,” he said through tears. “We tell ourselves so much poison.” Earlier in the set, Butler dedicated “The Suburbs” to the people of Ukraine. “Everyone in a punk rock band in the Ukraine right now,” he said. “I’m thinking about everybody who is dealing with the war right now.” He also gave a shout out to Coachella co-founde...
Arcade Fire to Play Surprise Coachella Set
A day before Coachella kicks off in the Southern California desert, Arcade Fire announced they’ll be playing a surprise (well maybe not anymore) set in the Mojave Tent at 6:45 pm tomorrow (Friday). Better late than never to announce this, right? Arcade Fire previously played a string of pop-up shows in New York City after they announced that their latest studio album, We, is out on May 6. So far, the band has released “The Lightning I, II.” from it. On top of that surprising news, Coachella finally unveiled the schedule for the weekend’s set (again, better late than never), which you can see below. Unprecedented set times pic.twitter.com/jJGs4uR51k — Coachella (@coachella) April 14, 2022 This year’s headliners are Harry Styles, Billie Eilish and The Weeknd x Swedish House Mafia. The l...
Arcade Fire and David Byrne Cover ‘Give Peace A Chance’ at Bowery Ballroom Show
Arcade Fire were joined by none other than David Byrne for their final intimate show at New York City’s Bowery Ballroom. They performed a cover of John Lennon and Plastic Ono Band’s “Give Peace A Chance.” This is the fouth time Byrne has joined Arcade Fire, with the previous appearances taking place twice in 2005 and again in 2014. The performance was Arcade Fire’s fourth and final consecutive show at the New York venue. All shows were announced at the last minute to benefit Ukraine, which frontman Mike Myers discussed with the crowd last night. After Arcade Fire performed “Wake Up,” they debuted another new track, “Unconditional I (Lookout Kid).” The band is gearing up for their upcoming record, WE, which is out May 6. Even though he worked on the record, founding band member Will Butler ...
Will Butler Has Left Arcade Fire
It’s been a busy few days for Arcade Fire. They announced a new album and shared a new single on Thursday and played a triumphant intimate show in New York City last night. However, in a series of tweets on Saturday, founding member Will Butler announced he was no longer in the band. “Hi friends— I’ve left Arcade Fire,” Butler began. “I left at the end of last year, after the new record was complete. There was no acute reason beyond that I’ve changed—and the band has changed—over the last almost 20 years. Time for new things.” Concluding, he wrote “Thank you to anyone who’s come out to AF shows, or bought a record, or loves our music. It’s meaningful to be part of your lives. Thank you to the crew, staff, management, label people, bands, artists, and friends who have helped bring our visio...
Arcade Fire Return With a Roar to Bowery Ballroom in Surprise New York City Show
It had been nearly 20 years since Arcade Fire played the Bowery Ballroom on Friday night, and a concert wasn’t enough—they added a parade in, too. The Canadian indie-rockers returned with the cinematic sound and infectious energy that helped cement their fanbase when they began 21 years ago. Truthfully, at the New York City venue, it could have been 2004 again. While The Lower East Side show was a surprise, it wasn’t exactly random. Last week, the band began teasing a comeback through had cryptic messages—postcards and online ads. Arcade Fire revealed on Thursday they would be releasing their first new album in five years, WE. Alongside it, they debuted its lead single “The Lightning I, II,” a ballad-turned-heart-racing anthem whose shout choruses signaled a return to form for the group. I...
Arcade Fire Detail New Album WE, Release New Video For ‘The Lightning I, II’
Arcade Fire are finally back. The group will be releasing their sixth studio album WE on May 6. It will be the band’s latest collab via Columbia Records. The first single, “The Lightning I, II,” is out with an accompanying music video directed by Emily Kai Bock. [embedded content][embedded content] WE was produced by Nigel Godrich, Win Butler and Régine Chassagne. The band recorded it in New Orleans, El Paso, and Mount Desert Island, but their sessions were initially disrupted by the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in the spring of 2020. Win Butler said that the album is the product of “the longest we’ve ever spent writing, uninterrupted, probably ever.” Win and Régine were able to take much of the following year of isolation to explore new musical paths. The album is set to clock in...
Arcade Fire to Release New Song in Five Years
Arcade Fire just announced their first new single in five years, “The Lightning I, II” to be released on Thursday, March, 17. The announcement comes after the band sent fans a series of postcards that said “We missed you” with a color graphic of the chords for the new song, with other doodles in the margins. The band shared the news with the broader public on Twitter this morning. Our new song The Lightning I, II comes out on Thursday 2PM ET/11AM PT. Pre-save: https://t.co/n7uhcMkTGrHere’s the chords to make it a little easier to play. WE really missed you⚡️ ❤️ AF pic.twitter.com/m4IJ2hZ73t — Arcade Fire (@arcadefire) March 14, 2022 Arcade Fire have not released an album since 2017’s Everything Now, although they have been promising a new album since ...
The 50 Best Alt-Rock Love Songs
Not all love songs are romantic. Not all love songs are even happy. It all depends on your definition of the term. For every “My Girl” or “Your Song,” there’s at least one track with a nuanced take on the darker, more complicated sides of love — the drama of a long-term relationship, the fear of losing a partner, the void left in love’s wake. Many of those songs fall under the admittedly broad umbrella of “alt-rock.” So to mark Valentine’s Day, we decided to gather 50 of our favorite “love songs” in the genre — both conventional and otherwise. Throughout this list, you’ll find lines about blooming romance and marital bliss. You’ll also find nods to drug addiction and car crashes. There’s something for everyone. – Ryan Reed 50. that dog. – “I’m Gonna See You” You take the good, you tak...
The 35 Best Albums of the Last 35 Years
Let’s face it: With most “Best Albums” lists, you know the broad strokes of the ranking before you even click. Part of that predictability is understandable: Most iconic records earn their reputation. But these rankings shouldn’t be fossilized, and a shit-ton of amazing LPs have been shoved aside in the pursuit of maintaining the status quo. We didn’t ignore the unimpeachable on our list — you’ll see plenty of the staples you’ve come to expect. But we also hope we’ll spark your curiosity and encourage you to hunt for a title you may have missed over the last 35 years. 35. Bruce Springsteen – Tunnel of Love (1987) CREDIT: Columbia Records How does one follow up a rock album that recalibrates stadium sound systems and offers a stark look at hard times in America? With love songs, of course. ...
Arcade Fire Debuted New Single ‘Generation A’ on Election Night
While the result of the presidential election is still up in the air, Arcade Fire wanted to inspire their fans (and everyone else) to continue the fight for democracy with their new song “Generation A.” Premiering on Stephen Colbert’s Election Night 2020: Democracy’s Last Stand show, the song was inspired by the current state of the United States but also offers a spark of energy to the youth to continue fighting for a better world. Playing on the young energy, the performance starts with a young child running into the studio and yelling,“This is generation A! And we’re not gonna wait!” on the mic. The band continues the sentiment with the hook, “I can’t wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait/Too little too late!” A blonde Win Butler emphasizes that people can no longer sit around and do ...
